Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-06-16-Speech-3-014"
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"en.20100616.4.3-014"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the four groups were really doing the right thing by supporting the Community method. We needed to do this, because the politicking and manoeuvring between the various states over the last few weeks and months have had the effect of repeatedly counteracting the rescue measures. Our decision has not achieved the desired results because the European Union is constantly focusing too heavily on individual interests rather than the common good.
However, I do not share Mr Verhofstadt’s opinion that it is now simply a question of the European Parliament loudly stating its political will in order to determine how we achieve economic governance. I believe that Mr Juncker took a very honest approach with the group chairs last week in explaining where he believes the limits of the existing treaties to lie. Anyone who does not now speak out loudly and clearly in favour of amending the treaties cannot say that the Commission is and will be the economic government of Europe.
So, Mr Verhofstadt, let us be honest with ourselves. We know what we want. How can we achieve it? The Commission must play a central role in cooperating with the European Parliament and with the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin). As Mr Juncker has said, we must make the best possible use of the treaties and the opportunities that they present to promote the Community method. In my opinion, Ecofin should be working on the basis of the models set up by the European Commission. This can only function effectively because Europe now needs to focus on the procedure.
How can we guarantee democratic legitimacy? Mr Barroso, irrespective of how much advance praise we are now giving you and of how much confidence we currently have in you, we must work together on this question of democratic legitimacy, the inclusion of the European Parliament and the inclusion of the national parliaments. The petty dispute about the framework agreement, which has been driving me mad here week after week, makes it clear to me that you are not open to this at all. However, if we are to accept responsibility for the billions being spent on the rescue packages alone, we need democratic legitimacy for our actions at a European level.
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If you want to continue making policy in darkened rooms, you are doomed to fail.
I would like to talk about a subject which I believe to be one of the most important in this area. If the European economic government starts to meet independently and draws up its own agenda – because, until now, the agenda and the rhythm of events have been determined by the news from the stock markets or the rating agencies – one of the major topics will be whether the route of iron austerity which has been taken almost everywhere in Europe is the only method of dealing with Europe’s deficit problems. I am of the opinion that if all of us – states, citizens and companies – focus solely on saving, as a result of the uncertainty caused by the crisis, we will almost definitely be setting out on the road to recession, and I would not like to be held responsible for this. Countries like Germany, which are now in a better position because of the euro and the European Union, also need to explain how the growth part of the pact will function and what subsidy programmes we need in order to achieve what we have described in the Europe 2020 strategy.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a difficult road ahead of us. The treaties are not giving us everything we want. However, if we continue to allow the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, even in the midst of the crisis, as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development last week indicated was the case, then I believe that we will see the terrifying scenarios that Mr Schulz has described in his speech."@en1
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