Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-07-07-Speech-3-020"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20100707.6.3-020"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Presidents, the people of Europe would like a better understanding of how European decisions are taken, and they expect the European Union to give a concrete response to their concerns.
Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, I would like to say here that it is also time to put an end to the long list of priorities of the rotating presidencies, which only result in disillusion. For years now, every six months, the Presidents of the Council have been coming here to explain to us that in six months’ time, they are going to rebuild Europe. Then they return six months later to tell us that, for reasons beyond their control, the expectations they have raised have come to nothing. I believe that this is the wrong way for the Council to behave and that it damages the credibility of our European project.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted that, firstly, because of its national political life and, secondly, because of the fact that the President of the European Council is also Belgian, the Belgian Presidency has not fallen into this trap and is concentrating its efforts on our three real priorities: growth and employment, the green economy, and security and freedom.
I will say again here, and our fellow citizens are well aware of this: the response to all our major challenges, whether they be the economy, employment, security, the climate or energy, is first European and then global.
President of the Council, you have just said that Europe’s number one problem is its slow growth; in other words, the fact that, recently, it has not been sufficiently capable of creating wealth and employment. This is what your Presidency should focus on, and the 2020 agenda, if fully adopted and thus financed by the Member States – that is the key word, financing – may be a very effective tool for ensuring that Europe is both more competitive and greener.
However, at the same time, we must make very real progress in the symbolic task of regulating the financial sector and reducing our deficits. Europe must set an example on this subject, and everyone must clearly see what it is that Europe is encouraging and promoting: not financial speculation, but work and entrepreneurship.
We must also send a clear signal to Europeans on the issue of freedom, security and justice, as our fellow citizens often ask themselves why Europe still plays no part in areas such as the mutual recognition of court decisions. It is by offering specific answers to these types of question that our work will be better understood.
Mr Leterme, you spoke well – I had prepared a conclusion, but I cannot read it out as it dealt with the Community method. Indeed, I am very much counting on the Belgian Presidency to ensure that, as you said, this Community method becomes an even more integral part of our various institutions."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples