Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-09-22-Speech-3-021"
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like very briefly to say a few words in response.
We have agreed on a global approach for the Middle East. In December 2009, we developed a common position of the 27 on one of the most contested regions in the world, the Middle East. We added a new statement which was adopted by the Quartet a few days ago.
All of this has been done. These are achievements; these are facts; and I stick to the facts.
With respect to the task force: no, we are not working too slowly. We started in May, and we are now in September. In a few months, we have made some big steps forward. Furthermore, we will finish our work not in December, as predicted, but at the end of October. I assure you that I will be able to report here on the qualitatively important conclusions coming out of the task force. There is no problem between us and the Commission. We are working hand in hand to obtain good results. There is no institutional rivalry.
With respect to the problem of the Roma, I would repeat the five points, which are not the Council’s conclusions as such, but on which there is a very broad consensus. We are now awaiting the Commission’s inquiry. We must not prejudge it. I would also note that, as was requested at the European Council, the Commission has started work on developing a plan for better integrating certain minorities, including the Roma, into the European Union.
I will add some words in Dutch, which is a minority language, of course, but we can let it be heard now and then.
I think that, despite everything, the record of those first few months, in what were extremely difficult circumstances, has been a positive one. We never expected economic growth to pick up so soon. It might be fragile and this might only be the beginning, but if anyone had said a few months ago that one Member State would achieve economic growth of 3.5% and that the European average would be approximately 1.5%, then no one would have believed him.
A number of countries are setting up reform programmes in extremely difficult political and social circumstances and what we are doing is setting up a new sort of economic governance for Europe.
Today – and I say this cautiously – the economic situation, and even the situation in the labour market, is better than it was a few months ago. That has not happened by accident, but we have made it happen by dint of joint effort. However, our work is far from over. In my opinion – and that is the last thing I am going to say – very few European citizens today are that interested in our spats about which method is the best. My own thinking on that point is that, while the Community method might, of course, be the most appropriate method, our citizens are, first and foremost, waiting to see the results of our policy. Above all, they are waiting for a future. If that future is better, then we should make a public pronouncement to that effect, so that European citizens can once again have more confidence in us. That will prove a major contribution, not only to support of the European idea, but also a major contribution to economic growth.
I am someone who sticks to the facts and does not get distracted by subjective impressions. The facts prove that, in the last eight months, we and all our institutions have made progress through joint efforts and that we are heading in the right direction. Our task in the coming months will be to steer a more definite course in that direction.
There are always different ways of presenting things. One can let oneself be guided by perceptions, or one can let oneself be guided by achievements and facts. I am the type of person who prefers sticking to achievements, realities and facts.
What have we done, during these first eight months of the year, with a new Commission and new institutions following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon?
We have succeeded in agreeing on important financial supervision – on an extremely important reform – with Parliament’s cooperation, of course. We have agreed, after long negotiations, on external action, on the External Action Service, a new ministry for foreign affairs, a new diplomatic service for the European Union. These are two extremely important achievements in the context of a complicated institutional architecture, but one which we wanted.
We have agreed on an important package for helping Greece to survive. We have agreed on a package of EUR 110 billion, combined with an extremely important programme of reform which is now being implemented, despite the major difficulties that are being encountered by the Greek Government. We have agreed on a package of EUR 750 billion of financial support for contingencies – subject to certain conditions, of course – which has appeased the markets and created new perspectives.
On the initiative of the Union, major reforms are being made, and I certainly know that there are objections to them within countries and beyond them. Important reforms are being carried out in quite a few European countries. Without the pressure exercised by the institutions, this would not have happened so quickly.
On foreign policy, I repeat, following the Security Council, we came to an agreement among the 27 on the sanctions against Iran, on the additional sanctions, which was by no means easy.
We have agreed on a resolution among the 27 concerning the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo – and, as you well know, five European countries do not recognise Kosovo. This dialogue is extremely important for stability and peace in this area, which is also a European area, and which must have a European perspective.
Finally, we have agreed on a commercial agreement with South Korea. We have agreed on a package of support – not just financial, but also commercial support – for Pakistan."@en1
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