Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-02-14-Speech-1-072-000"
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"en.20110214.13.1-072-000"2
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"Mr President, it is true that Mrs Gebhardt and I have a real rapport, but that does not mean that we always have to agree with one another. I have no other comment to make apart from to say that we must work together intelligently, Mrs Rapti.
Mr Harbour mentioned the performance tests that we have begun. Why have we begun these performance tests for each service to see the positive or negative interactions between certain European texts? Because we realise that, in order to apply the Services Directive properly, we need to have regard to other texts, and I would offer the example of an architect based in Belgium who works with clients in the Netherlands and who, depending on the circumstances, may be subject to the Services Directive, the Professional Qualifications Directive, the E-Commerce Directive, the Consumer Protection Directives, and other instruments besides. This is why we need to ensure – and this is what we are going to do with the performance tests – that these different European texts tie in well together.
I would like to conclude, Mr President, by raising a highly political point, which is important to me too, ladies and gentlemen, and which Mrs Gebhardt was the first to raise: this directive must be applied for the purposes for which it is intended; it must not be applied to other matters. I will therefore be as vigilant as you with regard to the temptation of certain Member States to use this directive for purposes other than those for which it is intended, in particular, for issues that might relate to services of general economic interest. Mrs Auconie raised this point, as did Mrs Svensson and Mrs Bizzotto just now.
I would also remind Mr Canfin, who questioned me, that the Commission is honouring its commitment by working on a text that will clarify a communication on public services, on services of general economic interest. My colleague, Mr Almunia, the Commissioner responsible for competition, is, for his part, working on updating the Monti-Kroes package. Therefore, you will have two tools, in communication terms, which should clarify matters and prevent ambiguities and, at times, controversies or misunderstandings.
The communication on services of general economic interest or public services will be produced sometime this year. I would also say to Mrs Geier that the Services Directive should not affect workers’ rights, because the directive does not deal with this issue. Indeed, it does not deal with the issue of rights or the issue of the posting of workers.
Lastly, I should like to say to Mr Le Hyaric, whose criticisms I listened to carefully just now, that transport is not covered by the Services Directive, and neither is healthcare. This directive does not stipulate that public services must be privatised in any way; I will pay extremely close attention to that, and to other matters besides, in the communication that we are preparing on services of general interest.
In other words, ladies and gentlemen, I know that this directive has provoked debate. I would remind you that it has been greatly improved, that it is now fairly clear and that we can use it to create jobs and growth, which the citizens are waiting for. I want us to be demanding – and you are right to be so – but I would also like us to be objective with regard to this directive and to build this single market in services together, in the spirit of partnership and using partnership methods. In any case, that is what I am determined to do – and what I promised you I would do – over the next four years so as to enable this directive to realise its full potential.
I was also struck by what you said, Mrs Rapti. I myself was able to see, during my recent visit to Greece, and echoing the concern expressed by Mr Harbour about the potential for growth found in this directive, that, if it is used intelligently, within the limits laid down but to its full potential, there clearly will be potential for the services economy, which is so very important – I will say it again: other agri-food and industrial economies should be equally important or more important – to grow. Moreover, this directive, if used properly, will be an opportunity for open economies such as the Greek economy, in which services, especially tourism services – the tourism industry – are so important.
I would like to say to Mr Schwab, and to Mrs Gebhardt also, that they are right to point out Parliament’s role in improving this directive and to confirm that Parliament will be vigilant in ensuring that it is implemented properly. As I have often said to Mr Harbour, I personally am keeping a close eye on its implementation.
Today, almost all the Member States have opted to adopt a horizontal legislative act. Mrs Vergnaud and Mr Canfin pointed out – they were sorry to have to do so, but they have a responsibility to give their opinion – that France, and Germany too, had preferred to integrate principles from the directive directly into their existing sectoral legislation. People may question or criticise that approach, Mrs Vergnaud, as you yourself have done, but we believe that it is clear and valid in the European context.
I would also like to point out to Mrs Hyusmenova that 23 Member States have already adopted their horizontal transposition legislation. Mr Kelly mentioned that Ireland was the very last country to do so. In two other Member States – Mrs Regner spoke of Austria and Luxembourg – the legislation is currently being examined by their parliaments.
I would also like to point out to Mrs in ’t Veld that infringement proceedings are still open with regard to seven Member States that have failed to communicate their transposition measures. Therefore, as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, the spirit is one of agreement and proactiveness. I myself am visiting the Member States, as was noted earlier. Mr Løkkegaard mentioned my visits concerning these issues in particular. However, you will see that, if necessary, we can be even more insistent by opening infringement proceedings to ensure that this directive is implemented properly.
Mrs Auconie, Mrs Handzlik, Mrs Sehnalová, Mrs Gebhardt and Mr Harbour stressed the importance of multilingual points of single contact. We share this view of the importance of multilingual services, of services that are also very interoperable, electronic and accessible from the wonderful tool that is the Internet – Mrs Comi and Mrs Roithová mentioned this, as did Mrs Herczog just now when she spoke about these points of single contact.
I would also like to point out to Mrs Handzlik that the Commission is working with the Member States to exchange good practice on issues such as the Internal Market Information System (IMI) and the Internal Market Problem Solving Network (SOLVIT). We have a group of experts tasked with facilitating this exchange of good practice; we have begun a study to check how things are going and, at the end of 2011, we will organise a conference on the practical operation of the points of single contact, in the same spirit as the forum on the single market that I would like to organise – this was a suggestion made by Mrs von Thun und Hohenstein and Mr Harbour. It will be an annual single-market forum enabling us to take an approach that is more human, more practical, more citizen-based and closer to this market, with businesses and with professional organisations or trade unions.
Mr Løkkegaard and Mrs Gáll-Pelcz, who reminded us of the commitment of the Hungarian Presidency, mentioned the mutual evaluation process. This is another new method which, if we can make a success of it, will, I hope, be useful for other European texts. I am paying close attention to this constructive mutual evaluation, which is a modern tool consisting of a case-by-case evaluation, before applying it to other legislative instruments."@en1
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