Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-04-06-Speech-3-014-000"
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"Mr President, Commissioner, honourable Members, as Mrs Kalniete, too, has said, the European Union and the economy need a locomotive. This is true. I strongly agree with this idea. Perhaps you remember that, some time ago, at the start of the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union, the Hungarian Prime Minister, too, made it clear in this House that it is not enough to cope with and manage the after-effects of the crisis, to encourage Member States to follow a tighter fiscal policy and to also inspect this. We are working on a number of such laws currently as well. A comprehensive economic crisis management package has also been prepared. We also need to pay attention to remaining credible in the eyes of our citizens. This, however, will only happen if we are able to create jobs.
I think that our primary task is to complete the entire process, the consolidation of the Single Market, by as transparent means as possible, in close cooperation with the European Parliament. The Council is ready to cooperate in this way, in full partnership with the Commission, Parliament, and their Members. Thank you very much, Mr President.
It is for creating these jobs that we are seeking resources, the wherewithal that will enable us to do this. I firmly believe that the Single Market is just that: an unexploited opportunity where our future lies, alongside the implementation of the European Union’s strategy up to 2020 as well. Therefore, along all these lines, I expressly welcome both the European Commission’s and the European Parliament’s commitment to relaunching the Single Market, and the priorities which the Commission has indicated and which this Parliament is also setting out in the three excellent reports. We have already been able to debate the various ideas and positions regarding the report made earlier by your fellow Member, Mr Grech.
Moreover, I believe that the current three reports will also contribute to a targeted debate, as a result of which we will be able to take specific measures jointly by 2012, by the twentieth anniversary also mentioned by Commissioner Barnier. As you, too, know, and the Commissioner has also pointed out, at its meeting on 10 March, the Competitiveness Council exchanged views on the outcome of the social consultation focusing on the criteria defining the prioritised commitment areas of the institutions and Member States. Based on this debate, the Hungarian Presidency is preparing to adopt conclusions on the proposed priority measures at the meeting of the Competitiveness Council on 30 May.
Allow me to remind you of the broader context as well. In the situation today, due to political and economic pressure and measures taken to relieve this, the Single Market may not be at all popular with citizens, enterprises and institutions. However, in Professor Monti’s words, I think that it is precisely at times like this, now, that there is the greatest need for the Single Market, at times when, due to the effect of the crisis, we instinctively try to withdraw into narrow but very familiar national confines. I am convinced, however, that we must not succumb to this temptation. Therefore, the time has obviously come for us to provide a political incentive for the Single Market. As you, ladies and gentlemen, have also emphasised in your earlier report on the creation of a Single Market for consumers and citizens, and Professor Monti’s report, too, has stated, the Single Market is facing a test.
Will it become a means which brings the European Union closer to its citizens by producing a perceptible improvement in their everyday lives? Or will it be merely an arena which serves to protect both the bottlenecks inhibiting the functioning of the Single Market and the sectors maintained? The answer to these questions depends on how committed we are to doing our job over the coming months. After the European Parliament adopts its resolution today, the Commission will be able to adopt its revised communication in the middle of April, as has already been mentioned. We hope that all the political messages and also what you have advocated in your report will be included in the Commission’s document. Once the legislative proposals are made, we are counting on being able to create a special partnership with you and the Commission, which will afford an opportunity for the swift examination and adoption of the main measures designated in the final Single Market Act.
Now, allow me to highlight a few elements of the three reports before us without reacting fully to every point made. The Presidency welcomes the fact that the rapporteur would like to put the issue of the Single Market on the European Council’s agenda. We believe that progress on the Single Market Act falls under the scope of the European Union’s general political guidelines mentioned in the Treaty. Indicating the political guidelines, however, is certainly the European Council’s task. The agenda for this is set by the President of the European Council, but I would like to remind everyone that the European Council’s conclusions of 24 and 25 March also referred to the importance of the Single Market.
The Presidency would like to express its gratitude to Parliament for consistently supporting the Competitiveness Council in drafting specific measures regarding the creation of a unitary patent system. We are all aware that the unitary patent system would boost the competitiveness of enterprises no end. Moreover, we had a very good debate on this here, and I thank Parliament for its cooperation in authorising the Council to initiate this within the framework of enhanced cooperation. We also agree that the completion of the single digital market and strengthening and improving the situation of small and medium-sized enterprises are indispensable in promoting European innovation.
Through the mobility of citizens and, in particular, the recognition of professional qualifications, we can consider further issues concerning European citizens. For this reason, we agree with the statement that our priority task in this area is to take increased EU action and achieve immediate, tangible results. The Presidency has also found that almost all the reports reviewed, including the earlier Grech report and the Correia De Campos report as well, lay particular emphasis on guaranteeing the exercising of internal market rights for EU citizens. In relation to this, we welcome the results achieved in this field, which are due to measures taken by the Commission. These include the creation of the Your Europe portal, the SOLVIT network and points of single contact under the Services Directive.
Nevertheless, we share your view that more can still be done in the interest of EU citizens exercising their rights. Finally, allow me to make a digression concerning the other priority on the Hungarian Presidency’s agenda. During my parliamentary consultations to date on the package of six legislative proposals on the economy, the six-pack, I have frequently heard the criticism that the Member States, by which we should understand the Council, and the European Council, while bearing in mind financial macro-stability, neglect encouraging growth and the recovery of the real economy from the crisis, or, if they do not, they only attribute soft, unaccountable tools to these latter objectives, and that the content of the Europe 2020 strategy is mainly limited to this. Well, I believe, and I referred to this in my introduction as well, that the Single Market and the massive potential for growth concealed in it can give an appropriate answer to these concerns, while also providing a guarantee for the balanced response of the European Union."@en1
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