Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-09-13-Speech-2-716-000"
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"en.20110913.45.2-716-000"2
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"Madam President, I do not think this is the first debate we have held on this topic in Parliament. We had it in 2008, 2010 was the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion when we put forward a written declaration, and we are now putting an oral question to the Commission.
What I mean is that, firstly, Parliament has always been concerned about this problem, which is a real one, because one often hears it said that we are preoccupied with institutional issues in which people are not interested. Institutional issues are important, but the issue of poverty is a genuine one and those of us who are present here tonight are demonstrating our concern.
Secondly, it is true that – as the Commissioner has said – the action plans are essentially national plans. This is so. However, it is true that we can also do things at a European level. We did this – as Ms Berès will recall – when, at the insistence of this Parliament, we included the reference to social exclusion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the struggle against poverty among the EU’s goals.
I believe that very soon, we shall have the opportunity to take concrete action. I am referring to the debate and vote on the European Union budgets. These will take place very shortly and I think this will be an opportunity for demonstrating our commitment.
The third point I should like to make, Madam President, is that it is very important to combat social exclusion and to combat poverty, but it is even more important to respect human dignity. A person suffering from poverty is one who possesses all the fundamental human rights, and we need to recognise this. Recently, I watched a film on Father Brezinski which I would recommend that my colleagues see, because this film demonstrates that the fight against inequalities is closely linked to the fight for dignity.
Finally, Madam President, I would not wish to overlook one fact. From certain speeches, it would seem as if the defence of the European social model were the exclusive heritage of one particular political group in this Chamber. This is not the case. We in the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and in all groups place great importance on the European social model, because this defines us, and because this is part of our identity.
Therefore, I think that together – and both this question and the resolution show this – we will continue to fight for it to remain so."@en1
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