Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-12-13-Speech-2-506-000"
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"en.20111213.33.2-506-000"2
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"Mr President, today marks a very joyful day for all those who, for the entire year, have been reflecting on how Europe should shape its relations with its close neighbours. This report, which has been prepared during an unusual year, is now ready. The past year has been one in which a single great slogan has resounded throughout the world: change, change, change. People have clamoured for democracy, for a better life, for values that are so close to the heart of the European Union.
The European Neighbourhood Policy was once designed as a kind of consolation prize for those countries which lay close to the European Union, but which would never be part of it. These included both countries which are nearby, for example, on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as countries in the East, which once formed part of the Soviet empire. Meanwhile, everything has changed. First of all, the attitude of the people living in these countries has changed, and so too has the position of the European Union towards these countries. We now realise that a policy of empty gestures, of hypocrisy, of maintaining relations with regimes whose stable governance turned out to be illusory, simply does not make sense. Investment in fiction and investment in dictatorships has turned out to be entirely pointless. This year, we heard the powerful voice of the people of North Africa who are demanding freedom and democracy, and who want to fight for core values. A few years ago, the same voice was heard from Kiev’s Maidan Square. At Maidan Square, millions of Ukrainians came out in force to demand the same as the people in Africa are demanding today. What, therefore, is the nature of this new neighbourhood policy developed by the European Commission? Here, I would like to express my enormous respect for the work of Commissioner Füle, who has taken the place reserved for the Commission. First and foremost, the neighbourhood policy means applying an integrated policy in relations with the East and with North Africa. Why a so-called integrated policy? When it comes to freedom, democracy and tolerance, there are no geographical divisions. People are, as we firmly believe, all equal. They all wish to live with dignity, be it in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tunisia or Egypt. This new policy is based on values close to our hearts, on the fight for democracy and freedom. It gives an opportunity to the people who want to fight for these values. In some cases, this struggle will be protracted. This is a new, people-oriented policy. Our desire is to create the foundation for this new policy, for these new relations. First of all, we want to achieve this by convincing societies that we wish to create opportunities for their people, through contacts with non-governmental organisations, leaders and the media. We want them to be convinced, and to convince those closest to them, that it is worth looking in the direction of Europe, and to the European Union as an institution which supports these values.
We assume that the speed of change will be determined by the countries themselves. We explain that the notion of ‘benchmarks’ amounts to doing as much as you want to do with our assistance. The ‘more for more’ rule, as Mário David has rightly said, also means ‘less for less’. You can take from one to give to another. Therefore, today marks a great celebration. All that is important to us, to the European Union, to the countries that gained freedom, is now on offer to those who live near us. We can complain and say that much still needs to be done both in the East and in North Africa, that we are dissatisfied with the situation in Azerbaijan, in Armenia. We can improve our policies in Georgia and Ukraine, we can talk about Moldova’s progress and point out that there is much yet to be done in Egypt and Tunisia. It is important, however, for us to ensure that matters proceed in the right direction.
Mário, thank you for your cooperation over this report that we have written together. I would also like to thank the Commissioner who articulated such important matters in his communication. Finally, I would like to thank all those who helped us put these wise thoughts into words."@en1
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