Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-05-09-Speech-3-075-000"
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"en.20120509.17.3-075-000"2
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"Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, when we speak about good examples for our citizens, when we speak about the internal market and the possibility of creating genuine, concrete opportunities for changes in everyday life through the working of the internal market, we can truly use this example – and we obviously have need of many others – as a fruit of our labours.
It is a good example because, as was said, it has an impact on citizens’ real lives, on their daily lives. It also helps businesses to expand their market, not because charges are high and services reduced, but because they can increase their service offering and, in substance, it also helps the economy as a whole. That is why I believe that it is, without doubt, a positive example, a good example.
Yet you will have realised, Commissioner, that there is a widespread desire in this House; in particular, let us recall the speeches of two of my colleagues, Ms Riera Madurell and Mr Goebbels, not to mention many others, who would like this good example to become the best possible example, and would like us to move towards a zero-cost roaming outcome. Such an outcome is possible, and this measure partly anticipates that.
Are we wishing for utopia? No. We are not, because an internal European market implies that domestic and non-domestic tariffs should be similar. There is no longer differentiation if we speak of the single market and, above all, because there is no technical justification for an increase in charges. I remember when, in 2007, we began to discuss voice roaming charges, the first of the trio that we have now tackled. There was a certain incredulity and also certain difficulties; not, however, on the part of the Commission, and here I must give the credit to your predecessor, Ms Reding.
The difficulties were quite wide-ranging. They came from those who said that a true market did not allow for tariffs to be regulated, that there were political prices to pay, that they belonged to an old idea of the left, et cetera, et cetera. There were those who said it would not work and so on, that it would put a brake on the market. In the end, however, we have done it. The interests of citizens and establishing that these were not justifications for increased charges have made it possible. That is how the world moves on, and things are becoming, let us say, ever more possible. That is why I think an even more courageous outcome is achievable.
A concluding remark on why it is not possible to do otherwise. Today, we had a visit from a delegation of Tunisian citizens; I do not know if they are still here. Perhaps one of its many benefits is that this extension to outside the EU will make us understand that the opportunity of using phones without the bugbear of charges will also aid democracy."@en1
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