Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-06-13-Speech-3-024-000"
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"en.20120613.6.3-024-000"2
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"Mr President, Europe is facing yet another in its long line of crises, only this time, in my view, it is fast becoming a crisis of the legitimacy of the EU itself.
Many of us warned that a monetary union with a light touch, which was envisaged in the Maastricht Treaty, could not work and, for a single currency to succeed, significant centralisation of power would be required – a centralisation which, for many of us, was totally unacceptable. That is where the EU finds itself today. It is bringing more centralisation upon itself in what is an increasingly desperate attempt to get ahead of the crisis, which so far it has completely failed to do.
When the markets are unimpressed, when the Spanish banks are lent EUR 100 billion, then there is a clear signal that the failure is continuing. This latest Spanish bailout lasted barely 24 hours before it was, as Mr Verhofstadt said, being questioned on the markets. If I can use a somewhat crude analogy, it is a little bit like wetting your pants at the North Pole. At first it feels warm and comforting, but very quickly you realise just how much trouble you are in fact in.
Let me make two points. First, it would be unacceptable that the measures it is proposed we take should fall upon those who proposed originally to steer clear of this risky venture and, second, those countries who signed up to join a single currency with one set of governing rules should not now be obliged to join a single currency with a completely different set of governing rules. So those countries that are not yet in the euro should be released from their obligation to join.
Over the last 20 years, the EU has become ever more out of touch with public opinion, and that has shown in many recent elections and referendums. The people of Europe are becoming increasingly worried about centralisation, and about the remoteness of those who are gaining more power in the EU by the day. In no area is this seen more starkly than the management of the EU budget. The Commission talks about synergies, about investments, about added value, and the public just sees waste, mismanagement and fraud.
An even bigger budget is being requested. The public just wonders why it is that for 17 years in succession, the budget has been implemented with significantly high levels of illegal or irregular payments. People here are complaining that the concept of value for money is somehow getting in the way of European solidarity. The public just wonders how on earth one can justify wanting even more money when the money already being spent is spent so badly.
To win back public legitimacy and regain trust, the EU needs to take reform seriously, it needs to respond to the needs of the people and not impose ideas upon them. Make no mistake, when we are facing so many different crises on so many fronts, we are very fast running out of time."@en1
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