Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-07-03-Speech-2-109-000"
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"en.20120703.5.2-109-000"2
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"Mr President, regarding the questions put to the Commission, let me just clarify some of the points.
So, when we are concerned, as some of you expressed the concern today that governments go to Brussels and say one thing, then go back to their capitals and say something different, it is also very important that political parties do not say one thing in Strasbourg and then say a different thing in their capitals.
One important and interesting point was made by the British Conservatives today, and some kind of satisfaction was expressed with the situation in the euro area. I would like to tell the Conservatives that it is puzzling that you seem to delight in the difficulties of the euro area. This is in stark contrast to the position taken by your leader, Prime Minister Cameron.
It would be good in terms of accountability to your public for you to say the same thing here that you say in London. The reality is that there is now a consensus, that includes those states outside the euro area, on the need to strengthen the euro area. It would be a mistake, a complete mistake, to try to divide the euro area from the rest of the European Union.
I am also very puzzled at the ease with which some of you recommend that some Member States should leave the euro. Once again, this is in complete contrast to the position taken by the British Prime Minister, who explicitly said at the G8 summit in Camp David, for instance, that it was in his national interest that Greece stays in the euro area.
So it is very important that we agree on a common approach for the European Union, including countries both inside and outside the euro area.
Some of you are suggesting that Europe’s current economic problems are the result of the euro area, and that, for instance, you disapprove of the big bailout programmes in the banking sector in the euro area. Let me just put the facts straight.
The country that has spent the most money by far on its banking sector is Britain, more than any other country in the European Union. Let me give you the figures. Since 2008, the United Kingdom has committed EUR 82.9 billion – equivalent to almost 4.9% of GDP – in recapitalisation measures. In asset relief interventions alone, it has committed EUR 40.41 billion – equivalent to 2.38% of GDP – and EUR 158 billion in guarantees, more than 9% of British GDP. So the country in the European Union that has committed by far the most taxpayers’ money to save its financial sector has been Britain. This is not a specific euro area problem; this is a problem that affects the European Union as a whole.
First of all, the assessment we made of this European Council was a balanced one. It represented real progress, but much still has to be done. We should be under no illusions: the crisis is far from over and we need to continue our work. In fact, this European Council addressed, at the same time, short-term measures and a vision for the future, and tried to combine the need for stability with growth.
And then I come to my final point: we either solve this together, and we win together, or we will all be defeated together. My final point is this: I did not at all like the atmosphere following the last European Council when I saw some claiming victory over the others.
This is not the way to do things in Europe: either we win together or we will be defeated together. What we need is a strong European team. It is true that there are in Europe different financial cultures, different perceptions and different sensitivities. But let us be honest; sometimes, this is not a matter of differences between the North and the South – sometimes you find these differences in the very same country.
But I am worried when I see some people speaking about the North and the South, making some kind of easy generalisations, because those of us who know European history know how negative a role was played by prejudice and the superiority complex of one part of Europe over the other.
All the countries of Europe – and some of us have been countries for many, many centuries – have had the greatest moments of glory and very dark moments in our history. We should be humble when we speak about history. And we should not forget that the European project was made precisely to avoid the divisions of the past and the demons that existed in European history.
That is why I do not like it when I see Heads of Government coming out of a European Council and saying that they won against the others. This is exactly the wrong message. This is precisely the road to defeat. The message that we together – the European institutions, the Commission and the European Parliament – have to send is that we are in this together, and together we will be able to overcome this crisis.
It is false to say that the conclusions are only one-way. In fact, there was also strong emphasis on the need for reform for competitiveness. At the same time, there was recognition of the need for solidarity. It is in this context that we should analyse the results of this European Council.
Regarding growth, as the Commission has been stating, we need to combine structural reforms at national and European level with investment, and a package for investment was thus approved. This was the maximum the Member States could agree on at this stage. Regarding the Structural Funds relocation, let me state that EUR 20 billion has already been reprogrammed, and a further EUR 55 billion will be devoted to growth enhancing measures in the current financial period.
In response to some of the questions, I would like to say that it is now critically important that all the governments stick to the agreements once they have been made, and ensure that they are fully and swiftly implemented. We will strongly emphasise the need to respect agreements and to implement them. I would like to reassure this Parliament by telling you that the Commission is determined to come up with proposals very soon. But let me remind you that a number of very important proposals are already on the table.
These include proposals on key elements of the banking union, deposit guarantees and resolution mechanisms for example. We now hope that, with the stronger consensus we saw in the European Council, we can even go further and reinforce those proposals.
Regarding the issues of the Commission proposals, let us be clear; I have to disappoint some of you. The simple fact that the Commission makes proposals does not, in itself, lead to quick agreements.
Maybe this is because there are too many political forces which say one thing in Strasbourg and something else in the capitals of our Member States."@en1
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