Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2014-10-22-Speech-3-015-000"
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"en.20141022.2.3-015-000"2
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"Mr President, I would like to thank Mr Juncker very much for his presentation today.
Mr Juncker, I wonder if I could just start by pointing to three things that you mentioned in your speech. First of all, you described yourself as ‘the big loser’. If I were you, I would not be so harsh on yourself. Secondly, you hit the nail on the head when it came to the debate on what some call public investment and what others call debt. We need to resolve this issue. We need to make sure that we learn the lesson that you simply cannot spend more money than you have got. You simply cannot ask taxpayers for money they have not got, and we need to make sure that we have financial responsibility. Thirdly, we welcome your announcement that Luxembourg should perhaps propose a female Commissioner for the next term. We look forward to the return of Astrid Lulling in this Chamber.
Yesterday we debated the legacy of President Barroso, and we looked back at his Commission and we called his Commission a Commission of crisis. What will we say about your Commission in five years’ time? In our group, we will ask: did the Juncker Commission lift its eyes from the institutional naval-gazing and look to the world beyond Europe to see those competitive economies? Our group will ask: did the Juncker Commission tackle the important issues of energy security and the digital single market and pursue open trade; and did the Juncker Commission face up to the challenges of the future rather than looking back to the past?
As an open and democratic group, the ECR had a number of discussions about this Commission – in fact, probably more than I would like to mention – but that is part of being an open and transparent democratic group. So, as we cast our vote today, let me share with you some of our concerns, but also some of the things that we like about your Commission.
First of all, let us be positive. We welcome the fact that the structure does not look like desperately seeking 27 places for 27 people. We like the fact that you have torn down the silos and have come up with an integrated structure focused on outcomes. That is a positive plan: it is a plan for action. We like the fact that you are looking to cut red tape and to complete the digital single market; and that you are looking at energy, the economy and competitiveness. We are impressed by some of your appointments. We like the fact, for example, that the gentleman next to you, Mr Timmermans, asked the question, ‘Does Europe need to do all this?’ Surely at times it is best to leave it to the Member States. Do we really need this regulation?
Thirdly, some Members in my group feel that you have offered a genuine olive branch to us, and we hope that both sides face up to the challenge of grasping that olive branch as we look forward to working with you over the next five years.
But I have to say we are also disappointed. We are disappointed that you did not support Parliament’s request for a budget control Commissioner. We see the appointment of a French socialist, given their record on the Stability and Growth Pact, as a mistake. It is rather like putting an alcoholic in charge of a wine bar. You might say that it is like putting a Houdini or an escapologist in charge of a prison. It might lead to better security, but it will also lead some people to say: if he can escape and get out of it, so can we.
Some of our national delegations did not like some of the people appointed because of their record in their home Member State, but we know that the process is over. We know the deal has been done. We know that the large groups will vote for your Commission. Our group will not join this cosy consensus. We will abstain. As you get down to work, where you pursue reform, we will work with you and your Commission; and where you look back to the past, we will confront you with the challenges of the future. There is much work to do, and we wish you well."@en1
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