Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2017-07-04-Speech-2-567-000"
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"en.20170704.36.2-567-000"2
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"Mr President, the European Union will only thrive if we take reform seriously. We face many social and environmental difficulties, as has been outlined by Commissioner Timmermans, but I want to focus on the enormous economic challenges we face: competitiveness, the loss of jobs to overseas employers, low growth rates, eurozone stagnation. These have led to unemployment levels in parts of Europe that are far too high and poor wage growth that has led to stagnant household incomes for far too long.
So as the Commission designs its work programme for 2018, the foremost objective must be to address Europe’s economic weaknesses by pursuing measures that unleash and encourage the creative capacities of our entrepreneurs and businesses, especially SMEs. This will deliver benefits for the whole community. If we can get that right, so many of our other political, social and environmental problems will be easier to overcome. If we are economically weak, we will be dominated by others who may not share our democratic traditions or political principles, but if we are economically strong, we will be in a position to defend our values and promote our common interests in what will be a very difficult century ahead.
To help set an agenda of renewal, we have been pleased to work with the EPP and ALDE Groups on a joint motion. Of course, our Groups have very different political visions for Europe – there are many areas where we do not agree. But what we have in common is a desire to address Europe’s shared problems in a practical way, with a programme of constructive reform. So we have come together on the specific issue of the 2018 work programme to help set a strong and positive agenda for reform on key issues which would deliver tangible benefits to all our citizens, and I commend it to you."@en1
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