Press Release
17/03/2005Reinforcing the Parliamentary dimension of the Lisbon Strategy. Marianne Thyssen MEP and Klaus-Heiner Lehne
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Marianne Thyssen called for a reinforcement of the parliamentarian dimension to revitalise the Lisbon Strategy. She made her call in today's hearing on the Lisbon Strategy in the presence of Council President Jean-Claude Juncker, Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Members of the national parliaments and the European Parliament.
She said: "In this meeting room we all agree on the objective to reinforce the Lisbon Strategy. It is now up to the Member States to stick to their promises, it is up to them to make their concrete plans, it is up to political will. In this respect I find it very important that national parliaments and the European Parliament play their respective role in this process. We need to join all political forces to give the Lisbon Strategy the push it needs. Next Saturday, tens of thousands people will be demonstrating in Brussels for more and secure jobs. We must not let those people down."
Marianne Thyssen also called for a more and clear information policy to raise awareness in public opinion. She said: "We must convince the people that Lisbon gives a perspective to keep our social model, we must convince the people that Lisbon is not a threat but a solution."
Klaus-Heiner Lehne underlined the importance of carrying out an impact assessment and effective consultation of stakeholders on the growth and employment strategy. Mr. Lehne made his intervention during today's hearing on the Lisbon Strategy in the presence of the Commission President Mr. Barroso and Members of National Parliaments from the 25 Member States and the European Parliament. "Good governance and better regulation should be the golden rule of working relations between the European Parliament and the Commission", he said. "An effective practice of the horizontal impact assessment is a guarantee for balanced and realistic European legislation".
During his intervention Mr. Lehne also expressed his concern that the Coreper (Meeting of the EU ambassadors) of 16 March 2005, didn't seem to have understood the necessity to involve actively the European Parliament and the National Parliaments in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. Therefore he emphasised that: "Democratic ownership can simply not be overruled".
The EPP-ED Group focuses on economical growth and more jobs. Mrs Thyssen said: "With this political choice we do not find sustainable development and social coherence of a lesser importance. The EPP-ED Group focuses on economical growth and on more jobs because without a strong and sound economical foundation, we will be heading for a social and economical tragedy. We will not be able to keep our social model."
The Lisbon Strategy is a commitment to bring about economic, social and environmental renewal in the EU. In March 2000, the European Council in Lisbon set out a ten-year strategy to make the EU the world's most competitive and dynamic economy. Under the strategy, a stronger economy will drive job creation alongside social and environmental policies that ensure sustainable development and social coherence.
For further information:
Marianne Thyssen MEP, Tel. +33 3 88175918
Klaus-Heiner Lehne MEP, Tel. +32 2 2845047
