Commissievoorzitter Barroso over de resultaten van het Spaanse Voorzitterschap (es)

La Presidencia española y los últimos seis meses han marcado un momento muy especial para la Unión Europea. En primer lugar, ha sido una época de profunda transición, con la reciente entrada en vigor de un nuevo Tratado, que ha dotado de nuevas fuerzas a este Parlamento, ha establecido una nueva relación entre el Consejo Europeo y la Presidencia rotatoria, y ha traído una nueva Comisión gracias al apoyo de este Parlamento. Y por encima de todo, también ha sido una época de gran tensión para la economía europea y especialmente para la euro-zona. Una crisis que nos ha planteado nuevos retos y nos ha exigido nuevas respuestas.

Hasta ahora, hemos superado esta prueba. Hemos demostrado ser capaces de tomar medidas sin precedentes para asegurar la estabilidad financiera en la euro-zona. De este modo, hemos mantenido los principios básicos de solidaridad y de responsabilidad. Hemos aprobado el paquete de rescate para Grecia, establecido un Mecanismo de Estabilización (750 mil millones de euros) y empezado a reforzar la gobernanza económica de la Unión europea para evitar y prevenir futuras crisis.

Hoy quiero rendir homenaje a España y a su Presidencia del Consejo, que ha sido muy positiva y acertada y que ha tenido lugar en un contexto difícil y muy especial. El firme compromiso personal del Presidente Zapatero con Europa y con el espíritu y método comunitario ha sido esencial para abordar estos desafíos. También han sido cruciales los esfuerzos realizados por todas las autoridades españolas. Y por eso, muchas gracias. Estoy especialmente satisfecho de que hayamos trabajado juntos para conseguir durante estos seis meses resultados importantes, dando a la Unión europea una agenda para un nuevo crecimiento, inteligente, sostenible e inclusivo y adoptando decisiones claves para estabilizar y reforzar la economía de la Unión europea.

Con la adopción de la estrategia Europa 2020, hemos establecido por primera vez un enfoque global que combina una consolidación presupuestaria inteligente con reformas estructurales, la coordinación política económica reforzada y la reforma de nuestros mercados financieros. Europa 2020 es nuestra agenda para una economía social de mercado europea en el siglo XXI. Contribuirá a movilizar todos los instrumentos a todos niveles para promover la creación de empleo y explotar las nuevas fuentes de crecimiento.

La Presidencia española ha sido instrumental para conducir esta agenda hacia delante y, en particular, para alcanzar un acuerdo sobre los cinco objetivos principales propuestos por la Comisión. Estos objetivos son importantes. Dotan a Europa 2020 de un mensaje político que todos pueden comprender y al que nadie puede oponerse: empleo, educación, innovación, medio ambiente e integración social. Me gustaría resaltar especialmente el apoyo de España para alcanzar el acuerdo sobre el objetivo de lucha contra la pobreza. Muchos expresaron dudas sobre la pertinencia de fijar un tal objetivo en el ámbito europeo; creo sin embargo que hemos demostrado con este acuerdo que la dimensión social es una parte indispensable de nuestro proyecto común. Los objetivos tienen un efecto catalizador, comunican bien y están bien dirigidos. Además, nos proporcionan una estructura para impulsar y verificar el progreso. Tras ser aprobada por el Consejo Europeo de junio, los Estados miembros y las instituciones disponen ahora de las herramientas para aplicar Europa 2020 en la práctica, especialmente a través de las siete iniciativas insignia y de los programas nacionales de reforma. El siguiente reto para todos es asegurar que esto se traduzca en resultados reales.

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Together with the European Parliament, the Spanish Presidency has also brought significant progress in the area of financial regulation. I said progress, bearing in mind the positions of Council and Parliament only six months ago. However, I did not say breakthrough. Yes, we are on the verge of an agreement on the financial supervision package. But we must not miss this momentum. I call on every member state and every Member of this House to assume his or her full responsibility. The target date of seeing the new system up and running by the end of the year is not just for convenience; it is a critical political signal. All three institutions must now make the decisive move to seal the package before the summer break.

The Presidency rightly placed great emphasis in the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty new instruments and I would like to highlight in particular the progress on two important files. First of all, the European Citizens' Initiative. This will be a very concrete and tangible expression of the Lisbon Treaty's goal to strengthen direct democracy in the European Union. The Commission strongly supports the objective of putting it in place as quickly as possible. We have been quick to make our proposal after an extensive consultation involving all relevant stakeholders. I welcome that the Council, under the Spanish Presidency guidance, has now formulated its position and is able to enter into discussions with the Parliament, which has of course a particular interest and legitimacy in this matter.

Secondly, during the Spanish Presidency, the Council agreed the negotiating directives for the Union's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This is a powerful expression of our values and of the commitment to uphold human rights and the rule of law.

Finally, I would like to commend the Spanish contribution in promoting the external dimension of EU policies. The Presidency has helped prepare an unprecedented number of Summits with Europe's strategic partners in the world. I would like to mention in particular, the first summit with Morocco which took place in March and the remarkable results of the Latin America and Caribbean Summits where the conclusion of the negotiations with the Andean Community, the signature of the Peru and Colombia Agreements and the re-launch of the MercoSur negotiations took place. It is also important to mention here the crucial contribution of the Spanish Presidency to the conclusion of the negotiations for the EU-US agreement on the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme. Thanks to its efforts and those of Commissioner Malmström, we have a text now that takes into consideration European Parliament's specific concerns; I know this House is going to debate the report by M. Alvaro today and I hope that the new compromise and the debate will bring us to a positive vote of the Parliament next Thursday.

Spain has also made an invaluable contribution in setting up the European External Action Service. Thanks to its efforts, the commitment of Cathy Ashton and the help of the European Parliament, we now have a political agreement which I am convinced will bring a successful External Action Service on track. The Service as it is designed will articulate well with the work of Parliament, Council and Commission on external relations. I therefore strongly believe that the agreement deserves the support of Parliament. The discussion has also brought us a long way on the necessary amendments to the Staff Regulations and to the Financial Regulation, where the Council and Parliament are now ready to enter into the full co-decision process. It goes without saying that the Parliament will fully play its role in deciding the amending budget for 2010 and adjudicating on the amending letter for the 2011 budget which the Commission will submit after the summer break. In the meantime, the High Representative / Vice-President of the Commission will have the political support she needs to put the Service in place.

The Spanish Presidency can look back with satisfaction at a number of important achievements in times of economic, social and institutional change. During the last six months where Europe has been confronted with unprecedented challenges, Spain has shown once again its seriousness and its European commitment in holding the Council rotating Presidency; it has put all the efforts to show that Europe works and delivers, tackling the issues of concern to our citizens head-on. But there is no room for complacency and we have to continue to build the solid foundations for the future. The European Commission is working on this objective with full speed, together with this Parliament, the European Council and Belgium as the current rotating Council Presidency, that receives from Spain a solid record of achievements.