Pools parlement gastheer van een conferentie over versterking Europese interne markt (en)
As part of the Polish Presidency i’s parliamentary dimension, on 23rd- 24thJuly, the Sejm hosted a conference of economic-affairs committee chairmen representing the parliament of EU i Member States.
Also taking part were representatives of candidate countries - Turkey and Montenegro. The discussion centred on the influence of the financial-economic crisis on the future of the single market.
Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Minister Waldemar Pawlak recalled that strengthening the European internal market and taking advantage of its potential was one of the Polish Presidency’s priorities. He stressed that the European single market, inhabited by 500 million people, boasts the world’s greatest potential and highest GDP. In Mr Pawlaks’s view, solutions pertaining to technical matters or patents can be introduced rather quickly by issuing the proper instructions, because there are no cultural-diversity issues present. As examples, he cited the identical battery chargers for various cell phones models, introduced through the initiative of EU institutions, or the way the question of roaming had been resolved.
Senator Jan Wyrowinski, Chairman of the Senate’s National Economy Committee, emphasised the significance of funds allocated by the current and long-term EU budgets for bolstering a single market. In his view, the new EU budget will make it possible to view things from a European-wide rather than simply a single-Member-State perspective.
According to MEP Róza Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein, Europe’s future and development require broad cooperation amongst EU institutions, member countries, the European Parliament, national parliaments, employers’ organisations and trade unions.
The participants also listened to a presentation by Professor Mario Monti i, EU Commissioner in 1995-2004. The professor spoke of a new and, in his view, desirable model of European economic development as well as the hierarchy of goals that should be achieved under today’s crisis conditions. Professor Monti emphasised the need for vigorous efforts to develop the single market in order to overcome the crisis and prevent its future recurrence.