Poolse minister Dowgielewicz over economisch herstel, sterkere EU-instellingen en groei in het Europees Parlement (en)

Mr President, President of the Commission, Commissioners, Honourable Members,

First of all, let me thank you, President Buzek i, for the opportunity to speak here today on behalf of the Council Presidency. This is yet another proof of the ongoing close dialogue between our three institutions.

I am also very grateful to you, President Barroso i, for your “State of the Union” address. I particularly wish to refer to your remarks on growth. This is a shared concern of the Commission and the Council presidency. Our mutual cooperation will be highlighted by the “Sources of Growth” report next week.

Let me accentuate two elements of particular importance:

First, Europe's 2020 strategy: it remains our key policy for long-term strategic growth. It is the actions of the member states and the EU institutions working in the framework of this strategy which will ensure that we emerge stronger from current economic difficulties.

Second, the EU budget: during the Polish Council Presidency, we will be settling next year's budget. And we have begun more long-term discussions over future expenditures. We have different opinions to reconcile. Interestingly, all sides refer to the economic climate to underpin their viewpoints. In any case, we will need to compromise. For the Council presidency, two things are important:

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  Firstly, a profound and comprehensive debate (with early involvement of Parliament).
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  Secondly, a consensus that the money should be spent to support Europe in its search for stable and balanced growth.

Allow me also to seize this occasion for a Council presidency message to the other two institutions represented here:

I look forward to today’s vote in the European Parliament which marks an important day for the Economic and Monetary Union. I regard the vote on the Six Pack as a milestone on our way out of the debt crisis and towards more fiscal and economic transparency and discipline. It will also mean more power for the Commission. I am happy that in the Council we have found support for our compromise proposal.

Please allow me recognise the vote of the European Parliament and its members. Throughout the decision making process, I was impressed by both your profound contributions to the debate and by the amount of responsibility and flexibility displayed. Yet again, Parliament has proven to be a solid and indispensable co-legislator.

In a joint effort, Parliament, Commission and Council (under its Hungarian and Polish presidencies) have co-produced a good result.

Another positive example for our successful inter-institutional cooperation are the ongoing negotiations on correlation tables, where we achieved a compromise. Here again, Parliament and Council are set to strengthen the Commission’s role as “guardian of the treaties”.

I have also learned that yesterday night the Council and the Parliament on an informal trilog found a compromise on the external financial instruments.

The lesson which I draw from these three recent examples is: The community method works. Also - and especially - in times of crisis.

Let me conclude by saying that Polish Presidency in the Council of the EU will continue to work with the European Parliament and the European Commission for:

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  More Europe, not less of it
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  Stronger European institutions, not more intergovernmentalism
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  An ever-stronger Union, not an ever-looser Union