The European Parliament: a Strong Weight in the Institutional Balance
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Socialist Group European Parliament 5/1979 The European Parliament: a strong weight in the institutional balance The European Parliament : a strong weight in the institutional balance Ernest Glinne After the opening address given by Simone Veil decision, contrary to the law and to basic justice, dealt a severe blow at on her election to the Presidency of the European direct universal suffrage. The result has been that the European Assembly Parliament Ernest Glinne, the Chairman of the is now deprived of a great voice: that Socialist Group, spoke on behalf of the Group. of Fran~ois Mitterrand who has resigned his mandate in sole"mn He defined the lines of action to be taken by the protest against this disturbing socialists and indicated their commitment to the infringement of democracy. Policies in Europe must also change. creation of an effective transnational democracy in The Socialist Group representing here Europe. 29,5 million European electors or 27 % of the votes cast is, as the As a result of our political recently it has numbered among its largest force in this Assembly, confrontation yesterday you, Madam, members pioneers of the procedure well-qualified to point out the need have been appointed to the office of which ultimately led to this for a change of direction in Europe. President. We give you our sincere consultation of the people. It would, The frustrations engendered by past good wishes for success in your task. however, be unjustified and policies are too deep seated and too Your success will be conditioned by irresponsible not to enquire into the numerous. A few months ago the your impartiality and your ability to real significance of the operation of European Confederation of Trade support, without any split between a 10 June which was so ardently Unions, that great representative majority and opposition, all the awaited by most of the political body in which tens of millions of initiatives which emanate from this parties including our own. With the workers are joined together and of Assembly in conformity with the duly exception of Italy, the rate of which we see ourselves here as a accepted rules and procedures. absenteeism was enormous. Even in natural political extension, became so The President-in-Office of the a country like Belgium where voting disillusioned that it called into Council has paid us the honour of is compulsory there were up to 25 % question its participation in the attending and addressing this session of spoiled and blank votes and Tripartite Conferences. The six of the recently elected Parliament. In abstentions. There is a lesson to be million unemployed are the natural thanking him, I wish to formulate the drawn from this. Europe has still not sceptics of Europe and so they will immediate and pressing wish that the made a sufficient impression on its remain until transparent and effective Presidency of the Council will in people; most of the citizens of solutions, involving a substantial future participate in all the major Europe do not feel themselves really contribution from the Community, debates of our Assembly. The latter, concerned by the Community which have been found to their dramatic having recently acquired new they accuse of bureaucracy, secrecy plight. legitimacy, must assert and extend its and a failure to influence the daily The resolve to safeguard peace and role, especially as the decision on lives of the men and women to whoua freedom, the intention to organize direct elections was linked with the its action is directed. Europe is too economic and social progress and creation of the European Council, an intermittent, too obscure to be constantly improve the living and Institution for which there is no understood and accepted by each and working conditions of our peoples, provision in the Treaty of Rome and everyone of its citizens. All the together with a determination to whose action is admissible only if the Institutions of the community, first abolish all discrimination between the elected Assembly constitutes a and foremost the elected Assembly, sexes, all these avowed intentions set genuine counterbalance to it. The must now more than ever before down in the preamble to the Treaty Socialist Group is therefore looking make a great effort to acquire more of Rome and in other basic texts forward to a far-reaching and credibility. More information and a must not remain mere words on constant improvement in the relations better quality of activity will be the paper ; on the contrary they must between Parliament and the Council order of the day if institutional guide the action of the Community. of Minfsteis and, more particulary, its Europe is to become a people's As a political group we are probably Presidency. Towards the Commission Europe and if, in particular, the not yet strong enough to convince the we shall maintain our attitude of Parliament is not to become Assembly easily of this but, in this expectant but vigilant trust. dangerously denatured by 1984 into Chamber and elsewhere, we shall be The President-in-Office of the an incomprehensible talking-shop indefatigable in recalling the main Council stressed just now the with Byzantine ways. themes of our election campaign importance of the first European We must also avoid - indeed we whose relevance has just been election held on 10 June which he should have avoided them in the past stressed by the European trade described as a historic occasion. - manipulations and machinations Union Confederation in a letter to At the European Council of 21 and 22 which are unworthy of us. How can the Presidency of this Assembly. June, the Heads of State or Europe be an example when These themes are: Government noted with satisfaction it is bogged down in sordid practices - improvement of working that the election had been held under and the basest forms of conditions and programmes to satisfactory conditions. The Socialist parliamentarism, when irregularities achieve full employment, particularly Group as always attached great are from the outset given official through a fairer dist:ibution of importance to the application of blessing? Last week in Luxembourg available jobs, and with the powerful Article 138 o( the Treaty which the Socialist Group particulary support for a reduction in working relates to the election of the deplored and condemned the irregular hours and a systematic occupational Assembly by direct universal suffrage procedure by which the "Socialists training and education policy ; and it takes no little pride in the fact were deprived of one of their - safeguarding and improving living that 20 years ago and even more seats in Fmace. That arbitrary standards; 2 - democratic control of economic and social development through The Socialist Group of the European structural reform, economic planning and the exercise of effective control over multinational companies and Parliament: introduction major industrial and financial groupings. We want to see greater democracy in industry at every level Members from nine countries and fourteen different parties have come in a manner adapted to the special together to form ~~e Socialist Group in the European Parliament. They have in circumstances of each country and in common the traditions of the labour movement and the aim of attaining the cooperation with the trade union objectives of democratic socialism in their respective countries and in the organizations ; European Community as a whole. - control of pollution and a comprehensive energy policy. An With its 113 members the Socialist Group is the largest political group in the effective programme must be laid European Parliament. Its origins go back to 23 June 1953, when the Socialists down by the European Community to in the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community formed save energy and develop alternative a_ group. sources of energy. In this connection no new development and new The Group's geographical utilization can be accepted unless composition is as follows: they are the subject of public control - Federal Republic of Germany: and management and unless effective 35 members. safeguards are laid down against risks - France : 22 members. liable to damage public security and -United Kingdom: 18 members health and lead to environmental (l member from Northern Ireland). deterioration ; - Italy: l3 members. - end discrimination, especially - Netherlands: 9 members. discrimination against women ; -Belgium: 7 members. - develop more effective regional - Ireland: 4 members. policies capable of contributing - Denmark: 4 members (l member meaningfully to the removal of the from Greenland). broad disparities which still exist -Luxembourg: l member. between the regions of Europe; - protect consumers, in particular The Chairman of the Group is Ernest through objective information and the Glinne (Belgium). The Vice-Chairmen· Public Health and Consumer right of defence against misleading are: Rudi Arndt (Federal Protection. Republic of Germany), Claude Estier publicity; The following members are - promote peace, security and (France), Barbara Castle (United Kingdom), Pietro Lezzi (Italy), len Vice-Chairmen of parliamentary cooperation ; committees: - finally, defend the rights of man Van den Heuvel (Netherlands). and the civil liberties which reflect Other members, of the Bureau are : - Political Affairs Committee: the most fundamental human needs. Victor Abens (Luxembourg), Antonio Pierre Mauroy (France). To attain these objectives we shall Cariglia (Italy), Charles-Emile Loo - Committee on Energy