Date of release : 07-06-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : European Parliament plenary session

The Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Nicolas Schmit, spoke at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on June 7 on the occasion of the presentation of the report by the European Parliament on political challenges and budgetary resources of the enlarged European Union for 2007-2013.

During his speech, Nicolas Schmit emphasised the importance that the Presidency attaches to the conclusion of a political agreement on financial perspectives 2007-2013 during the European Council of 16 and 17 June 2005. "The Luxembourg Presidency places the highest priority on maintaining an open and frank dialogue with the European Parliament on this question, which is one of the most important issues facing the European Union today. It comes at a time when the European Union simply cannot fail. The Presidency remains resolved to reach an agreement during the next European Council. We should never be distracted from the important objective of making available to the Union adequate resources to accomplish the tasks it faces in the coming years."

When questioned about the future of the European Union after the referendums in France and the Netherlands, Nicolas Schmit stated that "reaching an agreement in June is the best way of sending a positive signal and the only way of ensuring that resources are known sufficiently in advance so that the different instruments and legislative programmes can be adopted and implemented on schedule. The European Union should show that it is still fully capable of taking decisions, that it remains capable of reaching compromises in this area that is so vital for its correct functioning."

In this context, Nicolas Schmit affirmed that "the Presidency is aware of the fact that the European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005 set ambitious objectives for the relaunch of the Lisbon Strategy. These objectives should also be translated into additional financial resources, in particular in the areas of competitiveness and jobs, research and development, and to support social reform."

On the current state of negotiations in the Council of the European Union, Nicolas Schmit considers that "the Presidency has proposed a certain number of amendments to support the funding mechanisms for the cohesion policy. It has adopted an approach based on the principle of solidarity while ensuring that resources are focused on those who need them the most. I know that certain countries, certain regions, are not always satisfied. The Presidency is listening to them, but while adjustments are always possible, and we are working on them every day, the constraints on the process are such that the room for manoeuvre is rather limited".