Vito Bonsignore (PPE-DE). – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, in March 2000, European leaders decided on the shape of Europe in 2010. They had understood that the actions of individual Member States would be even more effective if supported by joint action from their fellow Member States.

Today, the growing gap between European growth and that of the United States and Asia, as well as the ageing of the population, require the Lisbon Strategy to be implemented urgently in order to make up for lost time. Moreover, it will be possible to achieve better results by adopting the additional measures and structural changes agreed within the European Union.

Timely intervention is needed in the sectors previously identified, in order to make Europe more attractive for researchers and scientists, to complete the internal market in order to permit the free movement of goods and capital, and to create a genuine single market for services. In order to create a more favourable climate for companies, the recommendations of the European Employment Taskforce need to be implemented rapidly.

Individual Member States have made progress in some of these sectors, but none of them has obtained positive and lasting results. To achieve its goals, Europe must show a far stronger commitment, even bringing pressure to bear on individual Member States. The Member States must give up their old national habits and devote more resources to building Europe. The citizens must be made to understand that today’s sacrifices are tomorrow’s advantages.

The European Parliament is a key player in the strategy for growth and in the commitment to build the new Europe. It therefore has to act increasingly as a stimulus for all parties interested in relaunching Europe.