Alejandro Cercas (PSE). – (ES) Mr President, I would like to begin by congratulating the Members who have drawn up this report on such an important issue, which lies at the heart of European integration. This is a very positive report, because the big political families in this Parliament and the enormous majority of Members have managed to carry on working together on a joint approach and commitment. I believe that today provides a very appropriate opportunity to say once again that the enormous majority of Members of this House see open markets and the European social model as part of an indivisible whole, and that that will continue to be the case in the future.

A reasoned and reasonable report; a reasoned report, looking at the past and seeing that, by means of our model, we have achieved the largest area of economic and social progress in Europe and reached the most important stage in that progress, and a reasonable report because it enables us to look to the future not just on the defensive, but also proactively, in order to make a success of the great challenges of globalisation. Furthermore, there is no reason not to point out that the report has managed to emphasise the added value that the Union contributes to this model, in which, naturally, Europe does not have the ambition to carry out the tasks of the Member States, though it does have the legal competences required to complement and promote the action needed to achieve the communitised objectives of employment and social well-being.

We have many instruments, including legislation, by means of which we can reasonably champion basic objectives and defend workers’ fundamental rights and prevent social dumping. We are asking for a new form of globalisation for the whole of the world – one in which we do not have this social dumping that is accompanied by instruments that spoil workers’ conditions; the Union must prevent this phenomenon from arising in its territory.

Mr President, I shall end by saying that I am certain that our reformed model has a future, but this certainty is accompanied by another: not even the economic Europe will have a future unless its social model is respected.