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Verbatim report of proceedings
Wednesday, 21 May 2008 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Mid-term review of industrial policy (debate)
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  Jacky Hénin, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group. – (FR) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the sole objective of this report and today’s discussions is simply to conceal a glaring reality in the European Union: industry is in crisis and the damage being caused is substantial. The figures provided are certainly dream-like: 80%, 73%. They could well have been replaced with billions of euros to show them off to everyone. They fool no one, however. They do nothing but hide the real state of affairs.

One of the major concerns of industry as a whole is that the only thing that counts is the profit margin. The endangered species of captains of industry has now been replaced by sombre-talking slot machines. No matter what decisions are taken and their consequences for the women and men of Europe, profit must be as high as possible and it must be immediate.

I am well aware that some people will tell me that never has so much been invested, produced, exchanged and earned by industry. That is true, but what is the significance of huge financial reward benefiting a handful of people when most are suffering and seeing their little dreams of happiness going up in smoke?

We cannot fail to see that the theme of employment is not a feature of this report, and nor are the concepts of land planning, population needs, taxation and social issues. The fact of the matter is that the commercial success of major industrial groups in Europe is now making ever smaller contributions to EU development. The large European groups are relocating and outsourcing to countries that operate dumping in terms of wages, welfare, health, taxes and the environment, and meanwhile the EU refuses to enact any industrial policy.

This policy is also strangling small and medium-sized enterprises and encouraging them to do the same. It is obvious it is not the …

(The President cut off the speaker)

 
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