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Verbatim report of proceedings
Thursday, 3 February 2011 - Brussels OJ edition

Financing instrument for development cooperation - Financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide (amendment of Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006) - A financing instrument for development cooperation (amendment of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006) - Establishment of a financing instrument for cooperation with industrialised countries (amendment of Regulation (EC) No 1934/2006) (debate)
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  Thijs Berman (S&D). - (NL) Madam President, this Parliament is asking for what every parliament in the world is asking: democratic scrutiny of the development and implementation of policy. The European Union should serve as a model, as an example, in that respect. The Treaty of Lisbon has been a major step forward in developing the European Parliament’s influence.

There is in this House a large majority which has not given into Council and Commission efforts to curtail parliamentary scrutiny, which is contrary to the spirit of the Treaty. This House does not want to be a micromanager, it simply wants an influence on policy, on how it is developed and implemented. This is therefore about strategic choices, about the content of policy.

In other countries, people take to the streets to demand that influence and we should support them in every way we can. However, the struggle for democracy also sometimes takes the form of difficult negotiations and dry statements. This in no way affects the underlying conviction, as any power requires maximum democratic scrutiny. That is the right of all citizens, whether in Cairo, in Tunis or in Brussels.

 
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