Sharon Bowles, Chair of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. - Mr President, we have heard from the Group Presidents, reinforcing the position taken by my committee and our debate earlier this week. In the trialogues, I have and will continue to maintain that all issues are on the table for negotiation.

We have had three trialogues, where the Greek Presidency has had no negotiating mandate beyond that of the Council position. There are limits to how long we can go on explaining one another’s position to each other. Time has been wasted.

I have taken the initiative on my own shoulders and put ideas forward beyond those in the Parliament position. I have tried to be enterprising. The Commission has helped, but it takes two sides to move. I cannot lead colleagues on a one-way journey and I do not have any appetite or intention to do so.

So the Council must move, use its imagination and be more European. It must be clear that minute and incremental steps are not enough. I have heard some Ministers say there is no flexibility. That is not how it works. There are merits in aspects of both the Council and Parliament positions. If there is to be an SRM, I can accept that there has to be the best of both. It is not the best and worst of one side only. Co-decision means we must try to find the best of both. We can show you today that we can vote just one side’s position. We can come back again and we can vote a fair compromise, but we will not come back and vote the Council position or some almost identical version thereof.