Fuldstændigt Forhandlingsreferat

Mandag den 14. juni 2010 - Strasbourg

23. Estlands indførelse af euroen pr. 1. januar 2011 (forhandling)

  President. − The next item is the report by Edward Scicluna, on behalf of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on adoption by Estonia of the euro on 1 January 2011 (COM(2010)0239 – 2010/0135(NLE)) (A7-0182/2010).

  Edward Scicluna, rapporteur. − Madam President, I am pleased to be able to present this report endorsing Estonia’s application to join the eurozone.

It is very significant that a small, but highly determined, EU Member State comes knocking on the eurozone’s door during such difficult times. It says a lot about the country and it says a lot about the euro and the eurozone as well.

The reason why Estonia should join the eurozone is straightforward. Estonia has met the Maastricht criteria laid down in the treaties. More importantly, we need to keep in mind that these achievements were reached during the worst global financial, economic and social crisis we have seen in our lifetimes. Such achievements, it must be said, are the result of determined, credible and sustained efforts by successive Estonian governments and the Estonian people. Moreover, despite the eurozone’s recent difficulties, public opinion in Estonia is strongly in favour of joining the euro.

As rapporteur, I have been in constant contact with the Commission, the European Central Bank and the Estonian Government and visited Estonia in the middle of May when the Commission and the ECB published their convergence reports. The preparations made by the Estonian Finance Ministry, Parliament and Statistical Office and the Central Bank are a credit to Estonia.

I must raise my concern, however, at the extremely short time that Parliament is being given to present its report following the publication of these convergence reports. I do not think it is appropriate. As has been stated in the past, it demonstrates a lack of respect for Parliament. I admit that there have been some noticeable improvements, as when the Central Bank and the Commission met with the Bureau and gave an oral explanation of progress. However, I sincerely hope that this timetable will not be followed next time a country wishes to join the eurozone.

Although there may be some who say that the eurozone should sort out its problems before taking in new members, in my opinion this would be a short-sighted approach. As members of the eurozone, we are either confident and motivated enough to see our way through the stormy seas the euro is passing through or else we lose our heads in a frenzy and refuse an able and qualified Member State which wants to join the euro and is ready to give a helping hand in the time of need.

In our battle to restore confidence in the eurozone with measures to improve the sustainability of public finances, through tighter statistical governance, my opinion is that Estonia will be a real asset to the eurozone. Its prudent approach to public finances meant that, by the end of 2009, it comfortably had a very low – if not the lowest – government budget deficit in the eurozone. Meanwhile, despite a massive contraction of the economy by nearly 15% in 2009, the fact that it had rebuilt up large surpluses during the good years has meant that its government debt to GDP ratio is, at 7.2%, easily the lowest in the EU and one of the lowest in the world. Put plainly, during the worst economic and social crisis, Estonia has kept its house in order.

This puts Estonia firmly in the group of eurozone countries which are more fiscally disciplined and prepared to take the tough choices to maintain sustainable public finances. It also carries significant political symbolism. Estonia’s application to join is a significant symbol to its neighbours that joining the euro should be an attractive option for those countries which prepare themselves well.

Finally, this is not to say that an easy economic path ahead lies ahead for Estonia. Unemployment is extremely high, for one thing, and the inflation risk for the future is also not very good. Therefore the Government needs to maintain vigilance over prices, especially during the changeover period.

Therefore I commend this report to this House.

  Olli Rehn, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, first of all I would like to thank Mr Edward Scicluna for his very balanced and substantive report on Estonia’s convergence and entry into the euro area.

I also want to congratulate our Estonian friends on reaching this important milestone.

I appreciate the overwhelming support for Estonia’s euro adoption given by Parliament’s ECON committee on 2 June. It is indeed crucial in bringing the Commission proposal further and eventually introducing the Euro in Estonia on 1 January next year.

We all know that the convergence assessment and the decision on Estonia’s adoption of the euro will take place against the background of one of the most difficult times for the euro area – if not the most difficult time – since its creation.

In this respect this positive assessment on Estonia is an especially important signal, showing that the EMU framework is fully functional. It also underscores that, in the convergence assessment, Member States are examined on the basis of their own performance, on their own merits and with full respect to the principle of equal treatment.

The positive assessment on Estonia is also a strong positive signal for the markets as well as for the non-euro area Member States at this current juncture.

Let me stress that Estonia would enter the euro area from a very strong position with credible policies, one of the strongest fiscal positions and by far the lowest debt level in the EU, as Mr Scicluna illustrated. While the average in the European Union is currently around 75% public debt, Estonia has a debt level of 7.2%, which is of course a huge difference from the average. While not immune to the crisis, the Estonian economy has also shown its ability to operate and adjust under a fixed exchange rate regime for close to two decades since 1992. Therefore euro adoption itself is not expected to be a major shock to financing conditions as financial deepening is already well advanced.

Of course, euro adoption will not be the end of the road; quite the contrary. Should Estonia adopt the euro next year, it will be key to maintain policy discipline and fully gear fiscal, structural and prudential policies towards a successful performance within the euro area.

I welcome the willingness of the Estonian authorities to reassure euro-area and EU partners through a formal letter stating their firm commitment to stability-oriented policies and setting out policy priorities accordingly.

In parallel, there is a pressing need to strengthen economic governance in Europe. The Commission’s recent proposals aim at both substantial deepening of economic governance in Europe and prudent widening of the euro area on the basis of the countries’ own merits.

That is the way to build up a stronger and more effective economic and monetary union.

To conclude, after this week’s consultation with the European Parliament, the issue will be followed by a discussion in the European Council later this week. Should all go as planned, we expect to have all relevant legal acts adopted by the ECOFIN Council on 13 July, thus giving Estonia sufficient time to prepare for the changeover and for the adoption of the euro on 1 January next year.

So, once more, many thanks for your support for the proposal, and my warmest congratulations to the Estonian people!

  Gay Mitchell, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Madam President, may I thank the rapporteur for a very fine report. I can support him in the general thrust of his comments and also in the concerns that he raises.

Can I say in particular that we are able to admit Estonia to the euro area because of sacrifices made by the Estonian people and the leadership given by the Estonian Government and Parliament. This leadership goes beyond simply putting their house in order and making the sacrifices that go with that. While some of us are licking our wounds, being very uncertain about the future and wondering about the eurozone, here is this small country showing the way. It is a beacon not just for the other countries in that region that aspire to join the European Union, but a beacon for the whole of Europe to reinforce our confidence at this difficult time which will pass.

I would like to remind the House while I am on my feet that, during the first 10 years of the euro, 16 million jobs were created within the European area – many more jobs than were created at the same time in the United States. This really is therefore an endorsement of the whole project at a time when it needs endorsement by a courageous parliament, courageous government and courageous people. I welcome Estonia and I think they are doing the right thing.

The experience from my country – another small country – has been almost entirely beneficial. Think about where small countries would otherwise be. Where would we be if we did not have the European Central Bank and the Commission and the fellowship of the eurozone ministers in these difficult times? We would be truly lost.

Two points I want to raise concern the issue of boom-bust cycles, which has to be addressed and does need to be monitored, and that of asset inflation. I was raising this with the President of the European Central Bank for two years before it became popular to talk about it. The Commission and the ECB have to somehow come to terms with how low inflation and low interest rates also give asset inflation. There has to be some way of dealing with that.

I am glad to support the general thrust of the rapporteur’s report.

  Ivari Padar, fraktsiooni S&D nimel. – Lugupeetud kolleegid, ülehomme hääletame ühiselt Euroopa Parlamendi raporti üle Eesti liitumiseks euroalaga. Siis jääb pisut alla kuu ülemkogu ametliku otsuseni. Liitumine euroalaga on Eesti jaoks järjekordne vahefiniš Euroopa Liidu lõimumisprotsessis ja liitumine on loomulik osa Eestis aastate jooksul viljeletud arukast eelarvepoliitikast. Juba majanduskriisi algusfaasis mõistis meie ühiskond, et kriisist tulenenud väljakutsed vajavad täiesti uut lähenemist ja paljude seniste poliitikate ümbermõtestamist. Konkreetselt tähendasid need sammud mitmeid eelarvekärpeid 2008. ja 2009. aastal.

Liitumine tähendab, et viimastel aastatel tehtud pingutused olid õiged, ja viimaste aastate arengud on näidanud ka seda, kui oluline on usaldusväärne statistika ja topeltstandardite vältimine. Olen kindel, et Eesti jätkab talle juba nii omast läbipaistvat ja mõistlikku fiskaalpoliitikat ka edaspidi. Me oleme mõistnud, et väiksel avatud majandusega riigil pole teist võimalust. Eesti liitumine on positiivne märk kogu Euroopale. Meie usk ühisrahasse on just kui julgustav valgus tunnelis tänases Euroopa keerulises majandusolukorras.

Usun, et Eesti liitumisega saab euroala endale liikme, kes mõistab kehtestatud mängureegleid ja kellest on kasu rahaliidu ja ühisraha tugevdamisel. Omalt poolt soovin tänada kolleege, nimeliselt raportööri Edward Sciclunat ja variraportööre sisuka töö eest. Kinnitan teile, et Eesti on euroalaga liitumiseks valmis. Tänan.

  Wolf Klinz, im Namen der ALDE-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin! Ich freue mich aufrichtig, Estland ab 1. Januar 2011 als 17. Mitglied der Eurozone begrüßen zu dürfen. Unser baltischer Nachbar – unsere Vorredner haben es ja schon ausgeführt – ist tatsächlich eines der ganz wenigen Länder, die die Maastricht-Kriterien erfüllen, und zwar mit Bravour!

Im aktuellen Umfeld können wir sicher sein, dass die Kommission, Eurostat und auch die EZB genau hingesehen haben und keine Rücksicht bei der Beurteilung der Zahlen haben walten lassen. Der Rat wird ebenfalls ohne jeglichen politischen Bonus entscheiden.

Der Euro steht – das wissen wir alle – heute, 10 Jahre nach seiner Einführung, vor der größten Bewährungsprobe und Herausforderung. Es zeugt von einem immensen Engagement, von einem unglaublichen Willen und von außerordentlichen Anstrengungen, dass Estland es geschafft hat, unter diesen Umständen tatsächlich die Beitrittskriterien zu erfüllen. Ich finde, es zeugt auch davon, dass es sie vertragsgetreu erfüllen will. Estland weiß, dass es als Mitglied der Europäischen Union auch die Verpflichtung hat, eines Tages Mitglied der Eurozone zu werden, und dass es das so schnell tun möchte, erfüllt mich persönlich mit Befriedigung. Es zeigt, dass es noch Länder gibt, die tatsächlich Zutrauen haben in dieses Gemeinschaftswerk.

Zum Glück musste die estnische Regierung diesen Beschluss des Beitritts nicht dem Volk zur Abstimmung vorlegen, denn wir wissen sicherlich, dass die Bürger zum Teil sehr besorgt sind. Sie sehen, wenn sie den Medien folgen, den Euro als Weichwährung, die Eurozone als Transferunion, und sie fürchten, dass die Euro-Einführung zu großen Preiserhöhungen führt. Slowenien und Deutschland sind Beispiele dafür, und in Deutschland gibt es nicht umsonst das Wortspiel vom „Teuro“, also dem teuren Euro. Dass das also alles nur eine gefühlte Inflation ist, wie die EZB sagt, ist sicherlich etwas untertrieben.

Als Mitglied der Eurozone muss Estland auch die Probleme der Gemeinschaftswährung schultern und damit auch Mitglied des Eurozonen-Rettungsschirms werden. Was für Auswirkungen das eventuell auf den Haushalt hat, wissen wir nicht. Ich würde gerne die Kommission bitten, hier für Klarheit zu sorgen. Ich wünsche Estland weiterhin eine gute Entwicklung und hoffe, dass sich seine Leistungen vor allem bezüglich Haushaltsdisziplin und Inflationsbekämpfung auch in Zukunft als nachhaltig erweisen werden.

  Kay Swinburne, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Scicluna, for his clear and comprehensive report. We fully support his conclusions. During this time of unprecedented economic turmoil across the globe following the financial crisis of 2008-09, it is a testament to the financial skill and fiscal discipline of the Estonian Government that they have qualified for euro entry.

Their ability to keep their public deficit in check despite the high pressures of unemployment is to be applauded. It is my opinion that, if any Member State meets the stringent criteria for euro entry and if it is their wish to join the Eurozone even at this turbulent time, then it is ultimately a decision for their constituents and I wish them well in their chosen journey.

  Andrew Henry William Brons (NI). - Madam President, many think that congratulations should be given to Estonia; I offer the Estonian people my commiserations. The value of a country’s currency must reflect the relative demand for its exported and imported goods and services, as well as other monetary movements, and must change according to need. A country tied to a currency value that does not reflect the needs of its economy will find that any economic problems are aggravated.

The United Kingdom found this when we were members of the predecessor of the euro, the Exchange Rate Mechanism. We found ourselves locked not only into a single currency value, but also into a recession from which we escaped only when we left the ERM.

The Scicluna report congratulates Estonia on replacing current and capital account deficits with current and capital account surpluses. This appears to be good news, but there are dangers on the horizon. This surplus might result in the Commission and the European Central Bank setting the kroon-euro rate at too high a level. If Estonia then suffered a decline in the value of its exports relative to imports, a recession and balance of payments deficit would follow from which it would not be able to escape. Estonia will lose its monetary and fiscal sovereignty, and therefore political sovereignty, which is ironic for a country that only 19 years ago escaped from the clutches of the Soviet Union.

  Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš (PPE). - Godājamā priekšsēdētāja! Futbolā kā fani mēs sagaidām likumsakarību. Mēs sagaidām, ka komanda ar vislabāko disciplīnu un vislielāko pašatdevi uzvarēs Pasaules kausā. Šāda likumsakarība ir jāievēro arī eiro zonas paplašināšanas gadījumā. Ir jāapbalvo budžeta disciplīna un reformu veikšana ar uzņemšanu eiro zonā. Pasaules ekonomikas augšupejas posmā no 2005. līdz 2008. gadam vairums Eiropas valstu izdeva krietni vairāk naudas, nekā tās varēja atļauties, viņas dzīvoja pāri saviem līdzekļiem. Viņas sagatavoja augsni, faktiski, šodienas eiro krīzei. Pa šo laiku, kamēr citi naudu izdeva, mūsu draugi Igaunijā bija nedaudz prātīgāki, viņi veidoja budžeta uzkrājumus. Un, pateicoties šiem uzkrājumiem un viņu budžeta disciplīnai, smagā ekonomikas lejupeja, kas viņiem bija vērojama arī 2009. gadā, nenoveda Igauniju līdz bankrotam. Tā vietā, ievērojot stingru disciplīnu, Igaunija atbilst visiem Māstrihtas kritērijiem, un viņus būtu jāuzņem eiro zonā. Eiro ieviešana Igaunijā būs laba vēsts trijos dažādos veidos. Pirmkārt, tas ir ļoti svarīgs un spēcīgs signāls starptautiski, ka par spīti visām grūtībām eiro zona turpina paplašināties. Otrkārt, tas ir pozitīvs signāls visām Baltijas valstīm un Baltijas reģionam, ka Baltijas valstis un reģions ir stabils un spēj veikt pragmatisku politiku. Un, treškārt, tas ir ļoti svarīgs signāls Latvijai un citām eiro kandidātvalstīm, ka, ievērojot Māstrihtas kritērijus, tas tiks vainagots, apbalvots ar uzņemšanu eiro zonā. Šodien Eiropā dalībvalstīm ir jāsaved savu budžetu kārtībā, lai iedzīvotāji un finanšu tirgi atkal uzticētos eiro zonai. Manuprāt, Igaunijas uzņemšana eiro zonā darbosies kā ļoti labs piemērs citu valstu valdībām un sabiedrībām, ka budžeta disciplīna ir iespējama pat ļoti grūtos apstākļos. Paldies par uzmanību!

  George Sabin Cutaş (S&D). - La debutul crizei economice în Uniunea Europeană, ţările baltice au fost printre cele mai grav afectate. Tigrii baltici deveneau, după un boom economic de câţiva ani, bolnavii Europei. Iată însă că într-un timp record Estonia se pregăteşte să devină membră a zonei euro. Aderarea acesteia vine însă să întărească zona euro într-un moment critic. Este de apreciat ambiţia Estoniei de a adopta moneda unică în ciuda crizei care nu a ocolit-o, dar care a ştiut să-i facă faţă cu măsurile de austeritate şi de disciplină fiscală prompte. Deşi puternic lovite de criză, ţările baltice au avut avantajul unei datorii publice reduse, ceea ce le-a furnizat un grad sporit de flexibilitate pentru împrumuturi externe. Este un lucru de reţinut, având în vedere că raportul dintre datoria publică şi PIB-ul Estoniei este de 7,2%, cu mult sub valoarea de referinţă de 60%.

Cred că este timpul să învăţăm din lecţiile crizei europene şi ale determinării estone şi să reuşim să găsim calea de mijloc între ambiţie şi prudenţă. Totuşi, în cadrul acestui proces nu avem dreptul să neglijăm componenta socială a trecerii la euro. Experienţa statelor ce au aderat anterior indică riscuri majore privind creşterea preţurilor, de aceea, sper că autorităţile estone vor şti să aplice politici fiscale echilibrate, astfel încât cetăţenii să nu fie obligaţi la sacrificii majore. În acest sens, colegul meu Scicluna atrage foarte bine atenţia asupra riscului privind inflaţia.

Nu în ultimul rând, trecerea Estoniei la euro are şi o dimensiune simbolică, ea reprezentând un exemplu pentru ţările din est, cărora criza le-a diminuat atât elanul, cât şi posibilităţile reale de a se încadra în termenele asumate pentru adoptarea euro.

  Olle Schmidt (ALDE). - Fru talman! Jag vill rikta en personlig hyllning till Estland. Idag har Europa och euron svåra problem. Det är i svåra tider som agnarna sållas från vetet. Vi kan här se skillnad på dem som verkligen tror på Europa och vill ge sitt bidrag till ett starkare EU, som Estland, och de som ängsligt står vid sidan och väntar på hur det ska gå, som mitt hemland Sverige, fru talmans hemland Storbritannien, och Danmark.

Låt oss för ett ögonblick anta att EU:s mödrar och fäder hade stått och väntat på samma sätt när det hela började – var hade Europa då varit idag? Det är i kristider som EU utvecklas och visar sin styrka för ett mer enat och starkare Europa. Euron är den mest synliga symbolen för ett enat Europa. Heder åt Estland!

  Elena Băsescu (PPE). - Doresc în primul rând să felicit Estonia pentru eforturile deosebite depuse în vederea îndeplinirii criteriilor de convergenţă prin adoptarea de politici prudente. Va deveni, astfel, a şaptesprezecea ţară care adoptă moneda euro. Într-o perioadă grea pentru economia europeană, când se speculează tot mai mult cu privire la ieşirea unor state membre din zona euro, Estonia dă dovadă că este pregătită să treacă la moneda unică.

Acest lucru reprezintă şi un semnal puternic pentru o eventuală extindere a zonei euro spre est. Celelalte opt state care au făcut obiectul raportului de convergenţă din 2010, printre care şi România, au realizat progrese inegale în direcţia adoptării monedei unice şi deocamdată nu îndeplinesc toate criteriile pentru a intra în zona euro. În final, doresc să afirm faptul că orice stat membru trebuie să adopte moneda euro doar în momentul în care este pe deplin pregătit.

  Zigmantas Balčytis (S&D). - Iš tikrųjų, taip pat prisidedu prie visų šiandieninių sveikinimų Estijos vadovybei. Lietuva prieš keletą metų taip pat buvo tame pačiame kelyje, tačiau pritrūko vienos dešimtosios infliacinio rodiklio. Iš tikrųjų, kiekviena valstybė turi savo skirtingą istorinę praeitį. Turime skirtingą ekonominę struktūrą ir turime skirtingus sprendimus, kurie buvo priimti dėl tam tikrų praeities dalykų. Estija skiriasi tuo, kad, ko gero, buvo mažiau populistinių sprendimų dėl praeities, manau, kad savo laiku buvo labai griežta Centrinio banko politika ir daugelis kitų dalykų. Tai iš tikrųjų yra pavyzdys mums visiems, ypatingai Baltijos valstybėms, ir mes, tikiuosi, taip pat po keleto metų turėsime tą pačią malonią akimirką. Dar kartą noriu pasveikinti ir dabartinį Europos Parlamento narį, buvusį finansų ministrą, kuris taip pat prisidėjo prie šito proceso, ir noriu pasveikinti visą Estijos vyriausybę su tikrai labai geru ekonomikos ir pinigų sąjungos tam tikrų principų įgyvendinimu. Sėkmės.

  Graham Watson (ALDE). - Madam President, the fact that Mr Brons, who spoke earlier in the debate, dribbled out his words and then promptly left speaks volumes for the interest that he and his party really show in this debate.

The interesting point about Estonia’s adhesion to the euro is that it is a vote of confidence in Estonia and a vote of confidence in the euro. The euro has come in for much criticism, especially and predictably in the Anglo-Saxon press. The reality is that without the euro, and without the budgetary discipline shown by countries like Estonia, there would be no hope for any of us.

  Milan Zver (PPE). - Verjetno si ne bi mogel odpustiti, če bi izpustil tole priložnost in ne bi čestital kolegom iz Estonije.

Estonija je med tistimi tranzicijskimi državami, ki je zadnji dve desetletji dosegala najboljše rezultate in to na mnogih področjih.

Spomnimo se na njihovo odlično davčno reformo, zelo zgodaj, že v 90-tih letih, so liberalizirali gospodarski sistem in to na način, kot ga drugim tranzicijskim državam ni uspelo.

Jaz sem prepričan, da bo Estonija trden steber euroobmočja, da bo veliko bolj korektno delovala kot marsikatera članica euroobmočja in da bo prispevala svoj delež k stabilnosti naše skupne valute.

  Olli Rehn, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, I would like to thank the Honourable Members for their support.

Let me use this opportunity to inform you of the reasons for the tight timetable for adopting the convergence report to which Mr Scicluna referred. The cut-off date for the assessment depends on the availability of the forecast data, which itself depends on the date of the validation of the public finance data by Eurostat. In fact, to give the European Parliament more time, Eurostat agreed to advance the validation of the fiscal data. Still, the production process of the report by the Commission is very tight because we want to ensure a quality product, and squeezing it further would not be feasible without compromising the overall Union-wide assessment of all Member States, not least as regards the excessive deficit procedures and the overall respect of the Stability and Growth Pact, which is the very foundation of the economic and monetary union.

In fact we will use the same raw material tomorrow in the Commission when we take decisions on, in total, 16 excessive deficit procedures – 12 existing and four new excessive deficit procedures for the EU Member States. So it is indeed an overall Europe-wide process and that imposes some limitations on the Commission’s work in this regard.

In any case, I appreciate your pragmatism and I might say that I met members of the ECON Committee on 13 April to have an informal advance dialogue on the convergence prospects for Estonia. I would also like to add that the Commission is ready to inform the Parliament at any time regarding the economic and fiscal situation in Estonia. It is clear that Estonia must stay vigilant to ensure the stability of its public finances and macroeconomic development, and the Commission will certainly monitor this very vigilantly.

Finally, I count on having Estonia as an ally in pursuing fiscal discipline in terms of exercising peer pressure in the Eurogroup. We need allies to that end, and I count on Estonia in that regard. We need to work together in order to ensure the sustainability of public finances and thus sustainable growth and job creation in Europe.

I think it was Mr Brons who referred to Estonia supposedly losing its recently regained independence and its freedom. Maybe I should respond to Mr Brons by saying that perhaps it would be relevant to mention the reasoning followed by my grandfather when he voted ‘yes’ in the referendum in Finland on Finland’s EU membership, some 15 years ago. He said to me that he spent five years on the front to defend his country looking to the East, but since then he had always looked to the West.

  Edward Scicluna, rapporteur. − Madam President, thank you for your explanation, Mr Rehn. I understand the timetable is such. My concern was that Parliament’s role could not be seen as trivialising, which I am sure the Commission had borne in mind.

To conclude, I would like to thank my fellow shadow rapporteurs for their useful advice and meaningful amendments, which I fully supported and inserted in the report. I would especially mention my fellow MEP Mr Ivar Padar, the former Estonian Minister of Finance, as well as the current Minister, Mr Jürgen Ligi, for their very frank and open explanations given every time I needed their help.

I wish the Estonian people well. They have so far succeeded in proving the critics wrong. I now invite them to continue on the spot and keep full vigilance over their economy, especially its competitiveness, to ensure that their success will continue in the future as eurozone members.

I therefore commend this report to the House. Estonia’s application deserves our support and I hope that, when Parliament votes on Wednesday, a convincing majority will give the Estonians the credit they deserve and demonstrate that the eurozone is very much alive.

  President. − The debate is closed.

The vote will take place on Wednesday 16 June 2010.

Written statements (Rule 149)

  Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE), in writing. – President,in these difficult economic times it easy to overlook how far Europe has come in recent years. Just twenty years ago, Estonia was part of the Soviet Union; today it stands ready to join the Euro zone. We must not underestimate the difficulties which all of Europe - whether in or out of the single currency - faces. Nevertheless, Estonia faces the challenges as an independent nation within the EU and will accordingly be a key player in finding the solutions. I look forward to Scottish independence when the people of Scotland will also have a full role to play in Europe's future.

  Kristiina Ojuland (ALDE), kirjalikult. – Lugupeetud eesistuja, tänan raportöör Edward Sciclunat Eesti eurotsooniga ühinemist toetava raporti koostamise eest. Mul on hea meel, et Eesti jõupingutusi Maastrichti kriteeriumidele vastamiseks on vääriliselt hinnatud, ning loodan, et kolleegid toetavad raportit kolmapäevasel hääletusel. Euro kasutuselevõtt Eestis järgmise aasta 1. jaanuaril toimub kogu eurotsooni jaoks murrangulisel ajal. Üleilmne majandus- ja rahanduskriis paljastas liikmesriigid, kes on ühiselt kokkulepitud kriteeriumidest süstemaatiliselt kõrvale hiilinud ning seadnud sellega ohtu ülejäänud liikmete majandused. Käesolev kriis on äärmiselt õpetlik ja on eriti tähtis, et kõik eurotsooni liikmesriigid ja Euroopa Keskpank peaksid hoolsalt silmas, et Maastrichti kriteeriumid oleksid pidevalt täidetud. Kriteeriumid muutuvad oma olemuses mõttetuks, kui liikmesriikidel lubatakse neist kõrvale kalduda ja teiste arvelt „jänest sõita”. Kuigi pretsedent on loodud, ei saa me loota päästepakettidele, mille abil korvata liikmesriikide vastutustundetuid majandus- ja rahanduspoliitilisi otsuseid. Eesti valitsus on pidanud langetama mitmeid raskeid, kuid hädavajalikke otsuseid, et stabiliseerida riigieelarve ning peatada majanduslangus. Eelseisev eurotsooniga liitumine annab tunnistust sellest, et valitsuse tegevus on vilja kandnud. Loodan, et teisedki liikmesriigid on valmis võtma kasutusele meetmed, mis tagavad Euroopa majanduse ja rahanduse jätkusuutlikkuse ning konkurentsivõime, arvestades maailmamajanduses toimuvaid strukturaalseid muutusi. Eesti liitumine eurotsooniga saadab olulise julgustava signaali ning lubab uskuda, et viimasel ajal langustrendil ühisraha stabiliseerub peagi.