Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 - Strasbourg

2011 budget (debate)

  Giovanni Collino (PPE). – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the failure of the trialogue represents a major political opportunity to reflect on Europe's recent history.

The problem is not merely political but also cultural and involves many Member States. The current economic and financial crisis is structural and not a passing phenomenon. It actually represents a transformation that affects the economy, employment and society of the age in which we live. If there is no political and cultural growth with a global vision of Europe, we will not be able to take action to overcome problems linked with the start of the third millennium, such as welfare, research, energy and environmental policy and security, which can be dealt with only by a political coming together of all states making up the Union.

My message to my fellow MEPs is that while the trialogue has failed, the work carried out by Parliament is distinguished work that fully meets our mandate to represent the people. Nowadays, Parliament counts more due to the Treaty of Lisbon and the Council can no longer take a dominant role against the popular sovereignty represented by Parliament ...

(The President cut off the speaker)