Madam President, I feel that a situation such as this requires us to keep calm. My group supported the motion and is prepared to take part in any way it can in any action addressing the current situation quickly and immediately – and, I hope, effectively. Three lines of action must be pursued: defending European industry fully against any unfair competition from the United States in the future; speeding up the restructuring of European industry itself; and meeting the obligations, which we had, moreover, already established before the crisis, to ensure, in any event, improved conditions of safety and respect for the environment than those hitherto in operation. Europe has many objectives, which it must pursue simultaneously if we are to pull ourselves out of this situation. This certainly means that we need the Council to confer a negotiating mandate upon the Commission as soon as possible, we need to be able to speak with one voice before the United States and we need to be able to monitor what happens on that front. In other words, we must either defend ourselves or ensure that we all play according to the same rules in this situation. However, the need to defend ourselves against attack from an industry which has taken less time to complete restructuring, which has regained its competitiveness first, must not be used an excuse not to change the current situation. Therefore, we need to honour our aid commitments, within the limits laid down for aid for the past financial year, for insurance costs and for the extra security costs, but no more than this. We must consistently maintain state aid within this framework and, what is more, be very astute in our management of the restructuring phases. There is no doubt that European industry will have to go through some rather painful stages as it re-establishes itself and, therefore, it is quite likely that there may be more bankruptcies. However, there are different ways of handling them. That is a fundamental point, one on which it might be appropriate for both the Council of Ministers and the Commission to do more, to produce a few more proposals on how the transitions are to be handled. One tiny example: the bankruptcy of Sabena or the restructuring of the new Sabena has led to a debate now on the allocation of slots on European routes. There are small, competitive companies able to take on, to employ people who would be willing to take part in co-sharing operations on European routes. Well then, we must not restrict ourselves to defence but be open to these possibilities too, in short, to a faster developing market: we must have the courage and the ability to keep up with it with active as well as defensive measures. In this way, I feel we will also be able to meet the needs of the trade unions and workers very well, aware that this is the right way to ensure that there genuinely will be jobs in the long term. One last point: this issue affects the services related to the aviation industry as well as airlines; it affects the whole tourist industry. If we do not succeed in restoring the confidence of our fellow citizens and persuading them to start flying again, much of the work we are doing will be wasted. I have not yet heard anyone address this matter, but I feel it is the final task before us all. (Applause)

Political group: ELDR