Mr President, it is unusual to speak twice in a row in the same day. I would like to thank you, Commissioner, for your comments and suggestions, which we will have to discuss. Commissioner, we have greatly criticised the Nice Summit, yet it has provided you with a valuable instrument: the Social Agenda, which was drawn up with the objective of making the European Union the world’s most competitive economy, as decided at the Lisbon Summit. As we all know that there is no openness between European, national and local partners, this agenda raises the issue of responsibility and attribution of powers of all those playing a part in its implementation. It is in its dual role of ensuring openness and acting as a social instrument that the Social Agenda is a key component of economic and social modernisation, as its implementation will, in the long term, be decisive for achieving the strategic objectives laid down by the Lisbon European Council. We are sure of this, even if it is not currently given much consideration. That, Commissioner, is why Parliament and its Committee on Employment and Social Affairs deeply regretted not having been able to consider the Social Agenda prior to the Stockholm European Council. We therefore ask that Parliament be involved in the implementation of the adjustment of the Social Agenda, as well as all the social partners, and we insist that, from now on, the scoreboard make clearer the various responsibilities of the parties involved. We also call on the Commission to supply information on how it proposes to act on a number of requests we have made: to define an appropriate legal basis for the development of civil dialogue; to provide a tax and legislative framework for the development of the social economy; to integrate the social dimension into competition policy; to submit a directive on social security cover for new forms of employment; to reinforce the action programme and instruments against poverty and social exclusion and submit a proposal to amend Directive 92/85/EC on introducing measures to help improve the health and safety of female workers; and to launch an initiative aimed at better guaranteeing the social quality of work. You will also understand, Commissioner, that we are calling on you to speed up a number of operations: in particular to submit a proposal for a review of the enterprise committee directive as soon as possible so that the legislative procedure can be concluded as intended, to submit to Parliament a memorandum on policy in the area of health and safety at work that could serve as a consultation document, to conduct in-depth examination and assessment of the impact of the Luxembourg process, and, lastly, to propose activities to mark the European year of the disabled. Commissioner, we are convinced that this scoreboard should not be confined to setting out actions implemented by the Commission but should eventually become a strategic instrument by means of which the agenda’s implementation can be supervised, and where need be adjusted. We are also convinced that partnerships should be strengthened in all the actions taken in this area. Commissioner, Nice has provided you with a valuable tool. You therefore have a valuable role to play in making social policy more transparent. Take this opportunity to transform this Europe of commodities into a people’s Europe, in the knowledge that Parliament will be right behind you.

Political group: PPE-DE