Mr President of Parliament, Mr President of the Commission, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, you told us, Mr Prodi, that we would inaugurate a new method which would allow the three institutions, in drawing up the Commission legislative and work programme for 2003, to work more closely together. We would like to emphasise the importance of this new method. For the first time, Parliament, the Council and the Commission have engaged in a constructive dialogue to establish a legislative programme. We are particularly in favour of this cooperation and especially of increasing initial discussions between Parliament and the Commission. Although this dialogue did indeed take place last spring, however, it was difficult to differentiate between this specific legislative planning exercise and what are known as regular meetings which take place throughout the year between parliamentary committees and commissioners in their respective fields of competence. In future we will probably need greater preparation and a better structure for this dialogue and, in particular, each Commissioner will probably have to present initial guidelines for each specific legislative field. The single document ‘Annual Policy Strategy for 2003’ presented by the Commission in February proved insufficient, and this situation could –appear harmful, as 2003 is a particularly important year due to enlargement. I did note, however, Mr President, that you would like the Commission to present monthly reports to Parliament. Having said this, we welcome the three political priorities set by the Commission and we would like to make the following comments: On the first point, entitled ‘An enlarged Europe’, our primary concern is to ensure that the Community acquis is properly applied throughout the enlarged Union. It is therefore crucial for a codified version of Community law to be available in all the languages of the new Member States. Successful enlargement means including the environmental aspect and the objective of public health and consumer protection in all the other policies, as well as taking account – as you said yourself – of human resources, and it also means being innovative. Lastly, it means monitoring the application of Community legislation, and we will need to help the future Member States to establish suitable structures as swiftly as possible. With regard to the second point, entitled ‘Stability and security’, the terrorist threat hangs over the Union. We therefore welcome the measures proposed in order to combat this scourge. Combating terrorism is one factor in a broader objective, that of ensuring that the Union is safe and secure. We also welcome the Commission’s commitment to move forward in creating an area of freedom, security and justice, within which the rights of the individual will be protected, whether in terms of civil protection, food and industrial safety, transport, energy or land use planning, in order to take into consideration all the factors affecting public health and the environment. With regard, more particularly, to establishing a European Public Prosecutor, we believe it is appropriate to await the Convention’s conclusions on the subject before taking any initiatives. Ensuring stability and security within the Union also means defining and setting up an integrated border-control system and taking coordinated practical action to combat illegal immigration. We would also ask the Commission to present proposals in the near future on asylum and immigration policy that clearly distinguish between asylum seekers, those requesting international protection and migrant workers. On this subject, our group is still concerned about what we perceive as a lack of resolve within the Council. It is also important to monitor the actions of the European Union and the Member States regularly with regard to the International Criminal Court. On the third point, entitled ‘Sustainable and inclusive economy’, if we want to prevent the deterioration in the economic environment from having a negative impact on employment, it would be desirable for the Commission to be able to inform us of proposals for a more flexible working market, which is essential for increasing employment opportunities. We appreciate the Commission’s firm stance over the Stability and Growth Pact, but, on the other hand, we consider it lacking in other areas. It is regrettable that the Commission programme makes no mention of the fiscal package and that no progress has been made in the field of VAT with regard to the principle of country of origin. In particular, we would invite the Commission to go further in considering the harmonisation of the basis for taxation, wherever this is necessary for the proper functioning of the single market, while not proposing a measure aimed solely at harmonising rates. The European Union’s fiscal policy must, in all cases, be aimed at reducing general taxation and lowering administrative costs. Economic development is also achieved through strengthening infrastructures, in particular in the field of transport. We would also, following the ruling of the Court of Justice of 5 November 2002, which found eight Member States guilty of concluding ‘open sky’ agreements with the United States, call for the European Commission to present a communication on drawing up future bilateral agreements in the field of air transport as swiftly as possible. With regard to the Union’s foreign policy, we would ask the Commission to publish a Green Paper on the new borders of the enlarged European Union, supplemented by ideas on relations with the new neighbouring States and the various partners. It is regrettable that the Commission legislative programme makes no reference to either the creation of a Euromed free trade area, or the creation of a Euromed parliamentary assembly. Within the context of post-Doha discussions, we would ask the Commission how it hopes to be able to integrate the commitment of Europe, no longer of fifteen, but of twenty-five States. Lastly, trans-Atlantic dialogue must be strengthened in a spirit of sustainable and inclusive development and must of course make good the Kyoto commitments. We are pleased that the proposal puts forward seven strategies as indicated in the Sixth Environment Action Programme, as well as proposals concerning integrated product policy and a new chemicals strategy. In conclusion, Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I believe it is important to begin to reform employee status, make OLAF more independent and publish declarations of the financial interests of commissioners and directors-general on the Internet. I am sure, Mr President, that in this way we will be able to avoid an exponential increase in measures, duplicated criteria as well as– and I shall end here – excessive transposition work, in order to ensure the best possible future for the enlargement of the Union. (Applause) IN THE CHAIR: MR DAVID MARTINVice-President

Political group: PPE-DE