Madam President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Vice-President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to echo our President’s tribute to President Pfimlin, who, as well as being a predecessor of mine and a great friend, was the person who welcomed the Spanish and Portuguese MEPs when we arrived in this House, precisely because we had built a community of values in our countries of the type we are now trying to strengthen. I believe that this is an essential point because the Prime Minister of Portugal, over recent months, has indicated that he is firmly committed to defending these common values. Prime Minister Guterres has paid Parliament a compliment by saying that relations with us have been good over this six-month term. I would like to return this compliment because, during my years of experience in this House, I had never known a Prime Minister to appear three times during a Presidency, but he has done just that. By showing this courtesy, the Portuguese Presidency has taken a significant step. I am not just pleased that he has come here, but also that there have been two issues fundamental to this Parliament on which he has helped us positively and demonstrated his political sensitivity. I am referring to the Statute of MEPs, on which the Portuguese Presidency has continued the work started by the Finnish Presidency, and the Statute of the political parties. The high point of the Portuguese Presidency was undoubtedly the Lisbon Summit, and furthermore I am happy that Prime Minister Guterres has indicated this in speaking of the knowledge society, because I believe that this is the key to the European Union’s investment in the future. In relation to the Lisbon Summit I would like to highlight the importance which my group attaches to the triangle of employment, social cohesion and competitiveness, which is absolutely essential to us, and which is already part, not only of the Portuguese Presidency’s plans, but also of our policies, and which has been strengthened in Feira. I would like to highlight the importance of the agreement which has been reached on taxation, because the European Union cannot make progress in the social field if the increasing discrepancy between employment incomes and capital incomes persists. In this respect we cannot invoke banking secrecy. If we are to progress in a serious and socially just way, it is very important that we take the step of dealing with all these incomes jointly, and, furthermore, I believe that this is a good first step in relation to the process of globalisation. Another fundamental point is the progress in the Intergovernmental Conference. The Portuguese Presidency began this, took it forward up until Feira and responded positively to the European Parliament’s suggestion to broaden the agenda, not only in relation to our requests but also to the Council’s compromises. I would like to point out firstly that, in relation to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, although it has still not been included, an important step has been made in that direction. There is something else, and in this regard I do not believe that President Guterres is going to criticise his Secretary of State. Last week, in different articles, I and the Secretary of State himself, both said that the method by which the convention was proceeding, that is to say, with the active participation of European and national parliaments, representatives of the governments and the Commission, is much better than Intergovernmental Conferences behind closed doors. I hope that Mr Seixas da Costa’s personal opinion can be endorsed by the out-going President of the Council, because I believe that would be very positive. Secondly, in relation to the debate on federalism and constitution, which fortunately has woken the issue of Europe from its lethargy, I would like to point out that it is not an academic or an ex novo debate, and that it must be held while respecting, and on the basis of, the current institutional balance. I agree with the challenge set by President Guterres when he said that we have to talk about federalism in all areas. Fine. The problem is that we have monetary federalism, but we still do not have economic federalism, when we need to defend the euro and defend it seriously. Madam President, I would like to make a final observation in relation to an important decision taken by the Portuguese Presidency bilaterally with thirteen governments. I believe that the Portuguese Presidency was acting seriously and prudently when it proposed the decision of the fourteen countries. I must say that the European Parliament and the Commission have been on the same wavelength since February and the Portuguese Presidency cannot be criticised for defending our community of values in the face of a decision of a political party to form a government with another party whose ideology and beliefs are absolutely contrary to our common values. I believe that the Portuguese Presidency has shown signs of patience and perseverance and has defended our common values. (Applause)

Political group: PSE