Mr President, during the Convention proceedings, the pessimists predicted a negative outcome, at best a delay which would have jeopardised the objective of giving the new Europe its first Constitution in a short space of time. Instead, we all know the way things turned out: in the end politics prevailed, the sense of responsibility prevailed and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, despite the initial criticisms, achieved the objective. Today, in this Chamber, I have heard certain pessimists making predictions about the outcome of the IGC which are not positive. Naturally, no one believes that the work of the Intergovernmental Conference will not come up against obstacles. No one believes that it will all be easy, but I am convinced that in the end, as in the case of the Convention, the European interest will prevail. This is why I am optimistic, this is why I am convinced that this Presidency will make Europe take significant steps forward. It is impossible not to welcome with satisfaction the statement made by the Spanish Prime Minister, Mr Aznar, or to welcome with just as much satisfaction certain affirmations made by President Chirac? Politics is mediation, not propaganda; it is the ability to attain the goal within the prearranged time. I am convinced that this Presidency, therefore, will attain the objectives which it has set itself: Europe will have, before the next European elections, its first Constitutional Treaty, fruit of the valuable work of the Convention and also fruit of Parliament’s work. Parliament’s active participation in the proceedings of the Intergovernmental Conference is an extremely positive result, and this choice is proof of the fact that the Italian Presidency has maintained its promises made in this Chamber. I cannot fail to stress the importance of reference to our Judeo-Christian roots in the preamble to the Constitution. It is not, Mr Barón Crespo, a question of a monopoly, but quite the opposite; it is that we must not dismiss the contribution that Christianity has made to the moral and social growth and development of this continent. I am referring to the values which Mother Teresa of Calcutta embodied and observed: values which we all, believers and non-believers, share. Also when we talk about the major, difficult issue of immigration, Europe cannot fail to hear the cry of pain uttered by millions and millions of Africans. Africa, with its tragedies, will constitute the emergency of the coming decades. Your words, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, confirm that the approach to this great emergency is the right one. Carry on! As many fellow Members asserted today in this Chamber, Europe – the whole of Europe – has to take responsibility, in political and economic terms, for organising and protecting the borders. The road embarked upon by the Italian Presidency, I repeat, is the right one. This is why we should encourage and support it, just as it should be supported, Mr Bertinotti, in respect of development policy. How can we consider increasing the competitiveness of our regions without putting in place major infrastructure in order to develop the internal market and to create new jobs? Carry on with the decisions concerning Lisbon too: without a serious reform of welfare systems our young citizens will not be offered any hope. Social-democratic Germany has embarked on this path, as has centre-right France. These are not, therefore, choices made by one side or the other, but it is a question of political farsightedness. The decision promoting research is also positive: it was a promise made in this Chamber in July, and has been kept; just as the fight against organised crime is a promise. I am pleased to see that Mr Schulz reads Italian newspapers attentively. Allow me to supplement his press review with some news. It is well-known that, with regard to the European Prosecutor, the Italian Government and the current Union Presidency have decided to adhere to the text submitted to the European Union by the Convention. With regard to the European arrest warrant, as is just as well known – it is in the Italian press – the draft law to modify Italian regulations in line with the prearranged framework-decision at European level has already been tabled to the Council of Ministers and will be discussed soon, before being submitted to Parliament for adoption by 31 December this year. In conclusion, therefore, in my opinion, this House, despite a few deliberately provocative interventions related to political affiliation, is encouraging the Italian Presidency to move forward along the road on which it has embarked.

Political group: PPE-DE