Date: 2019-01-15
Mr President, Chancellor, I'm not sure whether you could bear even more congratulations, because we heard a lot today. So I will spare you by only saying that I think that that was an efficient Presidency and Austria did deliver as a Presidency on its intentions. But I rather look at always every six-months period of time, not as a Presidency issue but how did the European Union really do, and how have we advanced, regardless of the Presidency? And I think that this needs to be said. This is still a European Union of 28 maybe tomorrow 27 Member States where the Presidency has a key role to play, but obviously it cannot perform miracles, but it can help a great deal. I think that the balance sheet, as I've said, is pretty good. But if you speak of the number of trilogues, I agree with you: I think this is again a sign of an efficient Austrian Presidency. But let's look into the legislation that we have enacted: is it really always the right legislation which will really deliver on the three priorities that you had or on the priorities that we will have in the future? I'll give you just one example. Together with the rapporteur Angelika Niebler, we dealt with cyber security. I think the result is not bad at all. In fact, it's a good result, and also I must say, even despite some clashes that we had with your ambassador , I need to say that it still reflects the lack of change of mind-set in the Member States. We still look at cyber security as an issue where we tack between those who would like to prevail in terms of competences and the rest, and we are as strong or as weak as the weakest part of the chain of the European Union. So that is just one example where I would like to say the numbers matter and you have been efficient, but it also matters what kind of legislation we are able to enact, how the Member States are ready and, of course, how we manage to strike compromises with real ambition. On competitiveness, on digital: yes, again I think that this is significant progress, but still at the same time, if I had the brain and I invented an application, would I commercialise it in the European Union or would I go to Silicon Valley? And the answer is clear: I still would go to Silicon Valley. So there is a lot to do in terms of the European Union's ecosystem. Let me just focus on two or three issues where I think we could have done better, for sure, and maybe that history will show also the Presidency. One is on internal security. I do agree with you and I think it was a balanced approach, but still let's admit that we still have a block in the Council on a number of proposals which are still pending. And we are not facing today a crisis, we are facing a problem, and the moment the crisis would come, we could have significant difficulties on the budget. And I think that again, there is enormous progress you have ticked all the boxes; the question is: how well were these boxes filled? And I must say I don't agree with Mr Zahradil, who says that that should be left to the next Parliament. No, I think we have been elected or appointed for the whole term. But I think that he would have to explain, whether it's on cohesion terms or to farmers, that, when you are really lagging behind, it has an impact on your businesses. But what I would like to say on the budget is that we should still proceed, and that's maybe one critical remark also to Austria. I think that this is not realistic. I'm definitely against any waste of money, but I think that we need to address the fact that we have new challenges and we just can't keep, without a serious revision of some of the policies, the budget, and eventually the sum will increase. But anyway, at the very end, I think with those remarks I think that you have done a very good job, but we as the European Union are not yet doing the job that our citizens really expect us to do, and we do fail on some issues.