The ongoing thrust to put social concerns at the heart of the European project is welcome if belated. Since 2008, the EU has increasingly focussed on the task of reinforcing its economic structures, no matter what the human and social cost. This has fed populist and extremist ideologies. Making the social pillar meaningful is going
Let me start by thanking and congratulating our rapporteur. He has presented a very good report. And in the run up to it, he organized some very useful meetings with stakeholders that I found interesting. As has already been said, covered bonds are a financial intrument that have already proved themselves over centuries in some
We always needed to make a crucial point regarding the Commission’s Annual Competition Report: Competition rules especially for state aid, should not be applied on a one-size-fits-all basis. But during this mandate, the need is arising to highlight new precautionary signals. Firstly: European competition policy should avoid the appearance of a frontal contest with other
Ladies and Gentlemen, Thanks for your invitation to address this meeting, an event which continues to build on the wide-ranging programme that is going on to contain and reverse the sickness that plagues too many of our citizens. Much still remains to be done. Indeed obesity has been labelled an epidemic by the World Health
Before deciding to include the Fiscal Compact in the EU Treaties… but I would say regardless of such a step, we need to ask ourselves some hard questions. With our national Parliaments, we must create a discussion, a dialogue, about the real significance of the results obtained, the results claimed, for the fiscal compact. Have
Chairman, Depending on how we the co-legislators regulate the insurance industry, the ultimate effect will be on consumers who are meant to enjoy the same level of protection across the EU. However regulatory costs need to be kept in mind. One size fits all arrangements in this sector too, can serve to create burdens without
