Statement by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE) on Future of the EU's report :&nbsp;&nbsp;"Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty" during the plenary session in Brussels (01-02/03/2017)

Brussels

statement

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

future of the European Union (T)

Lisbon Treaty (T)

Future of the EU: statement by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE) on the report "Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty"

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), We have to admit that Europe is increasingly under pressure due to several happenings from outside, there are questions related to domestic and foreign security, terrorism, the consequences of globalization, and tendencies in the United States and in Russia to divide Europe. By splitting and reigning in a multipolar world to exclude Europe, all this leads to the conclusion that Europe needs to be more united. The consequence of this threat musts be that be united or otherwise go down by facing those challenges.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), The Treaty of Lisbon is a kind of constitution for the European Union and this constitution has more potential if you use it in larger extend. We have seen that the member states did not use it in all its possibilities and there we have to invite them to do so. We need to create more transparency and we need to have quality majority votes by default. We need to work together stronger towards a common defence and security policy and we could save incredible amounts of money by creating synergie effects. A stronger common defence engagement implies saving money for the citizen.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Member States of the European Union spend 200 Billion euros on defence with a disastrous result. We spend twice as much money as Russia and have more soldiers than the United States of America, but we are extraordinarily weak because everyone wants to do their own thing. We have 38 different battalion chars in the EU, that is a waste of money, a lack of efficiency, and I think Europe would be stronger in the field of security policy with a head quarter, with a permanent cooperation with those countries that would be ready to do so, but also in the field of research and supply management.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), We see that in the area of National legislation majority decisions can be taken, with some few exception, in the field of social affairs and tax. This possibility is not used by the Council of ministers, not the majority decision but they go towards a consensus, so that the slowest one can block and black mail the others. And if you cannot find an agreement it goes further to the European Council, where you also can only decide in unanimity. The Union method by majority is the method of transparency and efficiency with avoiding black mailing.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Fact is political will is missing. We hope that in these times of BREXIT, of Trump, the possible military threat of Russia in the Eastern part of our continent, in these times of global terror threats and problems related to enormous migration movements, but also the development problems in Africa, that we will take the necessary decisions to act. 15 years ago in the European Parliament we have proposed to introduce a common European border control , we could have done this already, 15 years later we are just starting with is. If we would have done it earlier we would eventually not have had today's problems.