XVIth EPP CONGRESS The EPP: Your Majority in Europe 4 - 5 February 2004 European Parliament BRUSSELS

Speech by Mr Jan ROKITA, Civic Platform


Brussels, February 5, 2004


Our vision of the enlarged Union.

Civic Platform wishes Poland to join an effective European Union which is close to its citizens and has a strong position the international political and economic scene. since we do share the goals and values, which laid the foundation for the establishment of the European Communities and the European Union, therefore our natural aim is to occupy our right place amongst Europe's nations, so as to be able to even more actively and fully implement our common objectives together with other Member States.

We want the institutions of the European union to be as strong and effective as it is possible. There is no doubt that the community method is the best tool for promoting common interests of the Member States and that is why we would like our accession to strengthen, not weaken the system. We also believe that there is no inherent contradiction between making the institutions more effective, solidarity based, and at the same time more democratically legitimate.

Sometimes we can hear that our strong views on the system of weighed votes prove that we would like to see a diluted Union. Such statements constitutes a misinterpretation for our intentions. New member states are the ones who need the strong Union, let me add - much more than the current ones, which for years have been reaping the benefits of Single Market and common policies. we are yet to experience the full benefits of integration. Poland would like to have as much as possible to say in the community decision - making system precisely to promote the strengthening of the Union's capacity to act. The Union reduced to a free trade area runs counter to our very philosophy of integration. There is no single issue on which our interests collide with that of an ever closer Union.

During the Brussels summit Poland proved to be a strong and opinionated partner. The current left government, which exceptionally on that point received the backing of the opposition, defended the existing balance between states, defended the Poland's position in the Council, and defended the conditions of our membership accepted by our citizens in the accession referendum. Our position is tough but not inflexible. We are open for discussion. There are many interesting options to resolve the dilemma. One would be to allow the Nice system to function and after a few years come back to the controversial decision. Another would be to try to modify the Nice weighted voting system in such a way as to improve the effectiveness of the decision - making.

I'm fully convinced that Poland would above all want to appear as a constructive partner. We would like to get involved in most of the ambitious projects that the Union sets for itself. Strengthen the Lisbon strategy, contribute to dynamic, competitive solidarity based and job - generating economy. We would also like to play a positive part in the security and defence policy - participating as a member in the structured cooperation, especially co-operation which is not in competition to NATO. The Union needs a structure, which would endow it with a military capacity for autonomous action. Poland will also want to play its constructive part in stepping up co-operation with the EU's confirmation of the idea to use the full potential and experience of the new member states in the Union's eastern dimension.

In the conclusion I would like to turn to the issue of means necessary to realise our common ambitions. I couldn't agree more with the EPP's draft action programme - the current EU budget represents a very modest expense. I would go even further - there is something illogical in the idea to have more Europe for less money. The Union is enlarging and at the same time it is setting before itself very ambitious goals about which I have spoken. It is possible to realise this goal with such limited means at the EU's disposal. Now the enlarged Union has to be based on solidarity, both political and economic. It must be seen in terms of an investment in our common future.

As you know Solidarność is our contribution to the reunification of Europe. We the Civic Platform are the heir of this tradition.
Solidarity is the corner stone of our vision of Union. I hope that this vision we can build this vision together with our EPP family. Let us seek our majority in Europe together.