XL - Eiropas Parlaments - Europa

16-02-2011 83
sytuacji rozdrobnionego sektora rolniczego. Mam nadzieję, że zgodnie z zapewnieniami prezydencji węgierskiej, w
czerwcu zakończymy negocjacje z Chorwacją i że w drugiej połowie 2011 roku, już podczas polskiej prezydencji,
Chorwacja zostanie przyjęta do grona państw Wspólnoty.
3-395-500
8 - Correzioni e intenzioni di voto: vedasi processo verbale
3-395
(La seduta, sospesa alle 13.25, è ripresa alle 15.00)
3-397
IN THE CHAIR: JERZY BUZEK
President
3-396
9 - Signature of acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure
3-398
President. − Colleagues, we shall start with the signing of the Lex Citizens’ initiative. Dear Minister Martonyi, Presidentin-Office,
dear Chairs, rapporteurs, today we are considering legal matters: the very important signing into law of a very
important piece of European legislation. It is important because we are giving another check to balance the powers of our
institutions.
This regulation on the European Citizens’ initiative, which has been adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, aims
at providing our citizens with the same political initiative that the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament
already enjoy. One million signatures are needed – only 0.2% of our citizens – to invite the European Commission to act in
matters that concern them directly. It allows them to be heard. I will indeed establish a direct link between the citizens and
the Union’s institutions, bridging the gap between them, between all of us in the European Union.
The European Parliament and the Council worked hard to achieve a rapid adoption of this citizen-friendly regulation at
first reading. I would like to thank all those who contributed to this success: the various Presidencies – in particular the
Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies –, the Commission and the Members of this House. I would like to give particular
thanks to the Chairs of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and the Committee on Petitions (PETI), Carlo
Casini and Erminia Mazzoni. I will ask you to come forward for the signing of the procedure. The four rapporteurs, Alain
Lamassoure, Zita Gurmai, Diana Wallis and Gerald Häfner – I hope you are present and we can go through the procedure
together – as well as the many other Members involved as shadow rapporteurs.
You can be proud of the work done for our citizens. With the Council we shall now sign this act into law but, before that, I
will ask our guest, who will often be present in the European Parliament this half-year, Minister Martonyi, to say a few
words.
3-399
János Martonyi, President-in-Office of the Council. − Mr President, in this unique and solemn moment, I recall the early
days of the European Convention when we were discussing how what used to be called the ‘democratic deficit of the
European integration process’ could be eliminated, or at least reduced. There was a common goal which we all shared, and
that was to enhance the democratic functioning of the European Union.
One way of doing that has just been found, and that is to foster the participation of the citizens themselves in the
democratic life of the Union. That is how, and that is why, the right of the citizens’ initiative was included in the Treaty,
and now citizens can approach the European Commission directly and invite it to submit a proposal for a legislative act of
the European Union.
I firmly believe that this is a milestone on the path towards more democracy in the Union. It is also the first element of
direct democracy. It establishes direct contact and dialogue between the institutions and citizens and encourages crossborder
direct dialogue and cooperation. It also encourages a sense of ownership: Europe is not them – Europe is us, and
Europe will develop as we shape it ourselves, all of us together. Yes, our motto, ‘A strong Europe with a human touch’
depends upon all of us.
To achieve these goals and to implement the Treaty, clear, simple and user-friendly rules of procedure had to be
established. This has now been done and was the result of the good cooperation between all the institutions – the
Commission, the Council and first and foremost, the European Parliament. I would like to extend my special thanks to Mr
Maroš Šefčovič of the Commission; I would like to express my thanks to the Spanish and the Belgian Presidencies, both of
them members of our trio; and very special thanks and congratulations also have to be extended to the European
Parliament, to all those who were involved in this extremely important job: the chairs of the committees, and also the