Edward Scicluna

Scicluna describes economic governance package as a ‘missed opportunity’

Labour MEP Edward Scicluna on Thursday (June 23, 2011) reacted with disappointment to the content of the EU’s proposed economic governance package, passed by European Parliament today describing it as “a huge missed opportunity” for the EU.

Prof Scicluna was one of the Socialist and Democrat group’s four MEP negotiating team on the six reports, covering the reports by French Liberal Sylvie Goulard and Portuguese Conservative Diogo Feio.

Speaking after the votes, Prof Scicluna said:

“In years to come we will look back on this package as a huge missed opportunity. We all agree that Member States cannot be competitive when they are operating with high debt and budget deficit levels.  But imposing dangerous austerity crash diets which make their economies even weaker will prove to be completely counter-productive.

“Europe needs to grow some economic muscle, it needs to invest, we need creative schemes to grow and create jobs. But this governance package will not achieve these goals.”

Commenting on the lack of innovative proposals in the package, Prof Scicluna added:

“There were numerous sensible and well-thought out ideas on the table but because of resistance from the Council of Ministers they are conspicuous by their absence. I was particularly disappointed that the proposal by Sylvie Goulard and myself to establish a system of Eurobonds got short shrift by the Council even though it was supported by a broad majority in Parliament and by the European Commission. In the end we have nothing more concrete than a mere promise from the Commission to undertake a study on the subject.

“At a time of crisis, our constituents expect us to take brave decisions to deal with the economic crisis in Europe and put better safety measures in place. The final package falls well short of these expectations:”

 

L-UE tilfet opportunita kbira

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna nhar il-Hamis, 23 ta’ Gunju, 2011, iddeskrieva l-approvazzjoni mill-Parlament Ewropew ghall-Pakkett ta’ Governanza Ekonomika kif propost, bhala “telf ta opportunita kbira” ghall-Unjoni Ewropea.

Prof Scicluna kien jifforma parti minn grupp ta’ erba’ Membri Parlamentari Ewropej minn hdan il-Grupp tas-Socjalisti u d-Demokratici li nnegozjaw fuq is-sitt rapporti li jiffurmaw il-Pakkett ta’ Governanza Ekonomika. Prof Scicluna kien in-negozjatur fuq ir-rapporti mhejjijin mill-MPE Liberali Franciza Sylvie Goulard u l-MPE Konservattiv Portugiz Diogo Feio.

Meta kkummenta dwar il-voti, Prof Scicluna qal li “meta fis-snin li gejjin nharsu lura lejn dan il-Pakkett nghidu li konna tlifna opportunita kbira. Ilkoll naqblu li Stati Membri ma jistax ikunu kompetittivi meta qeghdin jahdmu b’livelli kbar ta’ djun u deficits. Imma billi timponi mizuri perikoluzi ta’ awsterita, iebsin hafna, u f’qasir zmien, jkomplu jdghajfulhom l-ekonomiji diga batuti taghhom. Dawn se jkunu kompletament kontro produttivi.

“L-Ewropa tehtieg li tkabbar muskoli ekonomici. Tehtieg tinvesti. Tehtieg skemi biex jizdied it-tkabbir ekonomiku u l-holqien tal-impjiegi. Dan il-Pakkett ta’ Governanza Ekonomika mhux se jwassal ghal dawn l-ghanijiet.”

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista qal li l-Pakkett huwa nieqes minn proposti innovattivi, “kien hemm hafna ideat mahsubin sew u li jaghmlu sens, liema ideat huma assenti mill-Pakkett minhabba rezistenza min-naha tal-Kunsill tal-Ministri. Kont partikolarment dizappuntat li proposta ta’ Sylvie Goulard u tieghi biex tkun stabbilita sistema ta’ Eurobonds twarrbet mill-Kunsill minkejja li kellha l-appogg ta’ maggoranza wiesgha tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea. Spiccajna li m’ghandna xejn konkret ghajr sempliciment weghda mill-Kummissjoni li taghmel studju dwar is-suggett.”

Prof Scicluna temm jghid li fi zminijiet ta’ krizi bhal dawk prezenti, “il-kostitwenti taghna jistennew minna li niehdu decizjonijiet kuragguizi biex nikkumbattu mal-krizi ekonomika fl-Ewropa u biex inpoggu f’posthom mizuri ta’ sigurta. Il-Pakkett approvat huwa ferm boghod minn dawn l-aspettattivi.”

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