OPINION:BEFORE THE European Union was created, war, destruction and violence characterised a divided continent. Today our continent is reunited and we belong to the same community of values.
The European Union is not just a political and economic entity, it is also a community of shared values – the dignity of the human being, human rights, peace, freedom, democracy, justice, the rule of law and the principles of solidarity are at the centre of our actions. We are all different but all equal. United in diversity is our motto.
Since 1979, citizens can vote in a direct election and choose their representatives in the European Parliament. In these 30 years, the parliament has progressively gained legislative powers and developed into a fully-fledged democratic parliament. Today, it is stronger than before, fulfilling its duties in a responsible way and playing a crucial role in fulfilling European citizens’ expectations.
The European elections this week are a unique exercise of democracy: an electorate of 375 million voters, across 27 countries will elect a single parliament, representing nearly 500 million citizens of the union.
They are taking place at a crucial moment. They represent a great opportunity to relaunch the union and to address the issues that are important to the citizens such as the economic crisis, climate change, globalisation or immigration. They provide an opportunity to show why the union is relevant and to demonstrate the practical importance of the parliament’s work in all of our daily lives.
Parliament is responsible in areas ranging from regulation of financial markets to consumer protection or the limitation of carbon emissions. Practical examples of how the parliament uses its legislative powers to improve our everyday lives are the blacklisting of unsafe airlines, the reduction of the cost of phoning and roaming in Europe or the rules on the safe use of chemical products. Others include stringent food safety standards or the financing of important infrastructure projects.
Approximately 75 per cent of the union’s legislation is decided by the parliament, together with the Council of Ministers, which represents member state governments.
In the last parliamentary term, the union took the lead in tackling climate change. A decisive step in the protection of our environment was the approval of the climate change legislative package, which aims to reduce our carbon emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020. This work should continue in the next term for the next parliament. Diversification of energy sources is also a big priority for the coming years.
We are facing a severe economic crisis. Citizens are concerned about their jobs, mortgages and how to pay their bills. These are real difficulties faced by European voters. No country can tackle the problem alone. A European solution is needed. The parliament has requested stricter regulation of the financial markets and more transparency of banking.
It is making its contribution to restoring the trust of the citizens and to building a future based on a social market economy – markets at the service of people.
The union has tools that let us meet the challenges of the future. Now is a very good moment to give the European project new direction, dynamism and vision. I hope that on June 5th, Irish citizens will exercise their democratic right and vote. The union has an important role to play in our future. The forthcoming elections are an opportunity for voters to raise their concerns with candidates and vote for the kind of union they would like to see. If you care what decisions are taken in Brussels and Strasbourg, if you care who is taking them, then make your voice heard.
Hans-Gert Pöttering is president of the European Parliament