Watson calls on German presidency to restore Europe's confidence and competitiveness

5.36.25pm GMT Thu 18th Jan 2007

Addressing Chancellor Merkel today in Strasbourg on the German Presidency's programme, Graham Watson MEP (Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) called for focus on restoring Europe's competitiveness as the best form of social model and job creation.

"It is through greater competitiveness and innovation that Europe can create jobs and establish a sustainable social model" he said. "Energy and climate change are now the pre-eminent policy challenges facing us. Protecting national companies like RWE or EdF is no way to create the European champions of the future. Germany needs to lead Europe, not hold it back."

"The German Presidency's programme for Justice and Home Affairs is replete with initiatives on police cooperation and data collection in the fight against crime and terrorism but largely ignores the safeguards and data protection that is so fundamental to our core values as Europeans."

"We agree with you that Europe will not be complete if we are unable to function as a common judicial area, but we do not understand why Germany opposes greater majority voting and parliamentary scrutiny of this policy area by using the current Treaty provisions, notably the bridging clause in article 42."

In her speech to the German Chancellor, Silvana Koch-Mehrin MEP (FDP Germany and first Vice-president of ALDE group) expressed her disappointment about the lack of concrete proposals on the issue of the future of the European Constitution, except for the goal of approving a text by early 2009. She also offered the cooperation of the Liberal and Democrat group for the next six months in improving Europe's image through better regulation and clearer communication.