|
Debates
Wednesday, 15 November 2006 - Strasbourg
Services in the internal market
Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE
). –
Mr President, I recognise that this compromise is something of an
improvement on the Commission’s original proposal. I also recognise that
it is necessary and desirable to remove the remaining barriers to the
cross-border provision of commercial services. However, I believe that we
should, in the process, provide legal certainty – and I mean ‘certainty’ –
to providers of essential public services and, more importantly, provide
reassurances to the many citizens who depend strongly upon
locally-provided social services.
Verbal assurances given in good
faith, I fully accept, are not what will be used by judges in the event of
court challenges in the future. It is the text of a directive that will be
important. That is why I have signed a number of amendments, such as
Amendment 31, which make it absolutely clear that it would be Member
States who define services of general interest in their territory. I would
ask colleagues to accept that this is a reasonable amendment and should be
adopted, amongst others. |
