Debates
Wednesday, 14 March 2007 – Strasbourg

EU Red Tape, Energy and Road Transport

Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE ). – Mr President, the summit concluded that the renewed Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs is ‘beginning to deliver results’. It is about time, because the fanfare surrounding the launch of that strategy has not exactly been matched by spectacular results to date. Most businesses, in particular smaller enterprises, which make up the majority of employers, quite rightly complain that excessive red tape hampers their operation and development. I therefore welcome the summit’s commitment to a 25 % reduction in EU-imposed red tape by 2012, and I hope that will be met. But it is a pity that the Member States did not commit themselves to similar reductions in red tape through domestic legislation.

Most attention has been given to the summit commitments on energy efficiency and renewable energy; admirable targets for energy saving have been set. However, I hope that any new legislation will be sensitive to local circumstances. For example, in transport, due account must be taken of the fact that, where I come from and in most of rural Scotland, there exists no realistic alternative to road transport for goods.