Getting
closer the European elections the debate about matters going beyond national
limits is getting more and more intensive. In this frame, Milan, in the
first days of March, has hosted - besides the European Socialist Party
congress - a
From the left: deputy Amedeo Amadeo, Gerard Collins
and deputy Cristiana Muscardini |
meeting
organised by a delegation of Alleanza Nazionale at the European parliament,
leaded by the Mrs. Cristiana Muscardini. “Europe and development. The
Ireland model and the Centre-Right policy to re-launch economy “, this
the matter of the meeting, with the participation, as special guest, of
Gerard Collins, Vice President of the European parliament and leader of
the Ireland party “Fianna Fail”. Among the people present, Marzio Tremaglia
(councillor responsible for culture of the Lombard Region), Mario Vigo
(Farmers Union President) and Guido Venturini (Federchimica General Director).
Tremaglia introducing the meeting, avoided coming to the heart of the
economic matters (about which he deems himself incompetent) and has confined
to underline the narrowness of the indications coming out from the European
Socialists congress, just regarding employment. More technical the speech
of
Gerard Collins, Vice President of European Parliament
and leader of Irish party "Fianna Fail" |
Mario
Vigo, according to whom the community agricultural policy leaves much
to be desired (being the competence between the member states far from
coming to and end) and on the other side, the Italian government really
doing very little to uphold this sector that still has a great importance
in our country. What is required then? A liberal policy - Vigo suggests
- to be applied also to agriculture that has been submitted for years
to that welfarism we know very well in Italy. Venturini has carried out
a detailed report about the chemical-pharmaceutical sector, the only one,
among the strategic sectors, whereas the old continent keeps the leadership
over North America. Unfortunately - adds gloomily the Federchimica manager
- Italy does not give a great contribution to this leadership. On the
other side the European supremacy, according to the most recent statistics,
is ever more at risk. On the opposite, the European parliament devotes
a lot of time to matters that are the same important - employment, environment,
transports etc. - but it takes care very few of those that produce, that
is the enterprises. “It must invest in talents - Venturini says textually
- in investigation. Liberalization, globalization, innovation: here they
are the passwords for a new economic policy “. Mrs. Muscardini has chaired
the meeting and introducing Gerard Collins, she has highlighted, besides
his political abilities, the great human endowment's and his out of common
availability to go the Europe ways (mainly of Italy) to discuss the “Ireland
miracle “ and the rise of a great liberal Right.
Interview
to Gerald Collins
Deputy Cristiana Muscardini, Chief of the group
A.N. at European Parliament |
President
Collins, in the Ninety, Ireland has made a jump, economic level, without
equals in Europe. May you give us some data?
Between
1990 and 1997 the Ireland Gross Domestic Product has grown 7% per year
in average, while the European one grew in average a 2%. At the same
time unemployment, that in 1993 reached the 16%, is now fewer than 9%.
Which
are the cornerstone points of the “Ireland economic prescription “?
In
1987 it has started off a “positive whirl “ going on giving results
till now, at the threshold of the year 2000. There are several compounds:
a new monetary and fiscal policy, a wages increases control, internal
competence regulation, and coming to details, tax reduction, less social
charges for enterprises, more flexibility. Not everybody is aware of
the “tax propulsive power”, that is the usefulness of certain tax policies
to boost economy.
And
the effects over unemployment?
Guido Venturini, General Director of Federchimica |
Economy
can grow only whereas all main factors play: manpower availability, work
flexibility, adequate fiscal policy. In Ireland employment supply and
demand quality have grown together and, inevitably, the unemployment rate
has decreased. Furthermore my country knew better how to employ the European
structural founds, aimed just to create employment.
Which
are, in your opinion, the guidelines for a correct industrial policy?
Ireland
must carry on the undertaken policy, the one valorizing mainly the high
technology sector, divesting itself of those already scarcely productive.
At any extent we must convince ourselves that protectionism in the long
run dangers us and that the free competence is the basis for growth
since it calls productive investments.
Talking
about the imminent European elections, for any party it is not only
important to win, national level, but to establish itself as group,
continental level. How do you think to reach this target?
Each
country must refer to factors that are specific for a certain reality.
In my country, the group I belong to refers to an “Agenda for the year
2000” aiming to a new Europe, a great Europe, by the means, among others,
of a re-examination of the common agricultural policy. We must be in
the foreground within the World Trade Organization.
And
the over national strategies?
What
I can tell you by now is that my group will search a common platform
to propose it to the European electors. This purpose I 'm sure about
that the Ireland Premier will meet as soon as possible the leaders of
the European Right, starting from Gianfranco Fini, just to set a common
strategy.
Do
you think that, since the sizeable part of the European countries is
leaded by Left governments, it is more difficult to reach certain targets?
The
whole Europe is aware of the challenges facing it. That why we have
the European parliament and the European committee carrying out negotiates
about the most important matters. Europe must change and, if it does
not do it, it risks a rapid decay. We must strengthen the common policies,
our institutions, we must identify targets, the closest to citizens,
as Cristiana Muscardini said, since citizens are those who matters more.
Europe is made of populations.
President
Collins, we thank you for you availability.
|
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