The older I get the less I am sure about knowing all the answers. The higher-up in my career the more I need to be anchored in something practical/pragmatic (Blog de Margot Wallström, 21/12/2006
The Commission adopted yesterday a very important decision: to include the aviation sector in the European Emissions Trading system. This means that the EU will continue to lead on climate change issues – while at the same time acting in a multi-lateral context like the ICAO. I am sure that this will not only boost the credibility of our policy on climate change, but will also help European airlines to develop a competitive advantage through investing in modern technology/methods like with the example of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which will use 20 percent less fuel per passenger than similarly sized airplanes. The plane is specifically designed for the environment with lower emissions and quieter takeoffs and landings. To date, 29 airlines have logged 393 orders worth more than $55 billion making the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.
Giuliano Amato, Italy‘s Minister for Interior Affairs was chairing the meeting for political leaders and constitutional experts from all over Europe. We discussed the state of play of the constitutional treaty and our ideas for how to contribute to Germany‘s attempts to deal with this issue during its presidency.
We had a good debate about everything from the name of the document to proposals for how to tackle for example the demands of a “more social Europe”. The meeting benefited from the fact that Minister Amato is a very intelligent, skilled and experienced politician. His basic idea is to return to the starting point and motives as expressed by the European leaders in Laeken in 2001:
-to reinforce the Union‘s Institutions and bodies;
-to advance democracy in the EU;
-to ensure the efficiency of the EU;
-to clarify and simplify the Union‘s legal order.
These are real challenges which still exist and it is worth and necessary to see how to face them together The “Amato-group“ will meet next time in Berlin in the beginning of next year.
The older I get – the less I am sure about knowing all the answers. The “higher-up” in my career – the more I need to be anchored in something practical/pragmatic. The more political responsibility I assume – the less I long to be in the spotlight……
It is of course fantastic to receive such massive support from members in Sweden who have nominated me as new Chairperson of the Social Democratic party. But I have had to say no repeatedly since I know that I am not the right woman for the job. I hope that this can be respected and that there will be other things that I can do for my party!
I will probably not come back to you until beginning of 2007 since I will not have access to modern technology for a while……..
I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Thursday December 21, 2006 - Category : General
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Posted by The Moderator on December 21, 2006 at 01:17 PM CET #