By Martin Banks - 16th October 2008
Parliament expects to be listened to more attentively
Hans-Gert Pöttering
Parliament’s president insists that the current global banking crisis should not “overshadow” efforts to combat climate change
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Hans-Gert Pöttering also said he “did not expect” any changes to the EU’s target of a 20 per cent cut in emissions by 2020.
“It is important, in light of the current banking turmoil, that we continue to fight the impact of climate change,” said the German centre right MEP.
“This is as big a challenge as the current one facing the world and we cannot forget about it just because a new challenge has emerged.
“Rather, the best thing would be to deal with the two issues in parallel," he told journalist at the council of ministers in Brussels.
Earlier, addressing the start of the two-day EU summit in Brussels, Pöttering said that international financial markets are faced with “what is probably their greatest crisis” since World War Two.
He said parliament has “repeatedly” pointed to shortcomings in the regulation and oversight of the markets and called on the commission “on several occasions” to take action on this.
He also said that parliament “expects to be listened to more attentively” and to be “fully involved” in the rebuilding of financial architecture.
“We are aware that a number of member states are unwilling to act but now is not the time for apportioning blame.”
He told EU leaders gathered for the crunch summit that the challenge was to “work together to build confidence.”
“The extent of this crisis reminds us afresh of how intertwined and mutually-dependent our economies are.
“The lesson for us today must be this – isolated, uncoordinated national action cannot produce solutions. We need European solutions to the crisis.”
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