Cox blueprint for presidential term sets ambitious goals

Date: 31/01/02

By Martin Banks

PAT Cox, the newly-elected president of the European Parliament, will next week unveil an ambitious blueprint for his term in office. He says the main goal of his two-and-a-half year presidency will be achieving the 'three Rs':

• Re-connecting the European Union with its citizens;
• Reforming the 626-member Parliament and
• Reuniting Europe with eventual enlargement.

Cox, who said he was 'thoroughly enjoying every minute' of his high-profile new role, will set out his strategy when he addresses MEPs at the plenary session in Strasbourg, next week.

The Irish Liberal, an MEP since 1989, said he is determined to leave his mark on the presidency.

One of his ideas is to invite national parliamentarians from each of the 12 applicant states to attend, and participate in, the annual state of enlargement debate, which is due to be held in Strasbourg in October. It would be the first time that this has happened.

Cox, who beat Socialist David Martin in a closely-fought, five-man contest on 15 January, also wants proceedings of the Convention examining Europe's future to be broadcast live on the internet.

'My speech in Strasbourg will be the first opportunity I have had since the presidential election to set down my ideas and priorities for the presidency,' he said.

'The main thrust of my speech will be to stress what I am calling the three Rs: reconnection, reform and reunification. This is not a meaningless sound bite but a real, achievable goal.'

Cox, the former leader of the group of European Liberals, said he wanted to inject more 'soul and passion' into parliamentary debates.

Live internet broadcasts of the Convention's monthly meetings would be a key step towards reconnecting the EU with citizens, he claimed.

'It would give people the chance to follow debates as they are taking place,' he added.

Cox, who held talks with Commission President Romano Prodi this week, is due to meet the Convention's president, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, next Tuesday (5 February).

Pat Cox, the newly-elected president of the European Parliament, is set to unveil an ambitious blueprint for his term in office.