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The European Review asked London's 10 MEPs the following three questions: 1. What do you think are the main achievements of the EU in 97 2. What you think will be the important issues of '98? 3. What achievements you would like to look back on at the end of next year? Four of the ten did not reply, although Pauline Green wished the project good luck.
An important focus of 1997 has been on employment, both reducing unemployment and creating an environment to help business develop and grow. We have continued to push for completion of the single market which will mean freer trade and more jobs. In 1998 I look forward to seeing the healthy economic conditions necessary to further stimulate job creation and to encourage inward investment on which so many British jobs depend &emdash; a subject close to my heart as the European Parliament's 'Mr Japan'.
The signing of the Amsterdam Treaty, opening the prospect of a wider Europe, together with the UK's signing of the Social Chapter and the much more positive attitude of the new government were clearly the highlights of 1997, one of the most positive years for Britain in European history.
The major event of 1998 will be the opening of negotiations with countries in Central Eastern Europe, plus Cyprus and Turkey, who wish to join the European Union and possibly even more momentous, the decisions to be taken at a special summit meeting in May regarding membership of EMU and the composition of the board of directors [of the European Bank].
By the end of next year we will be able to look back on the solid achievements of the British presidency, which takes over from Luxembourg in January, and will have put into place the building blocks for expansion of the EU in the next millennium, and above all a Europe of full employment, a useful place and hope for all its citizens.
In 1997 three issues of importance stand out.
The first is the election of the first Labour government in 18 years, and its ending of the Social Chapter opt-out.
The second is the inclusion in the Amsterdam Treaty of a clause on discrimination covering not only gender as in the past but also race and disability. This gives a strong basis for action in the future. The third was the Marschall judgment clarifying the legality of positive action for women, which had been put in jeopardy by the Kalanke judgment.
As an environmentalist, I am deeply concerned about the future survival of the planet and the way environmental degradation most affects the quality of life of working people.
I look forward to 1998 to strengthened commitments by EU governments to address these problems, in particular that of climate destabilisation.
I very much welcome the inclusion of the employment and anti-discrimination elements in the Treaty of Amsterdam and the jobs initiatives flowing from the Luxembourg summit. I hope to see more progress in these areas in 1998.
The main achievements of the European Union in 1997 were securing high levels of employment as an objective within the Amsterdam Treaty and agreeing to wider anti-discrimination powers for the European Union. With the British presidency of the EU in the first half of 1998 we have the chance to develop these initiatives. Tony Blair and Robin Cook have made it clear that job creation will be one of the key objectives of the European presidency.
I would like to be able to look back on 1998 as the year when real advances were made on tackling unemployment, environmental problems and international crime.
Progress in social matters, including advantages for trade unionists, is almost at a standstill. In the five years since the Social Chapter was adopted, only two measures have been agreed: parental leave from work and representation on company boards. The right to belong to a trade union, the right to strike and wage levels are specifically excluded from EC legislation. The main problems during 1998 will continue to be the massive cuts in spending and the growing unemployment due to the Maastrict Treaty. Economic and monetary union would transfer the main economic levers of power from elected governments to an independent Central European Bank.
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