A statute for employees must be brought in, preferably by the end of this year, and it is incredible that there are attempts to oppose this, to oppose the social spirit, the spirit of solidarity, of the European Union, from the ranks of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats.

In spite of the fact that some of the more worrying amendments tabled by the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats did not achieve the majority needed to be adopted – for example the proposal to set, as of now, 2017 as the date for liberalising freight rail transport at national level – the majority in Parliament, enjoying the votes of the Portuguese Socialist, Social Democrat and People's parties, once again lent it ...[+++]s backing to the process of liberalising rail transport at EU level, now on its third legislative package.

I would, furthermore, like to mention and thank the Chairman, now the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, who chaired the committee and did a great deal of work on this issue, namely Mrs de Palacio; the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats who gave me this task, and for doing so I therefore thank the Chairman Mr Poettering; the current Chairman, Mr Gargani, and also all the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market, in particular Mrs Berger who, as shadow rapporteur for the Group of the Party of European Socialists ...[+++], was so patient and with whom we concluded a significant process; my colleague Mr Lehne, coordinator of the European People’s Party within the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market; the lawyer Mr Preto, who was certainly extremely valuable in bringing about everything that we have achieved; all the shadow rapporteurs; and, to conclude, the Italian Presidency.

I would, furthermore, like to mention and thank the Chairman, now the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, who chaired the committee and did a great deal of work on this issue, namely Mrs de Palacio; the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats who gave me this task, and for doing so I therefore thank the Chairman Mr Poettering; the current Chairman, Mr Gargani, and also all the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market, in particular Mrs Berger who, as shadow rapporteur for the Group of the Party of European Socialists ...[+++], was so patient and with whom we concluded a significant process; my colleague Mr Lehne, coordinator of the European People’s Party within the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market; the lawyer Mr Preto, who was certainly extremely valuable in bringing about everything that we have achieved; all the shadow rapporteurs; and, to conclude, the Italian Presidency.

The Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats is glad that a distinction has been drawn between the work of the Groups in this House and that of the political parties, as also between the functions of national parties and the work of European ones.

Mrs Diemut R. Theato, 1994-2004 Chairwoman of the Committee on Budgetary Control of the European Parliament as member of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) of Germany.