Debate

Opening this morning's debate, Denmark's Prime Minister, Anders FOGH RASMUSSEN, outlined the priorities of the Danish Presidency, beginning by underlining his desire to promote increased co-operation between the European institutions and especially with the European Parliament. This would be seen through his own appearances before the House later in the year and also with Danish Ministers attending plenary. Continuing, he said the programme would be based on the theme 'one Europe' with completing the enlargement negotiations in Copenhagen at the end of the year in December the main aim. Here, he emphasised that negotiations were well on track but that one country would not be able to hold back any of the others, with each candidate state treated separately on its own merits. He acknowledged the difficulties over reaching agreement on the financial package, especially relating to agriculture and direct payment to farmers. While some EU countries felt the Commission's proposal was too expensive, and indeed the candidate countries felt it did not go far enough, his view was that the Commission's proposal had just about struck 'the right note' and offered a firm basis for the forthcoming negotiations. However, he warned that there was still an unknown factor such as the Irish referendum on the Nice Treaty. Ratification of Nice was a condition for enlargement and an Irish 'No' would threaten the whole process. He recognised too that there was also a problem with Cyprus and, while he said the aim was for the whole island to join, he underlined the fact that this was not a condition for accession.

Turning to the other priorities of the Danish Presidency, he said the aim was to continue from the Spanish Presidency with closer co-operation to tackle terrorism and in the area of freedom, security and justice, including illegal immigration. Promoting sustainable development at both an economic, social and environmental level was another goal as was food safety, strengthening the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), increasing transparency and developing EU ties on the international stage especially with Russia and countries such as Belarus and Moldova. He acknowledged the need to reach an agreement on the problem of Kaliningrad. On the CFSP, he said the Danish Presidency would be working closely with Greece, who would be chairing meetings relating to the military aspects of policy. On the forthcoming World Summit on sustainable development to be held in Johannesburg, he emphasised his commitment to developing free trade and, at the same time, increasing aid from the rich world to the poorer countries, who in turn should be committed to good governance i.e. respect for democracy and human rights and the provision of information.

Looking to the long-term, Mr Fogh Rasmussen reminded MEPs that the aim was to conclude the work of the Convention in 2003, with a new Intergovernmental Conference assessing the results in 2004 which would also see new elections to the European Parliament. These events would be followed by negotiations on a new financial framework for the EU in 2005 and 2006. Mr Fogh Rasmussen concluded by once again drawing attention to the historic importance of the enlargement process in uniting post-war Europe and appealed for co-operation from the European Parliament to help bring this about.

Replying to the Prime Minister for the Commission in what was Mr PRODI's last speech before the summer break, the President of the Commission started off by commenting on the importance of enlargement. He remarked that most of the questions over negotiations had now been answered, and declared that in Autumn, there would be an announcement of which countries would be acceding to the EU. However, each country had to be taken on its own merits and should not delay any other. On the financing of enlargement, he saw the Commission proposal as the only option and called for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy not to be used as an absolute pre-condition for enlargement. President Prodi made the commitment that the EU would update the road-map for Bulgarian and Romanian accession and reminded the House of the Seville conclusions on Turkey which both supported and encouraged Ankara on its internal reforms. He went on to say that Accession Treaties would be signed in March 2003 for the first countries and he looked forward to the EU covering more than 450 million citizens.

Just before the summer, it was also a time to take stock, and the President of the Commission was pleased to report that in the most recent Eurobarometer survey, 67% of EU citizens were in favour of the euro, an increase of 6%, and also that the Common Foreign and Security policy enjoyed widespread support. Most EU citizens also supported giving the EU a constitution, he remarked.

The second theme of his speech was institutional reform. Questions still remained on how the Commissioners would operate in the EU of 25 as well as on the Council would function. It was important to get the right people in the appropriate jobs, he said.

The final part of the speech was dedicated to the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg. Sustainability was a recurrent theme throughout the Commission's work whether it be in the social, environmental or economic field, the President remarked. The EU's role would be to encourage its partners to work towards improving the situation of developing countries, following the UN mandate to improve water, health, and energy conditions. Reducing the widening gap between North and South would be a fundamental priority as the world expects the EU to act to meet its historic and political commitments to the developing parts of the world.

For the EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert POETTERING (D) said that Denmark's programme for the Presidency was very ambitious and could prove that smaller could contribute in a large way to the EU's greatest project - that of enlargement. He continued to say that no country should have to wait for any other and that no new pre-conditions should be introduced at the last minute which would delay enlargement. He urged the Danish Presidency to reject any link between vetoing enlargement and the reform of the CAP, especially in the light of German elections, and offered the full support of his group to the work of the Danish Presidency.

Following the invitation to all of Parliament's group Presidents to Copenhagen, Enrique BARÓN CRESPO (E) for the PES was certain that the Prime Minister was already aware of his group's thoughts on the Danish Presidency. However, he said that enlargement was a titanic task and could not simply be completed in just a few weeks of negotiations, rather it would be a historic achievement. With regard to the Common Fisheries Policy, he stated that reform should be carried out in a humane way that respected the social fabric of the EU and reminded the House that Denmark had one of the largest fishing fleets in the EU. He also commented on Denmark's new immigration policy saying that it had been criticised by the United Nations.

Graham WATSON (South West) for the ELDR group saw enlargement as the EU's greatest ever challenge. He criticised the Heads of State and Government for squabbling over less than 1% of GDP, which is the difference in contributions to the EU budget. He said that it was unfortunate that the Spanish Presidency was not able to reduce the workload necessary with regard to financing the Common Agricultural Policy and reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. He was concerned that the general public was not sufficiently informed on enlargement, with Eurobarometer surveys showing less than 20% of people feeling that they were "well informed". He ended with a statement on immigration policy saying that if he had the choice he would prefer to be seek asylum in Denmark than to what he referred to as "Tony Blair's bleak Britain".

For the GUE/NGL group, Pernille FRAHM (DK) said that budgetary questions over enlargement should have been settled long ago during the Treaty of Amsterdam negotiations. On the other hand, financial disputes should not serve as an obstacle to enlargement. She criticised the Danish Government for reducing development aid and focussing too much on transatlantic relations as the US had not ratified the Kyoto Protocol or the Rome Treaty setting up the International Criminal Court.

For the Greens, Nelly MAES (B), coming from a small country emphasised that EU membership was different for such small countries as Denmark and many of the applicant Member States. She looked forward to the Danish Presidency pursuing the goals of international solidarity with respect for democracy and human rights, as well as carrying out institutional reform connected to enlargement. She was also looking for a policy towards the Turkish minority in Cyprus and a solution to the problem of Kaliningrad.

Mogens CAMRE (DK), for the UEN, in taking a different view from most speakers in the debate, asked whether, in the long-term, it might be better to postpone enlargement, to allay fears about job losses in the existing EU states likely to follow industrial relocation to cheaper areas. He urged the Presidency to listen to the voters.

For the EDD, Jens-Peter BONDE (DK), pointing to the vast differences in existing farm prices between, for example, Germany and neighbouring areas in the candidate countries, looked to enlargement to bring about an opportunity for CAP reform based on reducing surpluses but ensuring that money actually went to the farmers.

John HUME (PES, Northern Ireland) underlined the responsibility of the EU towards working for peace and stability throughout the world, through a policy based on respect for differences and introducing institutions to ensure this so that different communities could work together committed to removing historical barriers. This approach had been seen in Northern Ireland and he called for a Commission department to be created to promote this.

Charles TANNOCK (EPP-ED, London), while welcoming enlargement and, in particular, the prospects of Malta and Cyprus joining the EU, urged the Danish Presidency to work for the accession of the whole of the island of Cyprus, if necessary by putting pressure on Turkey. His other concerns were the Irish referendum, farm payments and the possibility of immigration into existing EU states from the large Roma community.

Baroness Emma NICHOLSON (ELDR, South East) took up the issue of child abuse and made a special plea for candidate countries to be obliged to ratify the UN Convention on the rights of the child during the accession negotiations.

Replying to the debate, Mr Fogh Rasmussen confirmed his commitment to openness and transparency for Council meetings under the new Seville agreement, adding that he would be working for even more openness. He lent his support to the goal of better legislation with closer institutional co-operation. On the question of Turkey's application, he emphasised that no date had been fixed and that it did not yet fulfil the criteria for membership. On CAP reform he said it would be a 'major error' if any EU Member State sought to block enlargement over this. The existing budgetary framework provided funds for the applicant states and the intention was to phase in direct aid for their farmers at very little expense. While he personally supported CAP reform, this should not be considered as a precondition for membership. On Cyprus, he emphasised that there was no new approach but that 'all relevant factors' would be taken into account as provided for in the 1999 Helsinki agreement. The situation in Chechnya would be taken up as part of the ongoing dialogue with Russia, and he concluded by warning that there would be long-term risks to the future of Europe if no decision on enlargement was taken at the end of this year.

Commissioner Prodi responded first by denying that aid to the Palestinian Authority was being used for illegitimate purposes. He also briefly stressed the importance of EU - Greenland relations as well as the Nordic dimension when it came to EU - Russia relations.

Furthering the debate, John CUSHNAHAN (EPP-ED, Munster) criticised the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy warning that direct aid to the present 15 EU Member States would be reduced by up to 20%. He said that the current agricultural budget was under-spent. The EU had both a moral responsibility to the candidate countries but also should respect current commitments.

Simon MURPHY (PES, West Midlands) warned against squabbling over relatively small amounts of money which could delay enlargement. He wanted to see a clear separation between enlargement and reform of the CAP. Both would be essential but not conditional on each other.

In his reply to the debate, Denmark's Minister for Europe, Bertel HAARDER (ELDR, DK), took on board Baroness Nicholson's concerns over child abuse.

Vote

In approving these two proposals with amendments, Parliament is demanding more stringent rules on traceability and labelling including animal feed and food products, defining a threshold of contamination and on unapproved GMOs.

It was imperative that the objectives of GMO regulation were set out precisely and in detail to ensure that there were implementable rules not susceptible to deception and fraud and promote consumer protection without causing confusion and doubt. Rules should establish the same requirements both for producers within and outside the EU. When placing products produced from GMOs on the market, operators shall always ensure that either the words "This product is produced from GMOs" or "This product contains (ingredient) produced from GMOs" appear on a label. Parliament also took the view that reliable information should be submitted to the consumers about GMOs and their derivatives so that they can make an informed choice about a product.

Where the Commission had proposed that foods or feeds that are contaminated with GMOs up to 1% should not be labelled, Parliament demanded that this threshold be 0,5%, with the possibility of lower levels for minute traces in food or feed of genetically modified material authorised under EU legislation where the presence of such material was "adventitious" or technically unavoidable. Advances in science and technology should allow appropriately lower thresholds to be established. The Commission is asked to draw up a list of criteria and take measures to ensure that the utmost care is taken to avoid contamination.

In her reply to the debate, Commissioner Margot WALLSTRÖM emphasised that the Commission's aim was to introduce comprehensive traceability and labelling for GM products, albeit with some exemptions, such as bulk shipments of grain containing "adventitious or the technically unavoidable presence of GM material". She could not therefore accept amendments challenging this principle and neither could Commissioner David BYRNE accept "GMO free" labelling amendments as an alternative to mandatory labelling but he could agree to this kind of phraseology as an addition.

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Vote

MEPs voted 266 votes in favour, with 241 votes against and 12 abstentions that the Legal Affairs and Internal Market Committee rather than the Environment Committee should be the lead committee on a Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage. It was agreed however, that the Environment Committee would be involved using the so called "reinforced Hughes Procedure."

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Vote

Parliament approved a proposal for a Council and Commission decision concluding the Agreement between the European Communities and the Government of Japan concerning cooperation on anticompetitive activities.

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Vote

Parliament voted by 474 votes in favour, 12 against with 48 abstentions, Antonios TRAKATELLIS' (EPP-ED, GR) recommendation to approve a conciliation agreement on the EU action programme on public health. The agreement reached foresees:

• €312 million plus a Commission declaration on the revision of the financial framework ;
• a Commission declaration on the structural arrangements to be set up ; and
• improvements on technical issues, including the transmission of an evaluation report to the European Parliament.

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Vote

Parliament adopted a resolution by Kathalijne Maria BUITENWEG (Greens/EFA, NL) and Guido PODESTÀ (EPP-ED, I) approving without amendment the Supplementary Adjusting Budget (SAB) 3/2002. This SAB transfers outstanding money from the 2001 budget to the 2002 budget and also makes the necessary adjustments for the 2002 budget given the entry into force of the decision concerning own resources.

Parliament also requested the Commission to carry out a detailed analysis of the reasons why that there had been an excess of €15 billion for 2001, and reminded the Commission of the Parliament's concern over the accumulation of outstanding payments, and invited the Commission to evaluate the situation by 30 September this year.

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Vote

In approving a Commission proposal to update the "Seveso" directive, Parliament is demanding tougher action to tackle the risk of major accidents at industrial plants in built-up areas following the horrific accident at a chemicals factory in Toulouse last September.

Whilst it welcomes the Commission's efforts to tighten up the existing legislation in the wake of the Baia Mare cyanide spill in Romania, the explosion at a fireworks factory in Enschede in the Netherlands and last September's explosion at the AZF factory in Toulouse, it says they do not go far enough.

In the fifty or so amendments to the Commission proposal, MEPs are calling for the directive's provisions on land-use planning to include guidelines, within three years, for the harmonised assessment of the dangers presented by hazardous substances present at existing industrial plants in or near "sensitive areas." Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström said in last night's debate that she acknowledged Parliament's concerns and that the Commission was working on the issue of land-use planning.

The House passed a joint Socialist-Green/EFA amendment expanding the list of areas which should in the long term be separated from dangerous establishments by buffer zones to include buildings, transport routes, industrial establishments and recreational areas.

It also wants the thresholds for ammonium nitrate - the chemical involved in the explosion at the Toulouse factory - lowered to 10 tonnes/50 tonnes, to include the category of this fertiliser which caused the accident. In addition, it voted to include another fertiliser, potassium nitrate, whilst ensuring that farmers are not penalised for using it in the harmless form commonly used in agriculture.

Parliament is backing the Commission's proposal to include mining operations in the new legislation but wants to go further and broaden its scope to cover mechanical operations, as well as chemical and thermal plants, to ensure that plants such as Aznalcóllar, where there was a damburst in 1998, are not excluded.

MEPs point out that the AZF plant in Toulouse was covered by the current Seveso II directive but that its owners failed to comply with it and they are therefore demanding that plants be closed if the rules are broken. They also passed, by 298 votes to 217, an amendment calling for more comprehensive safety reports and want to tighten up the provisions on emergency plans and public information. Pointing to the large number of sub-contractors on the Toulouse site at the time of the accident, Parliament is calling for compulsory accident prevention and emergency training for employees, including sub-contracted workers.

Ms Wallström told MEPs last night that it was not the Commission's intention to completely overhaul the Seveso II directive at this point and that she was opposed to many of their amendments as she considered them to be outside the scope of the directive, or already covered by legislation, and she feared that they could create too much red tape.

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Vote

Parliament today adopted a compromise deal reached with the Spanish Presidency on the rules for participation in the 6th Framework R&D Programme. This is the first reading under the codecision procedure but Godelieve QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL (EPP-ED, D) emphasised the importance of adopting the rules at a single reading of Parliament and Council.

The compromise takes into account the main concerns expressed by MEPs. They insisted there should be an option for projects to be evaluated through a two-stage procedure and this will now be the case. The scientific and technological excellence of an application and the degree of innovation will be the first criterion for selection, as MEPs wanted. In applying the main criteria the Commission will also be able to take into account completely new criteria proposed by MEPs such as synergies with education, capacity to engage with actors beyond the research community, and activities to increase the role of women in research.

The compromise also covers the rules for participation for the 6th Euratom Research Framework Programme but here MEPs also passed some non-binding amendments. One relates to fusion research: Parliament thinks that under the 6th programme the support rate should stay as close as possible to that of the 5th programme in order to maintain an adequate level of work on fusion within the integrated European fusion programme. Parliament wants the support rate to be 24% while the Commission proposal is only 17.5%.

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Vote

MEPs voted 400 to 96 against with 47 abstentions in favour of a resolution congratulating the ECB for the successful introduction of euro notes and coins at the beginning of the year. But the resolution does note that the launch of the new currency was marred by unjustifiable price increases for some goods.

As to the euro itself, Parliament reaffirms its support for the ECB’s goal of maintaining price stability over and above other factors and remains confident about the ECB’s ability to contain inflation under its target 2% ceiling. MEPs want to see more details from the ECB in its figures, enabling a more accurate picture of the economy to be presented. It also wants to see country-by-country annual figures outlining major economic trends such as prices and productivity.

To combat rising inflation, Parliament is calling for continuous wage moderation and for a quickening of the pace of reforms affecting the labour and product market. MEPs also take the opportunity to reaffirm support for the Stability and Growth Pact, albeit with the operation of the ”automatic stabilisers” to take account of swings in the economy.

As to transparency, Parliament is once again calling on the ECB to publish summary minutes of Governing Council meetings, together with the balance of votes and dissenting views, albeit in an anonymous way, thus avoiding unnecessary pressure on members of the Governing Council.

As to enlargement, Parliament wants the Convention to look at ways of reforming decision-making in a large Governing Council, but with a mechanism to protect the interests of small Member States.

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&
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Vote

MEPs voted 280 to 240 with 28 abstentions in favour of a non-binding resolution recommending that 'in order to safeguard women's reproductive health and rights, abortion should be made legal, safe and accessible to all'. The governments of the Member States and the accession countries are asked not to prosecute women who have undergone illegal abortions. At the same time, the resolution emphasises that abortion should not be promoted as a method of family planning.

While noting that legislation on reproductive health is a matter for the Member States, Parliament believes the EU can help by facilitating exchanges of information on best practice.

The resolution emphasises that adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs should be seen as distinct from those of adults. Sex education should be provided from early in life, continuing to adulthood and taking into account different lifestyles, which means raising awareness about sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/Aids. MEPs say that adolescents and young people should have access to sexual and reproductive health centres, for example in schools and colleges, where they can obtain relevant information and services. Governments are called upon to provide support for pregnant adolescents whether they wish to terminate their pregnancy or carry it to full term.

As regards contraception, the resolution calls for equal access for all to a range of high quality contraceptive and fertility awareness methods. Contraception as well as sexual and reproductive health services should be available free of charge, or at low cost, for disadvantaged groups, young people, ethnic minorities and the socially excluded.

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