The Petitions Committee deals with petitions from EU citizens on any matter falling within the Community's sphere of competence. Members of the public often encounter shortcomings in the application of EU policies and programmes, and the petitions process is important in giving them an opportunity to draw such matters to the attention of the European Parliament. The EP can then, for example, press the European Commission to take action.
In 2007 the membership of the committee was expanded from 25 to 40, 1,506 petitions were registered (representing a 50% increase compared to 2006), of which 1,089 were declared admissible and a total of 159 petitioners took part in meetings of the committee. In addition, fact-finding visits were organised to Germany, Spain, Ireland, Poland, France and Cyprus.
The top-ten general topics covered by the petitions received in 2007 were as follows:
|
Environmental issues, water, etc |
288 |
|
Fundamental rights |
226 |
|
Urbanisation |
131 |
|
Social Affairs & Discrimination |
207 |
|
Internal Market & Consumers |
192 |
|
Health |
105 |
|
Justice |
99 |
|
Transport issues & Infrastructure |
88 |
|
Property & Restitution |
72 |
|
Education & cultural issues |
103 |
More specifically, petitioners expressed concern about the weakness of Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the Drinking Water Directive, the Waste Directives, the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive, the Money Laundering Directive and other general matters, including pollution and climate change, individual and private property rights, financial services, free movement and rights of workers including pension rights and other social provisions, recognition of professional qualifications, freedom of establishment and allegations of discrimination on grounds of nationality, gender or membership of a minority.
Recommendations in this year's report
The European Parliament believes it could do its work even better if it had "its own investigatory facilities" but this would require an increase in staff. It calls for an urgent review of the "Citizens Portal" on Parliament's website with the objective of enhancing its visibility as regards the right of petition. And it makes other recommendations for enhancing working procedures.
MEPs believe more needs to be done to ensure Community law is properly implemented and they press for "more stringent timescales" for concluding inquiries into alleged infringements of EU legislation. The Commission is urged, when dealing with petitions and complaints related to environmental policy – which is the predominant concern of petitioners in the EU – to be more ready to act to prevent breaches of EU law, rather than waiting for the law to be infringed.
A single seat for EP in Brussels? Parliament should state its view
The report records that the petitions considered by the Committee on Petitions in 2007 included "the so-called "One Seat" petition, which was supported by 1.25 million EU citizens and which called for a single seat for the European Parliament, to be located in Brussels". It adds that "in October 2007 the President referred the petition back to the committee, which subsequently called for Parliament to give its opinion on this question, bearing in mind that the seat of the institution is governed by the provisions of the Treaty and that the Member States have the responsibility for taking a decision on this matter".
Ireland: drinking water in Galway, Tara heritage site and problems in Limerick
The report "expresses its ongoing concern about the lack of implementation of the provisions of the Drinking Water Directive in Ireland", "the absence of any assessment in advance of a 2007 decision to remove a national monument situated at Lismullin in the path of the M3 motorway project near Tara in County Meath", the "problems faced by local communities in Limerick", and other issues raised in the report of the committee's fact-finding visit to Ireland.
Britain: property confiscated by Customs
The report also "records that, in 2007, many British petitioners who had their property confiscated by the British Customs & Excise authorities were still without redress" and "urges the British authorities to come up with an equitable solution including the payment of ex gratia payments to petitioners who suffered serious financial loss before the authorities reviewed their practice and, according to the Commission, began to act in conformity with the relevant directives".
