The first item on the agenda was a key debate on the roadmap for the Constitution. Elmar Brok for the European People's Party and European Democrats and Enrique Baron Crespo for the PSE Group presented the EP report on a "roadmap" for the EU's constitutional process in the run-up to the June summit. Mr Crespo insisted that "the intention is to make progress on the existing treaties"

 

Mr Brok called for transparency, citizens' rights and renewed relations with the National Parliaments. He wants to ensure the people that "the EU is not a state and will not become a state. We should say that the identities of the EU peoples will be preserved and that the EU will not replace them but make them stronger by acting together". 

 

Middle East: "40 years of suffering on both sides"

Javier Solana briefed MEPs on his view of the situation as it stands in the region amid renewed violence between Israel and the Palestinians and in Lebanon. He told Members that "we've faced 40 years of suffering from both sides...we can look back at the past and see what mistakes we've made, or we can look at the future".

 

Although painting a stark picture of the situation he did express some optimism that the time may be right for progress towards peace. Indeed he said that not since the 2000 Camp David talks has there been a better time for peace.

 

He stressed three reasons why he thought this the case. The first was that an Arab peace was now in place. This refers to the Saudi Plan endorsed by the Arab league this year that would see Israel return to its 1967 borders in return for peace treaties and recognition from Arab states. The second factor Mr Solana noted was the psychological importance of the 40th anniversary of the six day war. Finally he said that for the first time the EU was strongly represented at the negotiating table.

 

 

José Salafranca for the Parliament's largest political group the European People's Party and European Democrats called for the Palestinian government to "commit itself to democracy and the renunciation of violence". He went on to say that the EP should present a united front and support the work of the Quartet.

 

What the region needs is an international buffer force to prevent further violence in Gaza according to Pasqualina Napolitano of the PSE group. She also called for the EU to support the Palestinian National Unity Government openly.

 

This theme of support for the Palestinian authorities was picked up by Brian Crowley for the Union of Europe for the Nations Group (UEN). He said the EU "had sent the wrong signal" when it cut money to the Palestinians following the election of Hamas deputies. The Greens/EFA speaker backed this point calling for financial aid to the Palestinians. He said that " Israel had won the six-day war, but lost the 40-year peace".

 

The leaders of Parliament's respective delegations to the region also spoke. The Chair of the delegation to Israel Jana Hybášková stressed "we face not only 'Iraqisation' but also 'Iranization' in the Middle East. Extremist groups are endangering citizens as well as the peace process," she said.

 

Kyriacos Triantaphyllides - chair of the delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council - expressed his solidarity with "our Palestinian colleagues imprisoned by Israel", referring to the fact Israel has detained 45 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council in the last year.

 

The Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner asked for the release of both Palestinian and Israeli political prisoners, as well as BBC journalist Alan Johnston and for funds to the Palestinian Authority to be released by Israel. 

 

The vote on a resolution on the Middle East will take place during the next plenary session in Strasbourg later this month.

 

 

The House also debated cross-border co-operation with a focus on the Visa Information System (VIS). On behalf of the EP's Civil Liberties Committee, Liberal ALDE member Baroness Sarah Ludford backed a regulation setting up a database allowing EU states to exchange data on short-stay visas and visa applications from non-EU citizens who wish to enter the EU's Schengen area.

 

Ludford insisted at the beginning of her speech that "the VIS is a border-management system and its principle is not to combat terrorism and crime. Let us remember that 99.9% of visitors to the EU are legitimate travellers who do not have any connection with criminality whatsoever, nor indeed do illegal immigrants or unauthorised entrants". Parliament has reached agreement with Council on this issue, so the legislative process should be completed when Parliament votes on the regulation on Thursday.

 

Parliament then turned its attention to the status of artists. Liberal ALDE member Nathalie Griesbeck said that "free access to EU culture should be placed at the core of the EU policies. The EU needs to ensure its identity vs globalisation". The  report seeks to suggest practical ways of dealing with these issues, namely: a social security card, a special visa for artists, a central registry to combat illegal unemployment and a practical guide. 

Day 2 of Plenary saw MEPs debate the Constitution. There was consensus from most MEPs on the need for a quick agreement on the Constitution ahead of the Brussels summit of 21-22 June. Some MEPs called for many of the existing elements to be retained whilst others wanted a more limited settlement that would guarantee democracy and citizen's rights. Germany's foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Commissioner for Communication Margot Wallström were also present for the debate.

 

 

Presenting the Presidency position, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed optimism that a deal was attainable.  "The people are not against Europe," he said, pointing out however that leaders must deliver a Europe that functions and deals with people's real-life problems.

 

For the Commission, Vice-President Margot Wallström called for a "new narrative" so that citizens would understand what the EU is for and what it does for them.

 

Most MEPs concurred, with group leaders representing the great majority of the House emphasising the importance of achieving a rapid constitutional settlement to allow the Union to progress and meet the aspirations of its citizens.

 

In the debate, which took up the bulk of the morning's sitting, political group representatives and individual members outlined from their different perspectives the characteristics of the settlement they wished to see. Parliament's collective position was adopted at the end of the morning when Parliament adopted a report by Elmar Brok (European People's Party and European Democrats) and Enrique Barón Crespo (Socialist PSE ).

 

 

Carlos Coelho (EPP-ED) - Application of the Schengen 'acquis' relating to the Schengen Information System.

 

Sarah Ludford (Liberal ALDE ) - Visa Information System (VIS).

 

Fausto Correia (Socialist PSE) - cross-border cooperation in combating terrorism and cross-border crime.

 

Martine Roure (PSE, FR) - Protection of personal data.

 

María Isabel Salinas García (PSE)- Specific rules as regards the fruit and vegetable sector.

 

Claire Gibault (Liberal ALDE)- a report on the social status of artists.

 

Report: Ville Itälä (EPP-ED) - Draft estimates of the European Parliament for 2008.