The possibility of an EU-wide organ donor card was discussed by MEPs on Monday evening. It was amongst a series of measures proposed to tackle a shortage of donors, transplantation risks as well as organ trafficking and tourism. More than 60,000 people across the Union are currently on waiting lists for transplants. Also on Monday's agenda was the European Ombudsman's right to access to information held by EU bodies.

The state of organ donation was raised in an own initiative report by Cypriot MEP Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL) which will be put to the vote on Tuesday.
 
The main proposal is a voluntary European organ donor card alongside existing national ones. It also proposes that people can appoint a legal representative to decide on donation after death. The report wants all organs to be exchanged on a "strictly non-commercial basis".
 
The report notes that many people die before transplants can be carried out and pushes for research that could lead to the growth of organs from existing tissues and cells.
 
Clarification needed over Ombudsman
 
In response to a request from the Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros, a report drafted by Finnish Liberal Anneli Jäätteenmäki proposes changes to the statute of the Ombudsman and his staff.
 
It calls for the EU institutions to clarify the obligation of the body and employees to provide  information to the Ombudsman. It also wants to clarify his access to information and confidential documents held by EU bodies, as well as rules on the evidence provided by EU civil servants. The report will be put to the vote Tuesday.
 
Also on Monday's agenda: Debates on budget priorities for 2009; cross-border cooperation to combat terrorism and cross-border crime: the role of volunteering in contributing to economic and social cohesion

Attention focused on spiralling food prices around the world in Tuesday's plenary sitting. MEPs grappled with the complexity of the problem and called for a global response. Parliament also signed off the accounts of all the EU's institutions and agencies for the financial year 2006, debated a proposal to make the satellite navigation system Galileo operational by 2013 and voted on measures to curb organ shortage and trafficking.

 

Parliament grants budget discharge for 2006
 
The European Parliament on Tuesday granted the discharge for all the EU's institutions and agencies for the 2006 financial year, thereby giving overall endorsement of the management of EU funds in that year.
 
Numerous recommendations for improvement were nevertheless made: on the key issue of control of structural funds, MEPs called for better supervision through a new reporting mechanism to Parliament. MEPs also backed plans to introduce a formal statute for MEPs’ assistants by 2009.
 
Food prices spread alarm: MEPs call for urgent response
 
In Tuesday afternoon's debate on rising food prices MEPs stressed the problem's global dimension and the combination of causes behind it - namely climate change, lack of supply, higher demand and consumption and record oil prices. The House was united in a call for an urgent global response. Among issues raised in the debate were bio fuels and the role played by financial speculation in the current crisis.
 
The rising price of food in particular has triggered global alarm. World food prices have risen 45 % in the last nine months and there are serious shortages of rice, wheat and maize. In many parts of the world - Haiti, Egypt, the Philippines and parts of West Africa there have been protests and riots against the soaring prices of food products.
 
Speaking in the debate the leader of the right of centre EPP-ED group Joseph Daul stressed the need for agricultural reform, noting that "only a worldwide solution will work". He also pointed the finger at financial speculators, who he described as "playing with people's lives".
 
For the Socialist PSE group Martin Schulz called for greater control over world economic systems, raising the issue of large investment funds taking over the food sector: "We should not allow the financial system to contribute to hunger!" he told MEPs.
 
For the Liberals Graham Watson stressed the multiple reasons for of high food prices.  In his view "rather than using the bio fuels as a scapegoat we must move to end agricultural protectionism and export restrictions."
 
Call for moratorium on biofuels
 
Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf for the Greens said the EU is the world's biggest importer of food and foodstuff; and criticised the dumping of European food products on developing countries markets destroying any viability for agriculture in those countries. He said that  "agrifuels will not be the panacea for everything, but we have to ensure that the waste stuff can be converted into energy".
 
Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL) welcomed a UN proposal for a "five year moratorium on bio fuels".
 
The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid - Louis Michel, warned MEPs of "economic, political and social destabilisation" and stressed the need for both humanitarian action and longer term structural measures.
 
MEPs will vote on a resolution on food prices when they meet in Strasbourg between 19-22 May.
 
MEPs back Galileo as technological boost for Europe
 
MEPs also discussed a possible deal with Council which that would make Galileo, the European satellite radio navigation system, operational by 2013.
 
MEPs have supported the implementation of Galileo right from the beginning said parliament's rapporteur Etelka Barsi-Pataky (EPP-ED). She said it will help new technologies, entrepreneurship and job creation. The EU will invest 3.4 billion euro for Galileo's deployment phase (2008-2013).  In a vote on Wednesday MEPs endorsed this report.
 
EU-wide organ donation card supported
 
MEPs adopted a report on measures, including a European donor card and reinforced cooperation between countries to curb organ shortages and trafficking. Cypriot MEP Mr Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL) acted as the rapporteur on the issue. He told the House that "every day 10 people die, waiting for an organ donation". Referring to organ trafficking he said that "all we know is that the rich tourists of the West exploit the financial needs of persons that emanate from the poorer countries".
 
Posting of workers: ECJ, China's growing influence
 
On Tuesday evening there was also a debate on the implementation of the posting of workers directive following the judgements of the European Court of Justice, and the effects of China's growing presence in Africa a policy a report says helps perpetuate human rights violations

In a keynote address to MEPs on Wednesday the president of Slovenia urged the European Union to be creative in dealing with global warming, human rights and immigration policy. The day also saw the House debate the current Visa waiver regime with the US that affects people from 12 European Union countries if they wish to travel to America. MEPs also discussed the situation in Burma calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and more targeted sanctions against the military leadership in Rangoon.

 

"The EU needs Turkey"
 
Danilo Türk, the president of Slovenia which currently holds the EU presidency, spoke to MEPs at midday. On human rights he said "the overwhelming concerns with terrorism and other security challenges, coupled with responses to those challenges which are ill-advised or not well thought seem to have reduced the level of sensitivity for human rights. The EU has to fill the gap"
 
On effective immigrant policy he told MEPs that "persons of immigrant origin who have succeeded should appear on TV and in other media and be seen as examples of success".
 
On further enlargement of the European Union he said that "no country should be precluded for political inconvenience or cultural prejudice. The EU needs Turkey. The EU should not deprive Turkey of the perspective of membership as this has already been granted. The credibility of the EU is at stake."
 
Travelling to the US - action on Visas
 
MEPs had earlier debated visa waivers for EU citizens from 12 EU states travelling to US. A twin-track system was proposed whereby the Commission will negotiate the conditions under Community law on the basis of the mandate received from Council last week and EU states will themselves negotiate other issues on bilateral basis
 
The majority of MEPs welcomed the mandate for Commission and criticised the fact that some countries decided to open bilateral talks with US.
 
Burma - smarter sanctions needed
 
MEPs discussed the situation in Burma after Statements by the Council and Commission. In broad terms the reaction of MEPs called for the release of political prisoner and Aung San Suu Kyi (Sakharov prize laureate). They also demanded the "renewing, broadening and better targeting" of sanctions to hit the junta rather than the Burmese people. MEP also stressed that the EU should exert more pressure on China, India and Russia who provide military goods to Burma and make the EU arms embargo ineffective. A vote on a resolution will be held on Thursday.
 
WTO, Civil society
 
MEPs debated WTO reform, preparations for EU-Latin America and Caribbean summit. They voted on reports on the role of civil society in EU drugs policy, China's policy in Africa and the financing of Galileo.

The closing day of debates and votes in Strasbourg saw MEPs discuss economic incentives to help the environment through tax measures and the Emission Trading Scheme. A majority backed "market based initiatives" to help back up the "polluter pays" principle. During the afternoon's human rights debate, MEPs condemned Robert Mugabe's rule in Zimbabwe and expressed support for those imprisoned in Iran for their political views.

Protecting the planet - through the market?
 
MEPs debated a report by French Socialist Anne Ferreira on "market-based instruments for the environment and related policy purposes", based on a Commission Green Paper. "Market-based instruments" include taxation, the EU's Emission Trading Scheme, trade and technology. MEPs said "MBIs" are useful for enforcing the polluter pays principle but said they should not be a substitute for environmental legislation. Ms Ferreira urged action saying: "What is the cost linked to not doing anything?"
 
British Conservative John Purvis said the "emissions trading system is the best market instrument to reach the objective of reducing the emissions by 20%". British Socialist Neena Gill said that "it is essential to push for behavioural changes, and the one that pollutes the most should be the one that pays the most". Belgian Liberal Fréderique Ries told fellow MEPs that "we cannot limit the actions to the emissions trading system". She added, "each European should cause eight times less emissions if we want to reach the objectives."
 
Zimbabwe - MEPs denounce Mugabe regime
 
In a debate on Zimbabwe, MEPs from all sides of the House denounced the regime of Robert Mugabe. Opening the debate British Conservative Geoffrey Van Orden said, "Mugabe has destroyed a once prosperous country." The resulting resolution called on Zimbabwe's electoral committee to immediately release the results of the 29 March election. China and South Africa were criticised by some MEPs for their support of the Mugabe regime.
 
Iran - condemnation of the repression of civil rights movements
 
MEPs also discussed the position of women and human rights in Iran. A resolution condemned "the repression of civil society movements in Iran" and reaffirmed strong opposition to the death penalty. The number of executions has risen starkly in Iran in recent months. It welcomed the release of human rights activist Khadijeh Moghaddam - albeit for a large bail sum.
 
Some 14 EU states have pledged support for an EU-led peacekeeping force Chad. The resolution condemns the persecution and arbitrary arrest of opposition politicians and journalists. It also "stresses the need for politics in Chad to become more ethnically and geographically representative". Finally, it calls on EU Members who have not yet contributed troops to the EU force to consider doing so.
 
Burma - resolution calls for sanctions against Junta's business interests
 
MEPs called for EU countries to target sanctions at businesses and banking services used by Burma's military Junta. A resolution also calls for the immediate release of 1,800 political prisoners included Nobel winner Aung San Suu Kyi. MEPs said a forthcoming referendum of a new Constitution which guarantees power for the military is "devoid of any democratic legitimacy".
 
Thursday's votes
 
Among the legislation approved were: a resolution on biological diversity, Market Based Instruments, the Commission's priorities for next year, WTO reform and the "New Flame" shipwreck in Spain. A full list is available via the first link below.

Clockwise from top left: Members vote using the electronic voting system; a light-hearted moment as President Hans-Gert Pöttering enters the Chamber to open the sitting; Slovenian President Danilo Türk faces journalists after addressing Parliament; the Strasbourg "buzz": Members, staff and visitors in a multi-layered hive of activity.