The first post-summer break session, exceptionally held in Brussels, saw French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, hotfoot from the extraordinary EU Summit on Georgia, reporting to MEPs on national leaders' conclusions on how to deal with the crisis. The ensuing debate focused on future relations with Russia. The day in plenary also included a debate on justice and home affairs.

 

 

“If we fail to meet our joint responsibility today, then Russia might act in the same way towards other States,” warned Parliament's President Hans Gert Pöttering during the extraordinary EU Summit on Georgia. Directly addressing people in the small states that share a border with Russia - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, he said: "You are no longer alone! A threat to your country would constitute a threat to the European Union as a whole".

 

Mr Pöttering called for the EU to be united and determined not to accept the territorial integrity of Georgia being called into question by a unilateral decision in Moscow.

 

Immediately after the extraordinary summit on Georgia, French Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner and External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner arrived directly from the discussions in Council to debate the issue with MEPs.

 

Mr Kouchner took a firm stance, condemning the Russian unilateral action and explaining the decision to suspend EU talks with Russia on a new partnership agreement until Moscow withdraws its troops from Georgia. But he also pleaded for maintaining channels of communication with Russia, while promising help for rebuilding Georgia. Ms Ferrero-Waldner underlined Europe's need for a coherent energy policy, revealed by this crisis.

 

Across the floor of the House, political group representatives condemned the action taken by Russia in the Caucasus, with several also criticising the actions of the Georgian government in the course of the crisis. As for the future, the need for a constructive and balanced role for the EU in bringing about a resolution to the conflict was widely expressed, with many Members emphasising the importance of the EU's long-term relationship with Russia.

 

 

 

No less than 5 reports linked to justice and home affairs were discussed during this first debate in the hemicycle, with French Minister of Justice Rachida Dati and Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot. Among the issues were the mutual recognition and execution of judicial decisions in absentia between EU countries and the reinforcement of judicial cooperation through Eurojust and the European judicial network.

 

MEPs noted disparities among member states on asylum applications, despite the “Dublin system” established in 2003, which defines which country is responsible for examining an asylum application. They called for a better burden sharing and said the detention of claimants should be a “measure of last resort”.

 

 

At the opening of the session, at the invitation of the President, Hans-Gert Pöttering, MEPs commemorated the victims of the two recent plane crashes: in Madrid on 20 August which left 154 people dead and at Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, on 24 August, when 68 passengers died.  Members also remembered colleagues and former MEPs who passed away during the summer: Polish MEP Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE), Willy Piecyk (PSE) and Maria Luisa Cassanmagnago Cerretti.

 

 

Later MEPs debated motor insurance, the fight against fiscal fraud and European contract law.

 

 

Initiatives on education, employment and social protection were debated by MEPs Tuesday morning. Europe's Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla outlined 18 measures, which he said were based on opportunity and solidairity between peoples and countries. Also discussed Tuesday were gender equality and a new telecoms package that deals rules covering the internet and call pricing. Reports on judicial cooperation, culture and education were adopted.

 

 

Mr Špidla reminded MEPs that two months ago the Commission adopted a series of social measures on employment, education, health and economic affairs aiming to provide opportunity, access and solidarity. For the Council, French minister for employment and social affairs Xavier Bertrand said 2008 must be the year to relaunch a social Europe.

 

In the subsequent debate most MEPs welcomed the proposed measures and underlined the importance of real changes - namely the need to fight discrimination, balancing flexibility and security. The importance of a good work-life balance was also stressed, as was the need to improve relations between employers and employees and the importance of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund.

 

The debate brought to surface clear ideological divergences concerning the future of social policy in the EU, with some speakers attacking what they perceived as a watering down of social Europe and protection for citizens in the Commission's proposal. Others warned of the adverse economic effect of excessive regulation.

 

Several MEPs called the new measures "vague" and urged the EU to face the loss of purchasing power and poverty, unemployment and insufficient birth levels. A resolution on the whole package will be voted at the next plenary session.

 

 

In the evening, equality between women and men in 2008 as well as the influence of marketing and advertising on gender equality were on the table. Major problems were identified - violence against women, a pay gap of 15% leaving women systematically less well-paid than men, the risk of poverty and reconciliation of family and professional life.

 

As advertising is often seen as "restricting individuals to predetermined and artificial roles" and is "degrading, humiliating and dumbed down for both sexes", MEPs called for stereotypes to be broken down by creating national monitoring bodies and a code of conduct for advertising.

 

 

MEPs also discussed the telecom package, which will affect rules on internet provision, call pricing and access to services. MEPs spoke about the need to build trust among stakeholders and regulators in the sector, the use of spectrum freed by the switch-over to digital TV for public ends and the provision of clear and full information on prices, tariffs and contract conditions.

 

A written declaration on emergency cooperation in recovering missing children, signed by more than half of all MEPs, was announced as an official EP position. It was tabled as a reaction to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal on 3 May 2007.

 

 

Wednesday MEPs strongly backed a resolution calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from Georgia. They also debated new labels and warnings for hazardous substances to bring them into line with UN norms and the EU's sanctions policy. MEPs also called for a ban on cloning animals for food. The day also saw Costa Rica's president Óscar Rafael Arias Sánchez address the plenary.

 

 

A resolution calling on Russia to honour the cease-fire agreement and withdraw its troops from Georgia was adopted on Wednesday. It follows Monday's debate on the crisis by MEPs and the European summit, which also took place in Brussels.

 

 

Better information about hazardous products we may use in our daily lives (such as paint) is just one recommendation contained in 3 reports on proposed legislation adopted Wednesday. MEPs want the use of labels, pictograms and words like "warning", and "danger" used more frequently to alert the public and industrial users.

 

The reports from parliament's Environment Committee aim to modify rules on chemicals labelling and to provide consistency between EU and UN legislation. The Italian MEP who put introduced the reports to plenary - Amalia Sartori (EPP-ED) - said the compromise reached "provides for a better consumer protection and will help EU companies to become more competitive".

 

 

In the afternoon MEPs debated proposals for a more targeted sanctions policy, so that sanctions are directed against those responsible rather than punishing the people of a country who have little control over their rulers. French Green Hélène Flautre authored the non-legislative, own-initiative report and said, "it is essential to try all the conditions which make the sanctions effective...the aim must be to provoke a change of behaviour."

 

Some members also called for attacks on the environment to be subject to sanctions, while others pointed to the need to avoid double-standards and to achieve better evaluation. MEPs will vote on a resolution Thursday.

 

 

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and President of Costa Rica Óscar Arias urged Europe to support Central America's efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous society. He noted that when Central America faced war and turmoil in the 1980's, Europe was close but now that peace has come a certain distance has developed. "We never imagined that in crossing the threshold of peace, we would enter the kingdom of oblivion," he told MEPs.

 

He went on to call for Europe and the wider world not to offer any solace to countries with warlike intentions: "The developed nations of the world must not support, with aid and resources, the actions of those who prefer to equip their soldiers rather than educate their children".

 

 

Resolution calling for a ban in the EU on the cloning of animals for food supply was adopted; also approved were reports on equality between men and women in Europe and gender stereotyped marketing as well as support for hydrogen cars.

 

 

 

 

A report on the mid-term review of the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 was debated and adopted in the morning. The report was tabled by Belgian Liberal Frédérique Ries.

 

The Parliament considers that the action plan is bound to fail at least in part, since it is designed solely to accompany existing Community policies. It deals with specific issues like vulnerable groups, air quality and dangers of new technologies.

 

MEPs adopted a resolution on the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, and welcomed the decision by the Israeli Government to free 198 Palestinian prisoners on 25 August. This is "a positive gesture to strengthen the authority of the Palestinian Authority and to install a climate of mutual trust" says the resolution.

 

The House also calls for the immediate release of the Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, abducted 25 June 2006 and held hostage since by Hamas.

 

 

Coup d'Etat in Mauritania: MEPs adopted a resolution criticising the coup of 6 August, when President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi  was ousted by a group of high-ranking generals. Parliament "condemns the military coup", and particularly "regrets this setback, given "the notable advances made in the development of democracy and the rule of law over the past few years in Mauritania". Elections held in 2006 and 2007 had been regarded as fair and transparent by international observers.  

 

Hangings in Iran: The high level of executions in Iran, especially of juveniles, was debated. Parliament urges the Iranian authorities to change their policy and legislation on this matter. The resolution, which notes that 29 simultaneous executions took place in Evin prison in Tehran on 27 July 2008, "strongly condemns the growing number of executions, and urges the Iranian authorities to establish a moratorium on the death sentence with a view to abolishing the death penalty in accordance with the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 2007".  

 

Assassinations of albinos in Tanzania: Shocking reports documenting the murder of albino people in Tanzania because of their genetic disposition were discussed. MEPs condemned the killings and trading in the body parts of murdered albinos, which are sought after by performers of occultist rituals.

 

 

The first full parliamentary sitting after the summer recess saw Georgia at the front of MEPs' minds, but there were important guests and regular legislative business to be considered also. Our photographer was in and around the plenary chamber to capture images of the political week.