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What's coming up in Strasbourg 12-15 January
Institutions - 12-01-2009 - 09:04
Preparing for the first Strasbourg session of 2009
The recent loss of gas supply to many EU countries and the crisis in Gaza will be high on the agenda when MEPs meet in Strasbourg in January. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek will tell Members what his country hopes to achieve during its six-month EU Presidency at 0900 CET on Wednesday and the house will mark the 10th anniversary of the euro Tuesday.
Here are just some of the other items coming up during the session:
Gaza: At the opening of the plenary session on Monday, EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering will make a statement about Gaza. MEPs will debate the situation in Gaza and Israel on Wednesday afternoon.
Moscow-Kiev gas crisis: The gas crisis and its implications for EU energy supply and relations with Russia will also be discussed Wednesday.
Pesticides: MEPs will vote on rules to ban dangerous chemicals in pesticides and to make it safer to use them in daily life.
New security measures for European passports are on the agenda.
The House will debate the question of making 11 July a day of remembrance for the Srebrenica massacre.
MEPs are set to vote on new rules for the awarding of public defence and security contracts. They will also debate whether the amount of public money being used in state takeovers of banks and transport companies is money well spent.
Food for all: in the wake of rising prices, the Agriculture Committee wants improved global food security. The Committee will also ask the European Commission whether existing rules on animal transport are being respected.
British Conservative Neil Parish, on behalf of the Agriculture Committee, will ask the Commission if they are planning to support the nomination of the "Mediterranean diet" for UN recognition due to its health benefits.
Television will come under the spotlight, when MEPs quiz the Commission on rules governing state aid to public broadcasting.
REF.: 20090108STO45589