Focus
Brussels 7-8 October Plenary: Lisbon treaty, economic crisis and Italy's media
Institutions - 06-10-2009 - 13:18
View of the plenary chamber through a half open door
When MEPs meet in Brussels on 7-8 October, they discussed the results of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, the setting up of a special parliamentary committee on the financial and economic crisis and freedom of information in Italy amid other issues.
Check our dossier each day to keep up with what's going on in plenary. You will find updated information following debates and votes from the chamber. Check below to see where to find specific articles:
Section 1 - briefing on the plenary.
Section 2 - MEPs react to Irish yes on Lisbon treaty
Section 3 - Members decide to investigate the causes of the economic crisis and suggest remedies
Section 4 - Debate on Freedom of the press in Italy
Section 5 - Stranded passengers could get compensation
Section 6 - MEPs back more money for developing world
Section 7- 10 things we learned from the 3-day session
Sommaire du dossier :
Newsletter - 7-8 October 2009 - Brussels plenary session 
Irish referendum: MEPs react 
Special committee on financial and economic crisis 
Debate on freedom of information in Italy 
Bust airlines - MEPs back compensation for grounded passengers 
MEPs show solidarity with developing countries hit by crisis 
10 things we observed last week in Parliament...
REF.: 20091002FCS61743
Newsletter - 7-8 October 2009 - Brussels plenary session
4 'Yes' campaigners in Dublin ©BELGA_EPA_AIDAN CRAWLEY
MEPs to debate result of Irish referendum on Lisbon Treaty
The outcome of the Lisbon Treaty referendum in Ireland on 2 October will be discussed by the European Parliament's political groups on Wednesday afternoon with Commission President José Manuel Barroso and, for the Council, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. Irish voters approved the Treaty with 67.1% of votes in favour and 32.9% against. The turnout was 59%, which was 6% more than in the vote in 2008.
Debate on freedom of information in Italy
Freedom of information in Italy will be the subject of a debate between MEPs and the Commission. A vote on this issue is due take place at the next plenary session in Strasbourg (19-22 October).
A special committee on the financial and economic crisis
MEPs will look at the impact of the financial crisis and set up a new body to assess measures taken by the EU and its Member States. The decision to create a special new 45-member committee will be put to the vote on Thursday (8 October) and the committee will have to complete its work within one year.
Should passengers get money back when airline goes bankrupt?
Passengers who have booked flights with airlines that go bankrupt should get compensation, MEPs will argue this week. In a debate on Wednesday, Parliament will ask the Commission to revise existing legislation or come up with new laws to ensure passengers are protected, including the possibility of establishing "a reserve compensation fund" financed by airline operators.
Financial crisis: MEPs demand more help for poorest countries
In response to the global economic crisis, Parliament will vote on a resolution calling for reform of international financial institutions and other measures.
Further information :
Irish referendum: MEPs react
EP president Jerez Buzek, listening to the speech of EC president José Barroso on the Irish Yes to the referendum
The Brussels plenary kicked off with a debate on the outcome of the referendum in Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty. A large majority of MEPs welcomed the clear "yes" from Irish voters. The debate later turned to the next move by President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic and future nominations to the new top EU posts created by the Lisbon Treaty.
Speakers for the political groups focused on different implications of the vote. For some, albeit from sharply varying perspectives, the key issue was the overall implication for the future direction of the EU. Others concentrated on the next steps needed before the Treaty can enter into force, while others looked beyond that point to the concrete changes it will bring.
A clear message…
Opening Parliament's sitting, President Jerzy Buzek said, the "Irish people have sent a clear message that they want to stay at the heart of the united Europe." However he did not neglect the message from no voters, reaching out those who opposed the Lisbon Treaty: "Those who vote no are trying to tell us something. We will take it into account."
The leader of the European People's Party, Parliament's largest group, Joseph Daul, added that an overwhelming vote "said yes not only to the Lisbon Treaty but yes to Europe as an area of security and shared values".
Nigel Farage, co-leader of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group, begged to differ, and urged a third referendum. In his view, the latest referendum had not been “free and fair”. "So let's make it the best of three", he suggested, adding: "We will campaign for Britain to leave the EU and to leave as soon as possible."
Lothar Bisky of the left-wing GUE/NGL group similarly considered that "once you've committed to a referendum you should accept the result, even if it's not the one you want".
Eyes turn to Prague
Mr Daul was the first to address a message to Czech President Vaclav Klaus, turning to the ratification process which has yet to be finished in the Czech Republic. He urged the Czech President to "behave in a responsible fashion".
For the European Socialists and Democrats, Parliament's second largest political group, Martin Schulz expressed satisfaction at the Irish result, emphasising that it is "not a question of Member States being stronger vis-a-vis the EU" but of the "EU becoming a worldwide partner to strengthen the Member States". He added a message for Mr Klaus, asking, in the event he decided not to ratify, despite the 67% in Ireland, whether "he is fully aware that this continent faces a decisive moment?"
Life after Lisbon
Some speakers addressed the question of the future appointment of a President of the European Council, a new job created by the Lisbon Treaty. For the Liberals and Democrats (ALDE group), Guy Verhofstadt asked Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish Prime Minister currently presiding Council, for the fastest possible appointment. In his view, Reinfeldt should not wait until the ratification process is over.
Commission President José Manuel Barroso told MEPs he was ready to start the formation of the next Commission once he had "legal clarity" from the Council. Mr Reinfeldt's said he would prefer to wait until the ratification process is fully over before discussing future steps.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-leader of the Green/EFA group was not keen on deals between governments over the new top jobs: "Europe deserves a public debate. It shouldn't be a last minute decision taken behind closed doors."
Timothy Kirkhope, speaking on behalf of European Conservatives and Reformers, took a critical view of the Treaty and the new figurehead it would create. "It takes a dramatic step towards the superstate feared by many". People do not want "ever closer centralisation", he said, they want a "Europe of diversity, closer and more relevant to the people".
Special committee on financial and economic crisis
The sight of Europe in 2009 ©Belga/E Dunand
MEPs agreed on Wednesday to set up a special committee on the financial and economic crisis with 45 members and a 12-month mandate. It will assess the extent and impact of the crisis on Member States and propose measures to rebuild stable financial markets.
President Jerzy Buzek said: "We should learn the lessons from this economic and financial crisis so as to ensure that it is not repeated. Members of the European Parliament must assess the effectiveness of measures taken by the EU and Member States to alleviate the financial crisis. The new European Parliament committee will serve as an important forum for this."
The special committee's term of office starts on 8 October 2009. Its findings will be presented in two reports: a mid-term report and a final report containing recommendations on measures to be taken.
The committee will hold hearings with experts, social partners and representatives of industry, governments and national parliaments, and will contribute opinions to the legislative work of Parliament's standing committees.
Parliament voted on Thursday on the membership of the committee (see list below).
Further information :
Debate on freedom of information in Italy
Europe's Media watchdog Viviane Reding delivered the Commission's statement on Italian press freedom to MEPs
In a debate on the freedom of information in Italy, MEPs speaking for the EPP, ECR and EFD groups warned against using the European Union as a forum for settling national political issues. For their part, the S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA and GUE groups called on the European Commission to draw up Europe-wide legislation on media pluralism.
EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding pointed out that the European Union had limited powers in the area of the written media but that all Member States had institutions for settling any problems over fundamental rights. She called on MEPs not to try to resolve issues through the EU institutions that should be dealt with at national level.
EPP leader Joseph Daul condemned the use of Parliament as a forum for debate on national issues and stressed that Italy was a democratic country where the rule of law was respected. The European Parliament had no power over the issue at hand and should not be used for settling scores.
David-Maria Sassoli (S&D, IT) said that Italy was a great democratic country, as was proved by yesterday's verdict of its constitutional court. However, he felt that the right of information should be guaranteed by common standards in all EU countries. He therefore called for a European directive with indicators applicable to all.
Belgian ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt said it should not be denied that there was a problem. The fact that three EU countries had been categorised by the organisation Freedom House as having only "partially free" media worried him and prompted him to call on the Commission to guarantee media pluralism.
Dutch Green Member Judith Sargentini believed that the attempt to remove this debate from the agenda had been shameful. As a result of pressure, Italian journalists exercised self-censorship and Italian democracy had become vulnerable. Existing Member States should respect the Copenhagen criteria as much as candidate countries.
Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR, PL) said that similar issues had arisen in other EU countries, including Poland, without being debated in the EP. It was for the Italians to solve internal Italian issues.
Patrick Le Hyaric (EUL/NGL) criticised the influence of the Italian Prime Minister over the media, which he said was incompatible with a modern democracy. He called for the creation of a European body to monitor press freedom.
Francesco Speroni (EFD, IT) stressed that in Italy the opposition had ample space in the media. If Parliament really was of the opinion that Italy lacked freedom of the press, it should use Article 7 of the EU Treaty to start proceedings for a breach of fundamental rights, but in his view there was no factual basis for doing so.
In her reply at the end of the debate, Commissioner Reding told MEPs that legislation on media pluralism would only be possible if there were internal market problems that would be solved by having such legislation.
Parliament will vote on a resolution on the freedom of information at its session of 19-22 October in Strasbourg.
Further information :
- Debates from 8 October
- Viviane Reding speech
- Speech by Joseph Daul - EPP
- Speech by David-Maria Sassoli - S&D
- http://Speech by Guy Verhofstadt - ALDE
- Speech by Ryszard Czarnecki - ECR
- Speech by Patrick le Hyaric - GUE/NGL
- Speech by Francesco Speroni - EFD
- Response by Commissioner Viviane Reding
- Flickr - photos from the Session
Bust airlines - MEPs back compensation for grounded passengers
Beleaguered passengers find out their flights have been cancelled ©Belga
If your airline goes bankrupt and leaves you stranded what are your legal rights? Members of the Parliament's Transport Committee want grounded passengers to have access to a special compensation fund. In the last decade almost 100 airlines across the European Union have gone bankrupt - leaving thousands of holiday makers and business flyers out of pocket and stuck at a foreign airport.
Sabena, Sky Europe and Olympic Airlines are just three of the large carriers that have gone bankrupt due to a combination of high fuel costs, competition and new security measures after 9/11.
Transport Chair Brian Simpson speaks of "clear loophole"
On 7 October during the plenary session in Brussels, the Chair of the all-party Transport Committee, Brian Simpson (Labour, North West of England), formally asked the European Commissioner for Transport Antonio Tajani to set up "a reserve compensation fund" and consider updating passengers' rights legislation.
He told fellow MEPs that "here we have a clear loophole and it would be preferable for all if we could work together and fill it in".
He added: "We have also floated the idea of establishing a reserve compensation fund, but this must not be seen as a demand. We merely wish to open up the debate as to what mechanism will help us best solve this problem."
Transport Commissioner Tajani backs compensation
Commissioner Tajani told Members that "passengers should indeed receive compensation. We are working on specific measures to find the best solution. One solution is a compensation fund derived from airlines' contributions. Another would be changes in bankruptcy law in the member states".
There is a consensus across the Parliament's main political groups that the European Union needs to do more to help passengers stranded by bankrupt airlines. A Parliamentary resolution is due to be tabled later in the autumn.
Further information :
- Oral question: passenger compensation in the event of airline bankruptcy
- Newsletter: Should passengers get money back when airline goes bankrupt?
- Safe and secure flights in the EU
- EC: Study on Consumer Protection against Aviation Bankruptcy
- IATA: Airline industry statistics [pdf]
- IATA: State of the industry: viral presentation
MEPs show solidarity with developing countries hit by crisis
Unemployment across Africa has sharply increased due to the financial crisis ©Belga/EPA/C Fouries
The economic crisis has pushed an extra 90 million people into extreme poverty in the developing world and made 23 million people unemployed. It will also lead to between 200,000 and 400,000 more infant deaths a year on average between 2009 and 2015. On Thursday Members of the European Parliament called for more money to alleviate the crisis.
In a resolution, Parliament says that the crisis "is undermining, and in some cases nullifying, hard-won progress on poverty, hunger and mother and child mortality, as well as on primary education and gender equality."
It is risking "access to clean water and proper hygiene... jeopardising the achievement of the MDGs (Millenium Development Goals), in particular those relating to health," it said.
The resolution, drafted for the Development Committee by French Green Eva Joly says parliament is: "gravely concerned about the fact that, as at July 2009, 82% of the newly loaned IMF resources had gone to European countries and just 1.6% to countries in Africa". MEPs also expressed concern that aid from some EU states to the developing world fell in real terms in 2008.
Members want additional funding for developing countries, reform of the international financial institutions and a review of policies towards the Millennium Development Goals in 2010.
They also want to see greater European policy coherence in areas like the economy, trade, the environment and agriculture.
10 things we observed last week in Parliament...
Photo gallery
MEPs review the seating plan prior to the debate on Ireland's 'yes' to the Lisbon treaty, 7 October
Other photos
- Jerzy Buzek addresses the Hemicycle during the debate on Ireland's 'yes' vote
- The debate on Ireland's 'yes' to the Lisbon treaty
- French MEP José Bové behind a picture of Russian Human Rights activist Anna Politkovskaya
- Swedish PM and current EU President Fredrik Reinfeldt has last minute talks with his team before addressing the Chamber, 7 October
- Freedom of translation: An MEP listens to interpretation during the freedom of information in Italy debate
- Debate on freedom of information in Italy 8 October: (L-R) Commissioner Viviane Reding, Joseph Daul, David-Maria Sassoli, Guy Verhofstadt, Judith Sargentini, Ryszard Czarnecki, Patrick Le Hyaric, Francesco Speroni and EP President Jerzy Buzek
- Vote on a resolution in the EP hemicycle 8 October 2009
Amid the noise and clamour of debate last week we picked out a few things which caught our eye. For the 2-day session on Wednesday and Thursday the agenda and Chamber was packed as the implications of Ireland's yes to Lisbon and Italy's media were passionately debated. As well as the words were the images and we bring a few of them here to you in the accompanying slideshow.
Angelika Niebler is recovering: To much relief MEPs were told that the German Christian Democrat Member is getting better after being attacked near the Parliament in Brussels. Members from all sides applauded as they heard the news, although the response of the Belgian police was questioned.
Lisbon treaty: A majority of MEPs from all sides welcomed the decisive Irish yes vote in Wednesday's debate. The leader of the largest bloc Joseph Daul called it a yes for "security and shared values".
Czech and balances: Czech President and Lisbon non-signer Vaclav Klaus received several mentions despite not being in the Chamber. Socialist leader Martin Schulz asked him rhetorically "if he is fully aware that this continent faces a decisive moment".
Stormy waters in Brussels: As the debate on the Ireland vote wound up one of the worst lightning storms in recent years hit Brussels, flooding parts of the city. A political omen or a sign the Lisbon storm has passed?
Europe's media Commissioner Viviane Reding knows how to keep her cool. The lively debate on freedom of the media in Italy provoked animated discussions in the Chamber interrupting her response to the debate. The gavel of Roberta Angelilli in the Chair eventually brought things to order...
Airline bankruptcies: MEPs formally asked Transport Commissioner Tajani to open a debate on how to improve passengers' right legislation and to bring up a reserve compensation fund for those affected by bankrupt airlines.
Abruzzo earthquake: Members voted to give the green light to €493 million in aid to the Abruzzo region of Italy to help reconstruction after April's earthquake.
Financial crises and poorest countries: Members called for eradication of abuses of tax havens, tax evasion and illicit capital flight from developing countries by suggesting the creation of better worldwide regulation.
Sakharov finalists chosen: Three finalists for this year's Prize for freedom of thought were chosen this week. Izzeldin Abuelaish, Dawit Issak or the Memorial organisation will be announced as a winner on 22 October. The prize will be awarded in Strasbourg on 16 December.
This year's sitting in Brussels will take place on 11 and 12 November. In the meantime Members will meet for their regular plenary session in Strasbourg from 19-22 October.
Further information :
- Sakharov website
- Ireland's yes vote: MEPs react
- Freedom of information in Italy
- Reding statement
- Draft agenda 19-22 October