Focus
Strasbourg plenary Session 19-22 October
Institutions - 16-10-2009 - 14:38
The European Parliament is in session in Strasbourg 19-22 October
The Parliamentary Session has seen MEPs hold their first ever question and answer session with the head of the European Commission on topical issues. The state of Europe's economy and unemployment were just two subjects. In addition MEPs debated the key issues ahead of the next EU Summit which is expected to be dominated by the Lisbon Treaty and climate change. The week's agenda also included a vote on the EU's spending priorities for next year. This focus looks at some of the key issues.
Throughout the week EuroparlTV will also be bringing you a series of programmes on events from Strasbourg.
Section 1: A look at the main issues ahead this week: Budget, freedom of information, EU Council, Sakharov Prize.
Section 2: Tuesday's Question time as MEPs ask Commission President José Manuel Barroso questions on topics of the day.
Section 3: MEPs vote down resolutions on freedom of information in Italy and other EU countries.
Section 4: Lisbon Treaty and Copenhagen climate conference set to dominate next EU Summit.
Section 4: 2010 budget: Support to the dairy sector and more money for the recovery plan
Sommaire du dossier :
Newsletter - a look at the key issues - Question Hour: MEP questions from Lisbon Treaty to Tony Blair
Freedom of information in Italy and other Member States: resolutions rejected 
Lisbon and Copenhagen to dominate EU summit 
2010 budget: more money to fund the recovery plan and milk fund 
Wild birds protected under common wings 
Sakharov Prize 2009 awarded to Memorial 
10 things we observed last week in Parliament...
REF.: 20091009FCS62255
Newsletter - a look at the key issues
2010 budget: more funding for energy and dairy sectors
MEPs are set to demand an extra €1.5 billion for energy measures and an additional €300 million for a new dairy fund when they vote on the EU's 2010 budget on Thursday. They will also seek to broadly restore figures proposed in the Commission's preliminary draft budget rather than accepting cuts made by Council.
Resolution on freedom of information in Italy and other European countries
MEPs will vote on a resolution on freedom of information in Italy and other European countries to follow up a recent debate during which some of Parliament's political groups called on the Commission to draft EU legislation on media ownership.
This year's winner of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
The winner of the 2009 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought will be announced by President Jerzy Buzek on Thursday at noon. The winner will be selected from among three finalists chosen on 6 October by the Foreign Affairs and Development committees.
First Question Hour with Commission President Barroso
For the first time Parliament will hold a 'Question Hour' with Commission President José Manuel Barroso, who will reply to a round of questions lasting 30 minutes from political group leaders - or their representatives - on any subject they wish to raise. The floor will then be opened to other MEPs to put questions on a topic of current interest set in advance: on this occasion the impact of the financial crisis on employment and social cohesion.
MEPs to debate top EU jobs ahead of the European Council
Possible candidates for top EU jobs to be created by the Lisbon Treaty's entry into force, including a President of the European Council and a High Representative for foreign affairs, will be the focus of Wednesday's debate on the upcoming European Council summit in Brussels 29-30 October. The Council and Commission will take part in the debate.
Question Hour: MEP questions from Lisbon Treaty to Tony Blair
Issues such as the Lisbon Treaty, unemployment and support for Neelie Kroes and Tony Blair came up during Parliament's first-ever "question time" with Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The former Portuguese PM first answered a round of questions from political group leaders, followed by MEPs' questions on the financial crisis.
Paulo Rangel (EPP, PT) asked whether the Commission had taken any steps to ensure the transition between the Nice and Lisbon Treaties. Mr Barroso replied: "All countries have adopted the Lisbon Treaty from a democratic point of view, although there is still a pending issue, and the European Commission is waiting to see what the Czech Constitutional Court will decide".
Stephen Hughes (S&D, UK) expressed concern that the financial crisis could "turn into a social crisis" and asked Mr Barroso about his policy for economic recovery. Mr Barosso replied that "without the EU recovery plan, it would have been much worse", adding that his employment summit plan had been downgraded by seven Member States.
ALDE group leader Guy Verhofstadt (BE), asked Mr Barroso whether he agrees with Commissioner Neelie Kroes' position on German support for Opel. "I always support my Commissioners", said Mr Barroso, adding that he had given Ms Kroes his support in advance.
Greens/EFA, co-President Rebecca Harms (DE), asked about the negotiations for Copenhagen and the EU's plans for a global agreement on emission reductions. "I hope that the European Council at the end of this month will come to a solid position", said Mr Barroso, adding that the Commission will fight for a strong proposal.
Michał Tomasz Kamiński (ECR, PL) asked about plans to strengthen the single market as a way out of the crisis. Mr Barroso pointed out that the single market had been listed as a high-priority issue in his guidelines, and said he would commission a report on ways to improve it.
Lothar Bisky (EUL/NGL, DE) noted that the Commission had called on Member States to cut their budget deficits, and asked whether public spending cuts could choke off the recovery. "At a certain moment, we have to come back to sustainability", said the President, adding that "we are preparing an exit strategy", but that it would not take effect before 2011. "This is a question of solidarity with future generations", he said.
Nigel Farage (EFD, UK) welcomed "a chance to hold the executive to account" and asked whether Tony Blair's position as a favourite for the Council Presidency of the Council was in exchange for his "surrender" on the British rebate. Mr Barroso denied that there was any such "secret deal".
Further information :
- EP twitter
- Link to verbatim debates (Question Time to the President of the Commission) (click on 20 October)
- President of the European Commission website
- Audio - original language: 1st 30 mins
- Audio English: 1st mins
- Audio - original language: Financial crisis debate
- Audio English: Financial crisis debate
Freedom of information in Italy and other Member States: resolutions rejected
MEPs voted down all nine draft resolutions on freedom of information in Italy and other Member States, after a debate on 8 October in Brussels. The photo show the happiness of the centre right after the last vote of the Chamber, which was drawn (338 - 338)
Parliament voted down all nine draft resolutions on freedom of information in Italy and other Member States, after a debate on 8 October in Brussels.
MEPs rejected two joint resolutions, one tabled by the EPP, ECR and EFD groups, by 322 votes to 297 with 25 abstentions, and the other, by the S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA and GUE groups, by 338 votes to 335 with 13 abstentions. All the other resolutions by individual groups were also rejected.
Joint resolution by EPP/ECR/EFD: 297/322/25
Resolution by EPP: 258/347/73
Resolution by ECR: 301/351/26
Joint resolution by S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL: 335/338/13
Resolution by Greens/EFA: 321/346/8
Resolution by EFD: 257/399/20
Resolution by GUE/NGL: rejected by show of hands
Resolution by S&D: 333/345/5
Resolution by ALDE: 338/338/8
Further information :
Lisbon and Copenhagen to dominate EU summit
A three hours’ debate in the run-up to the European Council of 29 - 30 October. Sweden's EU Minister told the House Cecilia Malmström “The Lisbon Treaty is essential to move on” .
The Treaty of Lisbon and the forthcoming Copenhagen climate summit were foremost in MEP's minds during Wednesday's debate ahead of the European summit of 29 and 30 October. The summit will also see European leaders discuss the financial crisis, immigration, employment in Europe and the new EU external affairs service. Swedish Europe Minister Cecilia Malmström, speaking for the Council presidency, said that "the EU will be best prepared to manage all these matters if the treaty comes into force".
In the course of the debate, speakers for the political groups emphasised the particular messages they wished to see President Buzek bring to European leaders next week on behalf of the European Parliament.
Differences over Treaty of Lisbon
Speaking for the European Commission, President José Manuel Barroso said that "after the strong support given by the people of Ireland and after the conclusion of the ratification process in Poland, we can now say all Members have democratically approved the Lisbon Treaty".
For the largest bloc in the Parliament, the European People's Party, Joseph Daul told the House that "as long as the debate in Europe is monopolized by the institutions, the true issues cannot be dealt with as responsibly and quickly as we need".
Liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt: "It seems that the Czech President Klaus has accepted the fact that nothing can delay the Lisbon Treaty anymore."
Timothy Kirkhope for the European Conservatives and Reformists put it like this: "Why can't we ever actually get results that make a difference to our citizens? Institutional changes don't help with climate change issues. The summit should focus on major issues that concern the people."
For the eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy group Nigel Farage noted: "All eyes will be on President Klaus; he believes in national democracy. He defends the Czech national interest. He's absolutely right to be fearful. Not all people have democratically agreed to the Treaty of Lisbon."
Climate change and the UN Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen
The debate then moved to the preparations for the Copenhagen climate conference.
Mr Barroso told the House: "We all know that the longer we wait to take action the higher the cost will be. We have to find creative solutions and show that the EU is united to fight climate change. First, Copenhagen must show that the drive to cut emissions is on its way. Second, it must show that we are ready to help those who are ready to take that step."
Joseph Daul said that "I expect the Council to come up with a strategy that is appropriate to the situation on climate change, in other words to the weakness of commitments by our partners. What pressure will you bring to bear on the US, China and all the emerging countries? Moderate, polite or real pressure?"
Socialist Member Hannes Swoboda noted that "Copenhagen will be one of the most important decisions to take, we need binding objectives, but it's not going to be easy".
Green MEP Rebecca Harms was emphatic: "Copenhagen is our biggest challenge and we must take it seriously. A hundred billon Euros will be made available from 2020 to help the developing countries to meet their commitments on climate change. If you compare that with the package on the economic crisis or the financial sector that is really peanuts."
On the economic crisis and employment policy
Turning to the economy and employment in Europe Socialist Hannes Swoboda called the bonuses paid by some "provocative". "This is not the main problem but it shows how many managers don't understand how things should be in the new financial system". He welcomed the "emerging consensus on employment policy for the coming years".
For the Leftist (GUE/NGL): Lothar Bisky said "we were calling for more solidarity between the Member States, we were calling for more sustainability in social and pension systems. If I look at the Members' policies and if I look at the Commission's policy I can't see the strategy taking us towards achieving these objectives."
About new top EU jobs created by the Treaty of Lisbon
For the EU'S current holders of the Presidency Cecilia Malmström told the House that "The Swedish Presidency will present a report about the preparations of the Treaty of Lisbon coming into force. In this report there will be a guidance of how the service around the High Representative for foreign affairs will function."
Further information :
2010 budget: more money to fund the recovery plan and milk fund
Vote on the 2010 budget
MEPs demanded €1.5 billion in fresh money to finance the economic recovery plan and €300 million for a new dairy fund in a vote on Thursday. In general, they restored the Commission's preliminary draft budget after the Council's cuts.
MEPs today voted through a pack of amendments, weighing 2.1 kg, to the draft budget for 2010. The amended draft budget (Surjan report) was adopted with 528 votes in favour, 68 against and 39 abstentions.
Vladimír Manka's report on the institutions' administrative budgets was adopted by a show of hands.
This, Parliament's first reading of the budget, will constitute Parliament's basis for the coming negotiations with the Council. The final budget will be adopted at the December plenary.
Support to the dairy sector
A €300 million dairy fund to tackle the milk crisis is one of Parliament's key demands in the budget 2010 negotiations, backed by a very large majority in a vote on 17 September. The Budget Committee suggested that the fund be set up with €300 million. Earlier this week, the Commission supported the idea, but proposed €280 million.
The idea of the fund is to help restructure the dairy sector, in connection with the Commission's phasing out of milk quotas. The fund would include measures such as supporting less-favoured areas, promoting sales and finding alternative sources of income.
The fund was backed with 528 votes in favour, 89 against and 20 abstentions. A S&D group amendment to increase the fund to €600 million was not put to a vote - it fell when the €300 million figure was adopted.
The 2010 budget also includes other milk price crisis measures, amounting to about €600 million. These are broadly supported by the three institutions, although precise figures have yet to be agreed. In a separate vote today, MEPs also backed two legislative measures to help farmers through the crisis.
€1.5 billion more for the recovery plan
"Because of the crisis, the Council wants the lowest possible budget. But we in the Parliament, we believe that the Parliament has many instruments that should be used in an even better, more effective and more powerful way precisely, to ensure that the crisis can be overcome" said budget rapporteur László Surján, in a debate with the Council and Commission on Tuesday.
To tackle the economic crisis, MEPs asked for a fresh €1.5 billion in payments/€1.98 billion in commitments - rather than taking money from other budget lines - to fund the energy parts of the economic recovery plan.
Background on the recovery plan
The two main parts of the economic recovery plan are energy infrastructure projects (gas and electricity infrastructure, offshore wind energy and carbon capture and storage) and rural development (internet infrastructure). Parliament and Council have already agreed on the size (€5 billion) of the recovery plan and the financing of this year's €2.6 billion.
What remains to be decided is the funding of next year's €2.4 billion. While MEPs think that parts of this - the rural development part - could be financed by shifting funds from other budget posts, they find it necessary to add fresh €1.5 billion to finance the energy part.
For each budget line, there are two different types of budget appropriations: commitments and payments. The commitments refer to how much the EU may commit itself to (e.g. sign a contract or start a tender procedure) in a certain year. The payment level regulates the actual payments being done that year.
Wild birds protected under common wings
The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is found throughout Europe and parts of Asia. Photographed in Camargue, southern France. ©Belga
Wild birds know no borders, so the conservation of endangered species requires trans-frontier cooperation. The first European directive to protect wild birds was adopted in 1979 and is the oldest EU environmental law still in force. It restricts hunting and prohibits deliberate killing and destroying of nests and eggs. For its 30th birthday, lawyers are working to give it a new, clearer and more concise shape.
Several thickly filled pages under slightly mysterious Latin taxonomy contain dozens of bird species that are protected under EU law. Among them, one can find familiar feathered creatures like the common crane (Grus grus), but also some whose names may sound a bit curious like Cursorius cursor (cream-colored courser), or Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola).
"Conservation of wild birds is a very good example of an area where international cooperation is necessary: birds know no borders, hence national legislation is less efficient than joint action within the EU," said Polish Socialist Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg , who deals with this directive on behalf of the Legal Affairs Committee.
Economic development is the worst enemy of wild birds. Industrialisation, environmental pollution, human settlement and large scale farming break the food chain and suppress natural habitats of many species.
The directive envisages the creation of protected areas the upkeep and management of habitats in accordance with ecological needs and stresses the need to re-establish and create biotopes.
It forbids the deliberate killing or capture of birds by any method, the deliberate destruction or removal of nests and eggs and the taking of eggs in the wild even if they are empty.
The rules also forbid the deliberate disturbance of the birds particularly during the breeding and rearing period.
It also imposes restrictions or a total ban on hunting of certain species.
The aim is to simplify existing laws to better protect the birds. The new legislation will replace separate rules. The MEPs approved the legislation on Tuesday.
Sakharov Prize 2009 awarded to Memorial
Human Rights Centre "Memorial" (clockwise) Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Oleg Orlov and Sergei Kovalev. ©Belga/Chirikov/Krivok
The European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to Russian civil rights defence organization Memorial, and their three representatives Oleg Orlov, Sergei Kovalev and Lyudmila Alexeyeva, as well as all other human rights defenders in Russia. The winner was announced by EP President Jerzy Buzek in Strasbourg on 22 October. The prize ceremony will take place in Strasbourg on 16 December.
Awarding the prize Mr Buzek said: "By awarding this year's prize to Oleg Orlov, Sergei Kovalev and Lyudmila Alexeyeva on behalf of Memorial and all other human rights defenders in Russia, we hope to contribute to ending the circle of fear and violence surrounding human rights defenders in the Russian Federation, and to advance our message that civil society activists everywhere must be free to exercise their most basic rights of freedom of thought and freedom of expression."
He went on to say that "we need to be free to follow our thoughts because this is essential in getting at the truth. Let me share with you my personal satisfaction that I can announce today this prize as the President of the European Parliament. In particular for a man who comes from Solidarity and who saw Poland fighting for truth and finally won freedom in the 1980s".
The organisation's three representatives are:
Oleg Orlov, the current chair of Memorial. On 6 October 2009 Oleg Orlov was fined and ordered to retract public statements following a defamation lawsuit brought against him by the President of the Republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. Orlov had accused Kadyrov of being behind the murder of Chechen rights activist Natalya Estemirova. On 23 November 2007 Orlov himself was abducted in Ingushetia, together with three journalists, before being beaten, threatened with execution and released.
Sergei Kovalev, who founded the first Soviet human rights association in 1969, the Initiative Group for the Defence of Human Rights in the USSR, and became one of the initiators of Memorial. Kovalev has been an outspoken critic of authoritarian tendencies in the administrations of Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. In 1996 he resigned in protest as head of Yeltsin's presidential human rights commission. In 2002 he organized a public commission to investigate the 1999 Moscow apartment bombings, which was effectively paralyzed after the persecution and assassination of its members.
Lyudmila Mikhailovna Alexeyeva, who, together with Andrei Sakharov and others, founded the Moscow Helsinki Group to monitor Soviet compliance with the Helsinki Final Act in 1976. Since the 1960s Alexeyeva had been campaigning for fair trials of arrested dissidents and objective coverage in the media. She was excluded from the Communist Party and deprived of her job as editor of a scientific magazine. Alexeyeva co-chaired, with Garry Kasparov and Georgy Satarov, the All-Russian Civic Congress which Alexeyeva and Satarov left due to disagreement with Kasparov in January 2008. She has been critical of the Kremlin’s human rights record and has accused the government of encouraging extremists with its nationalistic policies, such as the mass deportations of Georgians in 2006 and police raids against foreigners working in street markets, as well as Russian conduct in Ingushetia.
The Sakharov Prize
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, has been awarded by the European Parliament every year since 1988 to individuals or organisations who have made an important contribution to the fight for human rights or democracy. This year's award coincides with the 20th anniversary of Andrei Sakharov's death.
Next steps
On 14 December 2009 the Foreign Affairs and Development Committees and Human Rights Subcomitteee will hold a joint meeting with the winner (or in absentia, with his/her representative). This year's prize, consisting of a certificate and a cheque for €50,000, will be awarded in Strasbourg Wednesday 16 December.
Further information :
10 things we observed last week in Parliament...
Photo gallery
MEPs, Assistants and Civil Servants walk hurriedly to the hemicycle before the start of the day's debates; EP Plenary Session - October, Strasbourg
Stormy debates and surprise votes spiced up this week at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The 2010 budget, the European Council, Sakharov Prize and the freedom of press made up an interesting agenda. As well as the words were the images and we bring a few of them here to you in the accompanying slideshow.
Sakharov Prize: The European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to Russian civil rights defence organization Memorial, and their three representatives Oleg Orlov, Sergei Kovalev and Lyudmila Alexeyeva, as well as all other human rights defenders in Russia. Announcing the winners EP President Jerzy Buzek said: "we hope to contribute to ending the circle of fear and violence surrounding human rights defenders in the Russian Federation".
2010 budget: Thursday afternoon MEPs voted on the scope of the EU budget for 2010. They ask for an extra €1.5 billion to boost Europe's economy and for a €300 million dairy fund to support Europe's beleaguered dairy farmers.
338 to 338, 8 abstentions - MEPs narrowly voted down all nine motions for a resolution tabled on freedom of press in Italy and other EU countries, the last one on a tied vote.
Klaus before Christmas? MEPs discussed Czech president's readiness to sign the Treaty if the Constitutional court approves it.
One for all, all for one: It is possible to say a lot in 1 minute. For the first time a "question time" took place in the EP - MEPs had 1 minute time to ask, Commission President Barroso - 1 minute to answer.
Milk boost: The Parliament decided in a super fast mode to grant the rescue for the milk farmers in distress. Direct aid fund will be launched even by the end of the year, said the agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.
Drip, drip, drip: Ice sculpture in the main courtyard of the EP in Strasbourg was erected to remind of the climate change. While the statue slowly melted in the cold Strasbourg air, the MEPs prepared for the crucial December climate meeting in Copenhagen.
The wild, the endangered and the protected: Grus grus (common crane), Cursorius cursor (cream-colored courser), or Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) are among the dozens of wild birds protected under European law. The EP gave a green light to simplify this oldest piece of common legislation on environmental protection (April 1979).
Internal accountability for external action: MEPs want more control over the new European external action service set up by the Lisbon Treaty.
Parliamentary Twitter - For the first time ever the European Parliament ' tweeted ' a plenary debate minute by minute.
Further information :