- Before the vote

  Martin Schulz (PSE). – (DE) Mr President, before we proceed to vote, I should like to make a point on the basis of Rule 150(6) and to couple it with a question to Mr Poettering. The point I would like to make is that Mr Hatzidakis tabled an amendment – Amendment 5 – in which, as is generally agreed, it mentions the need for us to send a delegation to the areas particularly affected. We are now talking only about the particularly badly affected regions in Spain, although there were fires in Portugal, Greece, France and other countries too.

The question arises of whether this is a mistake, for if it is, we ought to do as we have suggested and delete reference to Spain, so that it then reads ‘Delegation to the areas particularly affected’, or, alternatively, one ought to add to Spain ‘Portugal, Greece, France’. This is on the assumption that there is no underlying political motive, although that possibility cannot be entirely excluded. I would ask, though, that we should not use the plight of the victims in Greece, Portugal and other countries as an occasion for playing party politics, and so either we delete the reference to Spain or we include all those countries that were hit by fires.

I would be grateful if the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats could clarify this before we move to the vote.

  Gerardo Galeote (PPE-DE). – (ES) Mr President, Mr Schulz, I was naturally not here on Monday when the European Commission spoke. In his statement, Commissioner Dimas said that the only country in which the European civil protection mechanism was applied this summer was Spain.

That makes sense, because 50% of the fires this summer have unfortunately taken place in my country. Now, Mr Schulz will know that on 6 October in the European Parliament we will hold a public hearing, proposed by our friend the ex-Commissioner Mr Barnier, precisely on the European civil protection corps.

Since we want that delegation to travel before 6 October, therefore, it is physically impossible to visit all of the countries that he has mentioned. I propose that the visit to Spain before 6 October go ahead as planned and, if his group wants us to visit other countries after 6 October, he has my assurance that I will vote in favour of that.

  President. – I have other requests to speak, but I do not wish to re-open the debate.

That being said, if I have understood matters correctly, when the time comes, Mr Schulz will table an oral amendment. The Assembly will thus be able to give its verdict, and each Member will be able to express his or her opinion by voting.

- Before the vote on Amendment 5

  Martin Schulz (PSE). – (DE) Mr President, we had surmised that things would turn out to be the way that Mr Galeote – in his most enlightening statement – has said they were, and so I ask that, following the words ‘in Spain’, the words ‘in Portugal, Greece, France and in the other countries particularly affected’ be added.

(Applause)

(The oral amendment was not accepted)