Verbatim report of proceedings

Friday, 20 September 1996 - Strasbourg

9. Utility models in the single market

  President . – The next item is the report (A4‐0216/96) by Mr Añoveros Trias de Bés, on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Citizens' Rights, on the European Commission's Green Paper relating to the protection of utility models in the single market (COM(95)0370 – C4‐0353/95).

  Schulz (PSE). – (DE) Madam President, pursuant to Rule 131(1) of the Rules of Procedure, I move that the reports that follow, by Mr Añoveros Trias de Bés and Mr Kouchner, and the oral question by Mr Hughes, be adjourned until the Monday of the next part‐session here in Strasbourg. I ask that a vote be taken on this, to determine whether there are 29 Members willing to support my request, which I believe will be case, and that the oral questions by Mrs Oomen‐Ruijten and Mrs Roth should then be called next.

  President . – Mr Schulz, first of all, such a request can only be made for one item on the agenda at a time. And, secondly, it can only be put by a group or by at least 29 other Members. Before we come to that, Mrs Dury has a point of order.

  Dury (PSE). – (FR) I should like to say to the honourable Member that there is also an oral question from Mr Hughes. It is an important question and must be dealt with now because it refers to the Conference of the International Labour Organization, which opens on 8 October. The reason why Mr Hughes wanted to raise this question during the present part‐session was that the conference is taking place shortly and the question relates to working hours in the maritime sector, which is one of the priorities of the socialist group.

  President . – Please listen. At present we are dealing with the next item on the agenda, which is the report by Mr Añoveros Trias de Bés. Mr Schulz has made a request about this report. Was that on behalf of your group?

  Schulz (PSE). – (DE) I have asked you to check whether there were 29 Members willing to support my request.

  President . – I say again, this request can only be made by a group or by 29 individuals. I will check whether there are 29 people willing to support it. All we have had so far has been a request to take a vote on it. We now come to the vote to determine whether this item, the Añoveros Trias report, should be adjourned. Mr Dell'Alba on a point of order.

  Dell'Alba (ARE). – (IT) Madam President, first of all I want to ask you if you have accepted the motion in respect of one report, as provided for in the Rules of Procedure, or two. I think it is for one.

  President . – Mr Dell'Alba, I said very clearly that we are talking about the next report on the agenda, the report by Mr Añoveros Trias de Bés. I have allowed the request for a vote on it. The vote will now be taken. Mr Dell'Alba, do you want to speak in favour of the request?

  Dell'Alba (ARE). – (IT) Ladies and gentlemen, it is all well and good to try to approve an important issue with a handful of Members, but we have to respect the Rules of Procedure! In accordance with Rule 126, I have one minute to speak against the motion. I consider the Añoveros Trias report to be very important. The Green Paper on utility models in the single market is a report included on the agenda: all of the groups agreed on its importance. At the Conference of Presidents...

(The President cut the speaker off)

  President . – Mr Dell'Alba, you have misunderstood me. The request was made on the basis of Rule 131 of the Rules of Procedure, and not on the basis you mentioned. We will now vote on this request. Mr Kellett‐Bowman.

  Kellett‐Bowman (PPE). – Madam President, it was clear on Monday that there was going to be chaos today. Why has some better organization not been found for today's agenda?

  President . – Right, we are now going to take the vote which was asked for and is permissible according to Rule 131. Mr Dell'Alba.

  Dell'Alba (ARE). – (IT) Madam President, I am speaking against the request by some honourable Members that the report in question be deferred. It is therefore obvious that I wish to defend my view that the report should be kept on the agenda. My explanation of vote against related to the fact that we had decided – and Mr Martens was present – to include this issue on the agenda. I am therefore astounded that some colleagues now wish to remove it, and I reiterate the importance of voting against the motion by Mr Schulz.

  President . – We now come to the vote.

(Parliament decided to postpone the debate)

  Schulz (PSE). – (DE) Madam President, I refer to Rule 19(2) of the Rules of Procedure, according to which the President shall conduct and open a sitting and decide when it ends. As 1.00 p.m. is usually the end of debating time, may I ask you, as the current President, to contact the interpreting service with a view to extending the sitting by half an hour.

  President . – I will take a vote on the request. Until that has been clarified, we will continue with the agenda, so I am now going to call Mr Kouchner's report.