The President announced that Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, who had been due to address a formal sitting of Parliament that day, had returned to Palestine the previous evening following a series of violent events in Jericho. The formal sitting was therefore cancelled, and voting time would be at noon, after the debate on the preparations for the European Council/Lisbon Strategy.
The following spoke on the events that had taken place in Palestine: Hans-Gert Poettering, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Irena Belohorská, Non-attached Member, Elmar Brok(Chairman of the AFET Committee), Véronique De Keyser (Chairwoman of the EU observation mission in the Palestinian territories), Edward McMillan-Scott (Chairman of the European Parliament's election observation delegation), Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission).
The following spoke: Hans-Peter Martin, on keeping to the timetable for the sitting, and Sir Robert Atkins, who asked the President to answer a letter sent to him by the Chairman of the PETI Committee concerning the anonymity of petitioners (the President replied that he would look into the matter).
3. Preparations for the European Council: the Lisbon Strategy (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Preparations for the European Council: the Lisbon Strategy
Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Hans-Gert Poettering, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Christopher Beazley, with reference to Sir Robert Atkins's earlier remarks, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Rebecca Harms, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Non-attached Member, and Othmar Karas.
IN THE CHAIR: Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT Vice-President
Robert Goebbels spoke.
IN THE CHAIR: Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ Vice-President
The following spoke: Alexander Lambsdorff, Pierre Jonckheer, Ilda Figueiredo, John Whittaker, Guntars Krasts, Philip Claeys, Klaus-Heiner Lehne, Harlem Désir, Paolo Costa, Bernat Joan i Marí, Helmuth Markov, Johannes Blokland, Wojciech Roszkowski, Alessandro Battilocchio, Marianne Thyssen, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Nils Lundgren, Françoise Grossetête, Jan Andersson, Timothy Kirkhope, Maria Berger, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski, Gary Titley, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Libor Rouček, John Bowis, Edit Herczog, Vito Bonsignore, Reino Paasilinna, Gunnar Hökmark, Edite Estrela, Hans Winkler and Günter Verheugen (Vice-President of the Commission).
Martin Schulz spoke on the loud background noise in the Chamber during Günter Verheugen's speech.
Motions for resolutions to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 103(2):
- Francis Wurtz, Ilda Figueiredo and Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the input to the Spring 2006 European Council in relation to the Lisbon Strategy (B6-0161/2006)
- Hans-Gert Poettering, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the input to the Spring 2006 European Council in relation to the Lisbon Strategy (B6-0162/2006)
The following spoke: Sarah Ludford, on a technical matter, and Carl Schlyter, on electronic access to documents.
4. Voting time
Details of voting (amendments, separate and split votes, etc.) appear in the 'Results of votes' annex to the Minutes.
4.1. Partnership Agreement between the Community and the Federated States of Micronesia on fishing * (Rule 131) (vote)
Report on the proposal for a Council regulation concerning the conclusion of the Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Federated States of Micronesia on fishing in the Federated States of Micronesia [COM(2005)0502 - C6-0353/2005 - 2005/0206(CNS)] - Committee on Fisheries. Rapporteur: Rosa Miguélez Ramos (A6-0035/2006)
(Simple majority)
(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 1)
COMMISSION PROPOSAL, AMENDMENTS and DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
4.2. Minimum information to be contained in fishing licences * (Rule 131) (vote)
Report on the proposal for a Council regulation repealing Regulation (EC) No 3690/93 establishing a Community system laying down rules for the minimum information to be contained in fishing licences [COM(2005)0499 - C6-0354/2005 - 2005/0205(CNS)] - Committee on Fisheries. Rapporteur: Iles Braghetto (A6-0037/2006)
(Simple majority)
(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 2)
COMMISSION PROPOSAL, AMENDMENTS and DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
4.3. Evaluation of the European arrest warrant (Rule 131) (vote)
Report with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on the evaluation of the European arrest warrant [2005/2175(INI)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Adeline Hazan (A6-0049/2006)
4.5. Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities * (vote)
Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities [COM(2005)0181 - C6-0234/2005 - 2005/0090(CNS)] - Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Ingeborg Gräßle (A6-0057/2006)
Eija-Riitta Korhola and Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group Pierre Schapira and Marie-Arlette Carlotti, on behalf of the PSE Group Thierry Cornillet and Fiona Hall, on behalf of the ALDE Group Caroline Lucas, David Hammerstein Mintz, Frithjof Schmidt and Alain Lipietz, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Francis Wurtz and Roberto Musacchio, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group Cristiana Muscardini, on behalf of the UEN Group
Report on the guidelines for the 2007 budget procedure - Sections II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII (A) and VIII (B) and on the European Parliament's preliminary draft estimates (Section I) for the 2007 budget procedure Section I – European Parliament Section II – Council Section IV – Court of Justice Section V – Court of Auditors Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee Section VII – Committee of the Regions Section VIII (A) – European Ombudsman Section VIII (B) – European Data Protection Supervisor [2006/2021(BUD)] - Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Louis Grech (A6-0058/2006)
Corrections to votes appear on the 'Séance en direct' website under 'Votes'/'Results of votes'/ 'Roll-call votes'. They are published in hard copy in the 'Result of roll-call votes' annex.
The electronic version on Europarl will be regularly updated for a maximum of two weeks after the day of the vote concerned.
After the two-week deadline has passed, the list of corrections to votes will be finalised so that it can be translated and published in the Official Journal.
Voting intentions
The Presidency had been notified of the following voting intentions (in respect of votes that had not been cast):
(The sitting was suspended at 13.20 and resumed at 15.00.)
IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS Vice-President
7. Approval of Minutes of previous sitting
The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.
8. Results of the informal Council of foreign ministers (10-11 March 2006) (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Results of the informal Council of foreign ministers (10-11 March 2006)
Olli Rehn (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
Bernd Posselt requested that the debate be suspended until the Council arrived.
The following spoke on the request: José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who also requested that Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner should come to the Chamber, Olli Rehn, in reply to José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Doris Pack, Elmar Brok, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Hannes Swoboda and Bernd Posselt.
The President decided to suspend the sitting pending the Council's arrival.
(The sitting was suspended at 15.20 and resumed at 15.35.)
Ursula Plassnik (President-in-Office of the Council) made the statement.
The following spoke: Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Angelika Beer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Elmar Brok, Cecilia Malmström, Margie Sudre and Silvana Koch-Mehrin.
IN THE CHAIR: Jacek Emil SARYUSZ-WOLSKI Vice-President
The following spoke: Bernd Posselt, Ursula Plassnik and Olli Rehn.
The debate closed.
9. 2005 enlargement strategy paper (debate)
Report on the Commission's 2005 enlargement strategy paper [2005/2206(INI)] - Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Elmar Brok (A6-0025/2006)
Elmar Brok introduced the report.
The following spoke: Ursula Plassnik (President-in-Office of the Council) and Olli Rehn (Member of the Commission).
The following spoke: Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Jan Marinus Wiersma, on behalf of the PSE Group, Cecilia Malmström, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Joost Lagendijk, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Erik Meijer, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Bastiaan Belder, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Konrad Szymański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Philip Claeys, Non-attached Member, Doris Pack and Helmut Kuhne.
IN THE CHAIR: Gérard ONESTA Vice-President
The following spoke: Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, Cem Özdemir, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Georgios Karatzaferis, Inese Vaidere, Ryszard Czarnecki, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski, Józef Pinior, Alexander Lambsdorff, Tatjana Ždanoka, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Roger Knapman, Hans-Peter Martin, Camiel Eurlings, Richard Howitt, István Szent-Iványi, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Panagiotis Beglitis, Marianne Mikko, Ursula Plassnik and Olli Rehn.
10. Change to the agenda (debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law)
On a proposal from the President, Parliament decided to change the order of the items comprising the debate on human rights, democracy and the rule of law as follows:
- Human rights in Moldova and in Transnistria in particular
- Kazakhstan
- Impunity in Africa and in particular the case of Hissène Habré
11. Mergers in the Internal Market (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Mergers in the Internal Market
Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and Neelie Kroes (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Klaus-Heiner Lehne, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Ieke van den Burg, on behalf of the PSE Group, Vittorio Prodi, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Claude Turmes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Roberto Musacchio, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Adam Jerzy Bielan, on behalf of the UEN Group, Antonio Tajani, Pervenche Berès, Umberto Pirilli, Cristobal Montoro Romero, Pier Luigi Bersani, Ivo Belet, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Iles Braghetto, Manuel Medina Ortega, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Andrzej Jan Szejna, Alexander Radwan, Elisa Ferreira, Hans Winkler and Neelie Kroes.
The debate closed.
IN THE CHAIR: Josep BORRELL FONTELLES President
12. Euro-Mediterranean policy / preparation for the next meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Euro-Mediterranean policy / preparation for the next meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly
Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Edward McMillan-Scott, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Pasqualina Napoletano, on behalf of the PSE Group, Hélène Flautre, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Luisa Morgantini, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Paul Marie Coûteaux, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Simon Busuttil, Carlos Carnero González, David Hammerstein Mintz, Tokia Saïfi, Véronique De Keyser and Ioannis Kasoulides.
IN THE CHAIR: Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT Vice-President
The following spoke: Béatrice Patrie, Jamila Madeira, Hans Winkler and Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
The debate closed.
(The sitting was suspended at 19.50 and resumed at 21.00.)
IN THE CHAIR: Pierre MOSCOVICI Vice-President
13. 62nd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR, Geneva) (debate)
Council and Commission statements: 62nd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR, Geneva)
Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Simon Coveney, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Panagiotis Beglitis, on behalf of the PSE Group, Cecilia Malmström, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Hélène Flautre, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Vittorio Agnoletto, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Inese Vaidere, on behalf of the UEN Group, Francisco José Millán Mon, Józef Pinior, Frithjof Schmidt, Athanasios Pafilis, Jana Hybášková, Richard Howitt, Milan Horáček, Bogusław Sonik, Ana Maria Gomes, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Hans Winkler and Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
Motions for resolutions to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 103(2):
- Cecilia Malmström and Alexander Lambsdorff, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the outcome of the negotiations on the Human Rights Council and on the 62nd session of the UNCHR (B6-0150/2006)
- Simon Coveney and José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the outcome of the negotiations on the Human Rights Council and on the 62nd session of the UNCHR (B6-0151/2006)
- Inese Vaidere, on behalf of the UEN Group, on the outcome of the negotiations on the Human Rights Council and on the 62nd session of the UNCHR (B6-0154/2006)
- Hélène Flautre, Frithjof Schmidt and Raül Romeva i Rueda, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the outcome of the negotiations on the Human Rights Council and on the 62nd session of the UNCHR (B6-0169/2006)
- Pasqualina Napoletano, María Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco, Panagiotis Beglitis, Ana Maria Gomes and Józef Pinior, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the outcome of the negotiations on the Human Rights Council and on the 62nd session of the UNCHR (B6-0187/2006).
14. Agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed * - Protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs * (debate)
Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed [COM(2005)0694 - COM(2005)0694 - 2005/0270(CNS)] - Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Rapporteur: Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (A6-0033/2006)
Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs [COM(2005)0698 - COM(2005)0698 - 2005/0275(CNS)] - Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Rapporteur: Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (A6-0034/2006)
Neelie Kroes (Member of the Commission) spoke.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf introduced the reports.
The following spoke: Giuseppe Castiglione, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, María Isabel Salinas García, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jan Mulder, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Daniel Strož, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Witold Tomczak, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Janusz Wojciechowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Non-attached Member, Astrid Lulling, Bogdan Golik, Giusto Catania, Kathy Sinnott, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, James Hugh Allister, Agnes Schierhuber, Robert Navarro, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, Esther Herranz García, Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, Mairead McGuinness, Marc Tarabella, Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf and Neelie Kroes.
15. Legal professions and general interest in the functioning of legal systems (debate)
Oral question (O-0003/2006) by Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the JURI Committee, to the Commission: Legal professions and general interest on the functioning of legal systems (B6-0005/2006)
Klaus-Heiner Lehne (deputising for the author) moved the oral question.
Neelie Kroes (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.
The following spoke: Antonio Masip Hidalgo, on behalf of the PSE Group, Diana Wallis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Neelie Kroes.
As the motions for resolutions tabled were not yet available, they would be announced in plenary at a later time.
16. Preparations for the COP-MOP meeting on biological diversity and security (Curitiba, Brazil) (debate)
Commission statement: Preparations for the COP-MOP meeting on biological diversity and security (Curitiba, Brazil)
Neelie Kroes (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Eija-Riitta Korhola, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Riitta Myller, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jolanta Dičkutė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Caroline Lucas, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, and Karin Scheele.
Motion for a resolution tabled to wind up the debate pursuant to Rule 103(2):
- John Bowis, Avril Doyle and Frieda Brepoels, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Guido Sacconi, Riitta Myller and María Sornosa Martínez, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jolanta Dičkutė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Caroline Lucas and Marie Anne Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Jonas Sjöstedt, Roberto Musacchio and Adamos Adamou, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group and Liam Aylward, on behalf of the UEN Group, on preparations for the COP-MOP meetings on biological diversity and biosafety in Curitiba, Brazil (B6-0170/2006).