IN THE CHAIR: Adam BIELAN
Vice-President

1. Opening of the sitting

The sitting opened at 9.05.

2. Documents received

The following documents had been received from the Council and Commission:

- Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans and loan guarantees for projects outside the Community (COM(2008)0910 - C6-0025/2009 - 2008/0268(COD))

- Proposal for a Council directive (Euratom) setting up a Community framework for nuclear safety (COM(2008)0790 - C6-0026/2009 - 2008/0231(CNS))

- Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund concerning certain provisions relating to financial management (17575/2008 - C6-0027/2009 - 2008/0233(AVC))

- Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing on behalf of the Community and the provisional application of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation amending Annex 11 to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products (15472/2008 - C6-0028/2009 - 2008/0202(CNS))

- Initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a view to the adoption by the Council Decision amending Decision 2002/956/JHA setting up a European Network for the Protection of Public Figures (16437/2008 - C6-0029/2009 - 2009/0801(CNS))

- Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community programme to support specific activities in the field of financial services, financial reporting and auditing (COM(2009)0014 - C6-0031/2009 - 2009/0001(COD))

- Proposal for a Council recommendation on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (COM(2008)0837 - C6-0032/2009 - 2009/0003(CNS))

- Proposal for a Council directive laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries (codified version) (COM(2008)0873 - C6-0033/2009 - 2008/0253(CNS))

- Proposal for a Council regulation (EC) No …/... of […] laying down a uniform format for visas (codified version) (COM(2008)0891 - C6-0034/2009 - 2008/0265(CNS))

- Proposal for a Council regulation establishing a procedure for the negotiation and conclusion of bilateral agreements between Member States and third countries concerning sectoral matters and covering jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments and decisions in matrimonial matters, parental responsibility and maintenance obligations, and applicable law in matters relating to maintenance obligations (COM(2008)0894 - C6-0035/2009 - 2008/0266(CNS))

- Initiative of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic and of the Kingdom of Sweden with a view to adopting a Council framework decision on prevention and settlement of conflicts of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings, (05208/2009 - C6-0036/2009 - 2009/0802(CNS))

- Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person (Recast) (COM(2008)0820 - C6-0474/2008 - 2008/0243(COD))

- Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of Regulation (EC) No […/…] [establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person] (Recast version) (COM(2008)0825 - C6-0475/2008 - 2008/0242(COD))

3. Debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (announcement of motions for resolution tabled)

Pursuant to Rule 115, the following Members or political groups had requested that such a debate be held on the following motions for resolutions:

I. Situation in Sri Lanka

- Vittorio Agnoletto, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the situation in Sri Lanka (B6-0072/2009)

- Geoffrey Van Orden, Nirj Deva, Thomas Mann, Bernd Posselt, Charles Tannock, Laima Liucija Andrikienė and Colm Burke, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the situation in Sri Lanka (B6-0074/2009)

- Marco Cappato, Jelko Kacin and Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on Sri Lanka (B6-0077/2009)

- Pasqualina Napoletano and Robert Evans, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the situation in Sri Lanka (B6-0078/2009)

- Jean Lambert, Frithjof Schmidt, Raül Romeva i Rueda and Hélène Flautre, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on Sri Lanka (B6-0080/2009)

- Adam Bielan, Inese Vaidere, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Ryszard Czarnecki, Ewa Tomaszewska and Konrad Szymański, on behalf of the UEN Group, on Sri Lanka (B6-0088/2009)

II. Situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand

- Adamos Adamou, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides and Feleknas Uca, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0073/2009)

- Thomas Mann, Colm Burke, Tunne Kelam, Bernd Posselt and Charles Tannock, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0075/2009)

- Marco Cappato, Metin Kazak, Marios Matsakis and Jules Maaten, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0079/2009)

- Gintaras Didžiokas, Adam Bielan, Ryszard Czarnecki, Konrad Szymański, Ewa Tomaszewska, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Marcin Libicki, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski and Wojciech Roszkowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0082/2009)

- Pasqualina Napoletano, Glenys Kinnock and Catherine Stihler, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0084/2009)

- Frithjof Schmidt, Raül Romeva i Rueda and Hélène Flautre, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand (B6-0085/2009)

III. Brazil's refusal to extradite Cesare Battisti

- Mario Mauro, Bernd Posselt, Charles Tannock and Tunne Kelam, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on Brazil (B6-0076/2009)

- Pasqualina Napoletano, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the extradition of Cesare Battisti from Brazil to Italy (B6-0081/2009)

- Francis Wurtz, Giusto Catania, Roberto Musacchio, Vittorio Agnoletto, Umberto Guidoni and Vincenzo Aita, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the case of the Italian citizen Cesare Battisti (B6-0083/2009)

- Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the case of Cesare Battisti (B6-0086/2009)

- Cristiana Muscardini and Roberta Angelilli, on behalf of the UEN Group, on Brazil's refusal to extradite Cesare Battisti (B6-0087/2009)

- Gianluca Susta, Marco Cappato, Donato Tommaso Veraldi, Francesco Ferrari and Fabio Ciani, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the case of Cesare Battisti (B6-0089/2009)

Speaking time would be allocated in accordance with Rule 142.

4. Combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (debate)

Report: with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography [2008/2144(INI)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Roberta Angelilli (A6-0012/2009)

Roberta Angelilli introduced the report.

The following spoke: Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission).

The following spoke: Lissy Gröner (rapporteur for the opinion of the FEMM Committee), Edit Bauer, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Inger Segelström, on behalf of the PSE Group, Alexander Alvaro, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Bogusław Rogalski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jean Lambert, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Eva-Britt Svensson, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Johannes Blokland, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Roberto Fiore, Non-attached Member, Kinga Gál, Iratxe García Pérez, Siiri Oviir, Salvatore Tatarella, Luca Romagnoli, Manolis Mavrommatis, Katalin Lévai, Cristian Silviu Buşoi, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, Jaroslav Zvěřina, Proinsias De Rossa, Eoin Ryan, Carlos Coelho, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Urszula Gacek.

IN THE CHAIR: Rodi KRATSA-TSAGAROPOULOU
Vice-President

The following spoke: Mairead McGuinness.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Colm Burke, Marusya Ivanova Lyubcheva, Marios Matsakis, Ewa Tomaszewska, Miroslav Mikolášik, Rovana Plumb and Zuzana Roithová.

The following spoke: Jacques Barrot and Roberta Angelilli.

The debate closed.

Vote: minutes of 03.02.2009, item 6.9.

5. Sanctions against employers of illegally staying third-country nationals ***I (debate)

Report: on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council providing for sanctions against employers of illegally staying third-country nationals [COM(2007)0249 - C6-0143/2007 - 2007/0094(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Claudio Fava (A6-0026/2009)

Claudio Fava introduced the report.

The following spoke: Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission).

The following spoke: Edit Bauer (rapporteur for the opinion of the EMPL Committee), Esther De Lange (rapporteur for the opinion of the FEMM Committee), Simon Busuttil, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Stavros Lambrinidis, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jean Lambert, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giusto Catania, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nigel Farage, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Andreas Mölzer, Non-attached Member, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Inger Segelström and Ignasi Guardans Cambó.

IN THE CHAIR: Luisa MORGANTINI
Vice-President

The following spoke: Ewa Tomaszewska, Mary Lou McDonald, Johannes Blokland, Philip Claeys, Carlos Coelho, Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler, Alexander Alvaro, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Panayiotis Demetriou, Catherine Boursier, Olle Schmidt, Maria da Assunção Esteves, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Marek Aleksander Czarnecki, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Donata Gottardi, Patrick Gaubert, Genowefa Grabowska, Jörg Leichtfried, Daciana Octavia Sârbu, Yannick Vaugrenard, Richard Falbr, Corina Creţu and Sebastiano Sanzarello (rapporteur for the opinion of the AGRI Committee).

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Zuzana Roithová, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, Colm Burke, Genowefa Grabowska and Czesław Adam Siekierski.

The following spoke: Jacques Barrot and Claudio Fava.

The debate closed.

Vote: minutes of 04.02.2009, item 7.1.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS
Vice-President

6. Voting time

Details of voting (amendments, separate and split votes, etc.) appear in the Results of Votes annex to the minutes.

The results of roll-call votes are available in electronic form only, as an annex to the minutes, and can be accessed via Europarl.

6.1. Extension of the EC-USA agreement for scientific and technological cooperation * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America [COM(2008)0581 - C6-0392/2008 - 2008/0184(CNS)] - Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0006/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 1)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0032)

6.2. Renewal of the Agreement between the EC and Russia on cooperation in science and technology * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of an Agreement aimed at renewing the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and the Government of the Russian Federation [COM(2008)0728 - C6-0456/2008 - 2008/0209(CNS)] - Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0005/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 2)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0033)

6.3. Wilderness in Europe (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on Wilderness in Europe [2008/2210(INI)] - Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. Rapporteur: Gyula Hegyi (A6-0478/2008)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 3)

Gyula Hegyi (rapporteur) made a statement pursuant to Rule 131(4).

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0034)

6.4. Request for waiver of the immunity of Miloslav Ransdorf (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on the request for waiver of the immunity of Miloslav Ransdorf [2008/2176(IMM)] - Committee on Legal Affairs. Rapporteur: Aloyzas Sakalas (A6-0008/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item4)

PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0035)

6.5. General and business aviation (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on an Agenda for Sustainable Future in General and Business Aviation [2008/2134(INI)] - Committee on Transport and Tourism. Rapporteur: Luís Queiró (A6-0501/2008)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 5)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0036)

6.6. Pre-commercial procurement: driving innovation to ensure sustainable high quality public services in Europe (Rule 131) (vote)

Report: on the pre-commercial procurement: driving innovation to ensure sustainable high quality public services in Europe [2008/2139(INI)] - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Rapporteur: Malcolm Harbour (A6-0018/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 6)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2009)0037)

6.7. Second Strategic Energy Review (vote)

Report: on the Second Strategic Energy Review [2008/2239(INI)] - Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Rapporteur: Anne Laperrouze (A6-0013/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 7)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted (P6_TA(2009)0038)

6.8. Non-discrimination based on gender and inter-generational solidarity (vote)

Report: on the non-discrimination based on gender and inter-generational solidarity [2008/2118(INI)] - Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. Rapporteur: Anna Záborská (A6-0492/2008)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 8)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted (P6_TA(2009)0039)

The following spoke:

Before the vote, Zbigniew Zaleski requested explanations on paragraph 1, which Anna Záborská (rapporteur) provided.

6.9. Combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (vote)

Report: with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography [2008/2144(INI)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Roberta Angelilli (A6-0012/2009)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: 'Results of votes', Item 9)

PROPOSAL FOR A RECOMMENDATION

Adopted (P6_TA(2009)0040)

7. Explanations of vote

Written explanations of vote:

Explanations of vote submitted in writing under Rule 163(3) appear in the Verbatim Report of Proceedings for the sitting.

Oral explanations of vote:

Report: Gyula Hegyi - A6-0478/2008
Zuzana Roithová, Czesław Adam Siekierski and Miroslav Mikolášik

Report: Malcolm Harbour - A6-0018/2009
Zuzana Roithová

Report: Anne Laperrouze - A6-0013/2009
Jan Březina, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Jim Allister, Johannes Lebech, Danutė Budreikaitė, Avril Doyle and Mairead McGuinness

Report: Luís Queiró - A6-0501/2008
Nirj Deva

Report: Anna Záborská - A6-0492/2008
Zita Pleštinská, Zuzana Roithová, Miroslav Mikolášik, Ivo Strejček, Philip Claeys, Ewa Tomaszewska, Astrid Lulling and Nirj Deva

Report: Roberta Angelilli - A6-0012/2009
Jim Allister and Zuzana Roithová

8. Corrections to votes and voting intentions

Corrections to votes and voting intentions 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 and voting intentions will be finalised so that it can be translated and published in the Official Journal.

(The sitting was suspended at 13.00 and resumed at 15.00.)

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING
President

9. Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

The minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

°
° ° °

Den Dover had made it known that technical problems had prevented him from taking part in the roll-call votes of 17 December 2008.

10. Action taken on Parliament's positions and resolutions

The Commission communication on the action taken on the positions and resolutions adopted by Parliament at the September II 2008 part-session was available on the Séance en direct site.

11. Resettlement of Guantánamo prisoners - Alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners (debate)

Council and Commission statements: Resettlement of Guantánamo prisoners

Council and Commission statements: Alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners

Alexandr Vondra (President-in-Office of the Council) made the statement on the resettlement of Guantánamo prisoners.

Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission) made the statements on the resettlement of Guantánamo prisoners and on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners.

Alexandr Vondra made the statement on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners.

The following spoke: Hartmut Nassauer, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, and Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Marek SIWIEC
Vice-President

The following spoke: Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Konrad Szymański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Gabriele Zimmer, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nils Lundgren, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Koenraad Dillen, Non-attached Member, Nils Lundgren on the allocation of speaking time, Urszula Gacek, Claudio Fava, Sarah Ludford, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Cem Özdemir, Willy Meyer Pleite, Bruno Gollnisch, Carlos Coelho, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, Hélène Flautre, Jas Gawronski, Stavros Lambrinidis, Marco Cappato, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Elmar Brok, Ana Maria Gomes, Panayiotis Demetriou, Javier Moreno Sánchez and Bogusław Sonik.

IN THE CHAIR: Mario MAURO
Vice-President

The following spoke: Ria Oomen-Ruijten.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Ioannis Varvitsiotis, Genowefa Grabowska, Marie Anne Isler Béguin, Colm Burke, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Zuzana Roithová, Armando França, Charles Tannock, Alexandru Nazare, Reinhard Rack, Ville Itälä and Zbigniew Zaleski.

The following spoke: Alexandr Vondra and Jacques Barrot.

The debate closed.

Resettlement of Guantánamo prisoners

Motions for resolutions to wind up the debate tabled under Rule 103(2):

- Urszula Gacek, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the resettlement of prisoners at Guantánamo (B6-0066/2009)

- Martin Schulz and Claudio Fava, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the return and resettlement of the Guantánamo detention facility inmates (B6-0069/2009)

- Sarah Ludford, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, Marco Cappato and Anneli Jäätteenmäki, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Monica Frassoni, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, Jean Lambert, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Cem Özdemir and Hélène Flautre, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giusto Catania, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Miguel Portas, Vittorio Agnoletto, Jens Holm and Willy Meyer Pleite, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on Guantánamo (B6-0070/2009)

Vote: minutes of 04.02.2009, item 7.3.

Alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners

The motions for resolutions to be tabled under Rule 103(2) would be announced in the House at a later time.

Vote: next part-session.

12. Worrying situation in the retention centres for immigrants, especially in the islands of Mayotte and Lampedusa (debate)

Council and Commission statements: Worrying situation in the retention centres for immigrants, especially in the islands of Mayotte and Lampedusa

Alexandr Vondra (President-in-Office of the Council) and Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission) made the statements.

The following spoke: Margie Sudre, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Claudio Fava, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Cristiana Muscardini, on behalf of the UEN Group, Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giusto Catania, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Johannes Blokland, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Koenraad Dillen, Non-attached Member, Stefano Zappalà, Martine Roure, Roberta Angelilli, Nils Lundgren, Maddalena Calia, Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler and Mario Borghezio.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Paul Rübig, Simon Busuttil, Roberto Fiore and Reinhard Rack.

The following spoke: Alexandr Vondra and Jacques Barrot.

The debate closed.

IN THE CHAIR: Diana WALLIS
Vice-President

13. Question Time (Commission)

Parliament considered a number of questions to the Commission (B6-0006/2009).

Part one

Question 33 (Armando França): Award procedures for public works, public supply, and public service contracts in the field of defence and security.

Charlie McCreevy (Member of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by Armando França and Mairead McGuinness.

Question 34 (David Martin): EU-Israel trade relations.

Siim Kallas (Vice-President of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by David Martin, Jim Allister and Reinhard Rack.

Question 35 (Bogusław Sonik): Internet safety programme.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Bogusław Sonik, Jörg Leichtfried and Paul Rübig.

Part two

Question 36 (Ingeborg Gräßle): Special adviser Richard Boomer and the Heysel site.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Ingeborg Gräßle and Markus Pieper.

Question 37 (Liam Aylward): Euro note and coin counterfeiting.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Liam Aylward, Manolis Mavrommatis and Gay Mitchell.

Question 38 (Gay Mitchell): Efficient spending of the EU budget.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Gay Mitchell, Justas Vincas Paleckis and Silvia-Adriana Ţicău.

Question 39 (Manuel Medina Ortega): Agreements with Andean Community countries.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Manuel Medina Ortega and Reinhard Rack.

Question 40 (Avril Doyle): The removal of the PMOI from the EU's Terrorist List.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Avril Doyle and Andreas Mölzer.

Question 41 (Seán Ó Neachtain): Future EU-Iceland relations.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Seán Ó Neachtain, Andreas Mölzer and Avril Doyle.

Question 50 (Marian Harkin): Demography report.

Vladimír Špidla (Member of the Commission) answered the question and a supplementary by Marian Harkin.

Question 52 (Brian Crowley): Poverty in the European Union.

Vladimír Špidla answered the question and a supplementary by Eoin Ryan (deputising for the author).

Questions which had not been answered for lack of time would receive written answers (see annex to the Verbatim Report of Proceedings).

Commission Question Time closed.

(The sitting was suspended at 19.30 and resumed at 21.00.)

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS
Vice-President

14. Protection of minorities in Europe (debate)

Oral question (O-0002/2009) by Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Hannes Swoboda, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Véronique De Keyser, Katrin Saks and Claude Moraes, on behalf of the PSE Group, to the Commission: Protection of traditional national, ethnic and immigrant minorities in Europe. (B6-0005/2009)

Csaba Sándor Tabajdi moved the oral question.

Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Rihards Pīks, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Katalin Lévai, on behalf of the PSE Group, Henrik Lax, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, on behalf of the UEN Group, Mikel Irujo Amezaga, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Kathy Sinnott, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Sergej Kozlík, Non-attached Member, Kinga Gál, Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop, István Szent-Iványi, László Tőkés, Patrick Louis, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Monika Beňová, Tatjana Ždanoka, Edit Bauer, Corina Creţu, Josu Ortuondo Larrea, Daniel Petru Funeriu, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Csaba Sógor, Gábor Harangozó, Michl Ebner and Katrin Saks.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Rareş-Lucian Niculescu, Flaviu Călin Rus, Nicodim Bulzesc, Alexandru Nazare, Adrian Severin, Dragoş Florin David, Iuliu Winkler, Miloš Koterec and Christopher Beazley.

The following spoke: Csaba Sándor Tabajdi and Jacques Barrot.

Le débat est clos.

15. Voting rights for non-citizens of Latvia in local elections (debate)

Oral question (O-0007/2009) by David Hammerstein, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Alexandra Dobolyi, on behalf of the PSE Group, Willy Meyer Pleite, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, and Marian Harkin, on behalf of the ALDE Group, to the Commission: Voting rights for non-citizens of Latvia in local elections (B6-0007/2009)

David Hammerstein, Alexandra Dobolyi and Willy Meyer Pleite moved the oral question.

The following spoke: Christopher Beazley and Willy Meyer Pleite on the conduct of the debate.

Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Rihards Pīks, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Proinsias De Rossa, on behalf of the PSE Group, Georgs Andrejevs, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, on behalf of the UEN Group, Tatjana Ždanoka, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Christopher Beazley, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Inese Vaidere and Roberts Zīle.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Henrik Lax and Paul Rübig.

The following spoke: Jacques Barrot.

The debate closed.

16. Agenda of the next sitting

The agenda of the next day's sitting had been established ('Agenda' PE 419.079/OJME).

17. Closure of the sitting

The sitting closed at 22.55.

The following signed:

Adamou, Agnoletto, Aita, Albertini, Allister, Alvaro, Andersson, Andrejevs, Andrikienė, Angelakas, Angelilli, Antinucci, Antochi, Antoniozzi, Arif, Arnaoutakis, Ashworth, Assis, Atkins, Attard-Montalto, Attwooll, Aubert, Audy, Auken, Ayala Sender, Aylward, Ayuso, Baco, Badia i Cutchet, Barón Crespo, Barsi-Pataky, Bartolozzi, Basile, Battilocchio, Batzeli, Bauer, Beaupuy, Beazley, Becsey, Bedingfield, Beer, Belder, Belet, Belohorská, Bennahmias, Beňová, Berend, Berès, Berger, Berlato, Berlinguer, Berman, Bielan, Birutis, Blokland, Bodu, Böge, Bösch, Bono, Bonsignore, Borghezio, Borrell Fontelles, Boso, Boştinaru, Botopoulos, Boursier, Bowis, Bozkurt, Bradbourn, Braghetto, Brejc, Brepoels, Breyer, Březina, Brie, Brok, Budreikaitė, Buitenweg, Bulfon, Bullmann, Bulzesc, van den Burg, Burke, Bushill-Matthews, Busk, Buşoi, Busuttil, Buzek, Cabrnoch, Calia, Callanan, Camre, Capoulas Santos, Cappato, Carlotti, Carnero González, Carollo, Casa, Casini, del Castillo Vera, Catania, Cavada, Cederschiöld, Cercas, Chatzimarkakis, Chichester, Chiesa, Chiriţă, Chmielewski, Christensen, Chruszcz, Chukolov, Ciani, Claeys, Clark, Cocilovo, Coelho, Cohn-Bendit, Colman, Corbett, Corbey, Corda, Paolo Costa, Cottigny, Coûteaux, Cramer, Cremers, Corina Creţu, Crowley, Csibi, Marek Aleksander Czarnecki, Dăianu, Dăncilă, Daul, David, Davies, De Blasio, de Brún, Degutis, Dehaene, De Keyser, Demetriou, De Michelis, Denanot, Deprez, De Rossa, De Sarnez, Descamps, Deß, Deva, De Veyrac, De Vits, Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Dičkutė, Dillen, Dimitrakopoulos, Dobolyi, Dombrovskis, Donnici, Doorn, Douay, Dover, Doyle, Drčar Murko, Droutsas, Duchoň, Dührkop Dührkop, Duff, Duka-Zólyomi, Dumitriu, Ebner, Ek, El Khadraoui, Esteves, Estrela, Ettl, Jonathan Evans, Robert Evans, Färm, Fajmon, Falbr, Farage, Fatuzzo, Fava, Fazakas, Ferber, Fernandes, Fernández Martín, Ferrari, Anne Ferreira, Elisa Ferreira, Figueiredo, Fiore, Fjellner, Flasarová, Flautre, Florenz, Foglietta, Foltyn-Kubicka, Fontaine, Ford, Fouré, Fourtou, Fraga Estévez, França, Frassoni, Freitas, Friedrich, Funeriu, Gacek, Gahler, Gál, Gaľa, Garcés Ramón, García-Margallo y Marfil, García Pérez, Gardini, Gargani, Garriga Polledo, Gaubert, Gauzès, Gawronski, Gebhardt, Georgiou, Geringer de Oedenberg, Gewalt, Gibault, Gierek, Giertych, Gill, Giuntini, Gklavakis, Glattfelder, Goebbels, Goepel, Golik, Gollnisch, Gomes, Gomolka, Gottardi, Grabowska, Grabowski, Graça Moura, Graefe zu Baringdorf, Gräßle, de Grandes Pascual, Grau i Segú, Grech, Griesbeck, Gröner, de Groen-Kouwenhoven, Groote, Grosch, Grossetête, Guardans Cambó, Guellec, Guerreiro, Guidoni, Gurmai, Gutiérrez-Cortines, Guy-Quint, Gyürk, Hänsch, Hall, Hammerstein, Hamon, Handzlik, Hannan, Harangozó, Harbour, Harkin, Hasse Ferreira, Hassi, Haug, Heaton-Harris, Hedh, Hegyi, Helmer, Hénin, Hennicot-Schoepges, Hennis-Plasschaert, Herczog, Herranz García, Herrero-Tejedor, Hieronymi, Higgins, Hökmark, Holm, Hołowczyc, Honeyball, Hoppenstedt, Horáček, Howitt, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hybášková, Hyusmenova, Ibrisagic, Iotova, Irujo Amezaga, Isler Béguin, Itälä, Iturgaiz Angulo, Jackson, Jacobs, Jäätteenmäki, Jałowiecki, Janowski, Jarzembowski, Jeggle, Jensen, Jöns, Jørgensen, Jonckheer, Jordan Cizelj, Jouye de Grandmaison, Juknevičienė, Juri, Kacin, Kaczmarek, Kallenbach, Kamall, Karas, Karim, Kasoulides, Kastler, Kaufmann, Kazak, Tunne Kelam, Kindermann, Kinnock, Kirilov, Kirkhope, Klamt, Klaß, Klinz, Knapman, Koch, Koch-Mehrin, Kohlíček, Konrad, Koppa, Kósáné Kovács, Koterec, Kozlík, Krahmer, Krasts, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Krehl, Kreissl-Dörfler, Kristovskis, Krupa, Kuc, Kuhne, Kušķis, Kusstatscher, Kuźmiuk, Lagendijk, Laignel, Lamassoure, Lambert, Lambrinidis, Lambsdorff, Lang, De Lange, Langen, Langendries, Laperrouze, Lauk, Lavarra, Lax, Lebech, Lechner, Le Foll, Lefrançois, Lehideux, Lehne, Lehtinen, Leichtfried, Leinen, Marine Le Pen, Le Rachinel, Lévai, Lewandowski, Liberadzki, Libicki, Lichtenberger, Lienemann, Liese, Liotard, Lo Curto, López-Istúriz White, Losco, Louis, Lucas, Ludford, Lulling, Lundgren, Luque Aguilar, Lynne, Lyubcheva, Maaten, McAvan, McCarthy, McDonald, McGuinness, McMillan-Scott, Madeira, Maldeikis, Maňka, Erika Mann, Thomas Mann, Manole, Marinescu, Marini, Markov, Marques, Martens, David Martin, Hans-Peter Martin, Martinez, Martínez Martínez, Masiel, Masip Hidalgo, Maštálka, Mathieu, Matsakis, Matsouka, Matula, Mauro, Mavrommatis, Mayer, Mayor Oreja, Medina Ortega, Meijer, Méndez de Vigo, Menéndez del Valle, Meyer Pleite, Miguélez Ramos, Mikko, Mikolášik, Millán Mon, Mitchell, Mölzer, Mohácsi, Moraes, Moreno Sánchez, Morgan, Morgantini, Morillon, Elisabeth Morin, Mulder, Musacchio, Muscardini, Mussa, Myller, Napoletano, Naranjo Escobar, Nassauer, Nattrass, Nazare, Newton Dunn, Neyts-Uyttebroeck, Nicholson, Nicholson of Winterbourne, Niculescu, Niebler, van Nistelrooij, Novak, Obiols i Germà, Öger, Özdemir, Olbrycht, Ó Neachtain, Onesta, Onyszkiewicz, Oomen-Ruijten, Ortuondo Larrea, Őry, Oviir, Paasilinna, Pack, Paleckis, Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Panayotov, Pannella, Panzeri, Papadimoulis, Paparizov, Papastamkos, Parish, Paşcu, Patrie, Peillon, Pęk, Alojz Peterle, Petre, Pflüger, Pieper, Pietikäinen, Pīks, Pinheiro, Pinior, Piotrowski, Pittella, Pleguezuelos Aguilar, Pleštinská, Plumb, Podestà, Podkański, Pöttering, Pohjamo, Poignant, Polfer, Pomés Ruiz, Popa, Posdorf, Posselt, Prets, Pribetich, Vittorio Prodi, Protasiewicz, Purvis, Queiró, Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Rack, Raeva, Ransdorf, Rapkay, Rasmussen, Remek, Resetarits, Reul, Ribeiro e Castro, Riera Madurell, Ries, Riis-Jørgensen, Rivera, Rizzo, Robusti, Rodust, Rogalski, Roithová, Romagnoli, Romeva i Rueda, Rosati, Roszkowski, Rothe, Rouček, Roure, Rovsing, Rübig, Rühle, Rus, Rutowicz, Ryan, Sacconi, Saïfi, Sakalas, Saks, Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Salinas García, Sánchez Presedo, dos Santos, Sanzarello, Sanz Palacio, Sârbu, Saryusz-Wolski, Savary, Savi, Schaldemose, Schapira, Schierhuber, Schinas, Schlyter, Frithjof Schmidt, Olle Schmidt, Schmitt, Schnellhardt, Schöpflin, Jürgen Schröder, Schroedter, Schulz, Schuth, Schwab, Seeber, Segelström, Seppänen, Severin, Siekierski, Siitonen, Silva Peneda, Simpson, Sinnott, Siwiec, Skinner, Smith, Sógor, Sommer, Sonik, Sornosa Martínez, Soulage, Sousa Pinto, Spautz, Speroni, Staes, Staniszewska, Starkevičiūtė, Šťastný, Stavreva, Sterckx, Stevenson, Stihler, Stockmann, Stolojan, Stoyanov, Strejček, Strož, Sturdy, Sudre, Sumberg, Surján, Susta, Svensson, Swoboda, Szájer, Szejna, Szent-Iványi, Szymański, Tabajdi, Tannock, Tarand, Tatarella, Teychenné, Thomsen, Ţicău, Toia, Tőkés, Tomaszewska, Tomczak, Toubon, Toussas, Trakatellis, Trautmann, Triantaphyllides, Trüpel, Turmes, Tzampazi, Uca, Ulmer, Urutchev, Vaidere, Vakalis, Vălean, Van Lancker, Van Orden, Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, Varvitsiotis, Vaugrenard, Veneto, Ventre, Veraldi, Vergnaud, Vernola, Vidal-Quadras, Vigenin, Virrankoski, Visser, Vlasák, Voggenhuber, Wagenknecht, Wallis, Walter, Watson, Henri Weber, Manfred Weber, Renate Weber, Weiler, Weisgerber, Whittaker, Wieland, Wielowieyski, Wiersma, Wijkman, Willmott, Iuliu Winkler, Wise, von Wogau, Wohlin, Bernard Wojciechowski, Janusz Wojciechowski, Wortmann-Kool, Wurtz, Yañez-Barnuevo García, Záborská, Zahradil, Zaleski, Zani, Zapałowski, Zappalà, Zatloukal, Ždanoka, Zdravkova, Železný, Zieleniec, Zīle, Zimmer, Zvěřina, Zwiefka