The Week Ahead: European Parliament session 15-18 May 2006

 MEPs meet in Strasbourg next week for the next European Parliament plenary session. Highlights of the agenda include:

• Healthy food claims - 2nd reading of Regulation (Mon - debate);
• Marco Polo - freight transport - 1st reading (Tues debate);
• Mahmoud Abbas - Palestinian Authority (Tues 11am UK time);
• Bulgaria/Romania EU accession - Commission statement (Tues);
• EU budget 2007-2013 (Institutional agreement - (Weds).

 

Healthy food claims - (debate Mon; vote Tues/Weds)

What nutritional and health claims can legally be made on foods and drinks? This is the subject of MEPs' main debate on Monday as they reach their 2nd reading of the proposed EU Regulation. The key idea of the Regulation is that there should be clear definitions for claims such as 'low fat', 'high fibre' or even 'reduces cholesterol'.

Among the changes made since the proposal was first tabled:

• taking into account the consumer's overall diet/intake rather than saying that a 'low fat' claim, for example, should also mean low sugar and salt;
• a register of what health claims have been authorised and how these are defined;
• trademarks and brand names rarely sold outside national markets can apply for exemption through the European Commission;
• products targeting children have to go through a special authorisation procedure.

Informal negotiations between MEPs and the Council of Ministers suggest that the text of the Regulation could be agreed at this 2nd reading, meaning that it could begin to apply before the end of the year (6 months after publication in the EU Official Journal).

[ For a link to the report and amendments adopted in committee, please use the Legislative Observatory - aka OEIL. ].

 

Marco Polo

Reducing road freight transport is the aim of the proposed Marco Polo II programme, due for its 1st reading on Tuesday.

The first Marco Polo programme (from 2003-2006) aimed at shifting the increase in road freight transport to alternative modes. The proposal for a 2nd programme aims now to reduce the volume of international road freight by looking at motorways of the sea and other traffic avoidance measures - it also focuses more on the new Member States of the EU. It should receive €740m over the seven years 2007-2013.

At committee stage, MEPs adopted amendments lowering the financial thresholds for companies to be eligible for support and sought to give greater emphasis to environmental aspects.

[ For a link to the amendments and report adopted in the Transport Committee, please use the OEIL ].

 

Mahmoud Abbas

The President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, will make a formal address to the European Parliament on Tuesday at 11am UK time. Events in the Middle East forced President Abbas to cancel his scheduled visit in March. Recent headlines on EU aid to the Palestinian Authority mean that his words will be listened to with all the more interest this month.

 

Bulgaria/Romania - EU accession

Tuesday afternoon’s session is devoted to the issue of whether or not Bulgaria and Romania will be able to join the EU on schedule next January. The European Commission is due to give its view on the two countries’ readiness. If they can join in 2007, the Commission must decide whether they should be placed under some sort of surveillance for issues such as judicial reform. The European Parliament has already given its formal assent to both countries’ accession. Romanian and Bulgarian observers are already able to attend parliamentary sessions.

 

EU budget 2007-2013

Agreement was reached in April between the European Parliament, Council and Commission on the level of funding in the EU budget for the seven years from 2007 to 2013. MEPs are set to give their views in Wednesday morning’s debate and vote prior to the formal signing of the agreement between the three EU institutions.

For a breakdown of how the extra monies agreed in April will be distributed among the different budget headings, see link to Europarl press story

Also part of Wednesday’s debate will be a further agreement on improving the financial management of the EU’s budget. This covers not only how the EU institutions should better co-operate on future budgetary matters, but also how to work towards improved reporting and accounting of EU monies spent, with a view to achieving a positive Statement of Assurance in the annual Court of Auditors review.

 

UK MEPs

> Richard Howitt MEP - Eastern Region, Labour - Human rights in the world

Richard Howitt MEP will lead Wednesday afternoon’s debate on human rights in the world. Instead of producing a catalogue of offending countries, the report this year focuses on how the EU could improve its monitoring of human rights, in particular with better linkage to its trade policies. One suggestion is that the EU should draw up every year a list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ so that a clear system of sanctions can be applied where a country violates the human rights clauses in EU agreements. [ Link to the report via OEIL ].

 

> Michael Cashman MEP - West Midlands, Labour - Anti-homophobia, 17 May

Michael Cashman MEP, in his capacity as president of the all-party Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, will be hosting a seminar on Wednesday evening to mark International Day Against Homophobia. It is not on the agenda of the full Parliament but will be taking place in the European Parliament's Strasbourg buildings. Among the expert speakers at the seminar is Helen McNamee, of the Rainbow Project, Belfast.

 

> Arlene McCarthy MEP - North West, Labour - Impact of EU legislation

Arlene McCarthy MEP (Labour, North West) led the debate at the last Strasbourg session on better regulation. The resolution on her report is due for adoption on Tuesday. In April’s debate, the following MEPs from the UK spoke: Arlene McCarthy (Lab, NW); Malcolm Harbour (Cons, West Midlands); Diana Wallis (Lib Dem, Yorks & Humber); and Alyn Smith (SNP, Scotland). The report suggests, among other ideas, that the EU institutions (Parliament, Council and Commission) set up their own ‘better regulation taskforces’.

 

> James Elles MEP - South East, Conservative - 2007 strategy

James Elles MEP (Cons, South East) will lead the debate on the European Commission’s annual policy strategy for 2007. As the Parliament’s rapporteur on the Commission budget for 2007, James Elles will be monitoring how the Commission’s strategy and later its work programme tie in to the funds available for next year.

 

> Giles Chichester MEP - South West, Conservative - Community Energy Treaty

Giles Chichester MEP (Cons, SW) will lead Tuesday's debate on the Energy Community Treaty. This was signed last October between the EU and nine non-EU countries of south-eastern Europe, with a view to creating an internal market in energy and enabling those countries to implement EU rules in the field. The European Parliament's formal assent is needed before the Treaty can come into force and some MEPs have concerns about the future role of the European Parliament under the terms of the treaty.

 

Other legislation and EU funding programmes

 

Vitamin additives

MEPs have their 2nd reading of the proposed Regulation on vitamin and mineral additives to food (debate: Monday). A number of the amendments from Parliament's 1st reading have been re-tabled, including: that the Regulation should contain a definition of recommended daily intake; labelling should be expressed not only in terms of quantity but also as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance.

Amendments adopted in committee also seek to introduce a degree of flexibility about the cut-off date for selling products not complying with the Regulation. Instead of the maximum 29 months in the Council's position, MEPs are proposing that such products can be marketed 'until all stocks have been sold off'. Parliament also proposes that the Commission should hold consultations with interested parties before setting more detailed rules on maximum amounts for the various vitamins and minerals.

For a link to the report and amendments adopted at committee stage, please use the OEIL.

 

BSE protection measures

On Tuesday, MEPs will have their 1st reading debate on measures to protect against BSE and similar diseases, updating existing EU rules from 2001. Among the amendments agreed at the committee stage is one aimed at defining surveillance standards so that a more flexible testing scheme can be introduced where scientific evidence allows it.

Another confirms the existing ban on animal protein in cattle feed but allows for tolerance of insignificant levels where animal feed is inadvertently contaminated.

For a link to the report and amendments adopted at committee stage, please use the OEIL.

This is the 1st reading in the codecision procedure. If the Council of Ministers accepts all amendments adopted in Strasbourg, the proposal could be adopted at 1st reading. If not, it will return for a 2nd reading at a later stage.

 

Solidarity Fund

The renewed EU Solidarity Fund, to run from 2007, is set for discussion on Thursday morning. Originally set up in 2002 following major floods in Central Europe, the Fund has been used so far to compensate for the costs of damage from fires, floods, earthquakes and the Prestige oil slick in Spain. There have been no applications from the UK for monies under this Fund.

MEPs are calling for more flexibility in determining the threshold of damages below which funding cannot be granted. Amendments also seek to broaden the types of emergencies which can lead to assistance from the Fund, proposing to add public health crises and acts of terrorism to the more usual floods, fires, earthquakes etc.

 

Funding development co-operation

The future funding of EU development co-operation is up for discussion on Wednesday. The Framework Regulation is due for its 1st reading, but MEPs want a fundamental shift in approach so that the European Parliament does not lose its right to determine specific priorities for funding under different thematic headings. Key amendments adopted by the Development Committee therefore change the Regulation into one giving only overall guidelines and criteria for funding, leaving the specifics to future proposals (Under the Commission's current proposal, all specific areas for funding would be agreed only by Commission committees of experts.)

Unless the Council of Ministers agrees to all the Parliament adopted amendments, the proposal will return for a 2nd reading at a later stage.

 

Funding EU neighbourhood policy

MEPs will be debating the framework for funding of the EU's Neighbourhood Policy for relations with adjoining countries in the east and south (Wednesday). The vote on the 1st reading of the proposed Regulation will take place at the June session in Strasbourg.

 

Standardisation

MEPs will be voting on the legal framework Decision allowing EU funds to assist the work of European standards bodies (The British Standards Institute is the UK member of the European standards bodies CEN/CENELEC). Many of the amendments adopted at the committee stage aim to make it easier for small businesses to comply with European standards rules. Debate: Tuesday.

 

VAT on services

On Tuesday MEPs are due to adopt their position on the proposed changes to rules governing VAT on supply of services. The aim of the proposal is that tax should be paid in line with where the customer is based rather than at rates based on the supplier's home country. Six largely technical amendments were adopted at the committee stage. The Parliament is only consulted on this proposal and the final say remains with the Council of Ministers.

 

OTHER ISSUES

• Natural disasters : Natural disasters are the subject of Thursday morning’s key debate. Fires and floods on continental Europe were what triggered this set of parliamentary reports, but the UK too has had its own share of floods in recent years, notably Carlisle and Boscastle, and, with drought now in prospect this summer, another UK angle beckons. Among the proposals put forward by the Regional Development Committee is the setting up of a European Civil Protection Force and a Monitoring Centre for Drought and Desertification.

• Eels : Eel stocks are now so low that they have fallen below safe biological limits. On Monday evening MEPs will debate a Commission proposal to ban fishing for eel for 15 days in every month. MEPs suggest instead cutting the length of the eel catching season by half where Member States have not drawn up a conservation plan. Final say on this remains with the Council of Ministers.

• Fisheries agreements: An EU fisheries agreement with Morocco is up for debate on Monday evening. It will mostly affect French, Spanish and Portuguese vessels, but some northern European fleets will be concerned. Controversy surrounds the issue of waters off the coast of Western Sahara. The Fisheries Committee took the view that it was for Morocco, which actually administers the territory, to ensure that benefits from fishing operations along the coast of Western Sahara contribute to the welfare of local people; some members, however, wished to see these waters excluded.

• Bolivian President: Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, will address MEPs in a formal sitting at the opening of Parliament on Monday afternoon. Following his recent declarations on Bolivia’s natural gas reserves, his words will be of particular interest to the energy industry.

• Greek President: The President of Greece, Karolos Papoulias, will make a formal address to MEPs on Wednesday, 11am UK time

Full information can be found in "The Briefing" at: http://www.europarl.eu.int/news/expert/tous_les_briefing/default/default_en.htm

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