UK Office of the European Parliament

 

EP News, February 23rd, 2007 (No. 295)

 

The Week Ahead in the European Parliament

 

Highlights of the week in committee include

  • Maritime package - 1st reading - obligations of flag states; civil liabilities of ship-owners; maritime accident investigation - Transport Cttee;
  • Flood assessment rules - 2nd reading - Environment Cttee;
  • Security at football matches - adoption report - Civil Liberties Cttee;
  • Intellectual property rights - criminal measures - 1st reading - Legal Affairs Cttee.

 

UK MEPs

  • Baroness Nicholson MEP (Lib Dem, South East) - Kashmir (Foreign Affairs cttee) - debating amendments;
  • Malcolm Harbour MEP (Cons, West Midlands) - draft 2nd reading type-approval vehicles (Internal Market Cttee);
  • Baroness Ludford MEP (Lib Dem, London) - Visa information (Civil Liberties Cttee) - debating amendments;
  • Robert Sturdy MEP (Cons, Eastern) - economic partnership agreements - (International Trade Cttee) - adoption report.

 

Public hearings

  • Sarah Ludford MEP rapporteur - Community Code on Visas - Civil Liberties Cttee, 28 Feb - experts from Home Office, UK Visas and European Tour Operators Assoc.;
  • Sport in education - 28 Feb - Culture Cttee - experts include Prof. Hardman of Worcester Uni on minorities in sport;
  • Energy Policy for Europe - 27 Feb, Industry/Energy Cttee - expert evidence from Andrew Warren of European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency;
  • Foreign Policy on Energy - 28 Feb, Foreign Affairs Cttee - experts include Zeyno Baran of Hudson Inst. Washington;
  • Eurozone - converging or drifting apart? - 28 Feb - Economic Cttee - experts include Ngair Woods of Uni College, Oxford; Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB President;
  • Reconciliation family life and studies - 27 Feb - Women's Rights Cttee;
  • Micro-credit - 27 Feb - Budgets Cttee.

 

Petitions

  • Exmouth Citizens Forum petition on wildlife affected by proposed supermarket development in East Devon;
  • Diana Wallis MEP (Lib Dem, Yorks & Humber) report on petition concerning US bomber crash in Greenland;
  • Recognition of British teaching diplomas in France.

 

Committee meetings

Note to readers: A new column appears in the table below, with the type of legislation at hand. Where available, a link to the factsheet on the European Parliament's Legislative Observatory (the 'OEIL') is also included: OEIL files often contain a summary of the successive stages of the legislative procedure, and links to the original proposal. [ For a quick reminder of the different types of European laws, please check this link on the Commission's website, Europa ].

Edited committee agenda below, with links to full agenda on www.europarl.eu.int, and working documents on the committees' websites:

Committee in charge
Date of meeting
Link to full agenda
Link to Committee
 
Title of procedure
MEP in charge
Type of procedure
Stage of procedure
Proposed Act / OEIL
AFET - Foreign Affairs [ list ] 26-28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
Kashmir: present situation and future prospects Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (ALDE) Own initiative Consideration of compromise amendments OEIL
Report by Ms Neena GILL, Chairperson of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the SAARC, on the 6th interparliamentary meeting EP / National Assembly of Pakistan on 15-23 December 2006 - - - -
Presentation of the Annual UNDP Arab Human Development Report by Ms Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director, Regional Bureau for Arab States
- - - -
Exchange of views with Mr Erwan Fouéré, EU Special Representative in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Head of EC Delegation in FYROM
- - - -

28 February: PUBLIC HEARING
Towards a Common Foreign Policy on Energy ?

- - -
- - - -
-
SEDE - Subcommittee on Security and Defence [ list ] 28 February - 1 March 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
In the presence of the Council and the European Commission - - - -
Meeting of NATO Foreign Affairs Ministers (26 January 2007) and informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers (8-9 February 2007) - Kosovo and Afghanistan - Exchange of views with Ambassador Martin ERDMANN, Assistant Secretary General of NATO (in the presence of the Delegation for relations with NATO-PA)
- - - -
European concept for support to disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration - Exchange of views with Mr Hugh GRIFFITHS, investigations consultant - - - -
Private security companies: their role in crisis management and humanitarian aid - Exchange of views - - - -
German presidency of COARM - Exchange of views with Mr Cyrill Jean NUNN, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs - - - -
Exchange of views with Mrs Annalisa GIANNELLA, Mr Solana's Personal Representative on Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction - - - -
Civil/Military Cell and Operations Centre - Exchange of views with Brigadier General BRAUSS, Director of the Civil/Military Cell - - - -
- - - - -
DROI - Subcommittee on Human Rights [ list ] 28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2006 and the EU's policy on the matter Simon Coveney (PPE-DE) Non legislative Consideration of draft report OEIL
Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child Irena Belohorská (NI)   initial exchange of views OEIL
Exchange of views on the human rights situation in Uzbekistan - review of the sanctions adopted by the General Affairs Council
       
- - - - -
BUDG - Budgets [ list ] 26-27 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
BUDGET 2008 Kyösti Virrankoski (ALDE) Budget Presentation of 1st working document and, possibly, 1st discussion on APS OEIL
2008 budget guidelines - other sections Ville Itälä (EPP-ED) Budget 1st exchange of views in the presence of the Secretary General of the EP OEIL
The future of the European Union's own resources Alain Lamassoure (EPP-ED) - 2nd exchange of views OEIL
- - - - -
LEGISLATIVE REPORTS - - - -
Repeal of Council Regulation (EC) No 2040/2000 of 26 September 2000 on budgetary discipline Janusz Lewandowski (EPP-ED) Consultation Consideration and adoption of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Community participation in the capital increase of the European Investment Fund Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) Consultation Presentation of a draft report Decision - OEIL
- - - - -
BUDGET 2007 - - - -
2007 budget: Section III - Commission James Elles (EPP-ED) Budget Consideration and adoption of a transfer requests DEC 1 - Other possible transfer requests -
2007 budget - Other Sections Louis Grech (PSE) Budget Consideration of transfer requests : Parliament C 1/2007 - Other possible transfer requests -
- - - - -
BUILDING POLICY        
- European Parliament: Sports Centre
- Court of Auditors: Extension of K3 building
Jan Mulder (ALDE) - - -
HEARING ON MICRO-CREDITS 27 February 2007 10:30-12:30
- - -
- - - - -

CONT - Budgetary Control [ list ]

27-28 Feb - 1 March 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
Presentation of the European Court of Auditors' work programme 2007 by the President of the Court, Mr Hubert Weber
- - - -
The European Court of Auditors' Special Report 11/2006 on the Community Transit System - Presentation by Mr Juan Ramallo Massanet, Member of the Court responsible for own resources
Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) - - -
Minimising administrative costs imposed by legislation Jan Mulder (ALDE) - Consideration of a draft report (possibly) OEIL
Fact-finding mission to Romania of 18-21 September 2006: presentation of the findings by the chairman of the delegation, Mr Herbert Bösch (PSE) - - - -
Presentation of a study on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities - - - -

2005 Discharge: Agencies

European Environment Agency; European Agency for Reconstruction; European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training; European Food Safety Authority; European Training Foundation; Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union; European Agency for Networks and Information Security; European Centre for Disease prevention and control (ECDC); European Aviation Safety Agency; European Maritime Safety Agency; Eurojust; European Medicines Agency; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction; European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia; European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.

- Discharge Consideration of draft reports -

2005 discharge: Other Institutions

EC general budget, Council; EC general budget, Court of Justice; EC general budget, Court of Auditors; EC general budget, Economic and Social Committee; EC general budget, Committee of the Regions; EC general budget, European Ombudsman; EC general budget, European Data Protection Supervisor

- Discharge Consideration of draft reports -
Exchange of views with the Supervisory Committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
- - - -
Oral evidence by the European Commission's Accounting Officer, Mr Brian Gray, to the House of Lords' Inquiry into the Management and Audit of EC Expenditure and Accounts. Member responsible: Ashley Mote (ITS). Exchange of views - - - -
MEDA and financial support to Palestine - evaluation, implementation and control Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP-ED) Own initiative Consideration of a draft report OEIL
2005 discharge: EC general budget, European Parliament Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) Discharge Consideration of a draft report OEIL
2005 Discharge: presentation of the Council Recommendation by the Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Karl Diller - - - -
2005 discharge: EC general budget, Section III, Commission Salvador Garriga Polledo (EPP-ED) Discharge Consideration of a draft report -
Discharge for 2005: sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth European Development Funds Mogens N.J. Camre (UEN) Discharge Consideration of a draft report -
Contracts for the provision of technical services in the audiovisual sector of the European Parliament - Exchange of views with the EP administration
- - - -
- - - -
--
DEVE - Development [ list ] 27 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
With the Council and Commission: - - - -
Meeting with Louis Michel, Member of the Commission for development and humanitarian aid, on subjects including Parliament’s right of scrutiny over the Development Cooperation Instrument, documents on a cooperation strategy concerning the ACP countries and the joint EU-Africa strategy - Exchange of views - - - -
An EU regional political partnership for peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa - Exchange in the presence of Nicholas Grono, Vice-Chair of the International Crisis Group Filip Kaczmarek (EPP-ED) Non legislative Consideration of a second working document OEIL
Parliament’s right of scrutiny concerning the Development Cooperation Instrument
- Results of the coordinators’ meeting of 12 February 2007
- Thematic strategy papers:
. Presentation by the Commission
. Decision on procedure
- - - -
Local authorities and development cooperation Pierre Schapira (PSE) Own initiative Adoption of draft report OEIL

Parliament’s right of scrutiny concerning the Development Cooperation Instrument

- Comitology: follow-up to the resolution adopted at the February part-session in Strasbourg

- Reports by the four working parties:
. Working party A: Central, East and South-East Asia
. Working party B: South and West Asia
. Working party C: Northern and Central Latin America
. Working party D: Southern Latin America

- Dialogue relating to the right of democratic scrutiny:
. possibly adoption of a draft letter to Louis Michel and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Members of the Commission

- - - -
       
-
ECON - Economic and Monetary Affairs [ list ] 28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage  
Structural business statistics Elisa Ferreira (PSE) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Green Paper: Damages actions for breach of the EC antitrust rules Antolín Sánchez Presedo (PSE) Non legislative Adoption of a draft report Green Paper - OEIL
Basic information on purchasing power parities Sharon Bowles (ALDE) Codecision first reading Consideration of amendments (possibly) Regulation - OEIL
The contribution of tax policy to the Lisbon Strategy - 1st exchange of views Sahra Wagenknecht (GUE/NGL) Codecision first reading Consideration of amendments -
Fiscalis 2013 programme Hans-Peter Martin (NI) Codecision first reading Consideration Decision - OEIL
Approximation of the rates of excise duty on alcohol and alcoholic beverages Astrid Lulling (EPP-ED) Consultation Consideration of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Transmission of national accounts data José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil (EPP-ED) Codecision first reading Consideration of amendments Regulation - OEIL
Financial services policy (2005-2010) - White Paper Ieke van den Burg (PSE) Non-legislative Consideration of a draft report White Paper - OEIL
         
EMPL - Employment and Social Affairs [ list ] 28 February - 1 March 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
Social services of general interest in the European Union Joel Hasse Ferreira (PSE) Non legislative Consideration of amendments - Vote and adoption of a draft report Communication - OEIL
Promoting decent work for all Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP-ED) Non legislative Consideration of amendments - Vote and adoption of a draft report Communication - OEIL
Simplification and rationalisation of the reports on practical implementation Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) Codecision first reading Consideration of amendments - Vote and adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Exchange of views - Briefing by DG EMPL - Mr van der Pas - on the outcome of EPSCO Council meeting - - - -
Exchange of views with Mr Emilio Gabaglio, EMCO Chair. Green Paper on modernising labour law. - - - -
Presentation of the Study "Costs of childcare". - - - -
Presentation of the Study "Working conditions in Europe: what workers say. Results form the 4th European Working Conditions Survey" by The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) - - - -
         
ENVI - Environment, Public Health and Food Safety [ list ] 26-28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage  
Pesticides - continuation of previous exchange of views - - - -
Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Irena Belohorská (NI) Non legislative 2nd exchange of views Strategy proposal - OEIL
Framework directive on the sustainable use of pesticides Christa Klaß (EPP-ED) Codecision first reading 2nd exchange of views Regulation - OEIL
The placing of plant protection products on the market Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) Codecision first reading 2nd exchange of views Regulation - OEIL
- - - - -
Food additives - - - -
Common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings Åsa Westlund (PSE) Codecision first reading 2nd exchange of views Regulation - OEIL
Food additives Åsa Westlund (PSE) Codecision first reading Consideration of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Report back from the ENVI-delegation to Italy, 22 - 24 November 2006 - - - -
O.Q. no. 10/6/2006 by Mrs Avril Doyle on Wild Bird Trade in the EU - Exchange of views with Commission representatives - - - -
Exchange of views with Commissioner Kyprianou on cross-border health care and APS 2008 (if adopted) - - - -
- - - - -
Flood assessment and management Richard Seeber (EPP-ED) Codecision second reading Adoption of a draft recommendation Directive - OEIL
Exchanges of views with Mrs Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Executive Director of EFSA - Presentation of the 2007 work programme
- - - -
Implementation of EU food safety legislation in Member States - Exchange of views with Commission representatives - - - -
Exchange of views with Mrs Zsuzsanna Jakab, Director of ECDC - Presentation of the ECDC report on pandemic influenza preparedness in the EU - - - -
Environmental quality standards in the field of water policy Anne Laperrouze (ALDE) Codecision first reading Consideration of amendments Directive - OEIL
Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of natural resources Kartika Tamara Liotard (GUE/NGL) Non legislative Adoption of a draft report Strategy - OEIL
- - - - -
ITRE - Industry, Research and Energy [ list ] 26-28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
In the presence of the Council and the European Commission - - - -
Building a European Policy on Broadband Gunnar Hökmark (EPP-ED) Non legislative Consideration of a draft report Communication - OEIL
Assessing Euratom - 50 years of European nuclear energy policy Eugenijus Maldeikis (UEN) Own initiative Consideration of a draft report OEIL
Putting knowledge into practice: A broad-based innovation strategy for Europe Adam Gierek (PSE) Non legislative Consideration of a draft report Communication - OEIL
Roaming on public mobile networks Paul Rübig (EPP-ED) Codecision first reading Consideration of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Framework Agreement on a Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme in the Russian Federation and the Protocol on Claims, Legal Proceedings and Indemnification Vladimír Remek (GUE/NGL) Consultation Consideration of a draft report Council Decision - OEIL
Intelligent Energy - Europe 2007-2013: Annual Programme for 2007" - Presentation by the Commission - - - -
- - - - -

Tuesday, 27 February 2007, from 15:00 to 18:30

HEARING

Energy Policy

- - -
- - - - -
IMCO - Internal Market and Consumer Protection [ list ] 28 Feb - 1 March 2007 full agenda committee homepage  
In the presence of the Council and the European Commission - - - -
Car industry: harmonised approval of vehicles, trailers and systems (recast directive) Malcolm Harbour (EPP-ED) Codecision second reading Consideration of a draft recommendation -
Obligations of Cross-Border Service Providers Lasse Lehtinen (PSE) Own initiative Exchange of views OEIL
Rules on nominal quantities for pre-packed products Jacques Toubon (EPP-ED) Codecision second reading Consideration of a draft recommendation Directive - OEIL
Cat and dog fur Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL) Codecision first reading Consideration of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Impact and consequences of the exclusion of Health Services from the Directive on Services in the Internal Market Bernadette Vergnaud (PSE) Own initiative Exchange of views with experts OEIL
       
-
INTA - International Trade [ list ] 27-28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage  
Presentation by representatives of the International Forum on Globalization - Exchange of views - - - -
The economic partnership agreements Robert Sturdy (EPP-ED) Own initiative Consideration of amendments - Adoption of a draft report OEIL
The EU's Aid for trade David Martin (PSE) Own initiative Consideration of a draft report OEIL
EU economic and trade relations with Russia Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (EPP-ED) Own initiative 1st exchange of views OEIL
Global Europe - External aspects of competitiveness Daniel Caspary (EPP-ED) Own initiative Consideration of a draft report OEIL
Legal advice on EU Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreementt - Second Additional Protocol to take account of the accession of the Republic of the Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union - 2006/0259(CNS))
- Presentation of the legal Opinion by the Legal Service.
- - - -
Recent developments in the WTO Dispute settlement - Exchange of views with Mr Brakeland (Commission) - - - -
       
-
TRAN - Transport and Tourism [ list ] 26-28 February 2007 full agenda committee homepage
-
Monday, 26 February 2007, from 14:00 to 18:00 - Joint committee meeting with national parliaments on the mid-term review of the White Paper on Transport
- - - -
- - - - -
Air transport agreement between the EC and the USA Saïd El Khadraoui (PSE) Consultation Consideration of amendments - Adoption of a draft resolution Decision - OEIL
Multilateral agreement on the establishment of a European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) Eva Lichtenberger (Verts/ALE) Consultation Consideration of amendments - Adoption of a draft resolution Decision - OEIL
Port State control (recast version) Dominique Vlasto (EPP-ED) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Compliance with the obligations of Flag States Marta Vincenzi (PSE) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Ship inspection and survey organisations (recast version) Luis de Grandes Pascual (EPP-ED) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system Dirk Sterckx (ALDE) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector Jaromír Kohlíček (GUE/NGL) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive - OEIL
Liability of carriers of passengers by boat in the event of accidents Paolo Costa (ALDE) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Regulation - OEIL
Civil liability and financial guarantees of shipowners Gilles Savary (PSE) Codecision first reading Adoption of a draft report Directive -