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Highlights of next week's European Parliament agenda in Strasbourg include:

• Pesticides - new rules on use (debate Monday; vote Tuesday);
• Vehicle emissions - Chris Davies MEP (Lib Dem, Nth West) (Tuesday);
• Results of the EU Summit - Reform Treaty (Debate Tuesday);
• Tobacco-free Europe (Tuesday debate);
• 2008 EU Budget - 1st reading - Debate Tuesday; vote Weds.

PESTICIDES

EU rules on pesticides are set to change in the light of the European Parliament's votes in Strasbourg on two pieces of legislation and a strategy report (debate Monday evening; vote Tuesday).

• Placing on the market of new pesticides (or 'plant protection products'). Among the amendments to the proposed Regulation agreed by the Environment Committee at 1st reading: defining how long new products would be approved for; extending the categories of banned substances; tightening the rules on animal testing [ link to the report ].
  
• Sustainable use of pesticides. A proposed new Directive would see all Member States drawing up National Action Plans to identify crops, activities or areas at risk from pesticides. Amendments adopted at committee stage: set targets for reduction of pesticide use; bring in taxes or levies on pesticide use; extend the ban on pesticide use in public areas (such as parks, sports grounds, schools) to a 'no-spray zone' around these areas [ link to the report ].

This is the 1st reading in the codecision procedure where the European Parliament has equal powers with the Council of Ministers. Unless the Council accepts all amendments adopted by MEPs at 1st reading, the proposals will return for a 2nd reading at a late stage. The Portuguese Presidency has indicated that the legislation will be on the Council agenda on 26 November. Even if agreement is reached at that stage, the new legislation would not take effect until late 2009 or early 2010.

For a video clip outlining some of the issues, please follow this link. For a background note, please check the related page from the Press Service.

There has been fierce lobbying on this issue from the UK, including from the National Farmers Union and from the Pesticides Action Network. You can view their positions on the proposals online.

 

VEHICLE EMISSIONS - Chris Davies MEP (Lib Dem, North West)

North West Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies will lead Tuesday's debate on his Environment Committee report looking at ways to cut carbon emissions from cars and light commercial vehicles. Among the proposals in the report, as adopted in committee:

• Timetables for binding targets on limiting CO2 emissions from new vehicles placed on the EU market;
• Setting up a Carbon Allowance Reduction System whereby vehicle manufacturers can trade quotas in emissions; financial penalties for exceeding quotas and credits for those whose emissions are below the quota ceiling;
• A labelling system for comparing the emissions from new vehicles, along the lines of that used already for fridges and washing machines;
• 20% of advertising space to provide information on fuel economy and carbon emissions;
• Exemptions for low-volume and specialist manufacturers;
• EU Research Programme funds to assist promotion of innovation.

 

EU Summit

On Tuesday morning, MEPs will hear the Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates explain the outcome of the EU Summit in Lisbon taking place on 18-19 October.

The Summit reached agreement on the text of the new EU Reform Treaty in the early hours of Friday morning. The President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering attended the Summit on behalf of the European Parliament. Andrew Duff MEP (Eastern Region, Lib. Dem) was also in Lisbon, having taken part in the ministerial discussions earlier in the week.

Tuesday morning's debate gives MEPs the chance to react to the latest developments.

 

Tobacco-free Europe

Smoking bans have been gradually introduced in all parts of the UK over the last 18 months. Many EU Member States have no such rules, however, and the European Commission has published a Green Paper setting out policy options towards a 'Europe free from tobacco smoke'. On Tuesday evening, MEPs are set to debate the issue on the basis of a report adopted by the Environment and Public Health Committee.

Among the recommendations in the report adopted in committee: that the European Commission produce a report on the costs to the national health services and the EU economy as a whole resulting from smoking and tobacco smoke; a toughening of existing EU legislation on tobacco additives; larger, hard-hitting picture warnings on all tobacco products sold in the EU; and EU-wide minimum age-limits for buying tobacco products.

 

EU budget 2008

The EU Budget for 2008 is set for its 1st reading on Tuesday (with vote Wednesday). At issue is not just how EU funds should be distributed across different funding streams, but also what monies should be available for the other EU institutions, including the European Parliament itself, and the specialised EU agencies based in different Member States around the EU.

Among the recommendations from the Budgets Committee for the Parliament's own budget is that the European Parliament should meet in Strasbourg only twice a year, thus responding to concerns about financial and environmental costs of moving from Brussels to Strasbourg every month. Since this would require a change to the EU treaties, it will mean that MEPs will have to negotiate with the Council, which is the ultimate arbiter in the matter.

 

OTHER LEGISLATION

Accounting standards

MEPs are to set out their views on the proposed adoption of IFRS 8 (the International Financial Reporting Standard), following the publication by the European Commission of a new analysis of the impact of this new accounting standard. Once endorsed by the EU, these standards apply to listed companies.

The IFRS 8 relates to the way in which companies present information on the performance of different segments of their business. There had been concerns that the new standard may offer too much flexibility to companies, thereby making comparisons difficult; there were also concerns at the EU importing a standard directly from the United States model. MEPs will vote in the Economic Committee on Monday before passing the proposal over to the full Parliament for vote on Tuesday.

 

Transferring money abroad

The aim of the proposed directive set for its 2nd reading (debate Wednesday) is to assist the authorities responsible for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. It defines what information must accompany cross-border transfers of funds and how to ensure that the data is properly protected and not misused. The Civil Liberties Committee is proposing that MEPs accept the position of the Council of Ministers, which took on board most of the Parliament's 1st reading amendments.

 

UK MEPs

Richard Corbett MEP (Lab, Yorks & Humber)

On Monday evening, Yorkshire and Humber Labour MEP Richard Corbett will be proposing a change to the European Parliament's rules governing the online equivalent of Hansard in the UK. At the moment, every single speech in the plenary of the European Parliament is translated into 22 other languages, at considerable cost to the public purse. The proposal is that instead of written verbatim reports of debates being available in every language, a complete audiovisual record of proceedings should be accessible via the internet using the soundtracks from interpreters' booths where necessary. All European Parliament plenary sessions are broadcast live online via the website www.europarl.europa.eu. Previous sessions can also be accessed on demand - please follow this link.

 

Sharon Bowles MEP (Lib Dem, South East)

South East Region Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles will lead Monday evening's debate on setting up new bodies to improve the work of Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. The European Statistical Governance Advisory Board should enhance the independence, integrity and accountability of Eurostat.

 

OTHER ISSUES

• Cinema prize: Wednesday morning sees the announcement of the winner of the European Parliament's new film award: the Prix Lux. Three films have been shortlisted, from Germany, Romania and Portugal/France. The jury is made up of the 785 MEPs, but only those who saw all three films between 1 and 18 October are entitled to vote. The winning film will receive support for subtitling in all 23 EU languages and be adapted for the deaf and hard of hearing. The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering will make the award at 10.50am UK time.
  
• Sakharov Prize 2007: The winner of this year's Sakharov Prize for freedom of expression will be announced on Thursday. The short list is composed of the deceased Russia journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a Sudanese lawyer and two Chinese dissidents. The Prize will be formally awarded on 11 December.
  
• Energy: Nuclear power, biomass, and carbon capture or storage for fossil fuel plants. These will be the main subjects of debate when MEPs discuss a report on conventional energy sources on Monday evening. MEPs will adopt a resolution listing their recommendations for future policy and legislation.
  
• Intellectual property: On Monday the International Trade Committee is due to vote on the WTO TRIPS agreement (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights). The issue of medicines and their availability in developing countries is the main issue. MEPs are concerned at how WTO rules have been working in practice and want to see a more proactive EU response to help poorer developing countries cope with ongoing health crises. If the Committee votes on Monday, the full Parliament will be asked to give its Assent on Wednesday.
  
• EU Ombudsman: The European Ombudsman will present his annual report to MEPs on Thursday. The European Ombudsman's mandate is to examine complaints made against EU institutions for maladministration. A large proportion of the complaints received do not meet these terms of his mandate. But, of the 582 enquiries carried out by the Ombudsman in 2006, 25% were alleging lack of transparency, including refusal of information, and 19% alleging unfairness or abuse of power.
  
• Globalisation Fund: The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund is intended to provide additional support for workers who suffer from the consequences of major structural changes in world trade patterns, to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market. In March, the French Government requested funds to assist workers made redundant in the motor industry; on Tuesday, MEPs will vote on the proposal.
  
• Fisheries: Fisheries agreements with Madagascar and Mozambique are due to be discussed on Thursday morning. They concern the fishing rights for the six year period from January 2007 to December 2012. They allow for 5 tuna fishing vessels from the UK in Madagascar waters and two from the UK off the coast of Mozambique.
  
• Opium production in Afghanistan: Monday evening sees a debate on a report suggesting a pilot project to turn part of the illicit poppy crop in Afghanistan into legal opium-based analgesics.
  
• Africa: EU-Africa relations are to be debated on Wednesday afternoon. A delegation of 25 MEPs is set to meet counterparts from the Pan-African Parliament in Lisbon on 7 December, prior to the actual summit on 8 December. In addition to substantive issues such as migration, arms control and Economic Partnership Agreements, part of the debate will no doubt touch on the issue of whether President Mugabe of Zimbabwe will attend, given recent announcements from the British Government on the matter.
  
• Turkey: The European Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of Council will make statements on EU relations with Turkey (Wednesday). On 7 November, the European Commission is due to publish its next report on progress towards Turkish accession to the EU. MEPs will adopt a resolution on latest developments.
  
• Russia: MEPs will debate EU-Russia relations on Wednesday morning. It will feed the European Parliament's views into the next EU-Russia summit, due to take place in Portugal on 26 October.

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

 

 

Plenary session Strasbourg

Committee Meetings

Diary Dates

Further information

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Further information