European Parliament targets breast cancer
The Women's Rights Committee of the European Parliament holds a public hearing in Brussels on Tuesday, 1 October to highlight the dangers of breast cancer and to get increased European cooperation in the fight against this disease which is the main cause of death in women aged 35 to 55.
The hearing will bring together experts from across Europe, including Sylvia Denton, deputy President of the Royal College of Nursing, to examine a range of issues, including screening and after-care. The hearing will coincide with the beginning of the international breast cancer awareness month.
The event, which runs from 2 pm to 5.30pm (British time), will be broadcast on the EBS network. The draft programme is available on Europarl.
GM export rules approved
The European Parliament has approved new rules governing international trade in genetically modified organisms.
At the meeting of the Parliament this week in Strasbourg, MEPs voted 264 to 200 with 47 abstentions in favour of a European Commission's proposal to adapt EU law to the terms of the Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety which deals with trade in GMOs. The aim of the Protocol, which supplements the UN Convention on Biological diversity, is to provide a framework for the safe transfer, handling and use of GMOs.
The European Parliament passed amendments to ensure that no export of GMOs should take place without the prior consent of the authorities of the importing country. In addition, MEPs favour closer checks on the movements of GM products.
Animal waste law agreed
MEPs have given the green light to a new EU regulation designed to tighten up controls on animal waste and remains excluded from the food chain. The final shape of the legislation was agreed after conciliation talks between delegations representing the European Parliament and EU governments. The new rules, which come into force in the next six months, lay down strict requirements for the safe collection, transport, storage, handling, processing and disposal of animal by-products. The full text of the regulation is available from Europarl.
Simpler life assurance rules
The European Parliament has approved a directive designed to simplify EU legislation on life assurance. It replaces all directives on life assurance adopted since 1979, including rules on supervision, solvency and the freedom to provide insurance services across the EU. The report recommending parliamentary approval was presented by North West MEP Lord Inglewood (Cons).
Tackling climate change
MEPs have called on the European Commission and EU countries to take more action to ensure that the EU meets its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent from 1990 levels. Responding to a Commission communication on the implementation of the European Climate Change programme, which is designed to enable the EU to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol, the Parliament took the view that more could be done in the energy, agriculture and transport sectors. In particular, MEPs backed a call for the promotion of the use of biofuel and urged the EU to include the greenhouse issue in the current review of the common agricultural policy. In addition, MEPs want to see new limits on carbon dioxide emissions from goods vehicles.