March 19th, 2008 (No. 349)

MEPs return to Brussels on Tuesday after the Easter weekend.

In addition to a plenary session on Wednesday to review the outcome of the EU Spring Summit (13-14 March), the highlights in committee include:

• 2006 EU budget - clearing the accounts (discharge) - Budgetary Control Committee
• Jean-Claude Trichet - European Central Bank President to Economic Cttee (Weds am)
• Human rights in the world - adoption report (Foreign Affairs Cttee)
• Organ donation and transplants - adoption report (Environment Cttee)
• Protection of pedestrians - adoption of report by Mr Francesco Ferrari MEP (Transport Cttee)

Public hearings and conferences:

• Electoral procedure and citizenship - evidence to Constitutional Affairs Cttee from Simon Hix of LSE, Ken Ritchie of Electoral Reform Society, Prof Jo Shaw of Edinburgh Uni
• Eastern Region Lib Dem MEP Andrew Duff is rapporteur (Tues-Weds)
• Wales representation in Brussels (Desmond Clifford) evidence to Regional Cttee on Governance and partnership in regional policy (Thurs)
• Digital Dividend: A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity - Mini-hearing, includes evidence from Simon Wilson of GSM Europe - Industry Cttee (Thurs).
• Judiciary independence - Legal Affairs Cttee (Weds)
• Aquaculture - evidence from Irish Farmers Association (Thurs)
• Climate change - engaging other main actors - Climate Change Cttee (Weds)

Activities led by UK MEPs include:

• Northern Ireland PEACE Programme evaluation - adoption report by Bairbre de Brún MEP (Sinn Feín) - Regional Cttee
• Waste Directive 2nd reading - discussion of 238 amendments tabled to report by South West Conservative MEP Caroline Jackson (Envt Cttee)
• Electricity markets - 1st reading - discussion of draft report by Eluned Morgan MEP (Lab, Wales) - Energy Cttee
• Fight against fiscal fraud - working document by Sharon Bowles MEP (Lib Dem, South East) - Economic Cttee
• Role of national judges - draft report by Diana Wallis MEP (Lib Dem, Yorks & Humber) - Legal Affairs Cttee
• Telecoms and privacy - first discussion with rapporteur Malcolm Harbour MEP (Cons, West Midlands) - (Internal Market Cttee)

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18 March 2008

New European Prize for Journalism
The first European Parliament Prize for Journalism will be awarded in 2008. It will be given to journalists who have dealt with major issues at a European level or have promoted a better understanding of the EU institutions and/or EU policies.

There will be four different categories for the prize: written press, radio, TV and internet. The winner in each section will receive €5 000.

Individuals or teams up to 5 people are eligible to contribute with articles or reports, whether one-off or part of a series. The contributions must be published or broadcast between 1 May 2007 and 30 April 2008 in one of the official languages of the European Union. All entrants must be nationals of an EU Member State or resident in the EU and a registered journalist.

Entries will be accepted until 15 May 2008 inclusive. The prize will be awarded in October 2008.

A jury will be set up to select winners in each category in the UK, with an overall jury, led by a European Parliament Vice-President, selecting the four winners EU-wide.

Application forms and the full rules of the Prize are available on the European Parliament's UK Office website at: www.europarl.org.uk or at our special website dedicated to this new prize: www.eppj.eu

The deadline for submissions is 15 May 2008.

For further information, contact Simon Duffin, Head of Press, European Parliament UK Office, simon.duffin@europarl.europa.eu Tel: 07786 060531

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Simon Duffin
simon.duffin@europarl.europa.eu
European Parliament UK Office
tel 020 7227 4300


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