- Lobbyists and the EU
- Sport White Paper - football quotas, agents, TV rights
- 'City Guides' - oral question by Arlene McCarthy (Lab, NW)
- Relations with ASEAN - report by Glyn Ford (Lab, SW)
Lobbyists
15,000 lobbyists are said to be based in Brussels these days, with about 5,000 operating in the European Parliament. Thursday morning's main plenary debate will discuss what should be done to manage the growing number of organisations (public and private sector, employers and unions, NGOs) trying to influence the EU institutions.
The report adopted in the Constitutional Affairs Committee calls for:
- a mandatory public register of lobbyists, which would be common to the European Commission, European Parliament and Council - it wants a proposal on such a register by end of 2008;
- full financial disclosure by lobbyists (Professional consultancies and law firms in particular would have to disclose the relative weight of their major clients and the costs associated with lobbying. NGOs and think tanks would be required to state their overall budgets and main sources of funding);
- a Code of Conduct for representatives of interest groups (the European Parliament has had such a Code for 10 years, but MEPs are suggesting a common Code across the EU institutions);
- sanctions against lobbyists who breach the Code;
- the inclusion of a 'legislative footprint' whereby European Parliament rapporteurs attach to their reports a list of lobbyists who were consulted and had 'significant input' into the text; with a similar list to go into European Commission proposals.
Vote: Thursday lunchtime
Sport
Thursday's second debate concerns the European Commission White Paper on sport. Among the recommendations outlined in the report from Parliament's Culture Committee:
- 'Equitable redistribution' of income from TV rights;
- Support for Member States which publish a list of major sporting events for broadcast on free-to-air TV;
- Opposition to the FIFA proposal for a 6+5 rule, whereby 6 players on the (football) field have to be from the country of the club they are playing for;
- Support for minimum quotas of locally-trained players;
- Concern at possible deregulation of lotteries and gambling;
- Calls for an action plan in the fight against doping in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics.
City Guides
North West Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy will be putting an oral question on Wednesday to the Council on misleading and fraudulent business practices, including the so-called 'European City Guides'.
These scams usually involve the unwanted 'registration' of professionals and small companies in rogue directories at a cost of up to €1,000 a year. The oral question asks what action has been taken to close down rogue 'directory companies'. It also asks what measures are being undertaken to close any loopholes in the existing Misleading Advertising Directive (84/450/EEC). Finally, it seeks a view on whether the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (which comes into effect in the UK later this month) should be extended to business-business transactions.
Relations with ASEAN
South West Labour MEP Glyn Ford will lead Wednesday evening's debate on trade and economic relations with the countries of South East Asia (ASEAN).
The report adopted in the International Trade Committee pre-dates the cyclone devastation in Burma, but this is likely to figure in the debate (Parliament's President Hans-Gert Pöttering will also open the session on Wednesday afternoon with a statement on the situation in Burma). The report supports the free-trade agreement between the EU and ASEAN, although it acknowledges that the situation in Burma 'makes it impossible for that country to be included in the agreement'.
Among the issues raised in the report: the need for a ban on child labour and forced labour; the need to observe intellectual property rights, especially on design and sound recordings; the fight against fraud.
A resolution will be adopted on Thursday.
Other issues
- Euro 10th birthday: The session begins with a debate on the Euro, ten years after the decision to create the single currency. Commissioner Almunia will present a Communication from the European Commission on prospects for the Euro area.
- Human Rights: MEPs are set for their annual debate on human rights in the world on Wednesday afternoon. China, Iran and Russia are singled out for special attention in the report adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee. The death penalty is one of the general topics covered, with MEPs still seeking 'the eradication of capital punishment in Europe'.
- Election observations: MEPs have taken part in EU election observation missions recently in Kenya, Pakistan and the DR Congo. As part of the debate on human rights, the European Parliament will also give its assessment of the success or otherwise of such missions. A resolution due for adoption on Thursday will make suggestions for future EU election observers.
- US relations: Welsh Conservative MEP Jonathan Evans and South East Labour MEP Peter Skinner will be sitting on the advisory council to the new Transatlantic Economic Council, which has been set up to help the integration of the US and EU economies. The European Commission will make a statement on Wednesday afternoon, with a resolution set for adoption by the European Parliament on Thursday.
- Deep-sea fish stocks: Wednesday evening's final debate is on the management of deep-sea fish stocks. The report arises from disagreements where the fish stocks straddle European Community waters and areas governed by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Among the issues raised in the Fisheries Committee report is the need for further measures to reduce by-catches and bring in a ban on discards in deep-water fisheries.
- European Works Councils: MEPs will hear a statement from the European Commission on Wednesday afternoon on the likely revision of the European Works Council Directive (a proposal to revise the existing Directive is expected in June). The European Parliament had already called for amendments to the current rules in the wake of redundancies at several large EU companies, such as Airbus and Alcatel.
- Full information can be found in "The Briefing" at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/tous_les_briefing/default/default_en.htm
EP Live
The plenary session is broadcast live, with simultaneous interpretation in all official languages of the EU, on the European Parliament's website at this URL
Europe Day Pub Quiz
Every year since 1985, May 9 has been celebrated across the EU as Europe Day. It is an opportunity to come together and learn more about the European Union and its 27 Member States. In the evening of Friday May 9 teams across the UK are pooling their knowledge and racking their brains to take part in a special Europe Day Pub Quiz devised by the European Parliament's UK Office.
How many official languages does the EU have?
What is the European emergency number?
How many times zones are there in the EU?
When did the Channel Tunnel open?
Although primarily intended for May 9 the quiz book can be used at any time of the year.
For more information, to order a quiz book or to take part and find out the answers, contact caroline.boyle@europarl.europa.eu
European Parliament Audio Book
The European Parliament AudioBook is a monthly half-hour broadcast which covers the wide range of issues being debated by Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg at its monthly plenary sessions. The programmes are part of the European Parliament's drive to help UK citizens appreciate the vast range of topics discussed and decided upon by the institution which impact on their everyday lives.
To listen to the latest AudioBook, please follow this link: http://www.epaudiobook.com/
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