GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Amendment No 5 to the draft directive on the reorganisation and winding up of credit institutions has received majority support. This is extremely regrettable because it will give third-party creditors the opportunity to gain access to the general resources as a result, which will mean that mortgages ordered abroad for the benefit of the bank will no longer be competitive. This is unacceptable. This, to my mind, is reason enough to reject this report. That is what I have done, and I regret that the Commission’s common position in its present form failed to receive majority support.

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, since the Lisbon Summit, education and training have become a more and more important part of EU strategy. Commissioner Reding has appropriately described the situation regarding education and training as undergoing a quiet revolution. This description is also true in a negative sense. The European Parliament and its Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport have barely played any part in setting targets for education and training. Furthermore, the open coordination method that has been adopted in the education sector has caused the main focus of the debate to move away from the forum of democratically elected bodies to one made up of civil servants. Now that Kathleen Van Brempt has produced her excellent report, we have a good opportunity to talk about lifelong learning here in plenary. An economy built on people’s knowledge and skills will be more successful the more widely human resources are used. Ensuring that all our citizens keep up with developments as best they can is not only an ethically sustainable policy but also one that is wise and practical. Lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important with regard to citizens’ participation, boosting employment and regeneration of the workforce. It would help employment and increase motivation if there were a clearer link between lifelong learning and qualifications based on the needs of industry. Nevertheless, I want to stress the importance of the point made in the Committee on Culture’s report that lifelong learning is not merely a social necessity. It must also be a social right for everyone, irrespective of their age, sex or social background. Equality of education is, for many reasons, very difficult to bring about. However, it is precisely education that is the path to equality. For that reason I wish to emphasise the need for setting special targets so that the provision of lifelong learning can be made to include people who failed to finish their secondary education, are untrained, have special needs and learning difficulties, or who are socially underprivileged. We should remember that a quality secondary education creates a basis for lifelong learning. It is not very realistic, for example, to consider demanding IT skills if a person’s literacy and numeracy skills are inadequate. Although it is the responsibility of Member States to organise education, we need practical European targets and measures. The Commission communication is a step in the right direction. We also have to try to achieve consensus on what the basic skills mentioned at Lisbon – knowledge of information and communication technologies, foreign languages, science, entrepreneurship and social skills – actually consist of. It is easier to achieve aims if we know what we are aiming at.

Political group: PSE
I asked the Commissioner two very specific questions and I am rather disappointed that she has not managed to give me an answer. One question concerned possible scenarios and the other concerned round tables.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we know that CO2 emissions from road traffic will increase by 31% by 2010, rather than falling by 8% as we agreed in Kyoto. That is why, six years ago, we agreed a CO2 strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from traffic. The first pillar was a self-imposed commitment by the motor industry to reduce emissions to 140 g by 2008. That seems to be working. The second pillar is consumer information, labelling for new cars, and that is not entirely working yet because it has not yet been implemented in all Member States and thirdly, tax incentives for low-consumption cars. I have to say that this is not working because we have in fact a patchwork of different registration taxes or annual taxes in the European Union. In that respect, the Committee on the Environment – and I think Parliament as a whole – would like to have a framework for tax incentives for low-consumption cars so that this third pillar of the CO2 strategy can also be implemented and we will really manage to reduce transport-related CO2; this will enable us to keep to our Kyoto target and get greenhouse gas emissions, and with them global warming, under control. I believe we also need a change of heart for the sake of the consumer, however, because we really do have a patchwork of tax legislation. Reforming the group exemption regulation has not helped. The price advantage is not being passed on to consumers because the effect is being absorbed by this patchwork of taxes in the European Union. That is another reason why, more than ever, we need a framework for sensible motor vehicle taxation in the European Union to enable consumers to benefit from this internal market advantage. I therefore support Mrs Honeyball’s report.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, of course I voted for the report on recycling and on the recovery of packaging, which it discusses, but I have to say that, when I was discussing the report with a pensioner, Mrs Caterina Rossi, from Bergamo, she said to me, 'What a good report! So packaging can serve some purpose! Even the paper which surrounds packages, even wood and plastic can be reused and are good for something! Why is it, then, that it is sometimes said that we pensioners are no longer any use? Do you mean we are less useful than packaging, than the paper which surrounds all the products sold? I hope that Parliament will pay more attention to pensioners and the elderly, at least as much attention as it pays to packaging, which – and this is good news – the European Parliament sees as so useful: let us hope that the pensioners and elderly people of all the individual States as well as the European State will be considered to be this useful.

Political group: PPE-DE
I chose to vote in favour of Amendment No 29 by the Group of the , designed to clarify and tighten up the wording on protecting the general public when radioactive material is handled. Moreover, I also voted in favour of Amendment No 30 on removing obstacles in the energy market in the interests of fairer competition between nuclear energy and other energy sources. - Breyer report (A5-0443/2003)

Political group: PPE-DE
The reasons why I voted against the Statute are as follows. Let me say straightaway that I think it important and right that our travel costs should be the real ones, but everyone here in this House knows that that has nothing, nothing whatever, to do with the Statute. We could change the link between travelling expenses and real costs tomorrow; it has nothing, nothing whatever, to do with the Statute. I do welcome, though, the prospect of our soon having rules on this. As regards the Statute, I concede that what was decided on in the summer has been improved on, particularly as regards the pensionable age. I still, however, cannot agree to it, as it highlights a social imbalance at a time when, right across Europe, really deep cuts are being made in social security budgets, and it is just not on for us, in this House, to again insist on a sort of Christmas present, so that German MEPs, for example, get 20% increases. I regard that as unacceptable. Nor do I think it right that we should base our calculations on the income of a judge, who, let me remind you, is permitted no other employment. I would have thought it more proper if we had taken the average income of all MEPs as a basis, which I would have thought would be the more appropriate approach, and I still do not think it right that MEPs should be allowed to have other sources of income while judges are not. I still do not think it right that we do not wait for the general standard of living to improve before doing something about that of MEPs. Underlying my rejection of the Statute is my belief that increases of this kind result in a social imbalance; I would be getting much more in terms of salary-related payments than my counterparts in the Bundestag, and that too I regard as an injustice. I see this as Parliament giving itself a Christmas present rather than bringing itself into line with what is being talked about by the public. Perhaps I may be permitted a final point, which is that I hope that further improvements will be possible in order yet to change the imbalance that has resulted from the Statute, especially its social dimension.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, if I could make a wish in this debate it would be for Mr Simitis to stay in the Presidency for another six months, to stay for the second half of 2003 as well. I would make the same wish if Mr Karamanlis, the leader of the opposition, happened to be president-in-office, in the face of the concern which I truly feel at the advent, not of the Italian Presidency in general – I have a great deal of respect for the Italian people – but of Mr Berlusconi. I think that this is not the time to transfer American kitsch to the European Union and for us to become even more farcical than we were on the issue of Iraq. I want to say that the Greek Presidency, in my opinion, has been methodical and has made serious preparations. I wish to congratulate Mr Yiannitsis on the way in which the Presidency has behaved in cooperating with the European Parliament; I think, however, that, despite this, there are serious political problems, especially on the major issue which has arisen, the issue of relations with the United States and the war in Iraq. The Greek Presidency followed a ‘foot in two camps’ policy and I think that the Presidency is closing with Europe in confusion. Which precise stance are we following? The stance expressed by Mr Blair, the stance expressed by Mr Schroeder, the stance expressed by Mr Aznar or the stance expressed by Mr Chirac? It is a huge problem and I think that it is a new given which will not allow us to start building on sand, because I hear everything being said about what we are going to build as regards our foreign policy, Ministers for Foreign Affairs etc. and I wonder on what ground, on what policy, we are going to build them. Before I finish, I shall just say that I believe that the Greek Presidency, because there was the Iraqi dossier, the most important and difficult dossier dealt with, should demand explanations, just as explanations are being demanded in the United States and in the United Kingdom about the weapons of mass destruction, which was the basis for the invasion of Iraq and was supported by eminent members of the European Council, such as Mr Blair, Mr Aznar and others.

Political group: GUE-NGL
If all the flag states for shipping, all the shipowning companies and all the classification societies had good will, there would be no need for port state controls. Unfortunately, making maximum profit is often all that matters, to the detriment of safety, the environment and the personnel. Human error largely results from overloading, underpayment and the fact that the sailors have not received adequate training. The Commission proposal looks reassuring, but is not proof against deliberate sabotage. I therefore welcome the fact that the rapporteurs Watts, Vachetta and Piétrasanta have endeavoured to close the gaps still present in the Commission proposal. They propose that ships which pose a risk or sail under cheap flags and those lacking voyage recorder data should be banned from EU ports, that we should counteract brass-plate companies, stop ships rinsing out their tanks in the sea, and increase the number of inspectors. It is significant that Mrs Vachetta has proposed that the level of manpower, the working hours, the pay levels and the training of sailors should be improved. I support any improvements and am disappointed that some of them will not get a majority vote behind them even now.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I am one of those MEPs who has tabled Amendment 7 with the request that the Commission's euro information campaign be restricted to those countries that are part of the area in which the currency is at present being used. This means that Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom should remain outside the campaign while the krona and the pound are still the currencies of those countries. It is a reasonable request that the EU not carry out tax-funded campaigns in Member States on sensitive internal political issues. In the end, it is a question of tolerance for one another and of respect for each nation's democratic process.

Political group: PPE-DE
Unfortunately, Mr Whitehead has stolen my line. I totally agree with him that if a Commissioner, with today's modern transport methods, cannot get to a meeting in time we should be holding all our part-sessions in Brussels. (Applause) However, I would like to move on to the point made by Mr von Wogau and also Mr Goepel’s very important point. The suggestion that Council may have taken a decision already without Parliament is particularly important. I am not sure about that. I have the conclusions here from the Presidency and the Council meeting. When the Commissioner arrives, I would like to have a clear statement from him saying whether or not the Council has taken a decision on beef labelling. Otherwise, there is no point at all in our debating it and making fools of ourselves.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, in the earthquake in Turkey, the devastating tremors within the earth brought to light the devastating situation within society. More than 15,000 people had to perish just because unscrupulous building firms, shamelessly making money out of shoddy construction, are protected by people in politics and administration up to the highest levels of government. Thus the earthquake often affected the poorest of the poor. While desperate people were digging their relatives out of the rubble with their bare hands, the state apparatus showed that it was first and foremost concerned with itself. In the Kurdish province there are 500,000 militiamen and soldiers under arms in a war, which the other side ended long ago. Meanwhile the sight of a soldier in the earthquake area with a shovel in his hand is a rare one. Ankara did not just leave people to their own devices but also confiscated aid funds and hindered the work of foreign NGOs. This culminated in the Grey Wolves, the Nationalist Action Party, demanding of the Health Minister that Turkey should reject Greek blood donations for the victims. We cannot accept such contempt for people without protest. But the fact that both the Greek and the Turkish people decided to offer each other mutual help is a positive sign. And so, after the earthquakes, both the Turkish people helped the Greeks and the Greek people helped the Turks. Please do not misunderstand me, but the industrialised nations of the West should not take the moral high ground where Turkey is concerned. They should rather at last admit their share of responsibility for the political and economic situation on the Bosphorus. Only then is the way clear for serious democratic changes in Turkey and for appropriate aid which is actually delivered to the victims. The European Union has spent thousands of Euros to assist the victims in Turkey. I therefore propose that we send a delegation to Turkey and to Greece to check whether the money has been used for the victims, whether the poorest people, the ones who really need the money, have actually received it. (Applause)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, the pensioner who talked to me about the previous report was with a friend of his, Mr Tranquillo Verdi, also from Bergamo, and he asked me: 'Why is it that you get so absorbed in resolving disputes between consumers and producers of consumer goods but you do not do anything about pensions and pensioners' disputes with the State over pensions, which are also consumer goods? Or maybe pensioners are not consumer goods? I would like you, Mr Fatuzzo,' he added, 'to ensure that we receive our pensions quickly and on time'. And so this is what I am asking you to do, Mr President.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I would just make my fellow MEPs aware of the conditions governing this vote. There is a political agreement between ourselves in Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Commission whereby, through adoption, we can avoid conciliation. We therefore have to vote in favour of the first block and against blocks 2 and 3. I would therefore urge Members to do just that. We should in that way obtain most of what Parliament has wanted, at the same time as being able to avoid conciliation. (The President declared the common position approved as amended) *** Report (A5-0144/2003) by Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk, on behalf of the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism, on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 417/2002 on the accelerated phasing in of double hull or equivalent design requirements for single hull oil tankers and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 2978/94 (COM(2002) 780 – C5-0629/2002 – 2002/0310(COD)) Before the vote:

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mrs Miet Smet’s excellent report once again provides us with the opportunity to condemn the dearth of European statistics on the number of women in the social partner organisations. Although many strategies have been implemented in order to remedy the underrepresentation of women in the upper echelons of these organisations, as well as in delegations to social consultation and advisory bodies, we must, as the rapporteur recommends, make a start at European level on the systematic compilation of data relating to the role played by women in the decision-making process. It is, however, certain that the application and effectiveness of the measures taken remain entirely dependent on the political will within the organisations. Awareness-raising campaigns prior to trade union elections and the establishment of networks among women negotiators also constitute incentives for increasing the representation of women. After reading this excellent report, I can only recommend that you vote in favour and reiterate that the Commission must urgently compile these data in the proper fashion with a view to creating a database on the representation of women within social partner organisations. (Explanation of vote abbreviated in accordance with Rule 137(1) of the Rules of Procedure)

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, on the Cunha report on fishing it is recorded that I voted 'for', when I intended to vote 'against'. I should like the Minutes to be corrected. Also, on the China debate yesterday, I voted in favour of the report. I should like that to be recorded in the Minutes.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the objective of the European Council of Tampere – which is, as we have been reminded here, an Extraordinary Council – is to define political orientations and priorities concerning the establishment of areas of freedom, security and justice. In this respect, the freedom of movement of individuals within the Union is a fundamental objective of the building of Europe. Freedom of movement must, above all, be applied identically to all men and women, and I am thinking particularly of the difficulties experienced by many alien residents who are too often denied the right to live as a family. I am convinced that the fundamental objective of this European Union is to enable the integration of immigrants. Madam President, I withdrew my intervention at the opening of the sitting, as the tribute which Mrs Fontaine paid to the two dead Guinean youths, Yaguine and Fodé, showed great feeling. It was with astonishing insight that these two adolescents wrote us a letter in which they reminded us of the enormous difficulties there are today in being a child of the third world. My own name is Fodé and I too come from this underprivileged part of the planet. But I had the immense good fortune to be adopted by a French family, to go to school and now to take my seat among you in this Chamber. This tradition of welcoming others with respect for their dignity must continue, for, believe me, no woman and no man would ever leave their family, their village or their country unless there was an overwhelming need to provide for their kith and kin. So let us stop splitting up mothers and children, withdrawing residence permits from workers who have lost their jobs and attacking the right to asylum. To sum up, let us take immigrants out of their precarious administrative position and let us offer them a lasting residence permit, enabling them to stay as long as they think fit in a country they have come to, precisely because it was the countries of Europe which colonised their own country in the first place. Finally, this Europe of ours must ban all forms of discrimination, in recruitment, in housing and in access to leisure pursuits, and remind all those who deny the existence of the gas chambers and believe that races are not equal that racism is not an opinion, but a crime. (Applause)

Political group: GUE-NGL
draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy. – Mr President, I should like to offer my congratulations to the two rapporteurs on an enormously complicated and difficult task. They have highlighted – as will I – the importance of this industry a major employer of this industrial research base. It is so important to keep in the European Union, both for the European Union and, above all, for consumers who want safe, effective and affordable medicines. Added to that are the complex needs of the sectors in the industry, of which there are at least three: the in-patent sector, the generic sector and the over-the-counter sector. Many of the amendments are seeking to strike the correct balance between them. We have to encourage the in-patent sector to develop new medicines but the generic sector also provides affordable medicines. If you add to this the whole question of access and affordability on a global scale, you can see just how complex an area this is. I want to draw attention to just three points. One is the authorisation procedure. I am urging colleagues to accept duality, at least in the immediate future. Mrs Grossetête perhaps needs to re-examine the whole question of the centralised procedure and access. The fact that medicines are authorised does not mean that they are automatically placed on the market. This applies particularly to veterinary medicines. In their case I really believe that duality should continue. On the question of advertising and consumer information, I urge Parliament to accept the amendment that asks the Commission to look again at this issue. The Commission is right – information is available to some, but not to all. That is almost beyond our control. On data exclusivity, the balance that the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy has come up with is the right one. I hope that Parliament will look at it sensibly. We are going to have an important second reading and possibly a conciliation, so we still have time to try and get this even more right that we have done so far.

Political group: PSE