GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is as if we are debating the procession of Echternach today: two steps forward, one step back with the little progress we are making on one of the key political dossiers for completing the internal market, namely the liberalisation of the postal services. The Commission proposal provides for gradual further opening and will, in my opinion, surely lead to better services for the consumer at a more competitive price. As I understand it, this was the rapporteur’s initial view too, and his proposals were constructive. However, the compromise proposal which was submitted by the two large parties to the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism at the eleventh hour and brought about without the help of the , does not accommodate this view. I, with many others this morning, continue to be in favour of restricting the reserved area down to 50 grammes. This is more than enough to support the public tasks, such as adequate universal provision of services and a uniform rate. The line of the compromise that 150 grammes should be four times the basic rate is not only over the top, it is also harmful to further liberalisation. I fear that this will mean that the present monopolists can further strengthen their position on the back of the taxpayer and that the threshold for newcomers will be raised quite a bit. But my key objection must be the lack of decisiveness. This is evident from the compromise proposal from the two largest parties. If according to them, the time is still not ripe for further opening, surely we should be able to make the necessary preparations so that the market can be further opened up? This means that an end date must be provided. The pressure is on. I welcome a review in 2003, but it must lead to the next step: complete liberalisation by 2007. The postal services are ready for it, so is the market, and the customer wants efficient, high-quality and affordable services. The Commission proposal accommodates these requirements, but the rapporteur’s compromise proposal does not, which is why I reject it.

Political group: ELDR
Unlike what usually happens, with the European Parliament calling for stricter measures than the Council, in the case of Directive 91/308/EC on legalising the proceeds from illegal activities, or money laundering, the European Parliament is basically annulling and retracting the new measures proposed. Where they apply to new lawyers and the confidentiality which has to govern their activities, the European Parliament is entitled to call for an exemption. However, the same does not apply to professions such as accountants, tax advisers, brokers, notaries, auction houses etc., which must report any suspicion of money laundering to the authorities. That is why these categories should not be approved and why I voted against the amendments in question.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, this Parliament has long been calling for compliance with the United Nations resolutions and for the European Union, that is the Commission and the Council, to become more deeply involved in solving the Sahrawi problem. Although we are going to vote in favour of this resolution – which I regard as a good consensus resolution, calling for the obvious once again – I would perhaps have worded certain points differently. I refer to the statement that both parties, Morocco and Western Sahara, must make equal efforts to resolve the conflict. We believe there should be more emphasis on asking Morocco to concentrate its political will on resolving the conflict, because the Sahrawis have demonstrated time and again that they want it finally resolved. They have released prisoners and accepted the United Nations rulings on eligible voters. It is the Moroccan Government that has been putting obstacles in the way of resolving the conflict. The latest obstacle to delay this referendum indefinitely has been the introduction of 76 000 appeals to the United Nations from possible voters in the referendum on Western Sahara. If obstacles continue to be put in the way, we may be responsible for a more serious conflict. Some people are shocked that the Sahrawi people are now saying they are left with no alternative but to take up arms again. I am not shocked. I can understand it. It is a solution nobody wants, of course, but it is one we are forcing them into. Mr President, the European Union – and Parliament within it, of course – must strive to avoid a new conflict in an area which is already troubled enough. We do not want Western Sahara to become another East Timor, Mr President,

Political group: GUE-NGL
We Moderates believe that the marine environment is important and should be protected. The prerequisites for a clean Baltic Sea environment in the future have improved considerably through the fall of Communism and are in the process of being improved further through the enlargement of the European Union. Through EU cooperation, the common work in favour of a cleaner Baltic Sea will be intensified. We have voted in favour of this own-initiative report in spite of its not taking account of what has already been done and in spite of the fact that the rapporteur wishes to direct developments using unduly far-reaching central control and supranationalism. We Moderates believe that the problems of the Baltic Sea neither can nor should be solved in the same way as, for example, the Mediterranean’s. Affected countries and regions in their respective geographical areas must be able to find solutions adapted to local conditions.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of ill health and premature death throughout most of the world. In Scotland, which I represent, one in five people will die of smoking-related diseases. We have an opportunity of doing something about that this week. We must pass this report into law and thus save lives. The reality that smoking kills is not getting across at the moment. We need a bigger, bolder and clearer health message to make smokers more aware. If the size of the health warning directly reflected the risk to health, the label would cover the whole cigarette packet. Half of all long-term smokers will eventually be killed by tobacco and of these half will die during middle age, losing 20 to 25 years of their lives. This directive will save lives because it is going to alter the content of cigarettes by reducing tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields and do away with misleading descriptions, such as 'light' and mild'. Consumers, especially young women, are being sold the idea that so-called 'light' or 'mild' cigarettes are better for them, as if they were the tobacco equivalent of low-fat yoghurt. However, low-fat yoghurt does not rot your teeth, blacken your lungs or put you on a ventilator. Yet smokers of mild cigarettes smoke more deeply to get the same nicotine hit as smokers of other products and receive the same level of damage. I want to make health warnings bigger, better and bolder: 40% on the front, 50% on the back. Health Canada recently carried out research on the effects of increasing the size of the area occupied by health warnings on cigarette packets. The result proved that larger warning messages better encouraged smokers to stop. Adoption of the directive would open the possibility for the improvement of health for millions. We have the opportunity and responsibility to act positively on this today.

Political group: PSE
Commissioner, that you are fully acquainted with the Cyprus issue I do not doubt. But my question was more specific than your reply. You have reiterated what was said in Helsinki and of course I have a great deal of respect for that, but what I am referring to are the negotiations taking place between the two sides. These negotiations may finish in June. On the other hand, they may not. Does the Commission intend to make it clear to the Turkish Cypriots that if, for any reason, they obstruct the negotiations or give us to understand that they will probably agree next year, Cyprus will still accede to the Union? As you know, this is a scenario which is currently being discussed. We may have a situation where Cyprus does not accede to the European Union due to obstruction on the part of the Turkish Cypriots, who give us reason to believe they will agree later, with the result that we delay Cyprus's accession to the European Union. That was my specific question.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, Commissioner, would you support me in my observation that the proposal you are making means that the Council’s commitments will actually be eliminated from the compulsory funds but the Council’s rights, in particular those pertaining to the re-routing of surplus funds, will be preserved, which means in effect that there will be a switch from compulsory funds to non-compulsory funds without Parliament retaining its sovereign rights over this sector of the budget?

Political group: Verts-ALE
The proposal by Mr Bakopoulos, the rapporteur, to set up a Committee on Safe Seas and the Prevention of Pollution by Ships, which would replace the current committees, is another step towards the renationalisation of Community policy on maritime safety, but is also an extra asset for improving monitoring of the implementation of Community and international regulations. However, the recent disasters involving the Erika and Ievoli Sun vessels have shown that the even best resolutions are worthless unless we provide ourselves with the means to apply them and to have them applied. That is why the legislation currently under discussion must be imposed on Member States, particularly legislation that governs prevention of pollution, monitoring the criteria regarding the training and formal qualifications of seafarers and working conditions at sea. In order to do this, we must allocate resources to ensure the quantity and quality of inspections and inspectors, and in terms of making all concerned such as shipowners, charterers, tankers and classification societies responsible in financial terms. In order to curb the impunity and complacency that pervade this industry, I voted in favour of this report. - Nicholson report (A5-0042/2001) Fatuzzo . – (IT) Mr President, my name is Fatuzzo and the Italian for cod is 'merluzzo'! I will now give the interpreters a few moments to translate this profound, important connection into the other languages. Today is 13 February, Mr President, and tomorrow is the day dedicated to lovers. How could I fail to appreciate the European Parliament's impeccable timing in, the day before Valentine's Day, concerning itself with cod which make love in the Irish Sea, and producing a directive banning the fishing of cod between tomorrow, 14 February, Valentine's Day, and 30 April, precisely in order to allow them to reproduce? In my opinion, with regard to respect for fish and cod, the European Parliament has done well. Here's to Saint Valentine and here's to all lovers! (Applause)

Political group: GUE-NGL
The EU’s strict visa policy constitutes a major barrier for people coming to Europe. The tightening up of the visa requirements that has been carried out over the last few years has unavoidably led to more cases of people smuggling and to an increase in so-called illegal immigration to the Member States of the EU. The people who have been smuggled in, or have found their way into the European Union in some other way, have often suffered terrible tragedies on the way here. Once they have arrived in the EU, they are completely lacking in rights and social protection. The list of countries whose citizens require a visa for entry into the EU contains more than 130 countries. There are not even as many as 50 countries among the states whose citizens are exempt from the requirement for a visa. This practice, i.e. of having the requirement for a visa as the rule rather than the exception, is not worthy of a democratic Europe. The basic rule must be that people have the right to enter the EU freely, not the opposite. Europe needs to change its attitude to immigration. Within the next few years there will be an acute labour shortage in the EU. It is therefore important that we recognise and welcome people who are seeking a better future in the EU’s Member States. A more generous visa policy is also a prerequisite for pursuing a common and humane refugee and asylum policy. By means of a policy that affirms the value of immigration, we can put a stop to the organised crime and the human tragedies that people smuggling is to blame for. - Haug report (A5-0184/2000)

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, my leg gets tired easily so I have to sit down every now and again. With regard to my declaration of vote on the Staes document, which concerns the Committee on Budgetary Control and, in particular, the way in which the aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina has been spent, I have to say that I have had a meeting with the representatives of the pensioners of that region. They urged me to ask the European Parliament – and I am very happy to do so on this occasion – to ensure that at least part of the aid, by some means or other, reaches the elderly people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 'But we can't go checking up on what happens to our money', I replied. 'But you must, Mr Fatuzzo. You must insist that the funds are monitored when they reach their destination as well. We pensioners need to receive some of them!'

Political group: PPE-DE
My question was slightly more coercive, he said jokingly. I asked you to tell me what your current thinking is in the Commission. Whenever I ask the Council of Ministers, they tell me they are waiting to see what the Commission has to say. Someone needs to tell us exactly what stage we have reached so that we can prepare our response to your future plans. I would remind the Commissioner that the Swedish Presidency, and perhaps you can confirm this, was in favour of a complete ban on advertising directed at children. This provoked me, if you like, into tabling a supplementary question and it is on this that I should like you to comment, as the Commissioner at the present stage.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I am delighted to see that both the Legal Affairs Committee and the rapporteur accepted that it was unwise to reopen a large number of issues in this area and that much of what was achieved in the common position reflects a balance on this very complicated problem. I hope that the House will also limit the number of amendments that are adopted and not interfere too greatly with the common position. It is a directive which I and the British Conservatives welcome because it is vital that European citizens are given proper protection of their creative rights and creative works in the digital era and this directive will deliver that to them. This is essential because, not only is there an enormous music industry and film industry, we must not forget the highly successful computer games industry which is generating a huge amount of revenue in the United Kingdom and in a number of other countries across the EU. But the British Conservatives also firmly uphold the rights of those who take advantage of the public interest exceptions. Groups such as the disabled, including blind people who need access to Braille copies in order to access the Internet, groups such as researchers, universities and libraries: these kinds of rightholder exceptions are vital for promoting research which is so important for our economic health. A less high profile exception that is important economically is the right of reverse engineering of computer software. We would entirely reject those amendments which are seeking to inhibit the use of those public interest exceptions. We therefore accept the need to tighten up the wording of Article 6(4), to clarify its role and to restrict it to truly on-demand interactive services. Having said that, there is another exception which is more controversial, which is ordinary private copying. We are all pleased to see the rules have been tightened up to prevent it being abused and used as a loophole for piracy; that is something that we would also support. I would lastly express some reservations about Amendment No 11. If this amendment is passed, I fear that the broadcasters will have an advantage. They are getting something for nothing. I think this skews the common position a little and, unless someone can convince me otherwise, I would have grave reservations about Amendment No 11. We have a sensible and balanced position and I fear Amendment No 11 may tilt that balance in the wrong direction.

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party wants to see uncertainty replaced by certainty and confidence. Young men and women must be able to report for peace-keeping and peace-making service in the confident assurance that everything is being done in the interests of their safety. Every risk must be investigated, every soldier who is concerned must be able to obtain a thorough examination free of charge, and civilians who may have been exposed to danger must receive every attention and, if necessary, be examined, partly so that we can learn from experience. It was, of course, out of regard for civilians that we intervened in Kosovo and Bosnia, and we did so on sound moral grounds. The examinations must be thorough, they must be carried out by independent experts and there must be transparency about methods and possible factors of uncertainty. If there are any reasons at all for concern, alternatives to depleted uranium must be invested in and, until certainty has been arrived at, its use may have to be suspended. I should like to thank Mr Solana for promising that all information will be published. We shall hold him to this, and he will also be held to account if the promise is not kept. I should also like to thank Mr Solana for pointing out our common responsibility for the military and humanitarian action, which is the reason why we are sitting here. It did in fact produce results and paved the way for democracy in the Balkans. It was a moral duty to take that action, and we can be proud that we complied with that duty.

Political group: ELDR
I congratulate Mr Mauro on the excellent report he has produced on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision adopting a multi-annual programme (2004-2006) for the effective integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education and training systems in Europe (eLearning Programme), which I fully support, in particular with regard to the need to develop the new technologies in remote regions. I would further draw particular attention to the role that the new technologies can play in the Outermost Regions which, due to all the constraints they face and to their current situation, need support in preparing for the digital age. Under this programme, I would also highlight the importance of teacher training, without which, it will not be possible to develop an effective education policy, and of extending this programme to cover primary schools. I also wish to express my support for the attention this programme pays to the use of the new technologies by the disabled, and the need to develop projects for teaching the new technologies to the elderly.

Political group: PPE-DE
We have not voted in favour of this report, because we do not want to support capital investors, whether in the cultural sector or in other sectors. Besides, they are often the same: a good many capitalists, who are profiting from investing in private television, in the cinema or in publishing, profit the most from public works, the monopoly of water distribution, even from manufacturing weapons. What we want, on the contrary, is to protect those, thanks to whom this ‘cultural industry’ works. As a result we give our complete support to those employed in the entertainment industry without steady employment who have been fighting for many months to defend their living conditions. The French Government, which makes such a big case of the ‘cultural exception’, is not making an exception for workers in the entertainment sector: on the direct recommendations of the major employers, it has just launched an attack on their social protection, as it prepares to launch further attacks on the social security of all employees.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, in this debate it is perhaps worth citing once again what the Doha Declaration actually says. I quote: 'The TRIPS agreement does not and should not prevent Members from taking measures to protect public health', and it: 'can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of WTO members' rights, to protect human health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all'. It is worth bearing in mind those words and repeating them for the record, particularly for the consumption of US observers. I doubt they are listening right now, but perhaps we can send them a copy of the Minutes of this stimulating discussion later on. The US position is not just contrary to the spirit of the Doha Declaration: it directly contravenes the letter of the Doha Declaration. As such, it is a slap in the face for all developing countries which invested so much hope in the Doha Declaration and in the objectives of the Doha development round. It represents a spectacular assertion of narrow and misguided commercial interests over the greater prize of a development round itself. It is worth making that clear because if you then consider the commercial interests at stake, it becomes even more incomprehensible why the US is single-handedly blocking agreement in this area. I would now like to quote a press release from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. It states that: 'over 95% of all medicines on the WHO drugs essential list are off-patent, and studies show that there are relatively few patents on AIDS drugs in Africa'. In other words, that statistic alone suggests there is very little commercial risk for either the European pharmaceuticals industry, or the US industry itself. It is all the more frustrating to watch these deadlines being missed – even applying the logic of their own commercial self-interest – as a particular sector in the US blocks progress in this field. My group strongly supports the initiatives taken by Commissioner Lamy and the European Commission. We sympathise with his position and ask why it is that the US pharmaceuticals industry seems to have been able to marshal US government support in backing its irrational reaction to the EU proposal. Unilateralism with a reason is just about comprehensible. Unilateralism without any logic whatsoever is unforgivable.

Political group: ELDR