GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, suffering and tragedy will continue to mark the days and nights of the Palestinians and Israelis if the international community and the European Union do not decide to take firm action to restore the international and human rights violated by the Israeli government. The two sides are not equal: on the one hand, there is a State, which has never defined its borders, which is expanding its settlements and has one of the strongest armies in the world; on the other, there is an occupied people and an occupied territory, without either State or army, which is unable even to exercise any control over bean imports, let alone borders: since 29 September, this people has been besieged, bombed, its villages sealed off, with its sick dying at military check points, its doctors and nurses attacked and its parliament unable to meet. There is no European Union diplomat who does not speak openly of the way the Israeli government has contravened international rules. Human rights organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International and Israeli organisations such as Betrelem also condemn this. We must do something to restore the possibility of peace and put an end to the cycle of violence. The Palestinian Authority must make every endeavour to stop the terrorism perpetrated by Palestinian extremists but, on the other hand, the Sharon government in Israel is not sending out peace signals: murders outside the Occupied Territories, bombings, expansion of settlements, carte blanche for the settlers, who have bombed architectural structures in Hebron which are part of our human heritage. It is time for the European Union to find something which will convince the Israeli leaders: not sanctions or embargoes, given the disastrous results where that strategy has been adopted, but at least the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which would probably suffice, according to Israeli organisations like Rabbis for Peace and others. I feel that this is extremely important: we must speak out for peace, but peace in respect for all ... (The President cut the speaker off)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I hold Mr Florenz in high esteem. He has delivered excellent work under pressure both from his colleagues and from the car industry. Add to this the fact that he had to do this from his green approach and, against that background, find a compromise. That was not easy. Overall, I am not dissatisfied with the present common position and certainly not with the philosophy underlying that common position. I would like to comment on two things. Firstly, vintage cars and motorbikes. These should indeed be excluded from the directive. Secondly, the controversial question as to who bears the responsibility for taking back cars. I do not wish to alter the text of the common position in any way. The manufacturer is and should be liable and the last holder and/or owner must be able to hand back the car without any cost. In my opinion, there is too much initial hesitation. The car lobby has led too many people up the garden path. I would also like to mention that experience has nonetheless taught us that the processing cost is in fact passed on. These costs are not very high. In the Member State where I come from, you are talking about 150 Guilders per car. If you charge this from day one, you can process the old cars straight away. A very large industry might then emerge which would ensure that scrapyards, which used to be a common feature in our Member States, would then disappear. I do not wish to make any changes to this particular aspect of the compromise. I think it would be a good thing if we were to approve the present legislation together as soon as possible. This is positive because, in that way, the nine million cars which are introduced each year onto European roads will actually be processed appropriately, and this will benefit us all.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, Mr Brok's report, which, as usual, is very carefully drafted, has come just at the right time, a time when we need some pointers for where the common foreign and security policy is heading. For us, 'common' means above all, and I am saying this deliberately now, that we must not have, or even give the impression of having, a board of directors issuing instructions and determining policy. 'Common' also means, and here I would support my colleague, Mr Brok, that the High Representative's duties need to be combined with those of the relevant Commissioner. 'Common' also means ensuring that we have a European Union Rapid Reaction Force as soon as possible. The policy has to be European to the extent that it clearly defines European objectives, and this means that we show solidarity with the United States of America but also insist that this solidarity is not a one-way street. If I have to read at a time like this that the United States of America is still rejecting the International Criminal Court and that Congress is even debating whether or not those who cooperate with the Criminal Court should be penalised, then this is not what I understand by developing a policy based on solidarity between the European Union and the United States. Solidarity with the United States must therefore also mean our drawing the United States' attention to those areas where it is necessary to pursue a common policy in the world community. My third and final point is that if we form alliances, in particular this alliance against terrorism, an alliance which we must and should form, we will more often find ourselves facing a contradiction or conflict between our strategic concerns on the one hand and our human rights concerns on the other. We should be under no illusion about this. Anyone who wishes to enter into an alliance, and I do, with the Soviet Union, with Russia, with China and with the Islamic States, will repeatedly encounter this contradiction. We should simply realise that we also need to make it absolutely clear to the public that this contradiction exists. We need to work towards both objectives. We should never abandon our aim of securing respect for human rights in the medium and long term when we have to form a strategic alliance, because if you support the shahs of today you will get the Ayatollah Khomeinis of tomorrow. This can happen if we do not remain vigilant and at the same time put the issue of human rights at the centre of our foreign policy.

Political group: PSE
Madam President, I just wish to emphasise on behalf of the the desirability of debating and voting this report this week. Despite the short timetable for the consideration of this matter, it has been dealt with very fully in the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs and there has been every opportunity for amendments to be tabled. It is regrettable that there have been administrative delays in producing all the language versions. However, I feel that there is a touch of opportunism in the PPE Group’s objections to a vote this week. After all, if it were technically impossible, the services would never have proposed that it be voted on tomorrow. Therefore, we should debate and vote on it tomorrow; otherwise there is a danger of obstruction by one group.

Political group: ELDR
The European Union’s objective is to ensure that Europe remains prosperous and peaceful. It is also, however, an important partner in cooperation, in particular with developing countries. I congratulate the Commission on its Annual Report for 2001 on EC development policy and the implementation of external assistance. As draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities, however, I can only underline the fact that questions of gender, development and combating poverty are interrelated. The Commission should, therefore, incorporate into its development policy specific goals relating to education, health, gender equality and combating poverty. The financing of female participation in business should be promoted. Moreover, the reduction of child mortality and maternal mortality, as well as measures to fight violence against women, genital mutilation, rape of girls and trafficking in human beings, should always be included in development policy. The Commission should ensure a gender-balanced participation in projects, with a special regard for areas where discrimination against women is most severe. I support the Commission in its reform of the management of external aid, which will allow us to strengthen the evaluation and improve the implementation of development policy.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, we often use the word ‘tragedy’ as if we were talking about a natural disaster, such as an earthquake. To use the word ‘tragedy’ for situations such as the spread of mad cow disease – which is certainly heading towards disastrous proportions – or for the situation in Palestine is, in my view, inappropriate because, in both cases, specific people are responsible. The horrific earthquakes that have struck El Salvador or India cannot be compared with the situation of frustration and humiliation suffered by the Palestinians at the moment. This situation was absurdly aggravated by specific and identifiable people on 29 September on the terraces of the mosques in Jerusalem. I am a friend of Palestine and I am not an enemy of Israel. I believe that the provocation by Ariel Sharon in September, which was permitted by the people who could have prevented it, and the hundreds of Palestinian deaths since then, have created a climate in Palestinian society which makes it difficult for President Arafat to accept late – although maybe reasonable – peace proposals which, had they been presented earlier, would, in my view, have lead to an agreement. Hence, a thorny issue, such as the right to return of the Palestinian refugees, could have been presented by the Palestinian Authority to its own constituents as an issue involving sensitive details which had to be dealt with in conjunction with the Israeli Government on the proviso, of course, that that government agreed, in time, to Palestinian demands that were easier to accept. It remains to be seen whether, on the international stage, the new United States administration will adopt more of an isolationist approach than the previous one. However, I believe that the departure of Clinton has meant that, for the moment, United States diplomacy in the region will be less active. With all due respect and consideration for our American friends, I believe that this is an additional reason for the European Union to make an even greater effort to truly promote its role in the region. Finally, I would like to make a couple of points. Firstly, let us hope that the High Representative, Mr Solana, is right to predict that an agreement may be possible before 6 February – Inshallah – but let us not forget that Sharon is still casting his shadow. Secondly, I have just returned from a visit by the European Parliament delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council and I would like to encourage all of those who are able to do so to go to Palestine, to go to Gaza and the West Bank, to go there, to have meetings, to look people in the eye and listen. Perhaps they would come to understand better.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I should first of all like to pay tribute to the rapporteur, who has put forward a very concise and well-presented report and one that we are happy to support. I would like to draw attention to one or two points from it. I hope that most Members in this House will agree with me that we should be moving towards a visa-free Europe, a Europe without barriers, at ease with itself and the rest of the world. I know we still have some stumbling blocks and Europe and the world are not quite ready for that at the moment. But the rapporteur has spoken about no exceptions and I am delighted to support him in that we have one single list. I also want to draw attention to a few amendments. Amendment No. 2 is important. It says it is essential that we have procedures that are as smooth and as simple as possible and do not cause unreasonable expenditure for the applicants. Many of us in this House know as well as anyone that getting a visa can be a time-consuming and expensive business. We want to make certain in Europe that is not the case working in the opposite direction. Similarly, Amendment No 6 speaks about young people and encouraging them to take part in youth programmes by not giving them the extra burden of visas. That is important because young people are enthusiastic about the European ideal and we do not want to put anything in their way that makes them think that Europe is not welcoming and not moving in the right direction. My last point concerns Romania and Bulgaria, particularly Romania, a country I know well. Every time I go there I have to go through the procedure of getting a visa and the Romanians say that as long as the European Union wants visas from them they will demand them from us. So we are taking a step in the right direction and I am happy to support the amendments and the report.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, there is a certain and true fact that seems to trouble the left wing, which is the fact that it has been the Spanish Government, specifically the Government of President José María Aznar, a Government of the Partido Popular, that has driven forward, both in Tampere and in Seville, all the guidelines that the European Union has adopted in the area of immigration and asylum. What is happening is that the European left is saying one thing in the European Parliament that does not coincide with what their governments, where they have them, are doing, they are saying something else in international forums and the opposite in the national parliaments and in the media. That is called schizophrenia, lack of ideas and of a political plan. And to cap it all, they call for strikes to hinder the work of a summit which tried, fortunately successfully, to give fresh impetus to the measures agreed in Tampere and to fight those who deal in and traffic human beings. I think that it is important, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, that it should be known that Members from across the Mediterranean spectrum who met in Bari, without any distinction in terms of politics, three days before the Seville summit, unanimously adopted a resolution clearly supporting each and every one of the guidelines agreed in Seville: to promote integration policies ensuring the respect of the rights and freedoms of immigrants that legally live in the European Union, and also respect on their part for their obligations as citizens and for the values of civil society; making association and cooperation agreements a tool for joint responsibility in managing migratory flows; and adopting the necessary measures to evaluate and ensure the effective application of the agreements. Also that the countries of origin should also increase their efforts in the fight against illegal immigration, better monitor and manage their borders and take responsibility for the readmission of illegal immigrants. Ladies and gentlemen, the thousands of deaths and disappearances already counted on the coast of Andalusia, along with those in Dover, or the sad sight of boats full of immigrants on the Italian coasts should not allow the slightest room for demagogy or irresponsible partisan accusations, which only encourage those who make immigration into a radical flag with serious political consequences. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I should like to congratulate you on having made this statement, which is proof that you are fulfilling your duty. My group invited two high-profile speakers, one Palestinian and one Israeli, to address us here last night and they described life in reoccupied Ramallah. They told us how the camps were being bombed and also described the horrors of the attacks in Jerusalem. They told us how the city of Ramallah was plunged into darkness and bombed at the very moment when President Arafat was receiving Mr Moratinos, and how bombs fell just a few metres from where they were meeting. I think that you were right just now to recall our decision to invite President Arafat and Mr Peres. I believe that you are right to remind us of this and to extend the invitation. We also decided to send a high-level delegation to the area; this was Parliament's wish. I suggest that we act on this decision and that this delegation be a high-level one, comprising, for example, the presidents of our groups or even Parliament's President.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, Commissioner Fischler, banana production has a special significance in certain less developed countries, signatories to the ACP agreements, island regions such as Crete, and, in particular, outermost regions such as Madeira, the Canary Islands, Martinique and Guadeloupe. We are not talking about fully developed regions in the centre of Europe which have countless alternatives when faced with changes in market conditions, and where the common agricultural policy invests most of its resources. For this reason it is not possible for us to accept radical changes in the Community’s trade policy in this field unless we take full account of its regional impact and unless we take the necessary measures in this field in terms of economic and social cohesion. The Lisbon European Council instructed the Commission to present as quickly as possible practical measures aimed at implementing the Commission’s report on the application of Article 299(2) in relation to the outermost regions. Agriculture is absolutely vital to many of these regions, which are hoping that the Commission will act swiftly and decisively to maintain regional conditions for agricultural development.

Political group: PSE
Over the last few years, every aspect of the travel industry has undergone profound changes. Indeed, observers have noted a growing rise in the number and range of services on offer, and a parallel increase in numbers and types of customers. Given these historical changes, a rapid overhaul of the special VAT scheme for travel agents, in force since 1977, has become imperative. I therefore wish to express my full support for Parliament’s report and congratulate the rapporteur, Mrs Torres Marques. I agree unreservedly with the approval of the changes to the VAT scheme for travel agents, which involve taxing tour operators based outside the EU when they offer their services to European consumers. This measure will eliminate the unfair competition affecting the European travel industry. It also strikes a blow against tax evasion on the part of European companies falsely claiming to be based outside the EU and not charging VAT to consumers. Once these adjustments have been made, the European travel industry will be able to compete on fair and even terms in the highly competitive world travel market, inaugurating a state of affairs which can only have favourable repercussions for our consumers. Tourism in the Algarve, therefore, can only benefit from this new system. - Report: Bouwman (A5-0260/2003)

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, Israel and Palestine are two independent nations but they are not yet two independent states. They are two peoples who must coexist as neighbours or offer their grandchildren the prospect of eternal feuding. Sadly, there is provocation by people who should be showing leadership. Provocation leads to violence, which is met by violence, which leads to revenge and a slippery slope away from a just and peaceful modus vivendi. Much of the solution is in Israel's hands, but Palestine and the neighbouring states must respond. Of course I understand Israel's nervousness about taking the first steps. Lebanon, for example, has been in an impossible situation for years: it has been shelled by Israel and infiltrated by Syria, and both must help it now to provide stability in its own lands. Israeli withdrawal was met responsibly by the Lebanese. However, Israel still holds pockets of Lebanese territory in the south and has not yet provided maps of where the landmines are so that they can be cleared and, as a result, nine shepherds have been killed since the withdrawal. Prisoners on both sides still have to be returned and the Shebaa farms on the Golan border belonging to Lebanon are still held, controlled and occupied by Israel. The key area of provocation has been covered by the minister and by the Commissioner, including the issue of the sale in the EU of goods labelled as Israeli but coming from the settlements. There are 145 settlements in the West Bank, 16 in Gaza, 9 in East Jerusalem; 400,000 people live in them. Only 42% of West Bank territory is controlled by the Palestinians, 58% is either in military camps or settlements and too often the military camps lead to the settlements. Peace will not come from resolutions adopted here – although we can help. Peace will come if, and only when, Israel, Palestine and the neighbouring states realise they want peace so much that they are prepared to live it.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President-in-Office, it is strange to say the least that, at a time when the European Union is trying to raise its international profile, as the prime minister of Greece told us yesterday, it has failed to take a stand on the question of the USA’s so-called missile defence plans. This is a major issue, an issue which has attracted the attention of the global peace movement, which has condemned the United States’ attempt to put weapons into space in order to serve its aims and ambitions, and if the European Union does not condemn this action on the part of the United States then, to all intents and purposes, it endorses it.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, there are countries in the world that do not take human rights very seriously, including China, the last great Communist dictatorship on the planet. The lack of respect for human rights is, for me, the main reason why we should not here and now remove the European embargo on the sale of weapons to China. Last weekend, the Council agreed that consideration should be given to whether the embargo should be removed. We do not believe the time is ripe. It is of course true that there has been progress in China since the massacre in Tianamen Square in 1989, and it is also a fact that the political dialogue between the EU and China has improved, but there is still cause for considerable concern about the Chinese lack of understanding of human rights and of the state governed by law. We know that there are violations of fundamental freedoms, that torture and arbitrary imprisonments take place, that the Chinese authorities do not respect minorities and that many executions occur – more than in any other country in the world. We also know that China has deployed rockets pointing over the straits towards democratic Taiwan and that there is now increased tension across the Straits of Taiwan. Are we to close our eyes to the fact that a dictatorship – China – is threatening one of the foremost democracies in the Far East, namely Taiwan? When it comes to human rights and democracy, Taiwan is exemplary, while China gives every cause for alarm. Are we now to be involved in helping the Chinese to rearm? That, we believe, would be a really bad idea.

Political group: ELDR