GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, I have the honour of being a member of the Convention drafting the Charter so I am not going to ask the presidency to speculate on the contents or whether it thinks the Convention should be declaratory or whether it should have judicial force. What I would like to know is what will happen to the draft Charter that the Convention draws up? Will the Council treat it as a document that it has to accept as it stands, or will the Council feel free to amend that document? Will the Council say just simply yes or no to it or will it be in a position to actually then redraft that draft Charter?

Political group: PSE
Mr President, the raid on the offices of the Human Rights Association of Turkey is not the first attack on this organisation, which has played and is playing a leading part in the fight against the repression of the people of Turkey, Turks, Kurds and national minorities. There have been repeated, even more savage raids in the past. I need only remind you of the armed raid on the previous president of the Association, Akin Birdal, who was repeatedly fired on. That attack too was condemned by the then Minister for Justice, and yet the victim was ultimately locked up in gaol for several years. Just so that we understand what condemnations by serving ministers mean! So this raid is particularly significant, because it was carried out at a time when the new government of Turkey is trying to stop the democratic mask which Mr Erdogan and his cohorts were wearing before and after the elections from slipping. As far as we are concerned, there can be no doubt that the government of Islamists, by reason of its very ideological base, was and is not in a position to lead Turkey towards democracy. It had to be elected, taking account of the thirsting and the fight of the Turkish people, but under no circumstances has it changed its ideological political orientation. Without doubt, the basic reason for this raid is the intrepid, heroic fight of the Human Rights Association in Turkey and the rights of the Kurdish people. Neither the military establishment that always directs political life in Turkey nor the Islamic party entertain any sympathy for this sort of impropriety. The raid was carried out on the basis of Articles 169 and 312 of the Criminal Code and the anti-terrorism law respectively, which criminalise any support for the hunger strike of political prisoners and their fight against the white cells as an act of terrorism. The ban on the Turkish communist party and the HADEP party was decided in the same spirit. We express our brotherly solidarity with the people of Turkey and stand by their side in their fight for democracy and peace, as recently expressed during the attack on Iraq.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I had the privilege of being a member of the Council of Ministers' Consultative Committee on Racism and Xenophobia, along with Professor Pelinka. He was a highly valued if not slightly boring member, who tried to prevent us going too far in our recommendations and acted as a brake on some of us who were more enthusiastic about pushing forward. Is the Council aware that the management committee of the Monitoring Centre has passed a resolution expressing regret at the resignation of Professor Pelinka and the events leading to that resignation and is the Council prepared to draw the attention of the Wise Men to this particular incident and ask them to include that in their report because it clearly seems to be a possible example of how our common European values are being undermined by the current government in Austria?

Political group: PSE
Even if we support the main intention of the report, we do not in any event agree with the ways described for achieving its aim. We perceive a problem in the CFSPs being ‘relieved’ of responsibility for civil actions. What is more, a serious policy for peace and security could better be achieved if CFSP resources and the Member States’ resources for military action were to be supplied in a ratio of one to one, with increased appropriations for humanitarian actions.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I am sorry not to be able to ask this question, as Mrs Bérès asked me to put it very directly to Commissioner Bolkestein. With regret, however, I accept the constraints of the Rules of Procedure.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we were more than happy to endorse this report, because we believe that environmental crime is still being underestimated, that its effects often go undetected and liability is sometimes difficult to establish. The dioxin scandal in Belgium started with the illegal dumping of a few litres of toxic spent oil from transformers which ended up in animal feed. In some cases, environmental crimes are not detected or are detected when it is too late. Often, environmental officials draw up official reports which are subsequently ‘filed away’ within the legal system. After all, fighting and prosecuting environmental crimes is not a priority for many Member States. At any rate, cooperation in terms of criminal prosecution at European level still leaves a great deal to be desired. This was once again borne out in this report. We have established that as yet, Europol has no authority whatsoever to act. What is more, the majority of Member States still need to ratify the Council of Europe’s 1998 Convention and environmental crimes are still not being penalised adequately in many countries. If Europe wants to prevent and fight environmental crime effectively, Member States will need to adopt a consistent approach and will need to accept the instruments required to achieve this.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, our Group fully supports the proposal. I would first like to speak as a doctor and as a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, and point out that we embraced medicine and science not in order to make money but in order to save human lives through health. Secondly, I speak as a European, to say that Europe has a huge historical debt to Africa, as it is behind an age-old process that has impoverished the African continent. We must therefore help to solve the very serious problems that we triggered. Thirdly, I am a leftwing man, and from this point of view I would like to say that when the welfare and needs of the people come into conflict with the monopolistic interests of a small proportion of companies, the people should be defended and the interests of both need to be reconciled. I would also like to point out that the structural adjustment funds from the International Monetary Fund have helped to make the situation worse.

Political group: GUE-NGL
I have just come back from Palestine, with mixed feelings of anger and horror at the violence committed by the Israeli army in the towns declared military security zones: there has been a curfew for over a week, power and water cuts, the wounded refused treatment, countless humiliations, the list goes on. The population has been taken hostage and is being increasingly ill treated – there are rumours of massacres at Jenin and Nablus – and the people are isolated, following the refusal by the Israeli army to authorise the presence of witnesses, journalists or internationalists. We must act quickly. We know that the people of the region will never know peace unless the Palestinians receive justice and their right to a state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is recognised. This means a complete withdrawal from the occupied territories, dismantling the settlements, and allowing refugees to return home. A force should be able to intervene to protect the Palestinian people and ensure immediate compliance with the UN resolutions. This was the message of numerous demonstrations of support for the Palestinian people all over the world, in which we participated. I voted for the proposed resolution as it aims to break Europe’s silence of complicity, in particular by demanding the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market has examined the proposal for a regulation very carefully. It obviously supports the aim of creating a European Aviation Safety Agency. However, we realise that we somehow need to harmonise the legal framework within which such agencies are created. A great many agencies have now been set up: the Aviation Safety Agency, the Food Agency, the Agency for Medical Products. It is high time we had a clear legal framework for starting up these agencies. The two previous speakers have already commented on certain aspects. I am grateful that the Commission announced in its White Paper on European governance that it intends to take a somewhat clearer line here. Sparks obviously fly when these agencies are created because decision-making powers are transferred to external institutions even if, Mr Schmitt, the final decision does not, of course, always rest with these agencies. It is especially important to us that the supervisory committees be made up of equal numbers of representatives from the various European institutions and for the European Parliament not to lose its rights of influence by outsourcing decisions. It is also important to us for the legal recourse created within these agencies' procedures to be in keeping with the European Treaties and the principles of the rule of law. Another particular cause for concern is that the powers of intervention created for these agencies need to be in keeping with the fundamental civil rights on which we agreed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. We have tabled proposed amendments on these points and we are grateful that they are at least being accepted in part.

Political group: PPE-DE
Even though this resolution is a generalisation, we agree with it in principle and shall vote in favour of it because it expresses the view that support for locust beans and nuts, which come under fruit and vegetables, should be reinforced. However, we must register our disagreement with the items at which the resolution becomes more specific. The first point on which we disagree concerns producer organisations, which we oppose because they undermine cooperatives. Even where cooperatives are converted into producer organisations, numerous problems arise because cooperatives in Greece are multisectoral, as are farmers, while producer organisations deal with one specific product. As a result, several producer organisations end up working within the same cooperative and, if they work properly, that is, in accordance with the relevant regulation then, in practice, the cooperative is fragmented into as many parts as there are products handled by it. The problem could have been resolved if Member States had been given the right to recognise these farmers' organisations and if the regulations had referred to cooperatives and producer organisations as being equivalent. This is not the case, however, and the European Union only recognises producer organisations with an anti-democratic legislative framework as producer groups. The second point concerns the emphasis in the resolution on the operational programmes of producer organisations. We do not disagree with these programmes, we just consider them to be of secondary or tertiary importance. When we talk of more efficient support for products, we mean better intervention prices, more subsidies and protection from mass imports. The operational programme limiting environmental pollution is good but it alone will not improve income support for farmers. - Wuori report (A5-0193/2001)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Madam President, I too should like to start by congratulating our rapporteur, Mrs Ghilardotti, on her enormous contribution to the promotion and highlighting of the relatively new concept of gender budgeting. The promotion of the idea of gender budgeting is obviously not calling for the creation of separate funding headings, nor does it aspire to more financial resources for women. What we want is for the specific consequences on the economic and social life of both sexes to be evaluated and, of course, for the budgets to be restructured so that, through them, gender equality can be promoted instead of being undermined. Today, it is becoming more and more understood that macroeconomic policy can reduce or widen the gap between the two sexes in relation to financial resources, economic independence, education and health care. For example, the health budget should take account of the specific needs which arise from the different physiology of the two sexes and the different health problems faced by the two sexes. In other words, the male cannot be used as the measure for everything. I regret that the European Commission does not have at its disposal either methods or reliable statistics for analysing the budget by gender. I should also like to stress that all the committees of the European Parliament should apply gender budgeting in all their budgets. Finally, it is also important for there to be transparency and control mechanisms.

Political group: PSE
I have voted against the report because, in paragraph 29, Parliament calls for ‘European tax coordination where it is necessary to meet the Treaty objectives’ and urges the Commission and the Council to ‘foster the process of convergence of VAT ... and of taxes on business income’. The Swedish Christian Democratic Party is against depriving the national parliaments – in Sweden’s case, the riksdag – of the right to make decisions about people’s taxes. If, instead, the EU starts making the decisions on tax, then the national parliaments and the Member States will be deprived of one of their most basic areas of competence. Instead, policy will be centralised at European level and in Brussels, ever further from the people. Demanding accountability will be a less clear and straightforward issue, and elected representatives will be more distant from the citizens who elect them and provide them with their mandates. Politics will become more anonymous and inaccessible. The EU will then become not only a project of cooperation but also a State – without, however, consisting of a common people, which is the necessary emotional basis and prerequisite for long-term cohesion.

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, last night the Committee on Budgets and, I understand, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy discussed this matter. There is no problem with urgency being granted and we can do it without report and without debate. (Parliament agreed to urgent procedure) Draft Council regulation on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating international terrorism[COM(2001) 569 – C5-0665/2001 – 2001/0228(CNS)]Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs President. – I will now give the floor to Mr Watson who will speak on behalf of the committee responsible, the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, Mr President of the European Central Bank, ladies and gentlemen, the efforts of all of us, of the European Central Bank and of Mr Maaten, whose report has dealt with practically all the foreseeable questions that could arise when the new currency is introduced, are certainly commendable. Since this is, in any case, a historic event – indeed, hitherto, all the Member States have had to handle currency exchange internally whereas, now, the entire Community will be changing to a single currency – it may be that all the aspects and consequences of the introduction of the euro will not have been foreseen and that some situations – as yet not clearly defined – might arise after the fateful date of 1 January 2002. From this point of view, it is the duty of all of us to endeavour to make contributions which will not just facilitate the transition but also highlight positive or negative aspects closely linked to the event itself. This is why I feel I may be allowed to focus on three points. Firstly: in the period which remains before the established date of 1 January 2002, information must be must stepped up in the peripheral and decentralised areas, since it must not be forgotten that people in rural areas still practise a form of hoarding under the mattress which must be overcome in this difficult situation. Secondly: after the transition period, during the following decade in which it is laid down that it will be possible to change national currency into euros at Member States' central banks, all the bureaucratic formalities should be reduced in order to allow the poorest people to change small sums of money without any burden being imposed. Thirdly and most importantly: up until the final exchange date, I call upon the qualified intermediaries, particularly credit institutions, to pay greater attention and apply greater rigour to cash transactions. I am sure that organised crime networks amass cash supplies for illegal transactions ... (The President cut the speaker off)

Political group: PPE-DE
I regret that, due to time restrictions, we were unable to hold a debate on this key report by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs on the Community statistical programme 2003 to 2007. I would like to say, however, that the new statistical programme for 2003 to 2007 is the sixth in its series, which, on this occasion, was submitted to us on time; this was not the case with the fifth programme, which expires this year. The new programme can therefore enter into force in 2003, because we worked swiftly to give our opinion on the report, and we hope that our co-legislator, the Council, will do the same, that it will not repeat its poor performance on the regulation concerning structural business statistics on which Parliament adopted its position at first reading in June 2001. The proposal for the programme is good and our committee gave me its unanimous support – it tabled no amendments whatsoever to its content. We are, however, proposing an amendment which is the same one that we tabled for the fifth programme, namely that in certain areas covered by various Community policies, it is important to have a breakdown of data by gender. (Explanation of vote cut short pursuant to Rule 137(1) of the Rules of Procedure) - Oostlander report (A5-0123/2002)

Political group: PPE-DE
It is scandalous that we have had to wait for the loss of the Prestige before adopting more or less constraining directives with a view finally to applying rules dating back thirty years. It is no less scandalous that the victims of previous losses, such as that of the Erika, are not always properly compensated and that the oil corporation, Total, which is responsible for the loss, is cynical enough to claim compensation for pumping costs. Some amendments are designed to water down the Commission’s wordings on the pretext of avoiding a witch hunt against the captains and crews. This is all very well, but why are the directives only aimed at the latter? Why not implicate the people who are really responsible, namely those who organise the shipments? Why not prevent them from causing harm by applying genuinely dissuasive sanctions, for, if ships are able to sail under flags of convenience and if determining who owns them is sometimes a real headache, the big companies that profit from these shipments, notably the oil corporations, are, for their part, perfectly identifiable. It is against these groups that the most severe measures should be taken in order to prevent the race for profits leading to collective tragedies.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, this proposal is about dealing with symptoms of an exceptionally serious disease. Unfortunately, it is a proposal which not only ignores the disease but also exacerbates both the symptoms and the disease. The idea, of course, is that it should act as a deterrent, but I should like to know whom it is imagined will be deterred. Whom is it imagined will be intimidated by this proposal? Those who think it will act as a deterrent are the humanitarian organisations, church people and those who have their hearts in the right place and who have to account for where their money comes from and how they use it. Whom is it imagined will profit from this? It will be the Mafia and other unscrupulous people. Take a country like Afghanistan which is now almost surrounded by closed borders. Pakistan does not want to take any more refugees. There is no room for more camps in the locality, as some of us call it. The camps cannot hold any more people, but there are always people who are obliged to become refugees, and they have to pay to get out. Whom do we want them to pay? The Mafia, or the church and humanitarian organisations? If we increase the penalty, then we see the price rise. People who have to become refugees will pay dearly for the proposal we are discussing now. A heavier penalty will also mean that there will be fewer suppliers in this market. Fewer people will offer to help future refugees. Those who remain will be the Mafia. They will be able to charge their own price, and they will eventually have a monopoly over this area. I understand that there are Member States which are very worried about this proposal. I understand that the Swedish Presidency is alarmed by it. I would urge them very strongly to use their right of veto in the Council and put a stop to it. In addition, I would recommend that, in the discussion of the proposal, at least two things are ensured. Firstly, a distinction should be drawn between organisations which intervene for money and for profit, and organisations which do so for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. This distinction crucially determines the situation into which we put refugees. Secondly, I think that it is important that we do not pass on our responsibility to just any old carriers. It cannot be right for some employee of Sabena, Air France or SAS to be made responsible for assessing what should happen in an asylum case. That is our own responsibility. (Applause)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, in agreement with my colleagues, I would like to table an oral amendment to Amendment No 6. We wish to add something to the second line, namely that as regards the things we do not want the Bank to finance, this relates only to the expansion of the nuclear sector. We would like to insert the following words: expressly excludes any expansion of the nuclear sector from ..... That is the oral amendment. (Parliament decided not to put the amendment to the vote) (Parliament adopted the resolution) *** Report (A5-0448/2002) by Mr Hugues Martin, on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries, on aquaculture in the European Union: present and future [ 2002/2058(INI)] (Parliament adopted the resolution) EXPLANATIONS OF VOTE - Galeote Quecedo recommendation (A5-0410/2002)

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, I agree with the Commission’s and the Council’s interpretation of the Treaties. Of course Article 63 is to be used as a legal basis for guaranteeing third countries’ nationals freedom of movement. Moreover, I have also in the past put forward the view that the actual legal basis was not perhaps the most important thing right now, for what is at issue is guaranteeing the rights of these people. I think, however, that, in the long term, we must arrive at a situation in which Parliament also obtains direct influence on this area. It will require a change to the Treaties, and I am ashamed to say that, during the negotiations in connection with the Nice Treaty, my own country resisted our obtaining influence over these matters because of the Danish reservation. Moreover, I quite agree with Mrs Weiler that we must get away from a situation in which some countries are accorded reservations in connection with parts of such a policy. We must all pull together.

Political group: ELDR