GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, questions of human rights are important to us, and they are not the private affairs of any one country. The war in Chechnya is a case in point, and, for example, this labour legislation now under discussion will reduce employees’ rights quite drastically. We have, however, tried a boycott policy, and that had no effect on this war. The twin-track strategy proposed by Mr Oostlander offers a way out, for which I thank him. This is the first strategy on Russia in our history. Multi-faceted cooperation will help to stabilise conditions in Russia. That will be the first step, after which attempts will be made to achieve respect for the law, which will be the second step, and then, economic development will bring more stability, all of which will bring about the features of civil society we expect. The result will finally be more human rights, which we all desire. This report thus creates the possibility for constructing a multilayer structure. For this reason I think it will be an important breakthrough. We have already laid the foundations of a period of cooperation with Russia during which the political leadership has changed. We uphold the criticisms, but we will not sever our contact as we did after the civil war, which was followed by Stalin’s persecutions and all the terrors. The Northern Dimension, which is important, will receive its own budget funds under this proposal, which is a very important issue. I, myself, suggest that energy should be made the driving force behind this important project, as that is something we need, that is where the money is, and since we have the money, we can also spend it on the infrastructure, on hospitals, environmental issues and so on. Money from energy: both sides need cooperation for that, and especially in parts of northern Russia, which I would urge Russia to turn to. It is peaceful there and soldiers are not needed to guard the pipeline. Do you intend to support a project such as this, Commissioner Patten?

Political group: PSE
As a liberal, I am always in favour of dialogue in Parliament. That is what democracy is all about. And as rapporteur, I have always tried to be an honest, objective intermediary and maintain dialogue between the various European standpoints in the Committee on Development and Cooperation and between the various organisations. Right from the beginning I could see that there would be a problem. I have tried to defend a compromise in the Committee on Development and Cooperation. One regulation with two chapters. I am sorry that this has ultimately turned out not to be the official point of view of Parliament, but I will remain at your disposal. I have abstained from the vote législatif because I want to be in a position to maintain the dialogue between all the institutional players involved in this issue, which is so very important for Asia and Latin America. We have only one aim: to accept a definitive regulation in the near future with consensus between the various standpoints.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, this year’s tenth anniversary of the UN Convention is a very good opportunity for both the European Parliament and the Commission not just to deliver speeches in celebration of the anniversary but above all to press for further action, to make more resources available, and to take initiatives and measures to coordinate an integrated and binding policy which will prove effective in protecting human values and the human dignity of children. Recent UNICEF statistics paint a gloomy picture of world reality. Millions of children are suffering from hunger and a lack of basic medical care and education, whilst some 300,000 children under the age of 18 are currently being trained for and are taking part in military operations. And whilst all this is happening in the underdeveloped world, in the civilised West violence against children, abandonment and the sexual exploitation of children through international networks is assuming terrifying dimensions. That is why the European Parliament needs to send a strong message to all the institutional bodies of the European Union, to international organisations and to governmental organisations telling them that we must put an end to this scourge. In light of the drawing up of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the creation of the area of freedom, security and justice, we must incorporate a separate chapter on the protection of the rights of the child.

Political group: PSE
We learn that the Council knows about but has not examined the conditions of the trial. We also know that the Council has been paying special attention to the fact that the Cuban courts have sentenced about 70 United States agents. What will the President-in-Office reply if he is accused, not him but the Council, because he is replying on behalf of the Council, of unbridled hypocrisy, of having two sets of weights and measures and of the fact that the European Union outdoes the United States in its aggression towards Cuba? What will he reply if someone accuses the Council of what we openly accuse the European Union of?

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I would firstly like to congratulate the rapporteur on this magnificent report on an issue which I truly believe to be of extraordinary importance. We have made many statements in this Parliament and have adopted many measures in favour of the least-developed countries, aware of the importance of removing the barriers separating the rich countries from the poor countries, but, as the rapporteur has reminded us, these barriers, rather than being reduced, are actually increasing. If we bear in mind the great potential of the information technologies for the future development of our society, there is no doubt that this gap is going to increase. We will thereby prevent the developing countries from overcoming the poverty threshold within which they live, and from benefiting from the numerous possibilities which the information society offers, not only for economic development, but also in the fields of health, training and many others. Let us not forget that, according to current estimates, at the end of 2000 there were 700 million people ‘on-line’ in the world while, on the other hand, 2 billion people had never spoken on the telephone. Hence the need to ensure that developing countries have access to the information society and benefit from those future projects which it represents. That is why this report is so important and above all why it is so important that the European Union adopts a vigorous initiative so that developing countries may really be included in the wealth society.

Political group: PPE-DE
My party, the Dutch Socialist Party, champions a high level of care for man and the environment, and is prepared to accept a high tax burden for this. We are quite prepared to pay good money for high-quality government services in the areas of education, health, public transport and the environment, and these should not be compromised by cutbacks. On the other hand, we have little or no time for channelling money to military causes, to inappropriate economic growth and to gifts for profit-based businesses. In general, if tax money is spent close to home by the body which the electorate can influence the most, then this will lead to a much higher quality of services and to greater compliance with the electorate’s democratic will than if money is managed by a body which is remote from most people and over which they have no control. This is why we do not believe that it goes without saying that as much money as possible should be given to the European Union. In our view, pumping structural fund money around the richest Member States, the current agricultural policy based on large-scale economies, and the ever stronger link with NATO policy are unsound ways of spending money. Solidarity with the poorest regions, development aid for the developing world and extending care for the environment do, on the other hand, receive our support. This is why we endorse the distribution of any surplus among existing EU plans and returning funds to the Member States. - Hernández Mollar report (A5-0112/2002)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, it would be interesting to know if the Commission is intending to have research carried out in this field, based on the best practice model. Are you intending to create incentives, with a view to ensuring that live transport is carried out in such a way that is actually tolerable for the animals concerned?

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I would like to protest at the leniency shown by President Musharraf of Pakistan to the television confession of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. This House has criticised Pakistan's exports of nuclear technology in the past and received condemnation from its government for doing so. It is extraordinary that the sale of such dangerous WMD know-how to regimes as brutal as North Korea results in a presidential pardon and the right to keep the illegally acquired payments. It smacks of a public scapegoating exercise in the face of embarrassing evidence of official covert support by the government. Secondly, I would like to send my condolences to the people of Moscow for the recent atrocious suicide bomb attack on their metro, which resulted in at least 39 deaths and 150 casualties, with everything pointing to Chechen terrorists organised by a Saudi al-Qa'ida follower. I ask those in this House who proclaim the glory of the Chechen freedom fighters how they account for the murder of innocent Muscovites?

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, on the point made by my friend Mr Tannock, concerning the failure to have a proper debate on the proposed resolution on the Palestinian Authority's spending of EU funds, this is not a question of legality. I am sure the Rules were complied with. I have no quarrel with that. What does concern me is the political aspect. 170 Members of this House simply asked for a debate and a small group of people decided, in a closed session, that there would be no debate. If we are democrats and believe this Parliament has meaning, then we should allow debate to flourish. That was a mistake and it is a bad signal to send, not just to Members but to the wider public, who now know that, despite the force for that resolution, a small group of people denied them the right to be heard. That was an error of judgement, and not of legality.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I wanted to press home my explanation of vote by this oral explanation following on from the Schroedter report with regard to regional development. I would urge both the Member States and the Commission to give sufficient consideration to the huge disparities in wealth which continue to exist between the different regions in Europe. Not only the difference in income per capita but, above all, large disparities in employment continue to give cause for concern. Despite the fact that the Community, through the structural funds among others, injects considerable sums into combating the disparities between regional development opportunities in Europe, these disparities continue to exist. I therefore wonder whether the Community should not have a more drastic change of tack and, based on very strict evaluations, change its course and change its objectives in such a way as to make it possible to combat the disparities in wealth and employment more effectively.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, Commissioner, you know that the basis used for this reform contains out-of-date quotas with regard to Spain. You know that, in this regard, Spain is a specific case and that the studies carried out and all the surveys demonstrate that in reality Spanish production is greater than has traditionally been recognised. Spain has been penalised in terms of its production quotas, and this is clear. This situation must therefore be recognised because Spain is not the only Member State in it. Bearing in mind that, in reality, the new reform of the CAP represents a settlement of the previous stage – and when it is settled, it is done in accordance with the calculation of the ‘real realities’, and not the out-of-date realities – and bearing in mind that throughout this stage we are now settling, Spain has been penalised in comparative terms – and this can clearly be demonstrated – with a disparity with its real production and, Commissioner, reminding you also that the Spanish olive growers received you always in the great hope that you would appreciate their reality and potential in terms of health and environmental defence, I would ask you: will you not consider the possibility of our real production being reflected in the national budget? We call for transparency and an adjusted quota.

Political group: PSE
The legal case which is being referred to here, the so-called Journalists’ Case, is of great significance as an issue of principle. One of the key points in the case is that of whether a Member State, in this case Sweden, has the right to abide by its own constitution and publish EU documents. I would point out that, in its address, the Council of Ministers disputed that right. Now, the proposal for a set of regulations in accordance with Article 255 is on the way. I have a draft from the Commission which is very worrying. This says that the Commission wants to use Article 255 to limit the right of national authorities to publish EU documents which have not otherwise been made public. My question to the Council is this: does the Council intend that, with Article 255 as a basis, it should be possible to limit the Member States’ right to publish documents in accordance with their own national legislation?

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I would like to add my voice to the many congratulations addressed to the rapporteur. She has presented a very good and a very clear report today. I think the report by the Committee on Development and Cooperation shapes the content of the regulation – or, as we would all prefer, regulations – better. Mrs Sanders-ten Holte’s report clearly shows that the issue is not simply to incorporate trade into the development strategies for future cooperation with these two parts of the world, but that it must be clearly stated that the aim is to combat extreme poverty and if we are serious about these development strategies we must include civil society in the countries concerned. The measures called for by the Committee on Development and Cooperation, whatever distinction is drawn as regards whether they are intended for Asia or Latin America, make it quite clear that it is necessary to have two regulations here in the future. You do not have to be an expert on the countries listed in the Annexes, which will benefit from these regulations or the projects that are supported, to see the enormous, the tremendous differences between the two regions and therefore the need for two regulations. I would also like to thank the rapporteur, who has actually always shared this opinion, for taking such a clear stance here. From my experience in other areas and other negotiations with the Commission, I believe that if we get a convincing majority for two regulations here in Parliament tomorrow, that will be a good starting point for negotiations with the Commission and the Commission will move on this important question. (Applause)

Political group: PSE
It gives me very great pleasure to thank and support the Council for everything that it has said today on this complicated issue. I rise because, although the Council position has not altered, the Romanian Government has put in a great deal of work, and I want to commend to the Council the report that came out just a few days ago from the independent group for international adoption analysis, which the Prime Minister commissioned. The report has now been adopted and will be published and promoted once one or two details have been sorted out. This new report is very important, in particular for unblocking pipeline cases, which I know will give my good and eminent colleague, Mr Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado, very great pleasure. But we need to remember that it is not just families in Spain and North America who are affected by the corruption and child-trafficking to which the Council has referred. There are many thousands of children in Romania who have families of their own and have become detached from them. So the whole system has to be refreshed, renewed and looked at, as the Council has said. It is a very important matter, particularly in regard to severely disabled children, and I feel confident the new report helps on priority as well. My question to the Council, however, is that I am very concerned at reports, that appear to be very well-founded that the US, stirred perhaps by the emotion that this issue creates, is linking the potential membership of Romania to NATO, which this Parliament 100% supports, with the lifting of the moratorium on inter-country adoption. Could the Council please state – if it is true – that this is a most improper way to behave?

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, there is a little confusion as to why we have been asked to vote twice on this particular Karlsson report for rejection. Could you clarify the situation?

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I wish to congratulate General Morillon on his report and also recognise the important contribution made by his predecessor in this work, Edward McMillan Scott. Let me just take a slightly different tack to that pursued by a number of the previous speakers. I really believe that we should be talking in more encouraging tones to Turkey at the moment. Many of us wish to see positive progress in the development of the Union's relations with Turkey, and it is most important therefore that obstacles to the provision of EU financial aid for Turkey are removed as soon as possible. Not only that, but in recognition of Turkey's candidate status, which we trust will be endorsed and taken forward shortly by the European Council in Helsinki, we should be thinking in terms of a more ambitious programme of assistance. After all, the measures proposed are aimed at enabling Turkey to put in place the necessary structural adjustments resulting from the Customs Union which operates very much at the moment in the European Union's favour. Mr Prodi, when he was speaking to this House on 13 October, suggested that an accession partnership similar to the partnerships established with the official candidate countries would also help Turkey move steadily towards meeting the membership criteria. It is recognised that accession negotiations cannot commence until the political criteria are met but we must give Turkey every assistance to get to this stage. In Parliament's resolution of 6 October, we resolved to work speedily on the technical and financial assistance necessary to complete the Customs Union; and we called on the Council to support the necessary measures. We have now reached that stage and trust that Council will be wholly supportive of our proposals. We should also be prepared to begin consideration of measures that will help bring Turkey closer to our values and our economic approach.

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, we asked for a split vote here, on the one hand, with regard to the amendment on raising the age limit from 14 to 18 and for the rest with regard to the expression “national of a third country'. I would ask that there be a separate vote here.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I believe Mrs Frassoni made a comment about voting on Amendment No 4. A number of votes were taken en bloc. If I am correct, I think the point she made was that temporary committees would no longer have the same status as they have had in the past: Parliament would not be able to set up temporary committees. Mr Corbett, am I right on this point?

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, the Committee on Budgetary Control has published, to give you the main points, the following suggestions on the resolutions of the Committee on Budgets. In the first place we would like the budgets to be more realistic in the future than they have been in the past. We note that large amounts remain unspent every year. There is nothing against that as such, but then why did that money have to be in the budget in the first place? The second point, that is very important to us, concerns the fact that about 80% to 85% of all the money is spent by the Member States. As a way of exercising extra control over this, would it not be possible for each Member State to issue a declaration each year, stating that the money had been well spent. If things turned out later to be wrong, then the Commission would be in a stronger legal position to deal with the Member State concerned. In other words, national declarations of good conduct. The third point is that we would like, but that is widely known, that a positive Statement of Assurance (DAS) be produced once every so many years. On the eve of the elections, it is really difficult to explain why, after nine years, the Commission is still unable to extract a positive declaration of expenditure from the European Court of Auditors.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, I am afraid I am going to break the consensus so far. The rapporteur has worked hard and I am therefore particularly sorry to say that my cannot unfortunately support most of his amendments. It is time to match the rhetoric about fighting money laundering with tough action. As someone who represents London, including the City of London, I am naturally supportive of financial services liberalisation. However, freedom of capital movements must not be exploited for undesirable purposes. Criminal money could give liberalisation a bad name. This means financial firms have an interest in making the safeguards work but so do other professionals such as accountants and lawyers who are vulnerable to being used as inadvertent conduits for dirty money. The European Parliament has itself made a strong call for the extension of a ten-year-old existing directive to cover non-financial activities and professions. As the money laundering defences of banks have strengthened, criminals have sought new ways of hiding their money. Therefore it is reasonable to call for other professionals to identify their clients properly and report suspicious transactions without narrowing too much the scope of the relevant activities. We cannot therefore follow Mr Lehne in his amendments on accountants and auditors. Turning to lawyers, they rightly get special treatment. The obligations of the directive would only apply in respect of certain financial and company law activities. My Group believes that the safeguards for the lawyer-client relationship, which is absolutely crucial, is adequate in the Council common position. The lobbying of lawyers' organisations against this common position has been somewhat exaggerated. Therefore we, in the Group, will not be supporting the Lehne amendments because we are extremely keen not to weaken the rules. There are some of Mr Lehne's amendments which are entirely sensible and we will support them but, I am afraid, not the majority.

Political group: ELDR
Madam President, I should just like to ask you whether it would be possible for you to pass on to us quickly the letters which you have received and to which you have just referred, so that we can see the exact wording.

Political group: PSE