GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, it now transpires that the disaster involving the African Titanic off the Senegalese coast has probably claimed the lives of 2 000 victims. Last Saturday, relatives and sympathisers held demonstrations in Dakar and Paris for the recovery of the ship and the victims. Their appeal to the European leaders and the Senegalese President Waden was very simple: ‘We demand immediate recovery.’ This exceptional case calls for exceptional leadership and exceptional action, going outside the normal channels. This is such an exceptional case. You know, Mr President, that I have already mentioned this and I have not heard anything from the Commission over the past four weeks. I should like to ask you at the very least to try to inform President Waden of Senegal that we as the European Parliament would appreciate it enormously if, despite diplomatic formalities, he were to decide in favour of recovery and that we in Europe are prepared to help. After all, it would of course be unacceptable if we were, with good reason, to make a huge fuss about major disasters off our own coasts but not to extend a helping hand when the bodies of 2 000 people still need to be recovered off the coast of Senegal. I call on you as President to convey this message to President Waden on our behalf.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, with regard to Amendment No 9, I propose adding the following phrase: ‘hopes that other Member States will agree to be associated with it’. This concerns the initiative tabled by Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg. The President established that there were no objections to the oral amendment. Before the vote on Amendment 12:

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, there is some unanimity in this Parliament in our attitudes – although not in the nuances – on the Timor question. As this is the case, I would just like to say a few words, as I was a member of the parliamentary delegation of observers who went to Timor. I must tell you that we did our duty, and added to this Parliament’s good name because we visited, I believe, more of the area than any other delegation (we went 200 kilometres to the East), and checked more polling stations than anyone else. It was useful for us to be able to bring you this news which we expected to describe in quite different terms when we left Timor and which was of interest to the Timorese, who, at least at that time, felt supported and who still are being supported. This referendum was an impressive sight, really quite impressive! An entire people – for nobody was to be seen in the streets – an entire people turned out to vote, expressing their national feeling, their bravery, their sense of democracy and their love of freedom. Anyone who prides himself or herself on being a defender of democracy would have found it inspiring to witness that scene. The Timorese created a flower, a castle of hope which, in one outburst of violence, was brought down and destroyed in blood, violence and death. Once again, it is not politicians but the Timorese themselves, with their cries and their pain who have drawn attention to their just cause. I think that this time, Timor will not be forgotten again and I think that the ever growing support for the long-suffering and heroic people of Timor will remain strong until they are free and until Timor is a happy nation – one that is moving forwards. (Applause)

Political group: PSE
In actual fact, the use of car fuels should not be subsidised by the tax authorities, and mixing in petroleum is susceptible to fraud. Even a relatively environmentally-friendly biofuel can be used as a means of promoting and justifying the increase in car traffic. The choice in favour of more public transport is preferable because this transport can make use of energy gained from water, wind and sun more easily. As the driving power used in transport vehicles, this type of energy remains the best option. Needless to say, vegetable products are preferable to drilling or extracting minerals, for which the landscape is often destroyed and polluted. The incineration of these fossil fuels is a major contributing factor to global warming. More vegetable fuel means that a larger area of agricultural land is required, and that this land will be worked intensively. The same piece of land cannot be used subsequently for producing food for our growing world population. These fuels labelled as environmentally-friendly probably promote the expansion of farmland at the expense of the tropical rainforests that have already been hugely affected. Despite this, a lower tax on biofuel which causes fewer environmental problems is, for the time being, justifiable as a means of influencing the behaviour of consumers and industry. In fact, no EU regulation is required for this, because Member States must be able to do this independently. If the rapporteur proposes to reinforce this freedom, then I will support him in this.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Madam President, before leaving for Strasbourg from Bergamo airport, I was followed and greeted by some pensioners. One of them, however, did not trust me and followed me by plane to see and hear how I would vote in this round. He is that gentleman in the red jacket you can see amongst the people in the public gallery; if you cannot see him it is because pensioners can only be seen when they are amongst themselves. I want to reassure him that I also voted for the European Parliament budget for 2002, although I still think that part of this funding should be used to have our plenary session seen on television throughout Europe. I think we should finance live broadcasts of the sittings of the European Parliament with all its trials and tribulations but also all its importance. (The sitting was suspended at 1.30 p.m. and resumed at 3 p.m.) IN THE CHAIR: MR DAVID MARTINVice-President

Political group: PPE-DE
The continuing occupation of territories by Israel, the repeated murderous operations by the Israeli army, its terrorist presence in Palestine and the arbitrary arrests, in conjunction with rough conditions of detention, the denial of the existence of a Palestinian state and the constant violation of the right of self-determination of a nation have created an explosive situation in the Middle East and a generalised climate of instability and insecurity, which is being maintained and incited by US and EU imperialism, causing the justified reaction of the Palestinians and intensifying the suicide attacks. The proclamation of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is the sine qua non to any real effort to bring about peace and restore a climate of security for Palestinians and Israelis. The MEPs of the Communist Party of Greece take side unreservedly with the fighting Palestinian people and condemn efforts to maintain the current situation and perpetuate the problem, as contained in the Quartet’s road map, which has obviously collapsed. The peoples of Europe are fighting for peace against imperialist military intervention, as in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq, and against cooperation with and support for Israel in its bellicose strategy of violation of the rights of the Palestinians, and they will overturn with their fight the militarisation of Europe which will strengthen imperialism against the peoples even more.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I feel I can say that the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs firmly supports the statement which launched the Belgian presidency’s term of office this morning, particularly one of the points you made, Mr Verhofstadt, to the effect that it is not enough to provide the citizens with tangible solutions to the tangible problems which affect them most. Of course, the new developments in the Union’s policies such as those you outlined will enable us to win back the citizens’ confidence in the European project, but the citizens also feel a strong need to be able to take part in the development stage of the Union’s guidelines and decisions. The democratic legitimacy of the Union is not an abstract question, of interest only to institutional affairs enthusiasts and experts; moreover, enlargement on a large scale imposes the urgent need and provides the opportunity for a genuine renewal, both symbolic and institutional, of the European Union. We therefore appreciate your clear, unequivocal commitment to producing a European Constitution. In this regard, I would like to point out that, only yesterday, in Milan, the Italian President of the Republic, Mr Ciampi, made a speech along precisely those lines. As regards the Convention, Mr Verhofstadt, as you know, the dispute over the name is not meaningless. Those who insist on the term ‘forum’ have something different in mind from what you said. We support the line you have taken and we are confident that Laeken will opt for the Convention.

Political group: PSE
There are various factors that contribute to corruption as a transnational problem. What is crucial is an integrated and flexible common strategy, which will enable us to achieve greater transparency, less bureaucracy, a greater simplification of rules and effective control mechanisms, in the aim of preventing conditions conducive to the proliferation of corruption from arising, and to increase opportunities for detecting and punishing such practices. We must fight against corruption both in the public sector, where it undermines the operation of the democratic system and citizens’ confidence in the integrity of the democratic rule of law, and in the private sector, where corruption tends to distort the rules of competition and prevent healthy economic development. I therefore regret the fact that this proposal for a framework decision is intended to regulate only the private and not the public sector, especially given that national legislations are still not harmonised – there are, for example four Member States that have still not ratified the EU Convention on corruption in the public sector – which could give rise to situations of objective legal uncertainty. Furthermore, establishing a different regulatory approach to corruption in the private sector, which is the subject of this framework decision, and to corruption in the public sector, the subject of the 1997 EU Convention, could also create problems in implementing the framework decision on the European arrest warrant. I therefore call on the Commission to present a proposal to regulate these two types of crime.

Political group: PPE-DE
draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Petitions. – Mr President, I shall talk about a very tiny, but nevertheless very important, element of the budget: that of the Committee on Petitions. I should also like to mention the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport. Both of these committees come into very close contact with the individual European citizen. In recent years the Petitions Committee has developed the possibility of inviting petitioners to attend committee meetings, where appropriate, to have their petition addressed. We need to ensure that there is adequate funding to enable citizens to do that, where appropriate. Petitioning Parliament is an essential right for the citizens of Europe. The Petitions Committee often offers the citizen a way of cutting through the bureaucracy of Europe to address issues affecting their lives. I am talking about only a very modest increase in the sums available, but this would send out a very big message to the European people. We must also remember that the Ombudsman is the other great defender of citizens' rights. According to Eurobarometer, 87% of citizens recognise their right to go to the European Ombudsman. We have just appointed a new Ombudsman. I have no personal interest in this, but we need to ensure that there is adequate funding for the Ombudsman to have the staff and resources to cope with the enlargement of Europe. On culture – less than 0.5% of total expenditure – we must have an effective procedure for the A-30 lines. I heard what the Commissioner said earlier. I welcome that. Timing is critical in this. I hope that we will have the procedures in place so that bodies like the European Youth Orchestra and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation know that their future is assured.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I also felt you might wish to know of the very welcome development in the Northern Ireland peace process today: the announcement by the IRA that it intends to appoint a representative to coordinate the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons with General John de Chastelain. This news is very welcome, as it means that the Good Friday Agreement can be fully implemented and government structures or an executive set up. You know that the European Parliament has, over the past twenty years, given every political and financial support to encourage peace in Northern Ireland. At last we dare to hope that lasting peace can now be guaranteed democratically.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, Commissioner, there are a number of points I would very much like to deal with. Those of my colleagues who have spoken before me have covered quite a lot, so please permit me to focus on a few aspects. It was with interest that I read the Commission documents, as well as the various initiatives considered by the Council, which have had some influence on actual action plans. I find it particularly interesting that we are here attempting to define an area that is at present made up of various interests and also watched over and managed by different nationalities. To take one example, you were right to mention in the action plan the various meetings that you had with Canada and Russia. I think that what you are undertaking in those areas is of great interest. Like my colleagues, I would like to see Parliament more closely involved in this work. I believe that, in defining the area, which has its own specific problems, its own specific criteria and is undergoing changes of its own, you are attempting something that has real authenticity and which also involves political dimensions such as foreign or security policy. You have also, however, incorporated issues of health, research, infrastructure, energy and the information economy as a whole. The remarkable thing about this is that we really are taking account of the region's specific interests, and doing so not merely from the standpoint of our European interests or coupled with them, but by actually including the Russian dimension in the discussions and taking it into consideration, just as we do with Canada. I want to say how grateful I am for that, because it broadens to some degree the somewhat narrow view that we in Europe sometimes take, and which leads us to focus on purely European interests. Many thanks for that. What we ask is that you get Parliament more closely involved and attempt to find ways in which the parliaments and our counterparts in the various countries can support you in your work. After all, we have established very good cooperation in the European Economic Area in order to give support in the workings of government and administration, and we have seen this done in several other cooperative arrangements between parliaments. This sort of cooperation could actually be a source of strength to you, and I believe that you still need it. There is one thing I find lacking among all the interests and diverse topics that you address. Relevant though these are, either I have failed to spot it when reading or I have not managed to find the documents, but I find no reference to you focussing on the economic dimension of the area as a topic in its own right. It may be that I have overlooked this, and if that is the case, I crave your indulgence.

Political group: PSE
Europe is wealthy and powerful. This wealth and power have been built up over centuries at the expense of countries where hunger, poverty, chaos and lawlessness now reign supreme. Europe is partly responsible for these problems. Colonial power has shown how countries can be governed without taking account of the interests, the wishes and even the survival of the population. A style of government has been passed on for which profit for those in power was the only aim, not the solving of problems experienced by the majority of the population. This is why interference by Europe can now be experienced in the countries of the developing world as disingenuous, arrogant and neo-colonialist. It is precisely because of past mistakes, however, that Europe has obligations. Moreover, precisely thanks to the power and wealth improperly obtained, we are now in a position also to do good deeds. The proposed code of conduct, in which human rights in developing countries must take priority over economic and other relations with these countries, in which requirements are prescribed for cooperation treaties and in which capital punishment is opposed, is an important step in the right direction. This also applies to the overview of the human rights situation for each country via an EU agency. This overview, however, should not stop short of making demands, but should have consequences for trade relations and the reception of refugees. - Martens report (A5-0066/2002)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, thank you, also for this piece of advice. Freedom of expression and particularly the independence of the media help guarantee and promote democracy in the world. The persecution of journalists in their profession is a sign of incapacity to respect a democratic structure, but this is a rule rather than an exception. Even today, journalists around the world are the subject of censorship, physical sanctions and infringements of personal dignity. In many cases, the journalists involved get killed. The problem lies, of course, in Russia where, since Putin took up office, we have seen fresh developments in Russia’s post-Soviet media market. The trend is clear. The Kremlin is trying to impose its will on Russia’s national networks ORT, RTR and NTV, and to develop an ideology in which the media will only be able to advertise State interests. We were able to witness this again recently when on 10 May, the Attorney General burst in on Echo Moscow, a radio station, and confiscated all financial and commercial documents. Where this will end in Russia, we do not yet know, but it is clear that that country’s democracy is in crisis. Needless to say, we also need to keep a watchful eye on democracy in Europe. The President of Italy has been mentioned a moment ago, who owns a company which owns, inter alia, three television channels, as well as the largest national publishing house, which, in turn, publishes magazines that support that politician. I find the initiative of Mr Van den Berg an interesting one to contemplate. In fact, we should also be aware that this phenomenon not only occurs in Italy, of course. Maybe in England too, there is a media monopoly, and that is to the advantage of the government in the light of the pending elections. There are similar developments in other countries too. It seems to me to be a good idea for the European Parliament to look into this issue and to see what it can do about it, for it concerns us all.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, Commissioner, in this afternoon's topical and urgent debate we must also turn our attention to the war in Sudan, one of the largest and most populous countries in Africa. Civil war has been raging there for 19 years. More than two million people have lost their lives because of this war. It has brought immense suffering for the people in the south of Sudan who are fighting for cultural, political and economic independence. In the larger part of Sudan that is under government control there is no freedom of thought or religion and no possibility of peaceful assembly. Human rights continue to be treated with contempt. Government forces are blanket-bombing regions in the south with heavy civilian casualties. More than 200 death sentences have been passed by unconstitutional emergency courts in Darfur State. The oil discoveries in Sudan have not yet led to a return to peace. On the contrary, they serve to replenish the war chest of the Khartoum government. There is a ray of hope: the peace talks in Machakos in Kenya, which have led to the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement. This has been drafted, but is not yet in force. First, unimpeded access must be provided for aid consignments for the people starving in the south of Sudan. This must also lead to a permanent ceasefire on both sides, which is respected by everyone. While the situation remains critical and the peace process has not yet made sufficient progress, there is no prospect of holding the sixth meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Sudan in spring 2003. In any case, we will not go there while the current situation persists. We do hope, however, that this will be possible at a later stage. I should like to stress that Sudan's Ambassador here is doing a great deal through diplomatic channels to hasten a return to peace. We therefore call on the African countries to organise the next ACP-EU Assembly in another, more peaceful country in Africa. Mauritania, which wishes to take on this task, should be specifically encouraged to do so. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE
We Swedish Social Democrats take the following views: Item 28 We do not consider this to be the right forum for calling upon the Member States to change their legislation regarding euthanasia. This is an issue for each country to settle itself. Item 147 We consider that the Member States must themselves decide whether or not they need to make use of transitional rules. Many Member States have chosen to introduce transitional rules in order to gain time to prepare a smooth transition to full freedom of movement. We think it important that the transitional rules apply for as short a time as possible.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, I wish to concentrate on a single point, namely the issue of the Commission’s reforms, which are of course an important priority, in this year’s budget too. There have been quite a few speakers here today who have stated that there are things in the budget process that could be done better and that the institutions should in future work better together, even though this budget has proceeded very peacefully under the expert direction of Parliament’s Mr Costa Neves and Mrs Buitenweg. However, I also think that, in certain areas, we should give some thought to how we act in Parliament. In next year’s budget, money has thus been set aside for early retirement and new appointments in order to ensure that the Commission obtains the right manpower for carrying out its tasks. In Parliament, we have demanded information as a condition of the appropriations, and the Commission has, on several occasions, reported in detail on the staffing situation. There is a majority in the Committee on Budgets that has wanted to place a large amount of money in reserve until further information has been provided. I think we must be careful, in making our demands, that we are not too pedantic and do not require too much detail. Otherwise, we shall end up obstructing the reforms rather than promoting them. We must, of course, ensure that taxpayers’ money is managed efficiently and transparently, but I believe it is important for us to concentrate our attention more on results than on detailed management of the Commission’s administration, for that would not promote responsibility. I think that we in Parliament should honour the obligingness and openness shown by the Commission and either release those items that are in the reserve or at least be content to keep a smaller amount in the reserve so that the Commission obtains reasonable conditions.

Political group: ELDR