GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, I want to thank Commissioner Patten for his detailed account. I should like to say that I agree with the tone which Galeote Quecedo’s speech set here. We in Parliament strongly support the Middle East peace process. It is, of course, a peace process which is finally under way. If we think of how the process was looking a year ago, the difference between then and now is like that between night and day, despite difficulties and delays. I want to emphasise four points. First of all, the Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement contains, as everyone knows, a concrete timetable for the implementation of Israel’s commitments. This applies both to the interim agreement and to the Hebron and Wye Agreements. While the negotiations on the final peace settlement have begun, I think it is important to keep the two processes apart. A lack of progress in the final status negotiations should not jeopardise implementation of the three above-mentioned interim agreements. What we need to look out for in this context is how matters develop in connection with the harbours in Gaza, the northern transit route between Gaza and the West Bank, further releases of political prisoners and implementation of the financial commitments. The second point relates to Syria. There, the border question is obviously central. How negotiations are proceeding there, we still do not know. What is important, however, is that they have begun. An important question in this context is the future distribution of water. As things are at present, the Golan Heights account for between a third and a sixth of Israel's water supply. The third aspect is the peace negotiations in Syria which are closely linked to the issue of Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon. According to UNIFIL, there are now concrete signs that Israel is preparing to withdraw, which is something we welcome. There too, of course, outstanding matters in dispute are the water problem and the situation of the Lebanese Palestinian refugees. My last point concerns the future Palestinian State. This may be proclaimed in the course of this year, with or without Israel’s support. The Barak government has given to understand that it intends to conclude a peace agreement with a state as the other party. Even if negotiations are not completed by September of this year, there is nothing in the relevant treaties to prevent a Palestinian state from being proclaimed after that date. In this context, it is important for those of us who support the idea of a Palestinian state that the latter should be as Commissioner Patten said, namely a state subject to public control, and that it should be a democratic state. This is something to which we all want to contribute.

Political group: PSE
The situation of the shipbuilding industry is increasingly worrying, given the major fall in world demand seen in shipyards in 2002. New orders represent less than 60% of those made in 2000, although in the European Union this figure was 77%, to which we can add falling prices. The unilateral application by the EU of the principles established in the 1994 OECD agreement, intended to end aid to the shipbuilding industry, was one of the main causes, since the current temporary defence mechanism proved to be inadequate in the face of the unfair competition and dumping by South Korean shipyards, which have negative margins that vary from 20% to 40%, supported by State aid. The EU’s share of the shipbuilding market fell from 19%, in 2000, to 10% in the first quarter of 2002, resulting in the closure of several European shipyards, unemployment and ever-present threats of further cuts, as I saw on a visit to the shipyards at Viana do Castelo. The EU must, therefore, propose new mechanisms to preserve and develop the strategic shipbuilding sector, through a genuine Community programme that promotes research and vocational training and which takes account of the priorities of modernising the Community fleet, ship repairs, maritime transport and fisheries.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I hope Parliament will pass this resolution by a large majority. It is the fruit of long, thorough discussion in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, with Mr Méndez de Vigo and Mr Seguro making decisive contributions. It is a resolution which combines effectively severe criticism of the Treaty of Nice and serious concern about the risks arising from its immediate application at this new stage of European integration which is now in progress. The resolution contains precise guidelines for preparing adequate responses to the fundamental questions on the future of the Union in constitutional terms. We set great store – I want to stress this point particularly – by the role of the national parliaments and our cooperation with them in every possible way. We do not pretend to give instructions to the national parliaments on what they should do as regards ratification of the Treaty of Nice. What we do hope for is convergence on the proposal for a convention. Madam President-in-Office of the Council, the convention is not meant to be a mere discussion forum producing, at best, polite recommendations, but a working body that can draw up documents to be submitted, eventually, to the Intergovernmental Conference. When we talk about a convention, we are not claiming a role for the European Parliament alone, but a shared role for all the parliaments, all the institutions directly representing the citizens at national level and Union level, which is the only way to guarantee openness, transparency and democracy – as you have said, Mrs Lindh – in the preparation of the future conference. None of the governments, whatever their political persuasion, are hesitating over the choice of a convention. Ultimately, they should also be concerned about not finding themselves back in a cul-de-sac, back in the cage, back in the nightmare of that last night at Nice!

Political group: PSE
Mr President, the situation in Venezuela continues to give great cause for concern, at precisely the time when the election of President Lula da Silva and President Gutiérrez is raising great hopes of democratisation and recovery for the continent. We hoped never again to have to discuss attempted coups d’Etat or situations in which the democratic institutions might be overturned. Moreover, we would point out that the same President Chavez who is now under threat and was in danger from a coup d’Etat in April 2002 had himself attempted a coup d’Etat. It is clear, therefore, that these types of methods have, in any case, not yet been completely eradicated from the continent. In our opinion, the worst is now passed. We welcome this fact and we therefore support the resolution to this effect. We welcome the increasing attempts at dialogue which are taking shape and we are also convinced that the international role, the positive role being played by the Group of Friends and the Organisation of American States, is certainly a positive innovation in Latin America, where mediation in internal affairs is by no means the norm. We also feel that the crisis in this country, consisting principally of the strikes and boycotting in the oil sector, has led to destabilisation which is not entirely coincidental. I wonder what the European Union can do in this regard and I fully endorse what Mr Salafranca has just said.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, I have never before had the honour of speaking for three long minutes in this wonderful Chamber. Thank you for this kindness and this gift, which I particularly appreciate because I am to speak about women. This is an issue which fascinates me, Mr President; it fascinates me because I firmly believe that women’s battle to be accorded at least the same importance as men and to be considered equal to them is right and sacrosanct, and every endeavour must be made to achieve this objective. This is why I would like to thank Mrs Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou for her commitment in tabling a report on this Commission document. Nevertheless, I would like to ask a question: is the money destined for this purpose sufficient? According to an Italian proverb, silence means consent. You are silent, Mr President, but I think that you agree with me that it is not sufficient. I have calculated that, every year, with this programme for women five thousandths of a euro is spent every day – not EUR 5 but five thousandths of a euro for each woman: that is a very small amount. Look around you: what progress have women made in political life, in employment, in social life? In political life, Mr President, how many women vice-chairpersons and chairpersons are there in the European Parliament? How many women have been President of the European Commission? None, Mr Kinnock, either in the past or at present; let us hope that things will change in the future. In politics, elected women are in an incredibly small minority. Now, I hope that the contributions provided for by the programmes for women will be distributed in a democratic way, not in the way that was so clearly criticised by Mrs Kratsa- Tsagaropoulou and other speakers before me. I genuinely hope that they help women to become aware of their potential and capacity to have a full role at the different political levels, irrespective of the political picture: it makes no difference whether the right or the left is in power. Women must have political power too, in addition to reigning over our homes.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, Commissioner, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, one minute is not long, but if it is to reiterate what has been said before, then one minute is sufficient. I concur with what Mr Wurtz has said, but I should like to add something in relation to our own mandate. When we are confronted with endless violence that always generates more violence, then we are facing a situation that condemns Europeans, Americans and Russians to powerlessness, insofar as their opinions are expressed in a joint phased plan to peace. There is no phased plan to peace. I have read it and do not want to read it again. For what is left of it? It has been shot to tatters from all corners. What I am asking you is how we can take a new direction. With this roadmap, have we not been led to believe in an all too optimistic scenario, the premises of which have not been accepted by the actual state of Israel itself? Has Israel accepted that it will, from now on, live with a Palestinian state beside it? Has Israel really abandoned the idea that the occupied territories should be governed by Israelis? I am coming to the conclusion that it has not and that, instead, it hopes to achieve military dominance in the region with military backing from the United States. In that case, there will be no peace. Every nation is entitled to its own home. I see it as Europe's responsibility to sit down with both parties to find out their real intentions and to stop collaborating with a regime that is using military means to eradicate part of a powerless nation and is trying to kill its elected president.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to join those who have congratulated Mr Lamassoure on his excellent report, and, if time permits, to take up three points in it. The first has to do with the subsidiarity principle and the monitoring of how it is adhered to. I would have liked us to have granted right of action to those regions that possess the right to enact legislation. I do not know whether we will find a majority in support of that, but I would think it right and proper, and a step in the right direction, to at least grant that right of action to the national Parliaments. Taking the review clause as my second point, I consider it of extraordinary importance that Mr Lamassoure makes it clear that this can work in both directions. I believe that future negotiations will depend on that to a very significant degree. Thirdly, the report refers to improvement of the legislative process, which must, for a start, involve the legislative function being, as Mr Lamassoure proposes, more clearly demarcated from the executive – and that includes the terminology used. It involves the EU's lawmaking being relieved of the burden of technical details. I would like to add that the agreements reached between the three institutions on the basis of the proposals in the financial services area are not yet adequate to deal with democratic control, but that they can at least serve to point the right way ahead.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I am very pleased to inform you that I voted for Mrs Bonino's report, which very commendably aims to contribute to averting the injuries sustained in peace time from these means of destruction. I would, however, like to add that it would be appropriate for Parliament to concern itself with the real causes of the damage caused not only by anti-personnel mines but by all the weapons used by the human race. The responsibility for these actions lies above all in the insanity of the Heads of State and Government of many of the world's states, and in the insanity of too many citizens who believe they can resolve their problems through war. This must end.

Political group: PPE-DE
We are in favour of any tax or levy on the big industrial companies that are largely responsible for pollution in general, and atmospheric pollution in particular. However, we have abstained, not just because of the derisory nature of the tax envisaged, but primarily because of all the loopholes, which are likely to turn this tax into a modest subscription granting the right to pollute. Genuine prevention of pollution calls for restrictive measures as far-reaching as confiscation of a polluting company, which no company can wriggle out of. But beyond immediate measures, atmospheric pollution is a world problem which concerns the whole of human society. It can only be dealt with satisfactorily by a society which has control of its economy and is not solely driven by thirst for private profit.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I would firstly like to congratulate Mr Brok on his report on the progress achieved in the implementation of the common foreign and security policy, a report whose objective is not only to sing the praises of this policy, but also to point out its inadequacies and deficiencies. It goes without saying that the European Community, making a virtue out of necessity, has, thanks to the determination of the Commission, the Presidency-in-Office of the Council and the High Representative, seen its visibility increased since the attacks on 11 September. This morning, during the debate on the European Council in Ghent, the President-in-Office of the Council fairly diplomatically said that an awkward situation had arisen as a result of the tripartite meeting that had taken place outside the summit. To a certain extent, Mr President, it is logical that in times of crisis each person tries to save their own skin, but, in my opinion, it is important not to give way to the temptation to act unilaterally, or, to be more precise, on this particular occasion, trilaterally. Europe is strong when united, but when fragmented is weak. For this reason it is important that Europe should be able to speak with one single voice. And the European Union, in the aftermath of the situation that has arisen as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks, has to rethink its common foreign and security policy, including within it the fight against terrorism, speeding up the achievement of its objectives and making the common strategies mechanism more efficient. Today, unilateralism, including that of the most prosperous and powerful countries, as we have already witnessed, is nothing but a pipe dream. In the globalised world we are living in today, politics, diplomacy, security and defence are interrelated concepts that have to respond to the new threats we are having to face. Security becomes a universal idea that cannot be split up, far removed from the traditional concepts of state and status quo. In turn, defence is constantly changing its boundaries in a world in which the perception of these is ever more blurred: nowadays, we cannot only consider the territorial defence of one State faced with a possible attack by another, but rather, as has been correctly said, we have armies that lack clear enemies and enemies that lack armies. In this world of globalisation, not only economic, but where terror, politics, diplomacy, trade, aid to development, security and defence are all interrelated concepts, it will depend on us to be capable of understanding and accepting that dangers and conflicts affect us all in the same measure and the response to these will also have to be the same for all those concerned. But we will have to start – and I am convinced of this – by creating a true common EU foreign and security policy with a common conscience that is efficient, coherent and visible, as Mr Brok’s report recommends.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I warmly congratulate Mrs Glase on the good work she has done. Within the context of the free movement of people, the report focuses on the posting of workers in three possible circumstances: posting within the framework of a contract signed between the company of origin and the receiver of the services; secondly, the possible posting of workers to a workplace or company which belongs to the same group; and thirdly, the posting of workers from a temporary work agency based in a Member State which provides them for a employer acting in a Member State other than that of the provider. Any of these circumstances can cause a variety of problems for posted workers: probably the first to spring to mind concerns their working conditions; hence the importance of Directive 96/71/EC, which is a catalogue of minimum rules for Community law protection, although it is insufficient, since it does not cover rules or aspects such as Social Security. I believe the rapporteur has identified the problems correctly: unfair competition, differences in social protection and, therefore, harm for workers, the need for a clear definition of the Workers’ Statute. We should, however, and this has also been mentioned, add possible abuse in posting and the problems stemming from subcontracting and generally from new forms of externalisation, decentralisation or deconcentration of production or, if you like, from the new forms of productive organisation. In summary, Commissioner, I believe we are faced with an opportunity, or perhaps the need, for a common core of obligatory minimum standards for all cases and as a minimum guarantee, below which the working condition or the provision of services is illegal when the legislation of the State in which the service is provided offers less protection than that of the place of origin of the posting. Without a guarantee of this kind, in the territory in which it may take place, I believe that the possibility of abuse and fraud are within reach of irresponsible employers. What is worse, we could be inviting them to commit this fraud or abuse.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I would also like to thank Mr Blokland for preparing this subject. It has been a difficult process drafting the directive, as circumstances and practices in the Member States vary, and this affects many different interest groups. The end result is that we now have a reasonably balanced proposal for imposing strict limits regarding the incineration of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, improving the environment and enabling waste to also be used in the production of electricity and heat. One of the hardest problems was to define what co-incineration meant. In some countries the best alternative, environmentally speaking, is that carefully sorted combustible waste can be burned in small municipal plants that produce electricity and heating. In the first draft sketches for these plants there was a call for unnecessary, technically costly and, in some respects, impossible tests. The proposal has improved during the debate. It is also important that industry can still use non-hazardous waste in its own production of energy. In my opinion, the problem was also that the directive went into precise technical detail which it was hard to get unambiguous opinions on from the experts. I think we in Parliament should keep to the definition of the main arguments, allowing Member States to take account of differing circumstances and continue with best practice with regard to the environment. A directive on the incineration of waste will increase the costs of burning waste, but will cut hazardous emissions and improve the state of the environment. Our parliamentary debate achieved a reasonably balanced proposal that can serve as a basis for action throughout the Union.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, the Belgian presidency’s ambitious programme for this presidency gives us hope that it is possible to combine tangible, solid steps on the way to an even more successful future for Europe with vision. You see, I actually believe that the public not only expect practical solutions, but also want to know where we are heading in the European Union. This will also become apparent in the case of economic policy. Here too, Mr President-in-Office, we need more democracy and transparency, and I would be pleased if the Belgian presidency were also to take on board the proposals which the European Parliament has already developed. It is in economic policy in particular that we see that, on the basis of the Lisbon and Stockholm conclusions, further progress needs to be made so that we can also actually bring about growth based on effective employment. At a time when one negative prognosis about the development of the European Union follows hot on the heels of another, it is important for the Belgian presidency to try, with a steady hand, to set priorities so that we can actually successfully achieve our ambitious goal of bundling and coordinating policies in the fields of the economy, employment and social affairs. There is still a lot of catching up to do here, and coordination must not only be a word; it must also be reflected in the bundling of policies and in the creation of greater transparency so that steps of this kind are also taken in tandem across the Member States. The same applies to fiscal policy, Mr President, because here we have unfair competition within the European Union. I am counting on the Belgian presidency here. In conclusion, I should like to make one further point: yours is a twofold presidency and you also have the task of leading the eurozone in the run-up to 1 January 2002. We all know that there is still a lack of information and a lack of acceptance. I call on the Belgian presidency, together with its colleagues, to make the introduction of the euro really a top-level issue so that we not only have brochures being distributed but also confidence-building measures being initiated by your side, so that as the euro moves from being a virtual currency union to being a reality it is accompanied by confidence and credibility.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I have abstained on the Blokland report and on the amendments tabled by my group because I am not at all unhappy about the recently adopted reform on voting arrangements in the ECB. I do not think that a system based on Member States’ share of total GDP would be any fairer or more efficient. In particular, I am not going to condemn the fact that the Council has disregarded Parliament’s decision to reject the ECB’s recommendation. On the contrary, this recommendation was very well thought-out, extremely balanced and I am delighted that the Council of Ministers has rallied around this proposal. This is why I have abstained on the Blokland report and voted against an amendment from my own group.

Political group: PPE-DE