GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, Commissioner, it is interesting to listen to this discussion and it will be interesting to continue working on the issue of road traffic safety in Parliament after this discussion and after our decision tomorrow. I am told that the majority of the political groups consider a regulation at European level on alcoholic content to be preferable, since this is an exclusive competence which we can utilise by virtue of the Treaty. I agree with Mr Stenmarck when he says – and this is made plain by the previous discussion – that we should never accept safety levels that are lower than those which it is possible to bring about. However, this is something we do accept when it comes to roads but which, of course, we do not where aviation is concerned. In my opinion, it is important to have such a regulation at European level where alcohol is concerned. Mr Jarzembowski presented some interesting views but, unlike Mr Jarzembowski, I think that we should utilise the opportunity of issuing a directive as well as introducing police controls and other alternatives. We need to utilise all opportunities, and that is what we shall do. We have not said no to a directive before. Now, we have the chance of taking a political initiative, so let us do so. Turning now, Mr Bautista, to the issue of black spots, which was raised by the , I believe that it is important for us to keep an eye on what happens. It would be interesting to see a report on the situation out there in the Union. I am well aware of the fact that this is an important issue for cyclists and motorcyclists. Finally, there is the matter of education and the situation of children. Just as Mrs Schierhuber said, we need to have road safety education. We must utilise this opportunity, together with all the other measures at national, local, regional, and European level. We must make vigorous joint efforts to this end.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I shall begin by welcoming this proposal by the European Commission, which through its timing and content aims at simplifying the procedure for small farmers applying for direct aids under the CAP. In fact the experience we now have of implementing the CAP is that in practice it marginalises small farmers, defined in this proposal as those who have received less than one thousand euro per year on average over the last three years. First, because aids per hectare or per head of livestock made up only a tiny part of the income of these farmers, who often have no more than five or ten hectares of arable land or half a dozen animals. Secondly, because as a rule small farmers have to do the same amount of paperwork as is required for 10, 50 or even 100 times as much aid; sometimes they have to fill out a dozen different forms every year to get a sometimes ridiculous amount of aid. In other words, the small amount of aid for these farmers added to the paperwork involved means that the great majority of small farmers do not feel at all motivated to apply for the aid to which they are entitled. While this assessment of the proposal being debated is positive in principle, I should like to make three observations: the first is that I think the change approved by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development to raise the threshold from one thousand to fifteen hundred euro seems reasonable, as it will include potentially a third of the farmers in the European Union and more than two-thirds in some countries, like mine. It is a cautious but realistic start, which I think is both reasonable and important. In addition, the change also approved here to increase the level of aid over the last three years by 20% is important in my view, in part because this level has not yet stabilised following the Agenda 2000 reform, and it is also yet another incentive for small farmers to apply for aid. Certain aids, however, have still been left out, such as those for olive oil, bananas, tobacco, potato starch, etc., and I hope that these too will be included in future. Secondly, the principle of uncoupling aids from farmers’ productive options has some potential, but it cannot lead to the abandonment of the requirement for a farmer to have some effective production. Otherwise we might be encouraging absenteeism. My third observation is that in future we will have to consider another scale of aid for small farmers, who should receive a relatively higher rate of aid than large or middle-sized holdings, or else this aid will be ineffective. This is fundamental. Aid to small farms cannot be calculated at the same basic rate as other aids. We will also have to have new bases for allocating aids, since basing them on an average amount received over the last three years excludes those small farmers who grow products that are not eligible for aid, but which from the standpoint of multifunctionality should also be entitled to it, like the others.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to congratulate Mr Bowis on his excellent work. I must say, among other things, that we have recouped an extremely important aspect, the concept of a European Food Safety Agency as a network that should complement rather than replace the food safety bodies of the individual Member States. However, it is also necessary to call for a balanced approach to the issue because Articles 152 and 153 of the Treaty on European Union provide, as a general rule, for a high level of protection of human health and of consumers. The priority of absolute concern for humans is based on these principles. We must therefore ensure that the European Union has the highest possible food safety standards, but in taking this approach – which we unanimously uphold – we must also analyse the economic implications for the sectors involved in production. Article 2 of the Treaty states that the Union is committed to promoting the harmonious, balanced, sustainable development of economic activities. Therefore, any legislative measure concerning a sector such as the food sector, which is one of the driving forces of European industry – accounting for 15% of the total output of the manufacturing sector and employing 2.5 million workers – must be evaluated on the basis of this twin consideration, since both principles are intended to guarantee the general well-being of the Community. Any consumer protection operation only becomes feasible in terms of profit when it avoids unduly damaging the general economic well-being of the Community through placing disproportionate barriers in the way of the sector's production processes and therefore hampering economic growth and growth in employment. I therefore call upon the Commissioner to avoid excessive legislation and bureaucratic burdens as far as possible, particularly where small and medium-sized businesses are concerned. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE
Thank you for your answer. I naturally appreciate that this is how matters stand, that is to say that there is not at present any legislation which may be used in this context. Nonetheless, what we have here is an example of an unusually cynical trade in which hazardous waste that causes serious illnesses, especially among children in the area, is exported to a country which is unable to deal with it. My question is: if something similar were to happen today, that is to say if an attempt were made to export waste in this way, would the rules mean that exports of this kind were totally banned?

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, Commissioner, the European Parliament is right to be concerned, and this is surely an understatement, by the fact that the European Patent Office has granted a patent to the University of Edinburgh. We are simply conveying the concerns, fears and confusion felt by the general public. However, the European Parliament has already clearly formulated its position on this delicate matter. I would draw your attention to two elements. Firstly, there is the biotechnology directive. As you are aware, a clear position was taken up in this directive after long, searching and, on occasions, heated discussion, during which all stances, opinions and interests were voiced, following which the said directive received Parliament’s definitive approval at second reading in 1998. Incidentally, this was also an issue where, perhaps for the first time, Parliament showed what it was capable of and truly stood on its authority. The outcome is a balanced text that affords science the opportunity to make progress, but in the interests and service of humanity. A number of items are unequivocally excluded from patenting in this directive, such as the human body, for example, or parts thereof at all stages of development, as per Article 3, and the cloning of human beings, as per Article 9. Therefore, it is clear that this registered patent cannot go through. That is also why Parliament is well advised to react firmly. It is for these reasons that not only will the Group endorse the motion, it will also support Amendments Nos 1, 3, 6, 8 and 9, because they clearly reinforce the message conveyed by the directive in question. Secondly, the European Parliament has already pointed out on a number of occasions that we are lacking a uniform European patent, as it has repeatedly condemned the fact that there are gaps in European patent legislation. The situation has reared its head again, as you will see from paragraph 5 of the draft resolution. I refer to the amendment that I submitted and that was unanimously approved by the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy, relating to the very issue of our need for a European patent. This amendment also pushes for a European patent of this kind to be drafted swiftly, attempts to do so having failed hitherto on account of the costs associated with the translation problem. Just imagine that! Well, we will be able to “avoid regrettable misunderstandings”, as the European Patent Office would put it, once we have found a definitive solution to the problems attending European patent law, and have cleared such misunderstandings up, because, at the end of the day, prevention is still better than cure.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, Commissioner, I should like to endorse what the honourable Members who congratulated Mr Esteve on this report said. I refer of course to the way in which the report was drafted. As already stated it received the unanimous support of the committee. The content is outstanding too, and represents an improvement on the splendid proposal previously presented by the Commission. I should like to focus on an aspect I believe to be of fundamental importance, namely political dialogue. The relationships enshrined in the Barcelona Process can only flourish on the basis of political dialogue and political will. Both the Member States and our Mediterranean partners need to be involved. Clearly, the rapporteur has put forward positive proposals in his report. Clearly too, Parliament can and must play a key role where political dialogue and political will are concerned, to give credibility to our plan for integration. We therefore very much welcome the initiative to set up a Euro-Mediterranean Assembly. It is also clear that this revived dialogue requires a broader agenda providing for a whole series of issues to be taken into account. I have in mind challenges to governance, conflict prevention and important issues relating to democratisation and the defence of human rights. In our view, the war on terrorism also has a significant bearing on this political dialogue. Furthermore, this is clearly not the only approach. We are proposing a financial and economic partnership extending beyond commercial matters. It should also take account of the opportunities for mobilising an ever-increasing flow of foreign investment. In addition it should promote integration processes within the Mediterranean partner countries and strengthen our dialogue in the field of economic policy. In this connection, we believe that the proposal to set up a Euro-Mediterranean Bank could promote the dialogue and economic and financial partnership we are advocating. Clearly also, priority should be given to setting up intercultural dialogue and establishing a genuine Euro-Mediterranean partnership in the social, cultural and human fields. In conclusion, I should like to say a few words on the issue of financing. This is a key element insofar as there is a need for better recognition of the commitments made by the European Union and improved and more effective management of the MEDA programme funds. This does obviously involve a greater capacity for absorption on the part of our Euro-Mediterranean partners and the decentralisation of those programmes. Mr President, in my estimation the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue will prove a vital asset in overcoming the conflict in the Middle East. I am also convinced that in life, in politics, in science and in society, it is important to have more than a superficial acquaintance with other people. Rather, we should strive to have a true understanding of those who are seeking the same truth, harmony and solidarity as we are, though they might be travelling along a different road.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, seldom has a UN Conference been so well-intended and so badly understood as Durban. In my view, this is partly due to poor preparation. Diplomats and officials should have made more of an effort to reach consensus before the Conference. That would have saved the world community a great deal of money, time and embarrassing moments. Particularly unfortunate was the fact that a number of delegations ran off, for however well-founded their reasons may have been, those who run away are always in the wrong. Against this background, it was all the more surprising that, despite the obstinacy of Louis Michel, for that is how we have all come to know him in Belgium, and now also in the rest of the world, a sound final declaration was obtained after all. This final declaration contains a number of important provisions which, if applied, could drastically change the lives of hundreds of thousands, even millions of people. Governments are encouraged to allow minorities to speak their own language, acknowledge their own culture and profess their own religion, to stand up to police services who display racist behaviour and are also encouraged to adjust their legal systems so that they do not discriminate against certain groups. Roma and gypsy children must be given the same education as other children. In the field of migration policy, race discrimination must be banished. I also welcome the sound and balanced provisions on the Middle East, which emphasise the right to an independent State for the Palestinians as well as Israel’s safety. And finally, two centuries after the events, Europe has apologised for the slave trade. After all, we should not forget that at least ten million Africans were transported to America in what is known as forced migration on the largest-scale in the history of mankind. Millions more lost their lives during the slave hunt or one of the infamous cargo ships. The statements Commissioner Bolkestein made in a Dutch newspaper last weekend are therefore completely misplaced. ‘I am not satisfied with the excuses of the UN Conference in Durban.’ He said: ‘I myself have never had a slave, so why should I apologise?’ That kind of statement bears witness to a Western arrogance which overlooks the fact that American prosperity is partly built on the labour of slaves, and European prosperity is partly built on the raw materials from former colonies. Can this serve as an excuse for governments in developing countries to shirk their responsibility and shift all the blame to the past? No, certainly not. But rather than giving other people lessons in civilisation, we should have the intellectual integrity to describe this chapter in our history as it was: A crime against humanity.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, the Ethiopian government has blamed the international community for not being sufficiently alert in its aid efforts to feed its hungry population. The donors, including the European Union, are said not to have kept their promises. I share the Commissioner’s view that the reproach made by Addis Ababa is misplaced to say the least. Misplaced because this statement is made by a government which has been embroiled in an absurd war over borders with its neighbour, Eritrea, for two years now. Hundreds of millions of dollars, desperately needed for social provisions and increasing food production, have already been pumped into the war machine and, at the time when the Ethiopian Minister for Foreign Affairs was heaping abuse on the international community, reports were circulating that his government had bought a military aircraft from the Russian Republic. It is high time that the Ethiopian government faced up to its responsibility and made every effort to end the war with Eritrea. It could then focus its attention on the economic and social development of the country and so be able to prevent famines such as these. But also, and I would like to make this quite clear, the aid industry should stop blaming the international community unilaterally and, in this way, stop providing the local regime with an alibi. Emergency aid is absolutely necessary and must be increased, but development aid to both warring governments must be combined with accepting and implementing the OAU peace agreement. As a token of goodwill, the Ethiopian leader could in the meantime begin by accepting the offer of a humanitarian corridor from his Eritrean colleague, or could the pride and ego of one man get in the way once again of the interests of millions of his people?

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, today we endorse Mr Swoboda's recommendation which, like all his work, is excellent. The situation is somewhat ironic, since today is 2 May and the Commission's agreement was signed on 24 November. It may be that, had we adopted it earlier, we would have been able to avoid some of the consequences as well. I will restrict myself to pointing out that, this afternoon, the guerrillas have fired on the Albanian Embassy, shops and flats belonging to Albanians have been destroyed in Bitola, which had never known any disorder before, and yesterday a bomb was defused at Skopje airport. I therefore call upon you, ladies and gentlemen to do whatever you can to stop this escalation of violence while it is still possible, while there is still a chance of success and you still have the strength. Macedonia has been a nightmare for the West for years. The Council and Commission resolutions mention Macedonia chiefly in relation to Albania, but then there is Kosovo to be taken into consideration. And there is clearly more than that: Macedonia appears to be the centre of the mess in the Balkans. It is a nation with an irrational streak, with some citizens who are pro-Bulgarian, others who are pro-Serbian, with a large section that identifies itself with the Republic of Macedonia established by Tito, and with a large Albanian minority. Well then, it cannot do without dialogue or the country will fall to pieces. Today, Europe is doing something more to help: the greater the European interest in Macedonia, the greater the stability of Europe. However, you must do your part.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I welcomed the dry and energetic style of the rapporteur and the punctuality of Commissioner Kinnock’s reply. Indeed, it is not appropriate to make pompous speeches, and Europe’s response to the Kosovo crisis in setting up the Reconstruction Agency in Kosovo is a genuine, operative response. I would define the Agency, as it appears, by using four adjectives: agile, efficient, transparent and independent. It will not have an infinite life span and will have to involve the local communities. It must ensure the public receives as much information as possible, including via regular postings on the internet. As regards the headquarters, I agree with the wise meeting point proposed by Mr Swoboda. I liked the image of the ray of hope suggested by Mrs Van der Laan, but I would be more realistic. There is a considerable glimmer of hope, yes, but the political problem has not yet been resolved. How can we really explain our role in the various places in crisis, not only Kosovo, without reviewing the Financial Perspective? By hunting for funds in a disorganised and unsystematic way? It might be appropriate, in the right place, to consider this point. In particular, I think that the Mediterranean deserves adequate financial help. The Mediterranean is where the future of a new era founded on harmony, peace and international co-operation is in the balance. (Applause)

Political group: PSE
Mr President, one of the crucial principles of a properly functioning democratic society is freedom of expression and access to information. In this Chamber, we have again and again emphasised the importance of openness and transparency. Citizens must have access to information affecting their lives so that they can take part in the democratic debate and make their choices. The media have a central role to play in this process. If they do not operate properly, then neither does democracy. At present, there are media trends that give rise to concern. The consolidation we have witnessed may lead to less pluralism in the media. We combat monopolies because they reduce the supply of goods, with a consequent decrease in prosperity, and the same applies to the media market. Monopolies undermine democratic pluralism and lead to a decrease in democratic prosperity. Previously, party political media such as newspapers were only able to exercise political criticism within their own medium. They had no control over what other media put out. The threat we face today is one of potentially powerful consolidation, which may mean certain points of view not being represented in any medium. As legislators elected by the people, we are faced with striking a sensitive balance. To what means can we have recourse to ensure free and diverse media without at the same time setting aside another cardinal principle of a democratic society – that of the distribution of power. We want to set up basic rules that guarantee a level playing field without tampering with the actual content of the media. We need, in this Assembly, to comply with our democratic responsibility and make sure that the media comply with theirs.

Political group: ELDR
Despite the fact that the European Union recognises the rights of Member States’ citizens to freedom of movement, to the provision of services and to residence, there is considerable difference between what the texts say and the reality experienced by many people. Examples of this are the disparities in health care cover, the risk of dual taxation, the random nature of social provision, the lack of recognition of professional qualifications and the complexity of legal texts, which make it very difficult for the ordinary man or woman to know exactly what their rights are. As the rapporteur said, the Commission appears to be aware that, unless concrete measures are adopted, certain fundamental freedoms that are enshrined in the Treaty, such as the right of residence and the right of free movement, are, in practice, in danger of becoming mere statements of principle. The Commission must therefore adopt ambitious measures to guarantee the right to reside and settle, and, amongst others, the right to work, the right to study and the right to have one’s qualifications recognised in Member States other than one’s own.

Political group: GUE-NGL