GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, as we know, of the ten candidate countries, Slovenia best meets the entry criteria: it had only one point that was not in its favour. That concerned the recognition of foreign certificates of study, and the situation was resolved with the recent law. Today, foreign certificates are officially recognised in the same was as Slovenian certificates. There will, of course, be problems, but there is no alternative, as was rightly stated this morning by Commissioner Verheugen, the man to whom great credit is due for this enormous political and diplomatic operation. Slovenia’s positive situation stems both from the strong consensus among the governing and opposition parties and from the scale on which the acquis communautaire has been faced up to and the care and skill with which it has been tackled. Already the next objective is to enter the eurozone, an objective that, some years ago, seemed difficult when inflation was rather high, but that now seems attainable within a reasonable time, given that, at the end of 2003, inflation fell, settling at between 4% and 5%. Slovenia has, therefore, been able to reconvert some large plants – the legacy of bona fide socialism – into small businesses that have subsequently become relatively dynamic. In foreign policy, the issue of relations with Croatia remains open: there has recently been news of the Croatian parliament’s ratification of the agreement on the distribution of the assets of the succession countries of the former Yugoslavia, an agreement signed in Vienna in 2001, but until now only signed by the Croatians. Within this legally defined framework, it will therefore be easier to resolve other problems, not least that of the Croatian unilateral declaration on the exclusive Adriatic maritime environmental zone, criticised by the European Union too for being unilateral and not achieved through an agreement between all those concerned. The general climate between Zagreb and Ljubljana has, however, recently improved and the values of security, stability and prosperity to which Slovenia aspires are those of the European Union. Entry into the EU is recognition of the road taken towards modernising the country while respecting Community values and principles. Congratulations and welcome, therefore, to Slovenia.

Political group: PSE
Commissioner, I should like to pick up on a point which you made in your speech. You said that wherever we require unanimity, we shall retain unanimity, and wherever qualified majority voting is required, we shall use qualified majority voting. We all know of course that the European Parliament takes the clear view that qualified majority voting must apply as the rule and unanimity as the exception. If we forego this practice, then we also forego the subsequent promotion of the European Parliament to colegislator on all future legislative issues requiring a qualified majority. In other words, wherever we maintain unanimity, Parliament will not have the legitimate, democratic, important role which it will have in all cases requiring a qualified majority, cases which, as far as Parliament is concerned, and because of the democratic way in which it functions, should be the general rule.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the traditional concept of education was that students would cease learning when they left school. It is true that a small elite would continue to create, pass on or acquire new knowledge and ideas, but for the great majority, leaving school meant the end of formal education. Things have changed radically. Learning has become broader and longer. New methods and sources for acquiring knowledge and training have appeared. Anyone who does not keep up with this progress, these new requirements, risks becoming marginalised, undervalued in his or her professional life, risks losing social status and suffering intellectual impoverishment. It is said, and rightly so, that we are becoming a society of information and knowledge. The great philosopher Nietzsche, however, warned us that it is impossible to found a civilisation on knowledge. This warning should give us food for thought. Although, today, there is no alternative to scientific progress and to the increase in knowledge and information, the truth of the matter is that lifelong learning cannot be reduced simply to the acquisition of useful skills. It must be part of a culture, of a set of values that provide meaning for mankind’s life in society. Lifelong learning and training has therefore become an indispensable factor that states, educational bodies and the public themselves can no longer underestimate. Holding the European Year of Lifelong Learning and Training was an important step and a symbolic moment in raising the awareness of the European people with regard to this new state of affairs. The theorising that preceded and continued throughout the European Year of Lifelong Learning and the considerable interest it raised in schools and citizens’ groups made a major contribution to this. ‘Lifelong learning and training’ has definitively entered the vocabulary of politicians, educationalists and businesspeople. Even more importantly, these words have also become part of everyday language. Lifelong learning and training has also become an instrument in the fight against academic failure, students giving up on education and illiteracy. It is therefore a good cause. For these reasons, this initiative was valuable, timely and fruitful. Its objectives were achieved and what was lacking in funds was compensated for by the harnessing of goodwill and by the number of people who signed up to it. The line between people’s first educational experiences and later opportunities has now been crossed. Education... (The President cut the speaker off)

Political group: PSE
Mr President, no one is in any doubt that Saddam Hussein is a brutal dictator. That is not sufficient justification for launching a pre-emptive attack on Iraq. If it were, we would be attacking many countries around the world. We need to be clear that the motivating force for this war is primarily about trying to ensure secure access to oil. President Bush cannot, of course, admit this. Instead, we are told we must go to war in order to destroy Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. Let us be clear about this, our moral authority might be a little stronger if we did not also have weapons of mass destruction. I also want to talk about the United Nations. Commissioner Patten said that working with the UN confers legitimacy. I agree it is a step towards legitimacy. It is a necessary but insufficient requirement for any action because the UN process is itself highly imperfect. In order to get agreement from the UN Security Council for the first Gulf war, the US used bribery, blackmail and threats and they will do it again. The resolution which the US is currently trying to get through the Security Council is not designed to avert war but rather to provoke war. Leaked drafts resemble nothing so much as a plan for unopposed invasion. A just war to the extent that any such thing might be claimed to exist can only be pursued when all peaceful means have been exhausted. In this case, peaceful means are not only unexhausted, they are being deliberately avoided. (Applause)

Political group: Verts-ALE
Commissioner, in your report today you referred to the difficult revenue situation in the Member States, which is partly due to the structural reforms proposed by the Commission. Is it not time to start concentrating more on structural deficits when considering deficits in the Stability and Growth Pact and in the stability and convergence programmes? Or should we simply be insisting on qualification of expenditure as is the case in the USA when public finances are being discussed?

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I agree with a lot of what has been said so far. This has been a difficult report which arouses strong emotions and we do not have a European consensus on the issue. The use of human embryos to create embryonic stem cell lines and embryonic stem cell research are contentious, but we have discussed the issues and have reached a useful consensus in the report by the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy. I had to modify my views on the subject – which are quite liberal – in order for a consensus to be reached, and I know Mr Liese has modified his views too. However, I am now concerned that many amendments that were comprehensively defeated in the Industry Committee are being retabled. I appeal to colleagues to think again. We have quite a good compromise, which we should support. The vote in the Industry Committee was a reasonable and proper one. One or two amendments need to be addressed. A number of colleagues have sought to reintroduce a very restrictive deadline on the use of supernumerary embryos, which is a very serious problem. It means that, to create any new stem cell lines, you must use ageing supernumerary embryos which are not in the best condition. If you accept this restrictive deadline, more embryos are inevitably destroyed to create useful and viable stem cell lines. It means that if you restrict yourself to using just existing stem cell lines created before the date stated by Mr Nisticò and others, you will be confined to using ageing stem cell lines from the USA that have been made by using mouse-derived proteins and that are not suitable for treatments for human patients. This is the trap that the USA has fallen into and we should learn from that. We should also take note that research scientists are already leaving the USA for the UK and Asia to avoid the problems created by the introduction of a deadline. Personally, I would prefer that there should be no deadline, but I think that what the Commission proposes is the maximum practicable limit. The rapporteur says there is no immediate prospect of therapies being available to patients; if he gets this restrictive deadline reinstated, he may be right. I appeal to this Parliament to support the compromise proposed by the Industry Committee and not to support restrictive deadlines. Stem cell research will then bring relief to millions of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes sufferers, some of them known to us personally and some in fact colleagues in this House. Please vote for common sense tomorrow and on Wednesday. IN THE CHAIR: MR PROVANVice-President

Political group: PSE
Mr President, in Germany, what we term ‘bugging operations’ are used as a means of last resort in combating the most serious forms of organised crime. The investigation services are allowed to use them in prosecutions only under stringent legal conditions and subject to constitutional law. Our Federal Constitutional Court has recently imposed still further restrictions on their use. Late last night, on a German television programme, a Member of this House was able to boast that he had, as a self-appointed investigator, been using this method on his fellow-MEPs for some years, without let or hindrance whatever. In the programme, sequences filmed using concealed cameras were used as evidence of the rip-offs that are alleged to go on, particularly at the end of our part-sessions in Strasbourg. The programme culminated in the threat that we would see this happen again, for, to quote the very words used: ‘The day after tomorrow is another Strasbourg Friday’. Tomorrow, I will have to be here in this House, going about my political duties, and I will be recording my presence in the central register. As I would like to be able to do that without fear of being pounced on by cameramen, I would like to know what is being done to ensure that my fellow-Members and I can do what we have to do in the service of the European public without fear. How is this House’s security to be restored? Will the European Parliament, which is a constitutional entity, continue to put up with these attempts at coercion? (Applause)

Political group: PSE
Mr President, Commissioner Vitorino, data processing and information transfer, and the assurance that these activities can be free from interference, are vitally important in today’s information society. Who of us has not been afraid a virus might have got into their computer or actually suffered damage caused by a computer virus? Viruses can have unforeseen consequences for those using computers. Examples might include data altered or destroyed by a virus in air traffic control systems or in files held by healthcare units such as the intensive care department of a hospital. This could have fateful consequences for both individuals and large numbers of people. Computer viruses in the future could cause legal uncertainty on a large scale and prevent electronic commerce and people’s private business from being transacted electronically by sabotaging the reliability of electronic documents. That is why, ladies and gentlemen, our efforts to promote electronic commerce, for example, by creating the necessary legislative frameworks, will be in vain if these systems are not dependable. I am very concerned about the opinions of experts who say that those who are creating new viruses these days are less and less those who are just playing around. At first viruses were turned out by schoolchildren and students, who produced them mainly for fun and publicity, but more and more frequently viruses can destroy hard disks and all installed programs. According to the experts macro viruses already account for 80% of all viruses. People want to protect their privacy from intruders. I therefore agree with the views expressed earlier that hacking is turning into one form of organised crime, one that must be prevented particularly in the international context, because it is, by its very nature, a cross-border crime. The Commission proposal to prevent attacks against information systems and for the approximation of criminal law measures taken by Member States is thus a step in the right direction. Finally I want to thank our colleague, Charlotte Cederschiöld, for the valuable work she has done. I especially agree with her observation that the Union still has not enough data protection rules to deal with third pillar matters. The European Parliament on many an occasion has called for such rules to be drawn up, and I would urge the Commission to commence drafting them immediately.

Political group: PPE-DE
Madam President, I would like to raise briefly a matter of serious concern to me, and perhaps to others in this House, relating to the question of discrimination. This House rightly rejects discrimination in all its forms and we receive opinions on this subject from many quarters, including the Economic and Social Committee. It now appears that this committee itself practises discrimination on the grounds of age, in that it is impossible to apply for a job there unless you are younger than 45. Madam President, may I suggest that you write to them as a matter of urgency to see whether this is true and, if it is, perhaps to threaten that we will stop receiving their opinions until they abandon such discrimination. Surely it should be possible for people to work for any institution at any age, even if they are as old as I am! (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, the next vote is on Amendment No 33. Part 3 of the preamble to this amendment concerns an external source of protection. The German version of the text reads ‘suitable external source of protection’ and the original text reads ‘qualified external source of protection’. The two things are not the same, and therefore I should like the German version to be corrected so that it is in line with the original, even though it may not read like good German. I should also like this point to be recorded in the minutes.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, I wish to congratulate the rapporteur, Mrs Klamt, on a splendid and successful piece of work. Swedish travel agents are to be the first in the world to actively combat the child sex trade, which is rife in many so-called tourist paradises. All the major players in the Swedish tourist industry have already promised to comply with a special code of conduct. Once they have shown that they are fulfilling the requirements of the code, they will be duly approved or certified. As early as the beginning of April of this year, a campaign was begun to make travellers aware of what is happening. There are TV and cinema advertisements, posters at the airports and large placards. Behind the code of conduct lies the Swedish branch of ECPAT, an organisation which works to end the sexual exploitation of children. Among the requirements made of travel companies are that they should train their staff, both at home and at the resorts, as well as inform travellers. They are also to see to it that, for example, hotel owners and staff are aware of, and contribute to, the work being done to combat the child sex trade. It is about touching people’s consciences. Allow me to conclude my speech by talking about children – our greatest gift, the most precious thing we have. They are innocent and defenceless and they seek security. We must awaken citizens’ consciences where our children are concerned. I also want to talk about the sexual dimension to life. Adult society cannot escape from its failure to adequately foster an appreciation of both the wonder and the responsibility entailed in sexual experience. It is about showing love and tenderness, about the gift of life, about carrying life forward and about faithfulness. We must awaken citizens’ consciences regarding the place of love in our lives.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I welcome the EQUAL initiative and the report which highlights the need to distinguish between actions to combat discrimination against women and actions to combat discrimination against minority groups. Women are not a minority and often suffer double discrimination as members of minority groups as well as because of their gender. This is why specific action for women is needed, as well as mainstreaming. The report addresses this and proposes integrating action to achieve equality between women and men in all aspects of work; it also recognises the importance of working with local and regional bodies which are those closest to the people to help ensure that all project results are mainstreamed. The involvement of voluntary and community groups will also be an essential ingredient of the EQUAL initiative and the projects. The development partnerships within the thematic fields, which are referred to in Amendment No. 22, would enable even the smaller organisations to play a part in the EQUAL initiative. My group will be supporting Amendment No. 22.

Political group: Verts-ALE
The need to provide the EU with instruments that can cope with the challenge of enlargement explains the importance of the institutional reform that should have taken place in Nice, and also the disappointment with the results that were achieved and, above all, with the lack of ambition and political will shown by the Heads of State and Government, who were more concerned with how to block decisions than with finding formulae that would enable us to move forward towards a shared future. It is true that some progress was made, but Nice is very far removed from what was expected and needed from it, as the reform agreed on does not serve to make a more efficient and democratic EU in view of enlargement, as is shown, moreover, by the annex on post-Nice that accompanies the final Treaty. Therefore, the Méndez de Vigo-Seguro report should have been more emphatic, because it was important for Parliament to highlight the inadequacies of Nice and send a clear signal about this, which is why I also regret that some of the amendments tabled that were going in that direction did not stand. But aside from this, the report contains some aspects, above all regarding the need to use a method similar to the Convention that drew up the Charter of Fundamental Rights and also the need to begin a constitutional process culminating in the adoption of the European Union Constitution, which made me inclined to vote in favour of it, despite my conviction that Nice was a wasted opportunity.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I congratulate the rapporteurs and I welcome the Commission's second progress report. The Cohesion Fund is an invaluable tool in helping less well-off Member States catch up, particularly in the development of infrastructure networks and upgrading of water supplies, in order to contribute to the long-term sustainable development of disadvantaged regions. The enlargement countries will be greatly helped by simplification of the implementation rules. It is undeniable that there are still marked disparities in existing Member States and I therefore support the proposal for transitional funding arrangements for Community aid in existing Objective 1 areas post-2006. In my own peripheral Objective 1 region, after a number of years of cohesion funding to my country, the Committee on Petitions of this Parliament recently acknowledged that Third World-standard unsafe water supply existed in communities such as Carraroe in my own constituency. How could this happen? Whilst I acknowledge the argument for targeting major projects, when these projects skew funding away from Objective 1 areas, as has happened in my country, some pressure should be put on national governments to recognise their role and duty in the use of cohesion funding for balanced regional development. I realise this is a domestic issue, but it helps to point out a failure in the existing cohesion policy. The EUR 80 billion surplus in structural cohesion funding would be better used if it were returned to Member States in order to specifically target the internal imbalances in disadvantaged regions struggling with poor water supply or poor road infrastructure. It could also fund other essential tools for job creation in areas where our agricultural and fishing industries are struggling to survive.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I should like to ask the President-in-Office if we can reasonably be expected to wait five months for a decision. We too have worked on this. Think about this directive; in the final analysis it is also about having clear provisions on selection, licensing, registration and control so as to create legal security for vine propagators in the European Union. This part is also very important to economic operators and economic partners in the EU. On the other hand, according to my information, the plan was to wait until the release directive, i.e. Directive 90/220, had been adopted. This directive has now been through conciliation, i.e. it has been adopted. I therefore see no reason to delay this any further. This directive says nothing about definitive licensing. That needs to be decided in the release directive. I would therefore ask you to advance, not to block Parliament's work in the Council.

Political group: PPE-DE
I voted in favour of confirming Mr Trichet as President of the European Central Bank because it is in my country's and my constituents' interest that the ECB be well managed and that the euro succeed as a currency. The euro zone is by far the most important destination for Scottish exports and source of our imports and tourists. I am adequately persuaded by Mr Trichet's reputation, and by the way he responded to the questions in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, that he will maintain the stability of the euro. He will also maintain the requisite pressure on the Member States to pursue prudent financial policies and to reform their social structures in order to foster economic growth and development. This is what matters to Scotland. - Report Ettl (A5-0282/2003)

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I am somewhat surprised that the Council has replied that it is not authorised to set up a coastguard. It will nevertheless have to make a decision about this. Yesterday, Mrs de Palacio said that she would take the initiative on this point and I am still expecting an answer from the President-in-Office of the Council on this subject. Will he defend this in the Council? Does he support it or not? I would like a clear answer on this point.

Political group: Verts-ALE