GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Mr President, President-in-Office of the Council, President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, I should first like to endorse the statements made by Mr Watson, the leader of my group. I join with him in condemning the conflict in Iraq and calling for agreements within the framework of the United Nations, of course. I also join with him in wishing to commit the European Union to regaining its unity. The Union must then contribute to rebuilding the affected areas so a process of peace and stability can actually be consolidated and guaranteed. The European Union was unable to demonstrate the unity required. Sadly, it was therefore unable to exert its influence as we had hoped. I trust that at least we shall now be capable of first regaining our unity and then of leading the peace. I should also like to congratulate the Greek Presidency on the results of the Brussels Council held last week. The Council was devoted in particular to consideration of the so-called Lisbon process. During debates and discussion at Strasbourg it had already emerged that we have little to congratulate ourselves on in this regard. In terms of productivity and competitiveness, the gap between Europe and the United States has not narrowed. On the contrary, it is now actually widening. As we understand it, the reason is that the appropriate structural reforms were not carried out. Also, the discipline promised concerning key aspects such as the promotion of research and development activities failed to materialise. New enterprises capable of taking on board innovation and new technological processes were not encouraged either. Obviously, all this has hampered the development hoped for. I believe the secret of effective implementation of the Lisbon process commitments lies in the area of structural reform. It is equally important to promote research and development activities and the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, in conjunction with proposals for social improvements. (Applause)

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, three things struck me after our last visit to Pristina. Firstly, quite considerable progress has been made in the material situation. Not least, I am pleased to say, because of the good work done by the Reconstruction Agency. Secondly, the United Nations is doing a good job there, albeit hampered not least by excessive bureaucracy. Hardly anything has changed, however, in the heads of the political representatives of the various ethnic groups in Kosovo. That is true of the Serbs, as becomes clear when you look at how little real cooperation there is between the ministers in the Rexhepi government and when you consider that there is still a parallel structure for the Serbs. It is true above all, however, of the representatives of the Albanian majority in Kosovo. With perhaps a few exceptions, which the Commissioner has mentioned, they are unfortunately not yet prepared to agree to a multi-ethnic state, and not only to agree to it verbally but also to make it reality. If you are saying, Commissioner, that we must start negotiating soon, and if Mrs Pack is saying that we must actually negotiate about status and standards simultaneously, then I have to ask you, what are we in the European Union doing to persuade the Albanian leadership in Kosovo that they really must accept a multi-ethnic state? The President-in-Office of the Council has said that we are the biggest donor, we have the largest military presence. Why should I have to persuade a European taxpayer to continue providing money for a state whose only aim, or whose political leadership’s only aim is de facto to create an ethnically pure state in Europe? Why should we, equally, subsidise and support Belgrade if Belgrade is not prepared to accept a joint multi-ethnic entity (let us say) or a multi-ethnic state? I have always advocated moving towards independence for Kosovo, but is the Albanian leadership in Kosovo doing its part for that independence, namely creating the conditions for it? After all the things you have rightly said, Commissioner, Mr President-in-Office, we must draw the obvious conclusion. If the worst comes to the worst, we must withdraw our support if we find things are going the wrong way. We will not help things here with fine words. They may be hearing the fine words, but the leadership is not taking any notice. That is why, however much I agree with what you said, Commissioner, and you were perfectly right, I believe we must now look to the Council and the Commission – but in the end chiefly to the Council – not simply for words, but for action if the Albanian leadership in Kosovo and also the Serbs are not prepared to work on a joint project for Kosovo. I still do not see that happening. I am really looking to the Council and Commission to act accordingly.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I wish to join with the others in thanking the rapporteur in connection with this debate. I can say that we have here a model example of a committee really seeing its work through to the end and bringing to Parliament a virtually unanimous decision on a proposal in which differences of opinion, such as there are in this case, have been limited to a minimum. I would like to point out that we are actually talking about a very important review of the subject, which the Aarhus Convention set in motion. The rapporteur has now drafted a report that concerns the implementation of the first task of this Convention, which relates to the right of the public to have access to environmental information. The following tasks are then the right of the public to participate in decision-making and the right of the public to acquire rights in situations in which they are being treated inappropriately. It should be emphasised that this is not a matter of our wanting the authorities to show good will to our citizens, but that this is a question of an inalienable fundamental right, and our citizens must be able to exercise that right without being asked to justify why they want the information concerned. I myself was closely involved in the preparation of Mr Cashman’s report, and when I was familiarising myself with Mrs Korhola’s report I was wondering whether Mr Cashman’s report should not have a paragraph added to it stating that environmental and health-related information cannot be kept confidential even when it is classified as a trade secret. It may be that a lot of environmental and health-related information will be withheld from the public if such a line is not drawn.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, the report on the future of the CFP must make a major contribution to the shape of this policy after 2002. I should therefore like to highlight six issues that I consider to be priorities. The first is that we safeguard the continuity of fishing for future generations, which will only be achieved by strengthening the policy of protecting resources and we must therefore take serious account of scientists’ recommendations, the mesh-size of nets, the protection of juvenile fish and the reduction of discards. The second issue is to ensure that there is a balanced and flexible management of the quotas and of the TACs, thereby enabling quotas to be transferred from Member States that do not use them to those that need them. The sound implementation of the multiannual guidance plans, or of the instruments that come to replace them, seems crucial if we are to achieve this objective, and serious penalties must be imposed on those countries that do not comply. The third issue concerns the need to strengthen the international fisheries agreements component, and the European Union must negotiate new opportunities for its ship-owners. The fourth issue concerns the need to approach the fisheries sector with an awareness of its specific characteristics and this is why the principle of relative stability must be upheld. My fifth point is that we must strengthen the social dimension of the CFP, so as to provide fishermen with essential support for their survival. Lastly, we must pursue the structural policy of support for the sector with the aim of keeping the Community fleet permanently up-to-date and adapted to new circumstances. I should like to thank Mrs Miguélez Ramos for all the commitment she has shown in her work. The end result is not ideal, but I hope that it will provide the basis for what is needed. I should like to end by conveying my best wishes to the Commissioner, Franz Fischler, and to take the opportunity to share a saying with him: “a good plate of cod in the Portuguese style and a good glass of red wine will cure the worst bout of flu”!

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, on the subject of the area of freedom, security and justice, the Commission reminds us first of all how the fight against terrorism must always be in the foreground. On this point we can only say that we fully agree. The barbaric assassination of Professor Marco Biagi in Bologna yesterday tragically confirms the need for this commitment. We must, however, declare that we also agree with everything that the President-in-Office, Mr Aznar, has said here today, which is that right now we have the means to overcome terrorism. Besides, all the European institutions have demonstrated great sensitivity and a sense of urgency in adopting the measures demanded by the sudden exacerbation of this kind of political crime. It is in other sectors that the area of freedom, security and justice is being slow to develop, certainly through no fault of this Parliament and, in fact, not primarily through any fault of the Commission. The European Union does not carry out the duties conferred on it by the Treaty of Amsterdam in the area of immigration and asylum because of the obstacles raised by the Council, its inability to reach an agreement on the Commission’s proposals, and its decisions time after time to adopt individual repressive instruments that impoverish any policy in this area and by themselves make it inadequate. It is a political problem to recover the will and the ability to use the instruments of civilisation to address this complex problem, which involves international relations, joint regulations and instruments for border control, and taking joint responsibility for the costs we have to meet and also for the objectives of cultural and economic enrichment that the challenge of integration poses for us. It is also, however, an institutional problem. The unanimity rule is paralysing; the lack of codecision is antidemocratic. The principles on which the European Union is founded – democracy and the Rule of Law, and hence subjection to judicial control – need to be extended to all areas of action relating to the security and freedom of the citizens. Including Europol in the Union’s institutional framework is just one example of this need. The Commission could very usefully contribute a well-argued set of proposals on these matters to the Convention on the Future of Europe, which has just opened.

Political group: PSE
Given that we are currently reforming the CFP, given that farmers are being encouraged to commit themselves to multifunctionality, that the rural economy is to be protected through diversification, and given that the important role played by women in this diversification was recognised, for example, at the meeting of the Agriculture Council of 27 May 2002, I would like to ask the Commissioner if he believes that perhaps the Commission should hold a similar discussion with regard to the reform of the common fisheries policy, because – as I have said many times – the number of women active in this sector is tremendous. Furthermore, those who are not directly involved play a secondary role at their husbands’ side – which is even more serious, as their work is invisible and they do not receive any social or economic recognition. I should like to ask the Commissioner if the Commission has prepared any documents or actions in this regard.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, partly on behalf of the Breton partner of the Group of the , the Union Democratique Brétonne (UDB), I am asking for an effective policy to prevent further disasters of the kind involving the Erika. Legislation and controls should not only be tightened up but also applied to the letter. It was made painfully clear that a number of players need to be removed from the pitch in order to ensure that the Erika was the last unseaworthy ship to pollute the Breton coast. This is the seventh time that Brittany is having to deal with an oil slick since the Torrey Canyon shipwreck. No other region in the world has had to pay such a high price for the transport of polluting or dangerous substances by sea. Together with our friends from the UDB, I would argue in favour of two important guidelines relating to the complete overhaul of the world’s merchant navy and the protection of the Breton coast (proposals also to be found in the draft resolution which has just been approved). At EU level we would like to see one single piece of legislation drawn up for shipping, encompassing all its technical, commercial, social and environmental aspects. Without exception, the risky practices of flags of convenience must be banned in the ports and waters of the fifteen Member States and thirteen applicant States. Secondly, together with the UDB, we would argue in favour of establishing coastguard services and appointing maritime inspectors to work under the direct supervision of the relevant shipping areas and monitor the strict observance of European legislation. The draft resolution which we have approved contains provisions to this effect, and our Group has therefore given it its full backing.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Prime Minister, Greece was not found wanting in its encounter with history. Indeed, the draft Constitution, whose preparation Greece showed it could oversee so clearheadedly, makes a decisive contribution to European history. After a period of national constitutionalism, we are now witnessing a period of European constitutionalism. Moreover, though sceptics may criticise this European constitutionalism, which will not replace national constitutions. Instead, it represents a break, a highly creative shift in the European spirit. Greece has also, however, shown itself worthy of the classical humanism as expressed by Gorgias, who said ‘man is the measure of all things’. It also showed it could resist those who wanted to turn immigration policy into a tool of repression against those immigrants who are attracted to Europe as a land of work, prosperity and peace. Greece showed that it could resist, furthermore, by pointing the way to a suitable immigration and asylum policy. When confronted with the storm over Iraq, the war in Iraq, moreover, Greece showed it could remain upright and clearheaded, and could once again point to the way forward, which took the form of an independent European defence policy and identity, still within the framework of the Atlantic Alliance. Greece, which, we should remember, invented the democratic city-state in ancient Athens, showed that it could contribute decisively to developing and strengthening a new form of democracy, typical of the European character: the European Union on a continent-wide scale. Greece showed it could also contribute to that process of enlargement by proposing that the western Balkans join the European Union in the long term. In the same way, Greece, and especially its prime minister, Mr Simitis, showed it could restore its troubled relations with Turkey. It showed it could move beyond their historic dispute and prove that nations do not have to be permanently at war. Greece showed it could open up to Turkey, that great country which has always been present on the European political scene, in the good times and in the bad. Just one reservation: the CAP, which perpetuates serious inequalities in the distribution of resources between farmers and countries. Lastly, the Greek Presidency showed it could reconcile the world of Platonic ideas with Aristotelian realism. The art of politics in Greece cannot be separated from philosophy, just as the art of politics in Europe must not be separated from philosophy either, otherwise it will always be susceptible to the temptations of religious fundamentalism and repressive ideologies. The spirit of Europe today is the spirit of Greece, and the spirit of Greece is the spirit of Europe. It is my earnest wish that the future permanent presidency of the European Union, which I support, unlike so many, will always show it can be like the Greek Presidency. I hope that the latter will be an example for the permanent presidency of the European Council in future. (Applause)

Political group: PSE
Mr President, in the wake of the implications of FMD for communities directly and indirectly affected by the outbreak, it is vital that we learn the lessons of the mishandling of the outbreak which has caused such devastating knock-on effects for many sectors of society. The consequential loss to those directly and indirectly affected by the disease has so far been enormous: hauliers, abattoirs, tourism, cultural events, schools and the small business sector are all bearing the brunt. Farmers whose stock is not affected directly by FMD, but who are unable to move their stock to markets, are also facing massive losses, further exacerbated by the ban on the sale of cattle over 30 months following the BSE crisis. Commissioner, I learnt from one of my colleagues last week that if the UK were to offer state aid to those affected by the crisis, this would not contravene European Union competition policy. I would appreciate clarification by the Commission on this point. We must also call again for the re-establishment of local abattoirs and a reduction in animal transport over long distances, which undoubtedly acted as a catalyst for the rapid spread.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Madam President, just so that things are clear, I withdrew the amendment because I considered it unnecessary, but as it is being voted on I obviously support it and I invite my friends to do the same. - After the vote on Amendment No 5

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I should like both to congratulate and to thank the Spanish Presidency – and not only the prime minister, but also all the other ministers – for their sympathetic cooperation with the European Parliament. Personally, I should like to see the prime minister – and, hopefully, his delightful wife too – have the opportunity to take some holiday now. The following is not therefore directed at the prime minister personally, but at the Council, and it concerns the issue of illegal immigration. The Council declarations devote an incredible number of lines, not to mention pages, to illegal immigration. No sensible person is in favour of illegal immigration. The issue comes down entirely to whether the causes are to be tackled or whether a ‘Fortress Europe’ is to be created. The Council has, in the main, concentrated exclusively on a ‘Fortress Europe’, and the document that deals with the actual causes is too weak and ineffectual. According to that document, the European Council draws attention to the importance of economic cooperation. Would it not be better if the European Council refrained from drawing attention to anything at all and instead actually did something, for it is precisely European cooperation that can do something about these matters. We shall continue to have illegal immigration if we do not bring about sensible cooperation with the developing countries and, as long as we do nothing, illegal immigrants cannot be blamed for coming to Europe. The most important thing, therefore, is to bring about sensible cooperation.

Political group: ELDR
Mr President, in response to Mrs McKenna's very justifiable complaints, yesterday in the college of Quaestors we discussed the issue of 'spam'. We are meeting with experts within a week. The 'spammers' are obviously not targeting all Members, however, because I have not received any of this. Mrs McKenna, we will have a chat about it later. Regarding shark fins on the menu, the standard of food in the restaurant is also on the Quaestors' agenda. Mrs McKenna, I will also consult you on this. I agree that it is rather ironic that shark fin, having just been banned, is turning up on our plates. I can assure you that the Quaestors will make every effort to address both complaints, which are entirely justifiable.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, it is the opinion of the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party that the resolution agreed among the groups will provide a good basis for the work of the EU-Russia Summit. The position taken here is forward-looking and constructive, although it also has criticisms to make. The resolution will also be of use with regard to the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee meeting between the European Parliament and the Russian Duma to be held in Moscow next week. For my own part I would like to stress that we must try to narrow the economic and social differences that exist on all the Union’s external borders. With the border between the EU and Russia becoming much longer than before, we must make dramatic improvements to cross-border cooperation. We must particularly encourage the Member States and their regions located on the EU’s external borders to create direct links over the border to Russia. Such systematic programmes of cooperation between neighbouring regions have been in place on the border between Finland and Russia for a good ten years now. There now has to be the same kind of action both between Estonia and Russia and Latvia and Russia. Lithuania and Poland, meanwhile, must take special responsibility for the development of the Kaliningrad region. The Union has to be prepared to finance this cooperation between neighbouring regions. For cooperation in the border regions we need a new system of funding. The current TACIS and Interreg systems are not strong enough and they cannot be adequately coordinated. We have to create a new system of funding that can be used on the Union’s other external borders too. The PHARE scheme, before it became part of the accession process, might serve as a model for this new system.

Political group: ELDR