GwendalTsang/DEFT09-parquet huggingface dataset:
Food safety issues are in the spotlight following the BSE and dioxin scandals. GMOs are still the subject of great uncertainty, both in terms of their environmental impact and of their effects on human and animal health. The precautionary principle must therefore apply in the absence of scientific certainty. The use of biotechnology needs to be studied in greater depth and not just “packaged” for immediate sale to boost the profits of a few multinationals in this sector. The profit motive is very much behind the present food safety crises. This is the context that the rapporteur finds himself working in, making a legal link between the issue of GMOs and feedingstuffs, and noting that the latter “shall be authorised only if ... safe for human health and the environment”. Furthermore, he considers that “genetically modified additives shall be clearly identified as such on any label or any document, official or otherwise, which is affixed to or accompanies the additive”. This will facilitate greater control and traceability of such additives and guarantee the consumer’s freedom of choice. In view of the Montreal Protocol on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), I welcome the fact that the rapporteur has included these issues in his report, and I have therefore voted in favour of it. – Stenzel report (A5-0034/2000)

Political group: GUE-NGL
The Danish Social Democrats have today voted for the Smet report on changing certain aspects of the organisation of working time. We think it is a good idea that those employees who have not to date been covered by the Working Time Directive should now be so. We have declined to vote for Amendment No 6 from the Committee. We agree that the reference period for offshore work may be extended to 12 months. A shorter period might compromise safety because it would involve more flights to and from the oil platform. Consideration has also to be given to the welfare of employees on the oil platform, where there is very little space. We think it is important that the social partners in the labour market should be involved in such important questions as the organisation of working time. We think, however, that EU legislation must respect the structures and traditions in the national labour markets. We cannot therefore vote in favour of this proposal from the Committee. We have voted against Amendment No 7 from the Committee. The background to our doing so is that this proposal removes the Member States’ freedom to choose whether to regulate employees’ hours on the basis either of working time or rest time, as established in ILO Convention no 180 concerning seafarers’ working hours. We think that sea fishermen will be able to achieve better protection if working time or rest time is regulated on a daily or weekly basis, as proposed by the Council, rather than by having a fixed limit of 48 hours in a reference period of 12 months.

Political group: PSE
To widespread indifference, eighteen people died in January 2004 in the wreck of the freighter Rocknes off the coast of Norway. Maritime transport is still subject to the laws of the ‘crooks of the seas’ and the European Union does nothing! Three years since the adoption of the ‘Erika’ legislative packages, seven Member States (Italy, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria and the Netherlands) have still not incorporated Community decisions into their national legislation. There is a pressing need to put an end to the system of convenience in maritime transport. We must do away with flags of convenience, starting with those in the EU. We must guarantee a high level of training and remuneration for seafarers. We must provide ourselves with the means of enforcing the legislation, strengthening the ranks of the inspectors or establishing a European coastguard force. Finally, we must turn the spotlight on the responsibilities involved in the sinking of the Prestige, especially those of the Aznar Government. With the accession of Cyprus and Malta, the EU will become the number one maritime power in the world. It will have the ability to change the IMO rules in a sector affected by capitalist globalisation. Without this commitment, we shall continue to be powerless to stop the human, social and environmental destruction. The Sterckx report is broadly inadequate in this respect.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, Commissioner, I am very grateful for your reply and relieved that the Commission has acted so swiftly in this matter. The punishment of the woman in question was based on Islamic law. An unmarried woman had become pregnant, by all accounts as the result of rape. The question as I see it, however, is not just the status of women, but an attempt at power politics, where Islam is being used in Nigeria to stir up the feelings of the people and create artificial disputes, as I have brought to the attention of the Commission in my earlier written questions. I would now like to ask whether the Commission has considered any tools that might be used through our policy on development cooperation to lessen this ever-growing exploitation of religious tension.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I, for one, am quite disappointed both with the Commission’s proposal and Mr Karas’ report, as I believe they concentrate wholly on the needs of the financial markets and ignore those of employees and future pensioners. I would particularly like to focus on two aspects which I think are missing. With regard to pensions, it is the issue of security which is crucial to people. There should at least be a value guarantee whereby the contributed capital can be paid out even if it does not grow or increase. For example, what happens if these pension funds become insolvent or bankrupt or cannot fulfil their commitments? The report does not contain a single word about this. It is almost even stranger that another important aspect is missing. When we started discussing supplementary pensions, it was said that this was an important EU issue, as we have a common labour market and expect workers to move between the various European labour markets. In that case, they will face many problems with regard to pensions. It is currently very difficult to accrue pension rights earned consecutively in different countries. How should this be done? No answer is given to this question. In many countries, long qualification periods are applied. How will this be handled in a mobile labour market? Many countries have regulations involving double taxation. How will this be solved? There are a number of such questions. I therefore think that we need a completely new proposal from the Commission which takes as its starting point the needs of employees and pensioners rather than simply dealing with the needs of the financial market.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Madam President, first of all I should like to thank, most warmly, the rapporteur of this report on gender budgeting, because it seems to me that, thanks to this document, we are taking an important step forwards, as Mr Solbes-Mira has just said. The rapporteur has explained that countries both outside and inside Europe have already been applying the practices of gender budgeting. Therefore I hope, Commissioner, that we will keenly support this report. I should like to say, to the Member who believes that we are being ideological when we discuss this question, that this is an economic question. If I take as an example the issue of pensions, which affects most countries in Europe and, in the last few months, France in particular, gender budgeting enables us to make a diagnosis of the situation. We discover, for example, that while the difference in wages between men and women is 25%, that difference rises to 47% as soon as retirement age is reached. That is the sort of diagnosis that this study enables us to carry out. Having said that, this diagnosis is not sufficient, because the pessimists will say that that is going to cost us money. Economic equality between the sexes does cost money, whether it is professional equality or equality of retirement pensions, as is the case with many other subjects. I should like to remind those pessimists that it is possible to produce a different analysis of inequality between men and women, namely that it is economic inequality between men and women that costs money. A better analysis and a better practice of equality in financial matters would make it possible to reduce a cost rather than to increase it. I say this for the benefit of those who think that we are being ideological. They are wrong, because we are also thinking in economic terms when we consider this issue.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, Commissioner, we are today dealing at first reading with both the development strategy and the interoperability of the trans-European rail system, including its safety, and the creation of a European agency responsible for its monitoring and which I believe should also be responsible for its control. In my opinion, and since I am in favour of the liberalisation of rail transport, I am not sure that it is right to liberalise the infrastructures, that is, the railway lines. I believe it would be better, as is the case with motorways, to only liberalise the operation of the railways, leaving the rail infrastructures under public ownership. I believe this would be the best formula for sustainable responsibility for the appropriate maintenance of them beyond the restrictions which would be imposed by the objectives of economic and financial viability inherent in any private initiative. And, in any event, I believe there must be an early assessment of the effects of liberalisation both in terms of safety, social and environmental repercussions, the effect on the interests of clients and users and on public service as well as the development of intermodality, and also its effect on the companies involved within the transport market. I would ask the Commission to inform us regularly and periodically on all these issues.

Political group: Verts-ALE
Mr President, I take the floor to talk about Articles 3, 28, 64, 118, 151, 171 and 172, on access to documents. A document published by Parliament’s Press Service declared that freedom of information in Italy is the most important issue in this sitting and once again declared that freedom of information is endangered in Italy. There is no report or document with this title in the vote. It seems to me that officials have manipulated the situation, and I therefore call on the President of Parliament to ensure that Parliament and committee officials do not take political sides but respect Parliament’s fundamental rules and official acts. I would ask you to record my comment in the Minutes. Yesterday I wrote a formal protest to the chairman of the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, who sent an official letter of protest to the President of Parliament.

Political group: PPE-DE
Mr President, I would very much just like to add to two particular points. Firstly, I would not wish to take up the philosophical issues of subsidiarity and the sovereignty of Member States, although I am very much in favour of having such a debate, for my regular viewing of British television programmes has shown me what the national politicians are conjuring up there in the way of threats posed by the continent to the home-grown legal system. Sometimes it is worthy of satire and merits discussion, but I digress. The point I want to make relates to Mrs Theato’s report. I believe that as far as the judicial difficulties are concerned that we are facing here – and the European Union evidently has only very limited room for manoeuvre when it comes to making these offences litigable as European criminal offences – we have become embroiled in legalities. I am referring to Recommendations 1 and 2. After all, there is no longer mention of a European Public Prosecutor, rather, for legal reasons it has now become an independent, European authority, or “body” to quote Mrs Theato. We obviously have difficulties there with regard to the legal basis. We also face difficulties with regard to offences. Nothing has changed there. As has always been the case, there are offences that transcend European offences, as it were, or at least there is the potential for them to do so, and these might include money-laundering, receiving stolen goods, and forming a criminal organisation. As far as that is concerned, I believe there are judicial uncertainties that need to be overcome. What Parliament needs to do as a matter of urgency though – and this is why we intend to vote for recital 1 without these recommendations – is to send out a clear political signal to the Commission and Council that we want to see a clear legislative act put an end to this disorderly state of affairs.

Political group: PSE
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, let us not beat about the bush, the climate conference in The Hague was a flop, which is disappointing because it is becoming increasingly apparent that climate change is happening much faster than anticipated. Therefore the world needs a powerful political signal. Kyoto must not remain an empty promise. The failure of the climate conference sends out the wrong signal to the public. Many people will start thinking that the climate problems are not all that bad if those involved in the international politics of it are content not to do anything. This would also undermine the level of support for sustainable energy and energy efficiency. Climate change has a huge impact on the developing countries. Countries such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand have to contend with floods that affect millions of people. We set great store by the ‘polluter pays’ principle, but hitherto, it has been the third world countries themselves that have been saddled with the bill and adapting to climate change. This is unacceptable to my mind. Commissioner, the statements on the failure of the climate conference were lacking in credibility. The negotiators declared afterwards that an agreement had been within reach. They said there was no shortage of political will, the parties moved closer to each other’s positions, and demonstrated increased understanding of each other’s cultures. Unfortunately though, they ran out of time. I do not find that very credible. Behind all the fine words lurks political impotence. The European Union is going to have to carefully assess its own role. It is not enough to blame the United States or to complain about the lack of flexibility shown by others. We have repeatedly said ourselves that no agreement is better than a bad agreement, but that does not mean that we should make our own political wish list the yardstick of a sound agreement. The climate conference will resume in the spring. So now we must look to the future. Commissioner, I would like to thank you for the cooperation we have enjoyed. Finally, I would like to put three questions to you. Firstly, how would you yourself assess the European Union’s stance, and what practical lessons would you draw from the failure of the conference? Secondly, how do you intend to proceed in the coming months? Will you enter into debate with the United States over the forest problem and the scientific issues and lack of clarity that are still at large in this respect? Thirdly, which aspects do you think the EU should make more concessions on? Personally, I feel we could probably moderate our demands somewhat on the point of supplementarity. Your opinion on this would be much appreciated, and I thank you for your attention.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, I would also like to say that it is imperative, without further ado, that we find the necessary but carefully monitored financial assistance for Turkey to cope with the problems brought on by this terrible earthquake. We will have to check that the aid will be used solely for that purpose and not for others. This, if you will allow me to say so, is the unanimous desire of the Greek people who, in a thousand and one ways, have displayed their moral and material solidarity. However, with those feelings of solidarity towards the Turkish people, we demand that the earthquake disaster is not looked upon as just an excuse to get financial assistance. We ask that this aid be blocked if the Turkish regime does not fulfil its promises to respect human rights, as in the case of Cyprus and the Kurdish issue, or at least show that it has some intentions of taking specific steps. With regard to Greece, as has already been said, the disaster was also great. I myself have visited the region. It has instilled a sense of deep anguish for the future among the population, mainly precipitated by our discovery that profitability tends to have transcended safety when it comes to property acquisition. Therefore, it is essential not only for Greece but for other seismogenic countries, to take the necessary measures to put up their anti-seismic guard so as to avert similar tragedies in the future. It is a fact that although governments and individual people cannot be blamed for earthquakes, the responsibility they bear for the extent of the disasters is huge, as has been proved by the earthquakes in Turkey and Greece. We believe that there must be direct intervention, that the necessary funds should be taken from the 2nd and 3rd Community Support Framework in order to introduce a specific mechanism such as the one discussed by other speakers for the anti-seismic protection and for the prevention of disasters caused by earthquakes.

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, this report definitely belongs in the list of top-quality Parliamentary topics. If only there were not such a great gulf between theory and practice, between the words and reality, we could vote to approve it. The report refers to a European Constitution that does not yet exist, and unfortunately the draft Constitution text is more focused on increased defence activities and greater ability to intervene in situations around the world than on disarmament and civil conflict resolution. The report takes up the cause of multilateralism and strengthening the role of the UN, which is right and good. It refrains, though, from criticising the aggressive unilateralism of the US, which opens the door to violence and arbitrary action. As the war on Iraq has shown, no lie is too risky for use in justifying a preventative war. Those who support the war are called yes-men; those who do not are called obstructive. This is how people seek to divide what will soon be a Union of 25 Member States. The United States’ high-handed decision to override the UN has proven a miscalculation for which the national economy is having to pay, as we are now seeing. With its calls for reform, the EU is the only constant in an ever-changing world. The EU would be well-advised to develop its relationship with the UN rather than to strengthen its ties with NATO. The report highlights the importance of development and cooperation, but should be even more specific. Instead of spending huge sums on the arms race and military operations, money should be spent on education, healthcare, economic development and the fight to eradicate poverty. If we are to weed out violence and terrorism, we need as much money as possible and more effort. (Applause)

Political group: GUE-NGL
Mr President, I have learned from Guatemala that Ricardo de León Regil, the candidate for the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity, was brutally murdered on 16th of the month. Ricardo de León Regil was a doctor whose work was widely recognised and valued. He was a victim of the violent situation which developed in Guatemala in the past and which is becoming more acute now that the election process is under way. The people of Guatemala, like other peoples in Latin America, have been tragically tried by foreign intervention and exploitation by the local oligarchy. The people of Guatemala have been forced to follow the path of armed struggle in order to defend their fundamental rights. Their hard fight led to the peace process and the government which emerged promised to promote certain reforms. Six years later, not only have these reforms not been promoted, but poverty rules, while the leaders of the people are being murdered by paramilitaries who go unpunished. Together with my condemnation, I should like to ask you to approach the Guatemalan authorities so that this heinous crime is fully investigated.

Political group: GUE-NGL
chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. – Mr President, on 18 November this Parliament rejected by a very large majority the Commission's proposal on excise duties on petrol and diesel. Pursuant to Rule 68(3) of the Rules of Procedure, and after the Commission's refusal to withdraw its proposal, I am reporting back to you to say that on 2 December the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs considered the matter again and reconfirmed its previous decision to reject the proposal. Representing the rapporteur, Mrs Kauppi, who is unable to be here today, I reiterate our belief that this harmonisation effort is not justified either from an environmental or from a competition point of view. We call upon the Commission to submit a new proposal and withdraw the current one in order to have a text more in sympathy with the recently adopted energy tax directive. An approach that eschews absolute harmonisation, for example with a rate band with an upper and lower limit, would be a more realistic option both in terms of chances of progress in the Council, and also in terms of allowing a degree of tax competition between Member States. There is also a need to coordinate taxation of fuels with infrastructure charges in order to guarantee a level playing field. For all these reasons, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs calls upon the plenary of the European Parliament to reconfirm its rejection of the Commission's proposal on excise duties on petrol and diesel.

Political group: PSE
Mr President, without wishing to impede the progress of the debate, but in view of the last comments, I would ask the Commission very sincerely to provide an overview at the next Committee meeting of the internal and external activities which it has undertaken in order to embed the recommendation of the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare of 10 March 1999 both in the Commission's policies and at international level. I would be grateful if we could receive a comprehensive report at the next Committee meeting. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE
Thank you, Mr President. My question was put before it had even been decided to convene the Council of Ministers for Health in May and I wish to say that the President-in-Office's reply was so full and extensive that it obviates the need to ask a second question.

Political group: GUE-NGL