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MINUTES

(2004/C 81 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Pat COX

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 15.00.

2.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

Colette Flesch had informed the Chair that on 3 September 2003 she had wished to vote against amendment 1 to the Lambert report (A5-0226/2003).

Giorgio Calò had informed the Chair that on 24 September 2003 he had wished to vote for amendment 23 to the Gil-Robles/Tsatsos report (A5-0299/2003).

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

3.   Official welcome

On behalf of Parliament, the President welcomed Dr Jong-Wook Lee, the recently-elected Director-General of the World Health Organization, who had taken his seat in the official gallery.

4.   Membership of Parliament

Kathleen Van Brempt had given notice of her appointment as Secretary of State in the Belgian Government.

Since, pursuant to Rule 8(4) of its Rules of Procedure and Article 6(1) of the Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, this office was incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament, Parliament established, pursuant to Article 12(2), second subparagraph, of the aforementioned Act, that the vacancy would take effect from 29 September 2003.

The competent authorities in Belgium had given notice of the appointment of Saïd El Khadraoui to replace Kathleen Van Brempt as Member of Parliament, with effect from 7 October 2003.

The competent authorities in the Netherlands had given notice of the appointment of Cornelis Bremmer to replace Hanja Maij-Weggen as Member of Parliament, with effect from 1 October 2003.

The President drew attention to the provisions of Rule 7(5).

Arlindo Cunha had given notice in writing of his resignation as Member of Parliament, with effect from 1 October 2003.

Pursuant to Rule 8 of its Rules of Procedure and Article 12(2), second subparagraph, of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, Parliament established the vacancy and informed the Member State concerned accordingly.

The competent authorities in Cyprus had given notice that Eleni Theocharous had replaced Demetris Syllouris as observer with effect from 6 October 2003.

5.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

6.   Transfers of appropriations

The Committee on Budgets had considered proposal for transfer of appropriations No 21/2003 (C5-0413/2003 — SEC(2003) 941).

Having noted the opinion of the Council, it had authorised the transfer, pursuant to Articles 24(3) and 181(1) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002, in accordance with the following breakdown:

*

* *

The Committee on Budgets had considered proposal for transfer of appropriations No 22/2003 (C5-0414/2003 — SEC(2003) 940).

Having noted the opinion of the Council, it had authorised the transfer, pursuant to Articles 24(3) and 181(1) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002, in accordance with the following breakdown:

*

* *

The Committee on Budgets had considered proposal for transfer of appropriations No 23/2003 (C5-0388/2003 — SEC(2003) 993).

Having noted the opinion of the Council, it had authorised the transfer, pursuant to Articles 24(3) and 181(1) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002, in accordance with the following breakdown:

*

* *

The Committee on Budgets had considered proposal for transfer of appropriations No 26/2003 (C5-0387/2003 — SEC(2003) 1002).

Having noted the opinion of the Council, it had authorised the transfer, pursuant to Articles 24(3) and 181(1) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002, in accordance with the following breakdown:

7.   Action taken on Parliament's positions and resolutions

The Commission communication on the action taken on the following resolution had been distributed:

8.   Agenda

The order of business had been established (Item13 of Minutes of 22 September 2003).

Klaus-Heiner Lehne spoke to request the tabling of motions for resolution to wind up the debate on the oral question on the market regulations and competition rules for the liberal professions (B5-0278/2003).

Parliament approved the request.

The President announced that the vote would take place during the next part-session.

Deadlines:

A corrigendum to the agenda of the sittings of 8 and 9 October 2003 had been distributed (PE 334.423/OJ/COR).

Proposed changes:

*

* *

The agenda was thus established.

9.   Official welcome

On behalf of Parliament, the President welcomed the Swedish Riksdag's Committee on the Constitution, its Chairman, Gunnar Hökmark, and Vice-Chairman, Göran Magnusson, who had taken their seats in the official gallery.

10.   One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Pursuant to Rule 121a, the following Members who wished to draw the attention of Parliament to matters of political importance spoke for one minute:

Richard Howitt, Ian Stewart Hudghton, Efstratios Korakas, Giorgio Lisi, Nuala Ahern, Linda McAvan, Myrsini Zorba, Carlos Lage and Juan Manuel Ferrández Lezaun.

11.   Full integration of cooperation with ACP states into the budget of the European Union (Commission statement)

Commission statement: Full integration of cooperation with ACP states into the budget of the European Union.

Michaele Schreyer (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

Glenys Kinnock asked a question which Michaele Schreyer answered.

The item was closed.

(The sitting, which was suspended at 15.40 pending the next item on the Agenda, resumed at 16.10.)

12.   Market regulations and competition rules for the liberal professions (Oral question with debate)

Oral question by Klaus-Heiner Lehne, Othmar Karas, Giuseppe Gargani and Stefano Zappalà, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, to the Commission, on market regulations and competition rules for the liberal professions (B5-0278/2003).

Klaus-Heiner Lehne moved the oral question.

Mario Monti (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Manuel Medina Ortega, on behalf of the PSE Group, Benedetto Della Vedova, Non-attached Member, Othmar Karas, Stefano Zappalà and Mario Monti.

The following deadlines were set:

13.   Preparation of the European Council (Brussels, 16/17 October 2003) (statement followed by debate)

Council and Commission statements on the preparation of the European Council (Brussels, 16/17 October 2003).

Roberto Antonione (President-in-Office of the Council) and Romano Prodi (President of the Commission) made the statements.

Hans-Gert Poettering spoke on behalf of the PPE-DE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Guido PODESTÀ

Vice-President

The following spoke: Enrique Barón Crespo, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham R. Watson, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nelly Maes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Gerard Collins, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the EDD Group, Benedetto Della Vedova, Non-attached Member, Antonio Tajani and Johannes (Hannes) Swoboda.

IN THE CHAIR: Giorgos DIMITRAKOPOULOS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Andrew Nicholas Duff, Ilda Figueiredo, Johannes Voggenhuber, William Abitbol, Mario Borghezio, Margie Sudre, Anna Terrón i Cusí, Sarah Ludford, Georges Berthu, Arie M. Oostlander and Roberto Antonione.

The debate closed.

14.   Interinstitutional agreement on ‘Better Law-Making’ — Simplifying and improving Community regulation (debate)

Report on the conclusion of the interinstitutional agreement on ‘Better Law-Making’ between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission Draft interinstitutional agreement on better lawmaking [2003/2131(ACI)] — Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Rapporteur: Monica Frassoni

(A5-0313/2003)

Second Report on the second report on the Commission communications on simplifying and improving Community regulation [COM(2001) 726 — C5-0108/2002 — 2002/2052(COS)] — Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market.

Rapporteur: Manuel Medina Ortega

(A5-0235/2003)

Monica Frassoni and Manuel Medina Ortega introduced their reports.

The following spoke: Philippe Busquin (Member of the Commission), Roberto Antonione (Presidentin-Office of the Council) and Giuseppe Gargani (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee).

IN THE CHAIR: Alonso José PUERTA

Vice-President

The following spoke: Bert Doorn, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Johannes (Hannes) Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, Nicholas Clegg, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Neil MacCormick, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Ursula Schleicher, Margrietus J. van den Berg, Elizabeth Lynne, Avril Doyle, Ioannis Koukiadis, Lord Inglewood, Richard Corbett, Arlene McCarthy and Monica Frassoni.

Richard Corbett spoke on the organisation of the debate.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 9.10.2003, Items 16 and 17.

15.   European space policy (debate)

Report on the Green Paper on European space policy [2003/2092(INI)] — Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy.

Rapporteur: Guido Bodrato

(A5-0294/2003)

Guido Bodrato introduced the report.

Philippe Busquin (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Brigitte Langenhagen, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Gilles Savary, on behalf of the PSE Group, Sylviane H. Ainardi, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, and Yves Piétrasanta, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

(The sitting was suspended at 20.00 and resumed at 21.00.)

IN THE CHAIR: José PACHECO PEREIRA

Vice-President

The following spoke: Rolf Linkohr, Konstantinos Alyssandrakis, Josu Ortuondo Larrea, Reino Paasilinna, Hans-Peter Martin and Philippe Busquin (Member of the Commission).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 9.10.2003, Item 18.

16.   EC Merger Regulation * (debate)

Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings: ‘The EC Merger Regulation’ [COM(2002) 711 — C5-0005/2003 — 2002/0296(CNS)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: Benedetto Della Vedova

(A5-0257/2003)

Mario Monti (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Benedetto Della Vedova, who introduced his report.

The following spoke: Bert Doorn (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Luis Berenguer Fuster, on behalf of the PSE Group, Olle Schmidt, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Wolfgang Ilgenfritz, Non-attached Member, Ieke van den Burg, Othmar Karas, Manuel António dos Santos, Thomas Mann and Mario Monti.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 9.10.2003, Item 19.

17.   Tunnel safety ***I (debate)

Report on a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network [COM(2002) 769 — C5-0635/2002 — 2002/0309(COD)] — Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Reinhard Rack

(A5-0311/2003)

Mario Monti (Member of the Commission) spoke.

Reinhard Rack introduced the report.

The following spoke: Georg Jarzembowski, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Johannes (Hannes) Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Rijk van Dam, on behalf of the EDD Group, Erik Meijer, Dieter-Lebrecht Koch and Mario Monti.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS ROCA

Vice-President

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 9.10.2003, Item 15.

18.   Fisheries partnership agreements with third countries (debate)

Report on the Commission communication on an integrated framework for fisheries partnership agreements with third countries [COM(2002) 637 — C5-0070/2003 — 2003/2034(INI)] — Committee on Fisheries.

Rapporteur: Arlindo Cunha

(A5-0303/2003)

Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, deputising for the rapporteur, introduced the report.

Franz Fischler (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Struan Stevenson, chairman of the PECH Committee, who referred in particular to remarks made by Ian Stewart Hudghton earlier that afternoon (see Item 10) and who subsequently spoke on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Carlos Lage, on behalf of the PSE Group, Elspeth Attwooll, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Ilda Figueiredo, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Patricia McKenna, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Nigel Paul Farage, on behalf of the EDD Group, Dominique F.C. Souchet, Non-attached Member, Brigitte Langenhagen, Catherine Stihler and Franz Fischler

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 9.10.2003, Item 22.

19.   Agenda for next sitting

The President referred Members to the document ‘Agenda’ (PE 334.423/OJJE).

20.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 23.20.

Julian Priestley

Secretary-General

Gérard Onesta

Vice-President

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ATTENDANCE REGISTER

The following signed:

Aaltonen, Abitbol, Adam, Nuala Ahern, Ainardi, Alavanos, Almeida Garrett, Alyssandrakis, Andersson, Andreasen, André-Léonard, Andrews, Andria, Angelilli, Aparicio Sánchez, Arvidsson, Attwooll, Auroi, Averoff, Avilés Perea, Ayuso González, Bakopoulos, Balfe, Baltas, Banotti, Barón Crespo, Bartolozzi, Bastos, Bayona de Perogordo, Bébéar, Belder, Berend, Berenguer Fuster, van den Berg, Bergaz Conesa, Berger, Berlato, Bernié, Berthu, Bertinotti, Beysen, Bigliardo, Blak, Blokland, Bodrato, Böge, Bösch, von Boetticher, Bonde, Bonino, Boogerd-Quaak, Booth, Bordes, Borghezio, van den Bos, Boselli, Boudjenah, Boumediene-Thiery, Bourlanges, Bouwman, Bowis, Bradbourn, Bremmer, Breyer, Brie, Brunetta, Buitenweg, Bullmann, van den Burg, Busk, Butel, Calò, Camisón Asensio, Campos, Camre, Cappato, Carlotti, Carnero González, Carraro, Carrilho, Casaca, Cashman, Caudron, Caullery, Cauquil, Cederschiöld, Celli, Cercas, Cerdeira Morterero, Cesaro, Ceyhun, Chichester, Claeys, Clegg, Cocilovo, Coelho, Cohn-Bendit, Collins, Colom i Naval, Corbett, Corbey, Cornillet, Corrie, Cossutta, Cox, Crowley, Cushnahan, van Dam, Darras, Dary, Daul, Decourrière, De Keyser, Dell'Alba, Della Vedova, De Mita, Deprez, De Rossa, De Sarnez, Descamps, Deva, De Veyrac, Dhaene, Díez González, Di Lello Finuoli, Dillen, Dimitrakopoulos, Di Pietro, Doorn, Dover, Doyle, Dührkop Dührkop, Duff, Duhamel, Duin, Dupuis, Dybkjær, Echerer, El Khadraoui, Elles, Eriksson, Esclopé, Ettl, Robert J.E. Evans, Färm, Farage, Fatuzzo, Fava, Ferber, Fernández Martín, Ferrández Lezaun, Ferrer, Ferri, Fiebiger, Figueiredo, Fiori, Fitzsimons, Flautre, Flemming, Florenz, Folias, Formentini, Frahm, Fraisse, Frassoni, Friedrich, Fruteau, Gahler, Gahrton, Galeote Quecedo, García-Margallo y Marfil, Gargani, Garot, Garriga Polledo, Gasòliba i Böhm, de Gaulle, Gawronski, Gebhardt, Gemelli, Ghilardotti, Gill, Gillig, Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado, Glante, Glase, Goebbels, Goepel, Görlach, Gollnisch, Gomolka, Gorostiaga Atxalandabaso, Graça Moura, Gröner, Grönfeldt Bergman, Grosch, Grossetête, Gutiérrez-Cortines, Guy-Quint, Hänsch, Hager, Hannan, Hansenne, Hatzidakis, Haug, Hedkvist Petersen, Helmer, Hermange, Hernández Mollar, Herranz García, Herzog, Hieronymi, Hortefeux, Hudghton, Hughes, Huhne, van Hulten, Hume, Hyland, Iivari, Ilgenfritz, Inglewood, Isler Béguin, Izquierdo Collado, Izquierdo Rojo, Jackson, Jarzembowski, Jöns, Jové Peres, Junker, Karas, Karlsson, Katiforis, Kauppi, Keppelhoff-Wiechert, Keßler, Khanbhai, Kindermann, Glenys Kinnock, Kirkhope, Klamt, Knolle, Koch, Konrad, Korakas, Korhola, Koukiadis, Koulourianos, Krarup, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Krehl, Kreissl-Dörfler, Krivine, Kronberger, Kuckelkorn, Kuhne, Kuntz, Lage, Lagendijk, Laguiller, Lalumière, Lambert, Lang, Lange, Langen, Langenhagen, Lannoye, Laschet, Lavarra, Lechner, Lehne, Leinen, Liese, Linkohr, Lipietz, Lisi, Lombardo, Lucas, Ludford, Lulling, Lynne, Maat, Maaten, McAvan, McCarthy, MacCormick, McKenna, McMillan-Scott, McNally, Maes, Malliori, Malmström, Manders, Manisco, Erika Mann, Thomas Mann, Marchiani, Marinho, Marini, Marinos, Markov, Marques, Marset Campos, Martens, David W. Martin, Hans-Peter Martin, Hugues Martin, Martínez Martínez, Mastella, Mastorakis, Mathieu, Matikainen-Kallström, Mauro, Hans-Peter Mayer, Xaver Mayer, Medina Ortega, Meijer, Mendiluce Pereiro, Menéndez del Valle, Mennea, Mennitti, Menrad, Messner, Miguélez Ramos, Miller, Miranda de Lage, Modrow, Mombaur, Monsonís Domingo, Montfort, Moraes, Morgantini, Morillon, Emilia Franziska Müller, Müller, Mulder, Murphy, Muscardini, Musotto, Musumeci, Myller, Napoletano, Nassauer, Newton Dunn, Nicholson, Nicholson of Winterbourne, Niebler, Nisticò, Nobilia, Nogueira Román, Nordmann, Ó Neachtain, Onesta, Oomen-Ruijten, Oostlander, Oreja Arburúa, Ortuondo Larrea, O'Toole, Paasilinna, Pacheco Pereira, Paciotti, Pannella, Pastorelli, Patakis, Patrie, Paulsen, Pérez Álvarez, Pérez Royo, Perry, Pesälä, Pex, Piecyk, Piétrasanta, Pirker, Piscarreta, Pisicchio, Pittella, Podestà, Poettering, Pohjamo, Poignant, Poli Bortone, Pomés Ruiz, Poos, Posselt, Prets, Procacci, Pronk, Provan, Puerta, Purvis, Queiró, Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Rack, Radwan, Randzio-Plath, Rapkay, Raschhofer, Raymond, Read, Redondo Jiménez, Ribeiro e Castro, Ries, Riis-Jørgensen, Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya, Rocard, Rod, Rodríguez Ramos, de Roo, Roth-Behrendt, Rothe, Rothley, Roure, Rovsing, Rübig, Rühle, Ruffolo, Rutelli, Sacconi, Sacrédeus, Saint-Josse, Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Sandberg-Fries, Sandbæk, Sanders-ten Holte, Santini, dos Santos, Sartori, Savary, Sbarbati, Scapagnini, Scarbonchi, Schaffner, Scheele, Schleicher, Gerhard Schmid, Herman Schmid, Olle Schmidt, Schmitt, Schnellhardt, Schörling, Jürgen Schröder, Schroedter, Schulz, Schwaiger, Segni, Seppänen, Sichrovsky, Simpson, Sjöstedt, Skinner, Smet, Sörensen, Sommer, Sornosa Martínez, Souchet, Souladakis, Sousa Pinto, Speroni, Staes, Stauner, Sterckx, Stevenson, Stihler, Stockmann, Stockton, Sudre, Suominen, Swiebel, Swoboda, Sylla, Sørensen, Tajani, Terrón i Cusí, Theato, Theorin, Thomas-Mauro, Thorning-Schmidt, Thors, Thyssen, Titford, Titley, Torres Marques, Trakatellis, Turchi, Turco, Turmes, Vachetta, Väyrynen, Vairinhos, Valdivielso de Cué, Valenciano Martínez-Orozco, Vallvé, Van Lancker, Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, Vattimo, Vidal-Quadras Roca, Vinci, Virrankoski, Volcic, Wachtmeister, Wallis, Walter, Watson, Watts, Weiler, Wenzel-Perillo, Whitehead, Wieland, Wiersma, von Wogau, Wuermeling, Wuori, Wurtz, Wynn, Zabell, Zacharakis, Zappalà, Zimeray, Zimmerling, Zissener, Zorba, Zrihen.

Observers:

Balsai István, Bastys Mindaugas, Bekasovs Martijans, Beneš Miroslav, Brejc Mihael, Chrzanowski Zbigniew, Ciemniak Grażyna, Cilevičs Boriss, Didžiokas Gintaras, Ékes József, Falbr Richard, Fazakas Szabolcs, Fenech Antonio, Figel' Jan, Filipek Krzysztof, Gadzinowski Piotr, Gałażewski Andrzej, Gawłowski Andrzej, Germič Ljubo, Grzebisz-Nowicka Zofia, Gurmai Zita, Gyürk András, Hegyi Gyula, Holáň Vilém, Horvat Franc, Jakič Roman, Kacin Jelko, Kamiński Michał Tomasz, Kāposts Andis, Kelemen András, Klich Bogdan, Klukowski Wacław, Kósa Kovács Magda, Kowalska Bronisława, Kreitzberg Peeter, Kriščiūnas Kęstutis, Kroupa Daniel, Kuzmickas Kęstutis, Kvietkauskas Vytautas, Lachnit Petr, Lepper Andrzej, Libicki Marcin, Lisak Janusz, Litwiniec Bogusław, Lydeka Arminas, Łyżwiński Stanisław, Macierewicz Antoni, Maldeikis Eugenijus, Mallotová Helena, Maštálka Jiří, Matsakis Marios, Palečková Alena, Pasternak Agnieszka, Pieniążek Jerzy, Plokšto Artur, Podobnik Janez, Pospíšil Jiří, Protasiewicz Jacek, Pusz Sylwia, Rouček Libor, Rutkowski Krzysztof, Sefzig Luděk, Siekierski Czesław, Smorawiński Jerzy, Surján László, Szabó Zoltán, Szájer József, Szczygło Aleksander, Tomaka Jan, Vaculík Josef, Vadai Ágnes, Valys Antanas, Vareikis Egidijus, Vastagh Pál, Vėsaitė Birutė, Wenderlich Jerzy, Widuch Marek, Wiśniowska Genowefa, Žiak Rudolf.

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