Voting time
The next item is voting time.
(For results and other details of the vote: see Minutes)


European strategy for the rights of the child: against "dys"crimination of children and exclusion of "dys" people (debate)
The next item is the debate on the oral question to the Commission on a European strategy for the rights of the child: against 'dys'crimination of children and exclusion of 'dys' people, by Anna Záborská, Amalia Sartori and Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Roberta Angelilli on behalf of the UEN Group, Zita Gurmai and Catherine Trautmann on behalf of the PSE Group, Adamos Adamou on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Hiltrud Breyer et Raül Romeva i Rueda on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Elizabeth Lynne on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Kathy Sinnott on behalf of the IND/DEM Group - B6-0317/2007).
(FR) Madam President, Rule 173 states that a verbatim report of the proceedings of each sitting shall be drawn up in all the official languages.
I would draw your attention to the fact that this debate on the exclusion of persons affected by 'dys' ability is not to be translated into the official languages of the European Union.
This 'tool' has quite simply been done away with in practice, even though our Rules of Procedure require it. My point of order is quite a simple one: this evening's debate has to a large extent been requested by numerous schoolchildren, parents' associations, teachers, educators and doctors in different countries.
However, the citizens who elect the Members of this House, since they will not be familiar with all the different languages used this evening, will never be able to know everything that is being said during this parliamentary debate, even though it is intended for them.
Thank you very much for your point, which of course concerns us all on what is the day of European languages. The matter is being considered and a report is being prepared that will go to the Conference of Presidents, so your point is taken.
We now continue with the debate on the oral question to the Commission on a European strategy for the rights of the child.
author. - (SK) Allow me to begin with the testimony of a young 21-year-old woman in her third year at university.
'When I was 17 my schoolmates laughed at me all year because I looked like an 11-year-old. In my report the teachers frequently asked when I would finally make up my mind to learn. Those of us with 'dys'abilities work much more than others and it's very hard to live with'. End of quote.
Society is never aware of the 10-20% of children with 'dys'abilities because they are never diagnosed. Their difficulties hinder communication, prevent normal education and unfortunately sometimes lead to mental breakdown and social exclusion. As far as we are concerned, the European Union can do what it does best, that is to say it can act as a spokesperson and highlight, in a sufficiently varied manner, a problem which in other circumstances might remain taboo and hidden away. Europe provides an opportunity to identify good ideas and the tried and tested practices of organisations and governments, as referred to in Written Declaration 64/2007, which is currently before the European Parliament.
A 'neuro-dys' programme already exists and the European Union funds projects that may be well suited to those affected by 'dys'abilities too, such as the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, the ICT Policy Support Programme, support for research into information and communication technology skills, the Seventh Framework Programme for Research - health, the Lifelong Learning Programme, and the Second Public Health Programme 2008-2013. These programmes are the subject of amending and supplementary proposals for the 2008 budget, which we have put forward with our fellow Members from the five political groups.
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion allow me to express my great admiration, respect, gratitude and encouragement to those who in their lives could have had plenty of reasons to be mothers without hope: 'des mères désespérées'. Nevertheless, none of them is giving up the fight. They are the best defenders of their children's cause, alongside the fathers where they are still part of the same family. I believe that the debate this evening will show that they will not be alone and that their problem will also become a concern of the European Parliament.
author. - (ES) Madam President, first and foremost I wish to apologise for the absence of Mrs Zita Gurmai, the author of this oral question on behalf of the Socialist Group, who cannot attend this sitting due to unforeseen circumstances, and so with your permission, Madam President, I intend to speak on behalf of Mrs Gurmai and on my own behalf, since I had also asked to speak.
My wish, Madam President, is simply to reiterate what has been said. We are talking about learning disorders that affect a substantial segment of our population. Almost 10% of Europe's children suffer from 'dys' problems: children who are usually invisible to our education systems, which all too frequently blame their academic failure on unrelated causes.
The necessary measures must be taken to prevent such 'dys'crimination, and schoolchildren must be treated in a special, timely, intensive and multidisciplinary fashion, preferably at their usual teaching centre. This requires protocols for detection and courses of action at schools.
For the first time in my country, Spain, a socialist government has introduced an education law to help pupils with specific learning difficulties. This is a major step, since in our various countries families are usually dependent on the goodwill of teachers and their willingness to make a voluntary effort with the proper training. Opting for other solutions means a substantial economic burden, which is often impossible to shoulder.
We must remember that boys and girls with these dysfunctions are intelligent, and all they need is a different way of learning. Academic success is a genuine possibility for them. All that is required is the political will to implement the right mechanisms that produce genuine solutions.
Making these pupils visible to society means having reliable statistics to allow proper decisions to be taken; it means providing access to clear and truthful information for everyone who seeks it and starting up awareness campaigns extending to all our countries. Making them visible to our education systems also means that, in addition to providing treatment in good time for all children affected in the early years of school, we must take account of their needs when designing syllabuses at each and every level of education. A number of universities are now using examinations and tests adapted to university students with this kind of problem.
Community-financed education programmes such as e-learning or life-long learning must also be designed with 'dys' people in mind. Ladies and gentlemen, we must tackle the needs of this sector of the population. We cannot continue to turn our backs on a disorder that affects over 3 million Europeans.
author. - (DE) Madam President, I am pleased, too, that this important topic - the increase in dyslexia - is being discussed here this evening. It is certainly the first time that we have talked about this issue, but it should not be the last. I want the Commission to do everything possible to drive this issue forward. We are not starting from zero.
There are already programmes, there are already initiatives, in many Member States. It is important, in my view, not to talk about dyslexia as an illness or a disability, for that is incorrect. It has already been mentioned that many children with dyslexia are actually highly intelligent. We know that these children are quicker at thinking than in their motor skills.
The first step that we need to take, therefore - and this is my urgent request to the Commissioner - is to obtain an overview of what has already been done in the field of research and the programmes and initiatives which already exist at European level, and then pull all this information together.
I think it is important not to confuse dyslexia with ADS. It would be disastrous to lump the two together. We know that ADS is closely connected to excessive television consumption and over-stimulation. On the issue of dyslexia, we should also consider how we can introduce children to books and reading early on. We know that children who read a lot and have easy access to books are less susceptible to dyslexia. This might be one way of curbing the alarming rise in dyslexia.
We urge the Commission to compile an overview of the diversity and the different approaches which exist in Europe. Another option would be to hold a conference to bring together all these people and their different experiences in this area. We know that children are our future and knowledge is our most important resource in Europe, so we need to do our utmost here.
author. - Madam President, it is estimated that there are approximately 49 million people with some form of 'dys'ability within the EU. As many as 10% of children are affected by a 'dys'-type disability such as dysphasia, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or attention-deficit disorder.
Take the case of Sean in the UK. The teachers' report described him as stupid, awkward, disruptive and over-emotional. Because of his problem, he was marginalised and bullied by fellow pupils and teachers did very little to intervene.
Sean's parents were eventually forced to withdraw him from school after he arrived home badly beaten and bloodied, but the local education authority refused to provide tutoring or assistance, so education was left to his parents, one of whom was forced to give up work. Thankfully, a local support group was at hand and offered help to Sean and his parents. Other children in the UK and some other Member States are not so lucky.
We must exchange best practice across the EU, and this is where the Council and the Commission have an important role to play. Information must be made more available. Steps must be taken to spot, screen, diagnose and treat these disorders at an early stage. Structures must be adapted to integrate young people with disabilities into the world of work, and it is important that a European charter for people with 'dys' problems is drawn up.
It is also vital that research under the seventh Framework Programme is increased. There is no point in paying lip-service to disabled people's rights. We have to continue to fight to ensure that individuals like Sean are treated equally and given the help and support they deserve.
author. - Madam President, there are millions, literally millions, of children who are not considered disabled but who struggle with a significant and disabling condition in the area of learning, movement and communication.
Although the number of children diagnosed with dyslexia, dysphasia, dyscalculation, dyspraxia and similar specific disorders is increasingly dramatically - dyslexia alone is estimated to affect 10% of children in the US - many, if not the majority, of children affected in Europe still remain undiagnosed and therefore largely unhelped.
Often, when parents express concern they are ignored or told to stop imagining things. Often, children - even gifted children - are written off as intellectually weak or clumsy by well-meaning teachers and education authorities because they do not have the expertise to tell the difference.
Ignoring these conditions does not make them go away. They just become more problematic for the child, who gets increasingly discouraged and frustrated. The children's self-image can suffer serious damage and their potential can be squandered.
We have formulated this question and the written declaration to emphasise the enormity of the problem for children with a specific difficulty, for their family and for the community, and to ask the Commission, Parliament and Council to take these children seriously in research programmes, initiatives, guidelines and strategies.
We need to learn more about these 'dys' conditions, how to identify them as early as possible, how to intervene effectively. We also need to learn why a child's developing brain is affected in these ways and how to prevent these 'dys'abilities where that is possible. We also need to ensure that no-one is considered less important or less valuable because of these conditions.
I would suggest to the Commissioner that many adults also struggle with these specific learning or coordination difficulties but have no name for their condition or real knowledge of it. Many have come up with elaborate compensatory techniques to get by. I collected signatures this summer for a citizens' petition supporting persons with disabilities and was amazed at how many adults struggle to even write their names.
People suffer in silence with their gifts and talents hidden even from themselves by these hidden disabilities. What is the price society pays? People quitting education and working below their ability because of a problem in one area of learning. An educational psychologist told me that the tragedy of these children is that many of them would have done very well at university, where they could have worked to their strengths, but failed to get the opportunity as they cannot get through secondary school because the more general nature of the curriculum means that their particular difficulty becomes an insurmountable obstacle to the standard assessment system.
I know one young man who has a specific learning difficulty. He failed primary and secondary school and had to leave the school system without a certificate but, on the basis of an aptitude test and the recommendation of teachers, he did get into a small college. Two years later he has proved to be exceptionally gifted in the study of philosophy and has become a popular student leader.
Our education system in Europe tends to be competitive and rigid. The authorities seem to think this is creating a class of educated, skilled citizens, but this inflexibility - a one-size-fits-all approach - is destroying the potential of countless young people. This is not good enough and creates social exclusion which can lead many children to become disillusioned and even, in some cases, angry adults. In Ireland, 76% of the prisoners in Mountjoy Prison have a history of school failure and what are probably undiagnosed learning difficulties.
To ignore these children and adults is clearly discrimination. I am very proud of this Parliament in the support it has shown for the written declaration, but have one word of caution. The UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child states that every child is entitled to primary education, but special-needs children are only entitled to the help they need according to resources. Before we ratify this Convention and introduce it into our strategies, we must examine it very closely. Otherwise we will bring this fault into our own policies.
Member of the Commission. - Madam President, I thank all those present, especially Ms Záborská and the co-authors of the question, because I think it is very important, not only as a question, as a topic for our discussions, but also in terms of action in favour of those who need more specific assistance or treatment or conditions for their life in society, for education, training and so on.
I especially underline what was said at the beginning: that we want to be the voice of those with these difficulties, and I think this is a very strong moral and political commitment.
The Commission is aware of the negative social and health consequences that these problems might have on affected individuals or families raising children affected by 'dys'-related problems.
We agree that measures should be taken to improve the everyday life of children and their access to education, information and culture. Of course, the main responsibility for dealing with people with 'dys' problems falls on Member States, but the Commission, as well as European institutions, can support the action of Member States.
For example, our Disability Action Plan 2003-2010 promotes access to support and care services for people with disabilities and their families. The Commission promotes a level of service which strikes an appropriate balance between security, freedom of choice and independence of life.
The Commission Work Plans for 2005, 2006 and 2007 in the field of public health included specific reference to the need for further information and definition of indicators relating to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders, cognitive retardation and disruption of motor, perceptual, language and socio-emotional functions.
Several calls for proposals have been published to support research on 'dys'-related problems. However, the Commission has so far failed to receive any proposal in these areas.
The Community programme PROGRESS provides support to a number of large European networks, including the European Disability Forum, as you know. We support the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. The agency provides policymakers and professionals with relevant information on special needs education and facilitates the exchange of good practices.
Special education needs are also one of the general priorities of the Lifelong Learning Programme and, as such, they must be considered a priority for all its actions because it is a general priority.
The Lifelong Learning Programme has a clear aim to integrate people with a range of special needs. Concretely, this is done through funding cooperation projects to exchange, develop and improve practice in general, including on the design of pedagogical structures in ordinary and specialist education and by offering increased grants to disabled participants to fund any necessary extra support arrangements.
Furthermore, several research projects have been supported by the Commission, including the Neurodys project mentioned in the Oral Question. The Commission also promotes access to information and communication technology (ICT) and new technology in general for people suffering from 'dys'-related problems.
The ICT part of the sixth Framework Research Programme co-financed projects on e-accessible and assistive solutions. I just want to mention two projects in this regard: the AGENT-DYSL project, which focused on developing the next generation of assistive reading systems and, secondly, the EU's 'For All' project, which aimed to develop technologies to make education accessible to everyone, including people with dyslexia. The seventh Framework Research Programme will continue to support 'dys'-related projects or research, including as part of the health priority and as part of the e-accessibility priority.
We recognise the importance of collecting relevant statistics. This was one of the very strong issues here. Although the Commission does not currently collect statistics on specific 'dys'-related problems, Eurostat provides EU-wide statistics on disability and social integration.
Following a special disability-oriented labour force survey in 2002, Eurostat is currently in the process of developing an EU-wide survey model. The survey is part of the European Health Survey System and focuses on disabilities and on various aspects of social integration of people about 18 years old.
We recognise difficulties encountered by people or families caring for people with disabilities, including with those with 'dys' problems. Following up on our commitment in the Roadmap for Gender Equality, in 2005 and 2006 we launched a consultation with social partners on reconciliation policies. The consultation covered a broad range of issues, including maternity leave, parental leave, paternity leave, adoption leave and a new type of leave to care for dependent family members.
Having finished the second phase of consultation in June 2007, the Commission is currently engaged in an impact assessment process. Depending on the outcome, the new proposals might be brought forward, possibly to 2008.
The Commission constantly monitors the transposition of EU anti-discrimination legislation at national level. Directive 2000/78/EC, which prohibits discrimination in the field of employment and occupation, covers all citizens, including those suffering from 'dys'-related problems. However, the Commission believes that legislation should offer protection, not only to employees suffering from a disability but also to employees who care for a disabled dependent.
In this regard, we follow with great interest the Coleman case currently pending before the European Court of Justice.
Finally, I really want to say that this is primarily about real knowledge and awareness, and your contribution now is very helpful. It is a pity that it is so late, just before midnight. But, after raising proper awareness, I think we could focus more on implementation and concrete actions in favour of those in real need.
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. - (EL) Madam President, Commissioner, thank you for staying so late and for your very thorough treatment of the issue.
I see two other Commissioners in your seat, including the Commissioner responsible for the health sector. He is responsible for taking action to have behavioural and learning difficulties recognised as health problems rather than disabilities. He also directs research into early diagnosis and ensures that medical methods for treatment and therapy become specific proposals in research programmes. This in turn promotes your own education sector by giving special training to staff and parents, and special equipment to schools. It also promotes new technologies so as to adopt accompanying and assistance measures for pupils with special educational needs.
The possibility of education leads to training and professional reintegration. I also see in your seat the third Commissioner, responsible for employment. He ought to take an interest in the measures for access to professional life, social rights and options for social integration. This is to prevent social exclusion of individuals who are differently able, who have a special characteristic without being disabled.
You have used the word 'disability' many times and have expounded to us all the disability programmes. Here, however, it is a question of other dyspraxia problems. We can tackle these without the need for a host of new initiatives; we need no more than a little expense and funding, but mainly just care, organisation and the mustering of best practices already at the disposal of the Member States in a fairly broad sphere.
Legal recognition is a fundamental precondition and allows for access to health and schools as well as to social provision. The use of technical means and financial aid for parents combine to prevent discrimination against families as well: they suffer from the time when they start to deal with a diagnosis of a dyspraxia problem until its cure.
I hope that our question will give the Commission the opportunity to take action.
on behalf of the PSE Group. - (FR) Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is pleasing to see the subject of 'dys'-type disorders, so often ignored, now being raised in Parliament and the fact that this topic has generated a response from practically all the political groups that make up this House demonstrates that for us no citizen of Europe, whatever their problems, should be subjected to discrimination. Such is the case for 'dys' sufferers, for increasingly sophisticated studies have shown that while this type of disability is still very widespread it is still not being properly identified.
As the only French Member to speak this evening I can pride myself on the fact that France has been fairly active in its efforts to tackle 'dys' problems. Thanks to the initiative of parents' associations and professional groups, a national day, the first of its kind, is now to be held in Paris on 10 October and it is hoped that this will make the press more aware of the situation of the people, and especially children, who are affected by problems of this kind.
However, the purpose of my question this evening is not to celebrate the positive advances made in one country or another, since there is still a huge amount of work to be done, but collectively to discuss ways in which we might pool the best practices that have been developed at European level, insomuch as certain Member States do not even recognise the existence of this type of disorder. It appears to me that the call for a European multidisciplinary network to be set up for specific training and learning problems, which is part of the written declaration, goes some way in this direction. A judicious use of Community actions such as the Seventh Framework Programme would also be beneficial.
In this respect, the initiative that you mentioned, Commissioner, namely the NeuroDys project, which is aimed at highlighting the cognitive, cerebral and genetic origins of dyslexia, and which brings together 15 scientific research groups from nine Member States - and in passing I would like to point out, for this is important, that this body includes practically all the European languages - seems to set a good example because ultimately it appears to me that Europe should lead the world in understanding these conditions and in collecting the biological data that relate to them. However, it should also set an example in recognising the most effective forms of rehabilitation and therapy so that children can begin to hope again and face life with optimism.
Does the Commission have plans for other programmes of this type in the future? Commissioner, you referred to a call for tenders that received no response. It is our intention that the awareness campaign now being waged by the various associations and by the Members who signed the written declaration should perhaps make up for this lack of information and motivation. We hope that your capacity for mobilising the European funding that is needed to fulfil these expectations will enable the relevant research to be carried out into other 'dys'-type disorders, such as dyspraxia and dysphasia.
on behalf of the UEN Group. - (PL) Madam President, it is quite alarming to learn that 10% of children suffer from dysfunctional disorders. That means that one child in every 10 either suffers from motor disorders, cannot express their thoughts or cannot do so clearly. What will the adult population be like in a few years' time? It will be composed of people who have difficulty undertaking the normal tasks involved in day-to-day living and cannot play a normal part in society. Can we contemplate treating them as invalids and creating a society of invalids? That would be unacceptable. If these conditions can be treated, we must do all we can to treat the children affected, instead of focusing on the prevention of discrimination and social exclusion, because one cannot exclude beings similar to oneself. I do not think it will come to that. I believe there are ways to manage the situation.
Finally, I should like to offer my sincere thanks to those who brought this matter to my attention and say that I stand shoulder to shoulder with them.
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. - (ES) Madam President, I wish to start by congratulating the staff and Members who took this initiative of a written declaration and an oral question, and also the Commission for its attendance at this time of night to discuss this issue which, regrettably, not only seems to be a secret issue, an issue for absolute discretion, but also an issue that is completely invisible in certain cases.
Therefore, despite this situation, the fact that we are discussing it today means that we wish to put an end to the invisibility, and so I have lent my support with full enthusiasm not only to the written declaration and the oral question, but to this debate.
I think by and large we all know people who have suffered, and are suffering, from these disorders, which are not illnesses. Therefore, from that point of view the perception we have in this context is that these are certainly not people who, we might say, require a special service from the point of view of health care for an illness. All they need is support, specific support, assistance and sensitivity, which must be forthcoming not only from institutions but also from families, teaching centres and especially from society in general.
In my view, the worst thing that can happen in these cases is for discrimination to arise from ignorance in the first instance, from the perception that these people cannot be people who lead absolutely normal lives, although they may need a certain amount of support, and especially from the absence of political willingness and economic resources to implement the necessary programmes to allow these people not just to have, I repeat, a normal lifestyle, but also to allow them as fully capable human beings to contribute their wisdom, their knowledge, their hopes and their dreams to a society that frequently marginalises them and discriminates against them, when they have done absolutely nothing to deserve this.
(PL) Madam President, I should like to congratulate those who have raised the matter of these specific disabling conditions. The 10% of children affected grow up to become the 10% of the population that has difficulty functioning in society. Their suffering is greater in adult life. Today, however, we are concerned with the fate of children detached from society for reasons that are not fully understood. As children develop, one difficulty generates another, and each complex leads to the next.
'Dys'-type disabilities should be recognised as specific conditions or impairments. The problems entailed should be explained first to the child itself, and then to those surrounding it, namely parents, friends and schoolmates. Such children require a special approach and a personalised style of teaching. The identification and correct definition of these conditions is particularly important when the opportunities for treating them are limited.
Member of the Commission. - (SK) Mr President, I would like to express my thanks for the many, very interesting speeches. I am not an expert on the matter but we need more expertise with regard to this topic.
I am also personally aware of this issue but a much more profound approach by the various institutions and policymakers is necessary to address it specifically. Many have been put forward here with regard to the fields of social policy, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, health, education, vocational training and others associated with this issue. The starting point is in fact the interest and desire to change the situation because ignorance breeds intolerance. That is true of every problem, including this one.
One of the tasks is clearly to align the views on this problem in the Member States and the EU, that is to say in the EU Member States, because no definition exists anywhere, although in some countries there are national days devoted to this issue. In my view, the definition the United Nations uses in the Disability Convention could provide inspiration for the Member States, but that is a matter for them.
I would like to reiterate what I said at the beginning. We have several major programmes that can help in vocational and information and communication terms to identify possible solutions. I am thinking of the education programme, the lifelong learning programme, the research programme and the public health programme.
Allow me personally and on behalf of my institution to thank the team of authors and also others seeking to ensure that people with 'dys'abilities are treated equally and that it is recognised that they are in fact frequently unrecognised and undervalued with regard to their talent, ability and potential. The Commission has been called upon to be more active on this issue and I would like to say that the Commission is active and willing, in collaboration with Parliament and the presidency, to be even more active than we may have been in the past.
Thank you very much, Commissioner, for that reassurance.
The debate is closed.
Written statements (Rule 142)
in writing. - (IT) I should like to thank the colleagues who prompted this important debate and the European Commission, in the person of Commissioner Figeľ, with whom I have cooperated on a few previous occasions, for being prepared to note the suggestions put forward by this House.
Even though the health sector is primarily a matter of national competence, I appreciate the efforts being made by the Commission to try and encourage the Member States to adopt strategies enabling people with disabilities to access care and, above all, to lead as normal a life as possible. The Disability Action Plan 2003-2010 and the PROGRESS programme already go in this direction. However, it is important to raise awareness among European citizens so as to promote the integration of these people, especially children, into society. Integration and awareness campaigns against 'dys'crimination in schools, workplaces, sport and everyday life are needed, as is access to the health service, in order that such dysfunctions - sometimes purely physical - do not compromise the personal and working lives of sufferers and their families.


Welcome
Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to inform you that a delegation from the Japanese Parliament has arrived in the official gallery. We would like to extend a warm welcome to them. They are taking part in the 29th EP/Japan Interparliamentary Meeting that is being held in Brussels and Vienna from 2 to 6 June.
The Japanese delegation is led by Mr Taro Nakayama, a great friend of Europe, and is made up of seven members of the House of Representatives and two members of the House of Councillors.
This Interparliamentary Meeting has focused on climate change in order to promote a common approach based around the application of the Kyoto Protocol and what will come after it.
We are very happy with this fruitful, stable and continued cooperation with Japan, a country with which we share the basic values of democracy, respect for human rights and the principle of multilateral cooperation. Therefore, welcome to our Japanese friends!
(Applause)


8. EU Election Observation Missions (
- Before the vote:
(DE) Madam President, in consultation with the two rapporteurs, I propose the following addition:
'Pays tribute to the participation of observers from third countries, such as Switzerland, Norway and Canada, in EU electoral observation missions'.
(DE) Those concerned had requested that, and I think this encourages them to take part again next time.
(Parliament agreed to accept the oral amendment)


3. Human rights situation in the Philippines (vote)
- Joint motion for a resolution: RC B6-0160/2007


4. A Baltic Sea Strategy for the Northern Dimension (vote)


10. Statistics on plant protection products (


18. Supporting early demonstration of sustainable power generation from fossil fuels (


The dramatic consequences of the 'Klaus'  storm in Southern Europe (debate)
The next item is the Commission statement on the dramatic consequences of the 'Klaus' storm in Southern Europe.
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, the European Commission wishes to express its sadness at the number of lives claimed by storm Klaus and sends its condolences to the French, Italian and Spanish families that have lost loved ones. This is indeed a human tragedy, which has had a devastating impact on people's lives, homes and businesses. It is also an ecological disaster.
While this storm was extremely powerful, it only affected a narrow band of territory, and national resources have been able to cope with the immediate disaster response.
For this reason, the Community Civil Protect Mechanism was not activated. However, the Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre has been in close contact with the concerned Member States from the first moments when the storm was forecast.
Other Member States were aware of the situation and were getting prepared to provide support to the affected regions. For example, the Czech Republic spontaneously offered its assistance.
The Commission is now cooperating with the authorities of the Member States affected in order to identify options for EU support. Possibilities may include through the EU Solidarity Fund or a reprogramming of the structural and rural development funds.
Storm Klaus is an unpleasant reminder that natural disasters are a growing threat for all EU Member States. Devastating floods hit Central Europe in 2000 and 2002, the UK in 2007, and Romania and EU neighbours last year. The 2003 heatwave claimed tens of thousands of lives. In 2003 and 2007 forest fires ravaged Portugal and Greece. These events give us an idea of how climate change is likely to affect the EU's future because, as the climate changes, we can expect more extreme weather events.
The Member States and the Community need to combine their strengths to prevent disasters, to limit their impacts and to improve the Union's disaster response capacity.
The Commission will shortly adopt a Communication on 'a Community approach on the prevention of natural and man-made disasters'. We look forward to receiving feedback from Parliament on the ideas that are set out.
The Commission would also stress the importance of moving forward on the revision of the Solidarity Fund regulation. The proposal helps to accelerate the rate of response by allowing for advance payments, and it contains simpler criteria for an activation of the Fund in less time. While Parliament largely supported the Commission proposal, there has been no progress in the Council.
These initiatives are contributing to shape a genuine European disaster management policy, and the Commission hopes that the European Parliament will continue to support its efforts to reinforce the EU's capacity to deal with natural and man-made disasters.
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. - (FR) Madam President, I am speaking also on behalf of my colleague, Alain Lamassoure. In November 1999, I took the floor in this very Chamber following the storm which had raged in south-west France, to call for European solidarity when wide-scale natural disasters lay waste to our countries. Ten years ago I was told that there was no European fund to help our fellow citizens in such times of need.
Since 1999, while natural disasters have unfortunately continued to cause death and major destruction in Europe, EU action has fortunately been strengthened with the creation, in 2002, of the EU Solidarity Fund, an initiative of the Commission and Mr Barnier. This Fund allows us to take swift, effective action within a flexible framework.
As things stand, I feel that we need to mobilise this Fund to assist the affected regions, and in this regard I support the French Government's calls to do so as quickly as possible. I took note, Mrs Vassiliou, of the Commission's wish to speed things up. There is indeed an urgent need when it comes to the damaged infrastructure.
There is also an urgent need with regard to the forest. I would like to stress this point, since the storm has devastated between 60% and 70% of the forest in the south of Gironde and Landes, whereas this forest, one of the largest in Europe, was already barely managing to recover from the damage caused in 1996 and 1999. You are aware that there is no insurance for this kind of damage, and foresters are now completely penniless in the face of this disaster. We must show them our solidarity and assist with rebuilding the natural heritage of these regions.
Before ending, allow me to spare a thought for the victims of storm Klaus, in France, Spain and Italy, and express my support for their families.
Madam President, Mrs Vassiliou, ladies and gentlemen, the images of the 1999 storm, which was just mentioned and which hit south-west France causing tremendous damage, are still engraved on our collective memory.
It is an understatement to say that Europe was not prepared to endure such a tragedy again, so soon. There are those who view it as a blow dealt by fate, but I see it rather as a horrendous example of the climate change which you have just referred to, Mrs Vassiliou, for which we merely propose rough solutions whereas in fact urgent action is needed. This is a situation that we must handle responsibly. Unfortunately, we need to be prepared to face even more natural disasters.
On 24 and 25 January this year, storm Klaus, which hit southern Europe, killed 11 people in France, 14 in Spain and three in Italy. It caused significant damage, destroying schools and many homes, depriving thousands of people of electricity, heating, drinking water and a telephone service and leaving certain economic sectors in a critical situation, as in the case of the timber industry.
While I am keen to express my solidarity with the families of the victims and all those affected, and my support for local councillors, I would like to take advantage of this forum to call on the European Community since, it has to be said, this kind of situation requires a European response and, first and foremost, European solidarity.
Admittedly, in France a state of natural disaster has been declared, which will facilitate aid to disaster victims, but this does nothing to detract from the need to take coordinated European action to supplement the Member States' efforts to protect people, the environment and property in disaster-stricken towns and regions.
In practical terms, this primarily entails centralising information at European level in order to make a precise assessment of the damage. We must then release the necessary funds to provide support for local authorities that are facing huge challenges. In particular we should support the public services, which have been doing an exceptional job, and which we desperately need in order to repair infrastructure and equipment in the energy, water-supply, sewage, transport and telecommunications, health and education sectors.
Past disasters showed that action at European level is urgent and enabled the prevention of natural risks to be included as one the goals of the European Regional Development Fund. From now on, Europe must prove its ability to react and to translate its solidarity into practical measures. I therefore hope, although you have just said so, that the Commission will take this message on board and mobilise all means necessary to respond to this urgent situation, in particular through the EU Solidarity Fund and the Civil Protection Financial Instrument.
Lastly, in conclusion, I would like to remind you that, as with the fires in Greece in 2007, this violent storm has demonstrated the need for a civil protection force that can be mobilised in all crisis areas. I would like to hear your opinion on this subject, Mrs Vassiliou, as well as your response to Parliament's request in its resolution of 27 April 2006, seeking the creation of a European observatory on natural disasters to ensure a more effective European response when these unfortunate events occur.
Madam President, Mrs Vassiliou, on 18 November last year, I said the following in this very place: 'we do not know what the next disaster will be or on what scale it will be, but we are sure of one thing, and that is that there will soon be another disaster again. When that time comes, our fellow citizens, who for 50 years have been used to seeing a supposedly united Europe being built, will turn round and ask us: "what have you done?”'. I repeat, I said that here, to this House, last November.
In this same Chamber, in November 2006, two years before, I said more or less the same thing: 'if there is one area in which all Europeans expect effective Community responses, it is that of large-scale natural disasters'.
I said that everyone could see this whenever disasters such as the tsunami occur, and continued: 'that is why, together with my group, I am in favour of implementing preventative actions and of putting in place the capacity to respond very quickly to the consequences of tragedies. In this connection, I should like to draw attention to the quality of the Barnier report, which states the problem well and proposes solutions that are constructive not only in terms of efficiency but also of subsidiarity'. Mrs Vassiliou, we have all remained enthusiastic about this report as it contains highly practical and concrete proposals. It even contains budgetary items and explains that 10% of the Solidarity Fund can provide funding. It explains in a most pragmatic way how to work with the stakeholders in each state.
With the twelve proposals contained in the Barnier report, we had everything necessary to take action at European level which, a few weeks prior to the elections this coming June, would have provided an additional indication of the usefulness and effectiveness of true European operational solidarity.
You have just told us, Mrs Vassiliou, that you hope to receive Parliament's support. You had this support, and continue to do so. What is the Council doing, since you say that it is the Council which is the issue? The Council is not here this evening. We hope that over and above this debate, it will listen attentively to our call, which is not a call for help, nor another expression of surprise at the recent tragedy, but a call for it to clearly hear the question which I recently asked: 'what have you done?'.
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. - (FR) Madam President, Mrs Vassiliou, ladies and gentlemen, I would like us to reflect for a moment on the nature of this evening's exercise. It seems to me that we do this often, too often. Each time there is a disaster, we meet here, in this Chamber, and begin our chorus of lament where naturally we say that what has happened is a tragedy, and we bow our heads in respect for the victims.
Of course, I do this along with everyone else, but I do not believe that our role ends there. Our role is perhaps, as my fellow Member was just saying, to plan for the future, since there will be other environmental disasters. We said this again this morning, with our vote on the Florenz report. We know that the climate is increasingly unsettled. Storms of the century now come each decade and soon will come each year. When there is no storm, there is flooding, and when there is no flooding, there are severe forest fires.
Faced with all this, what is Europe doing? I am well aware that the Council is incapable of contemplating anything beyond its national navel. The juxtaposition of 27 navels does not yet make for a great continental project. We suffer the consequences of this during every tragedy. We are told to 'call for solidarity', but using which funds? I remember in the Committee on Budgets, when we discussed funds, precisely for the climate, we were talking about a few tens of millions of euros. This storm alone has cost EUR 1.4 billion. How much will we have to pay in insurance bills before we realise that protection of the environment and the climate is not a burden, but an investment in the future?
Still today, we are continuing to discuss the need to mobilise European stakeholders when a tragedy strikes. But we already said that, as I recall, here in this Chamber following the AZF factory explosion in my city, in 2001. We said that we had to consider a European intervention force to show that in Europe, in the event of a human catastrophe, the word 'solidarity' is not just a meaningless concept, but that we take practical action. All these years later, what has become of this European intervention force?
I was actually at my home in Toulouse, ladies and gentlemen, when the storm struck. I now know what a major environmental disaster entails. If I needed to learn, I have now experienced it in the damage to my home, in the tiles that were ripped off and in the trees that were uprooted. Therefore, I now know what these populations have been through: people who, in just one night, have seen their life's work completely destroyed.
However, as long as we, here in Parliament, and you, Mrs Vassiliou, members of the Commission, and also those absent this evening from the desperately empty Council benches, as long as we fail to realise that we must make real budgetary resources available to combat disasters, and not content ourselves with hollow words, as long as we fail to implement European solidarity through the actual establishment of a rapid-reaction, continental-scale civil intervention force, we shall continue here, tragedy after tragedy, to simply perform, once more, our chorus of lament.
The real response to storm Klaus may have come this morning, in our preparations for Copenhagen, and may come tomorrow, Mrs Vassiliou, by finally releasing funds and at last creating this civil force which is so lacking at European level.
- (FR) Madam President, Mrs Vassiliou, the storm called 'Klaus' in German, or 'Nicolas' in French, has devastated eight 'départements' in my south-west France constituency, and Landes in particular, hence the main impact being on the forest. The equivalent of six years' harvest of timber is lying on the ground, that is, 50 million cubic metres of windfall or windbreak over 300 000 hectares.
The first thing to do is clear the forest to prevent the timber rotting. There needs to be payment of EUR 5-10 per cubic metre of timber removed, that is, in the region of EUR 500 million, namely the amount of aid France has given to the press. Afterwards, the forest will need to be reseeded and replanted, leaving a 20-year hiatus in the timber industry. Now, this industry ranges from the woodcutters and cafés where they have a drink, to hauliers, nursery gardeners, vendors and so on.
The second industry affected is that of poultry, sheep and cattle farming. Roofs have been ripped off, animals lost and feed stores destroyed. We can see a need for a European agricultural insurance fund against climate and health risks. The French Presidency talked about this, and the Czech Presidency should do likewise.
The third set of victims is silent, since these victims are never mentioned: the elderly and the isolated in villages in France which are still without electricity. We need to create a European 'Fourth Age-Climate' strategy, like the 'Climate-Energy' one, that is to say, we must tackle the impact of the climate on the millions of people aged over 80 or 85. We have to create a modern fourth-age economy in order to emerge from the crisis and avoid the geriatric European Rwanda we are heading for, an economy with a modern construction industry, pharmaceutical and medical research, and a new network to avoid Europe having Gabon-style healthcare. Above all, we must prevent these climatic incidents providing an opportunity to play at Darwin and natural selection, while we should be building a Europe for life.
(ES) Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, first of all I would like to thank the Commissioner for her words of solidarity.
As has already been said, on 24 and 25 January, several countries in the south of the Union suffered the effects of a severe storm with winds reaching speeds of nearly 200 km per hour over many parts of the Iberian peninsula as well as some 30% of total annual rainfall falling in just a few hours.
The result of the storm was serious damage to property, services and public facilities, both in rural and urban communities, as well as widespread power cuts. The most serious consequence, however, was the loss of 11 lives across Spain as a result of falling masonry and accidents caused by the fierce gusts of wind.
One of the most tragic events was the death of four children, aged between nine and 12, in Sant Boi de Llobregat in Catalonia, when the wind destroyed a sports hall in which they were playing baseball.
Apart from lamenting the loss of so many irreplaceable human lives and expressing our solidarity with the families in their grief, the European Union must act, as it has on other occasions, by mobilising either the Solidarity Fund or another more appropriate fund, to repair the material damage caused by this natural disaster.
Twenty thousand hectares of forest have been affected in Catalonia, 75% of which is either seriously or very seriously damaged. Action is required in order to reduce the future risk of fire; clearly this task must be completed before the summer.
Furthermore, a lot of debris of all kinds has been deposited in rivers, streams and other watercourses. This may block water flow and there is a risk of local flooding.
In view of these and many other effects and aware of the fact that we do not yet have a final figure for the material damage, which, of course, Spain will provide through its request for assistance from the Fund, we think that the European Commission should help these regions return to normal. This would complement the immense public effort in the affected Member States and would give priority to repairing the serious damage with the objective of restoring living conditions and economic stability in these areas as soon as possible. The affected regions are facing a downturn in economic activity, degradation of the environment, loss of agricultural production, cessation of activities by many companies, a massive loss of trees and so on.
Given the characteristics and effects of the storm, I request that the Commission make these funds available as soon as possible. They are mainly intended for natural disasters with serious repercussions for life, the environment and the economy of a Member State or region of the Union. The objectives of the operations that would receive subsidies include the restoration of infrastructure to working order, the repair of power and water supply equipment and the clean-up of affected areas.
Commissioner, for these reasons I ask you to mobilise these funds as soon as possible once all the necessary information has been received.
- (FR) Madam President, as my fellow Members have reminded us, this storm has exacted a heavy toll. There are victims in France and Spain and this evening we think of them and their families. 200 000 hectares of forest have been destroyed in the south west of France.
In fact, this storm has ravaged 60% of the Landes forest. 1.7 million homes were without electricity at the height of the storm, and 3 200 of them in the Landes are still without electricity. Thousands had their phone lines cut and also their water supply disrupted. Many roads are still impassable due to obstacles such as fallen trees, power lines, floods or landslips. The services are endeavouring to restore everything as quickly as possible.
While I am pleased that the French Government has formally committed itself to submitting an application so that the areas of France affected can benefit from this fund, I deplore the fact that the French Presidency did not deem it necessary to press for a review of this fund.
This fund, as you, Commissioner, and my fellow Members have said, is still blocked by the Council of Ministers. As far as Parliament is concerned, it is about covering any major natural disaster which causes serious harm to the population and the environment, like floods, fires and droughts. However, we are going further by also including man-made phenomena, like catastrophes caused by terrorist attacks.
Our Parliament has also declared itself in favour of lowering the threshold for assistance. Now, if we question whether this Solidarity Fund is working for the affected regions, we can see that we risk being below the damage threshold. Now, this is a situation where, ultimately, several countries are affected. Therefore, I think that this threshold should also be reviewed to show that European solidarity really can exist.
As you have said, Commissioner, and my fellow Members have underlined, this sort of event will be repeated due to the results of climate change. The Commission has already announced a Communication on adapting to climate change.
It is important from now on for this Solidarity Fund to be a genuine European instrument for protecting citizens. It is time Europe showed that, in tragic situations, it is there to protect its citizens.
- (FR) Madam President, first of all, I too would obviously like to express my condolences and offer my sympathy firstly to those families who are in mourning, and to all those who are victims, in particular the many who have been cut off and who today still lack electricity, water or public services.
Commissioner, I listened to you promise us - and I think you were right - that crisis prevention measures would be consolidated, but the issue this evening, if I may say so, is compensation for the last crisis.
This is the third catastrophic storm in 20 years. The first one, as you will remember, was in July 1988, in Brittany. It still holds the wind speed record: over 250 km/h. The second, which was on an unprecedented scale, was the storm of 27 December 1999. It flattened most of our forests, for the first time. The third storm was on 24 January 2009. The reason I remember it is that I live in Gironde, very close to the Gironde forests.
The first thing we need to do is ask ourselves what the European Union's added value might be. In forestry the situation is catastrophic and what threatens us is that foresters have stopped foresting, by which I mean that some of them believe this profession has become unsustainable.
We must therefore put a plan in place, and I am among those who were ready, almost 10 years ago now, to consider a joint crisis organisation, so that we can sell all the wood which has now been placed on the market rather involuntarily, without affecting the price: we could do this by blocking supplies from other European regions, by funding transport and by making sure that this land can be replanted very quickly; otherwise, I think it will become subject to speculation, or even abandoned. Here we have a problem which is of direct interest to the European Union.
Secondly, I am also thinking of the oyster-farmers. Today the profession is in dire straits. It was already in trouble in 2002 after another disaster which was not at all natural, the sinking of the Prestige, and at present the oyster-farmers of the Arcachon Basin are losing all hope of being able to get back on their feet.
Finally, I would like the European Union Solidarity Fund to be mobilised. Obviously, I sympathise with what Mrs Laperrouze has said. Today, the Council is not here. It will do it no harm and I think it is extremely disappointing that it has refused to change the rule and that this fund today is so difficult to mobilise.
I ask you, moreover, whether the French Government itself has mobilised it. I am among those who will strive to see that it does this, because I believe it is very important, a few months from the elections, that our citizens know that European solidarity does exist and that Europe is not just dominated by the market.
(ES) Madam President, Commissioner, on 23 January I was in Galicia when winds of almost 200 km per hour struck my region: over 40 000 hectares of forest were devastated, Commissioner.
Galicia has the highest density of forested land in the European Union. After the passage of the storm, hundreds of thousands of trees had been blown down, roads were blocked and more than 500 km of high- and low-tension electricity cables were down and have still not been fully repaired.
Over 300 000 subscribers, including myself, suffered power cuts, in some cases for several days, as well as a loss of telephone services.
The storm caused injuries and badly damaged homes, infrastructure, farms, businesses, industrial plant, sports facilities as well as public and municipal buildings.
The response of the Government of Galicia to the storm, the worst in recorded history, allowed aid of EUR 17 million to be quickly approved for initial compensation of those affected and to subsidise repair of the damage.
As we know and as has been mentioned here, on 26 January the two worst affected Member States, France and Spain, requested European aid for the damage caused by the storm. As the damage that we have suffered can be defined as an extraordinary disaster under the terms of the prevailing Solidarity Fund Regulation, the governments of the two Member States announced that they had commenced work to apply for assistance from the Fund.
However, once again, as in the recent floods in Romania, we find that the requirements of the regulation are so restrictive that in actual fact they prevent this disaster being considered severe, Commissioner.
I would like to recall, as you and other Members have already done, that the Commission presented its proposal in 2005 and that Parliament issued its opinion in favour of reform of the Fund Regulation in 2006. Since then, the matter has been blocked in the Council, which has sat on the proposed reform for over two years.
For all these reasons, Commissioner, and given that these circumstances are exceptional and that the disaster has had serious repercussions for the living conditions and economic stability of the affected regions, I would ask you to trigger the Fund as proof of solidarity with the Member States concerned and above all with the citizens affected. They should be given financial assistance, as I believe, even though the sum involved is not so great, this would be a direct and urgently needed expression of European solidarity.
(RO) First of all, I would like to express my support for the families who have suffered as a result of this disaster. I saw, along with everyone else, what the dramatic consequences were in the wake of storm Klaus. I also watched the first intervention efforts on the scene, made by the countries affected as well as other European countries.
As we have been talking mostly about effects and relief funds, I would like to ask the Commission about specific projects which are actually able to implement prevention mechanisms for incidents like this so that, at least in the future, we will not have any more loss of human life.
- Madam President, can I just add my sympathy, as others have this evening, to the families who are deeply and sadly affected by this storm, and offer my support for calls for greater flexibility in the Solidarity Fund.
But there is a wider question as well to which I would draw your attention. It is not as grave as what you are discussing here but in all Member States there are occasional natural disasters and I think of counties that I represent - Offaly, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Laois" \o "County Laois" and Louth - where there was very unnatural and unseasonal flooding. A small number of families were deeply affected by it, not enough for anyone to notice, but they will suffer serious consequences. Perhaps we need to look at funding under rural development or the common agricultural policy and establish a hardship fund to look after cases like this which are there and which need assistance.
- Madam President, the Commissioner mentioned several disasters in her opening speech, and among them the heatwave in France several years ago which claimed the lives of between 12 000 and 14 000 people. Just to set the record straight on this, it was not a storm or a flash flood, or anything like the other natural disasters. That heatwave lasted five to six weeks, and the deaths came over a period of five to six weeks. Almost all of the people who died were either disabled or elderly and in nursing homes or residential care, or in respite while their families were on holiday. The French Government at no time recalled the families or recalled staff from their holidays, nor did it call in the army or any other rescue services. They just allowed people to die, week after week.
I have spoken to many people in France about this incident, as I am involved in the Commission-funded project on rescuing people with disabilities in disasters. It was a scandal, and a scandal that no one has put their finger on or identified. I would ask the Commission to investigate that heatwave, investigate the level of deaths and realise that France did nothing about it, and yet when the autumn came and all those people had been buried, there were 14 000 fewer people on their social services register.
Member of the Commission. - Madam President, let me say that all of us have at some time experienced environmental, natural or man-made disasters in our respective countries. That is why I fully share both your sentiments and your concerns.
The Solidarity Fund has to date offered assistance to 20 Member States, including four times to France, to Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal and many others - 20 altogether - but I know, and I share your view, that we should improve. We should make it even more practical and give greater assistance to Member States. We shall continue our efforts to have those improvements approved by the Council. I am glad that we have Parliament's approval for this, and your support will be a great help in our efforts.
As I said in my introduction, the Commission is fully committed to assisting France and Spain, which were hit by winter storm Klaus, and will mobilise all relevant European instruments to express European solidarity towards them. The Commission is ready to examine the possibility of mobilising the Solidarity Fund but, as a first step, we need an application for this from France and Spain. They have 10 weeks to apply for that assistance.
I was asked whether we have in the pipeline other measures to improve the system of solidarity to Member States for natural disasters, and so would also like to mention that, apart from the review of the Solidarity Fund, we have an upcoming communication whose objective is to identify measures that could be included in a Community strategy for the prevention of natural and man-made disasters.
To sum up, it is the view of the Commission that the Solidarity Fund is already a very useful instrument but, of course, there is scope for improvement, and we shall continue our efforts to that end.
The debate is closed.
Written statements (Rule 142)
The Klaus storm blew across south-west Europe on 23 - 25 January and caused significant damage. During the storm, winds gusted at speeds of up to 194 km/h. The storm claimed 18 victims in Spain, France and Germany and the number of victims would have been even higher if the early warning system had not been operating.
In Slovakia, we watched our television screens with feelings of profound sympathy as the terrible tragedy unfolded in the village of Sant Boi de Llobregat where four children lost their lives after the roof was blown off a sports hall. I would like to express my sincere condolences to all families that have lost family members.
The Solidarity Fund is a useful instrument. It was established in the EU after the floods in August 2002. Assistance from the fund is designated for Member States and Accession States that have suffered major natural disasters. This applies to disasters causing damage estimated at more than 0.6 % of the GDP of the affected country. Following the November 2004 storm which destroyed 2.5 million cubic metres of timber, Slovakia received EUR 5,667,578 from this fund.
Disasters are steadily increasing in number as a result of climate change in Europe, forcing us to adopt rules to ensure not only the rapid and flexible provision of financial assistance in the immediate aftermath of a disaster but also the implementation of preventative measures against various natural disasters.