EPP-ED Report
Issue 6 / June 2008

Lisbon Treaty - ratification must go on

By Ioannis Zografos

Does the Irish 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty stop the process of European integration? How should those Member States which have already ratified it proceed? The key debate in Parliament's plenary shed some light on the issue.

Joseph Daul (FR), Chairman of the EPP-ED Group, the largest political group in the European Parliament, pointed out that it is equally important to respect the decision of the 19 Member States that have already ratified the Treaty, as it is to respect the result of the Irish referendum. Freedom of expression is a fundamental value upon which Europe was built.

"Because we are democrats, we wish that all Member States express their opinion on the ratification of the Treaty. It is only at the end of this process that the European Council should decide the way forward. In other words, neither Ireland nor any other Member State can deny the others to freely express their stance".

The President of the European Commission explained that the Irish vote defines the Irish position and not that of the 19 Member States which have adopted the Treaty. He also called on the remaining Member States to continue the ratification process and show solidarity with each other.

He also briefed the members of the EPP-ED Group on the five major priorities of the European Commission for next year and discussed how best to implement them. They refer to growth and development, coping with the fuel crisis, combating climate change, establishing common rules on illegal immigration and consolidating Europe as a global partner.

Crisis in the fisheries sector

By Pedro López de Pablo

Demonstrations across Europe in recent weeks have illustrated the pressure the fishing industry is under due to rocketing fuel prices and huge imports. EPP-ED Group Spokeswoman Carmen Fraga Esteves (ES) has proposed a package of measures to alleviate the situation for fishermen in the EU.

In the last five years, the price of petrol for fishermen has increased by 300% while the prices of most fisheries products are at the same level as they were 20 years ago. In some cases, they have even dropped due to massive imports, mostly from illegal fishing. The combination of these two factors has plunged the European fisheries sector into its biggest ever crisis.

"Our institution cannot remain unconcerned with this crisis. We know today that we, in this House, were right, as the European Commission has just proposed a package of measures along the general lines of what we were asking for."

The EPP-ED Group proposes to increase the minimal aid for each ship up to €100,000, reductions of social burdens for companies and new aids for the modernisation of the fleet, as well as more control on imports, labelling and the fight against illegal fishing. Most of them are now part of the European Commission's proposal to be discussed by EU fisheries ministers next week. Some others will need further debate, but as Carmen Fraga said, we are now on the right path to helping the sector.

As good as it gets - Waste Directive

By Gunnar Larsson

By revising the EU Waste Framework Directive, Parliament has decided that Member States should take necessary measures to achieve an overall recycling rate of 50 percent by 2020 for paper, metal, plastic and glass from household and similar waste. In addition, 70 percent of construction and demolition waste will be recycled by the same year.

This significant step forward in recycling is the result of tough negotiations between EPP-ED Rapporteur Caroline Jackson, Member of the Committee on the Environment, and the Council.

"I have to say, the mood in the Council was very bleak, possibly mirroring our economic times. We found them very resistant to what we wanted to do and they drove a very hard bargain, but our achievements come first; we have added recycling targets to the text. That is a very significant achievement since these were not in the original proposal, and this is the first time that recycling targets for household waste have appeared in EU legislation. It is entirely due to Parliament that they are there", Jackson said.

Total waste production will be stabilised by 2012. Member States will establish waste prevention programmes and should also determine appropriate specific targets to achieve the 2012 target and further significant reductions in waste generation by 2020.

Commissioner Stavros Dimas congratulated Jackson for her excellent report and praised its merits; "With this Directive, the Union is taking a substantial step towards a society of recycling. It is introducing a modern conception of managing waste and considers waste a useful raw material. The Directive has clearer definitions, simplified rules and comprises new ambitious objectives."

Repatriation of illegal immigrants

By Thomas Bickl

The EU is stepping up its efforts to fight illegal immigration. This week, Parliament adopted a new Directive on common standards on how to send back third-country nationals which lack a legal status.

Illegal immigrants are persons whose visa or residence permits have expired or who have crossed the EU external borders illegally. "This Directive is all about the millions of people who live in Europe illegally. And we want to get them out of that illegal status", said EPP-ED Member Manfred Weber (D), who is the European Parliament Rapporteur on the Directive.

The new standards include measures such as a ban on re-entry. This is to make sure that illegal residents in the EU, who have been brought back to their home country from one EU Member State, will not be able to enter the EU via another Member State. For the first time, the Directive also introduces joint humanitarian standards. A maximum detention period will apply. This is a major improvement as in some EU countries, for the time being, there is no time limit for the detention of illegal residents.

Energy Markets Liberalisation

By Thomas Bickl

The liberalisation of the EU's energy market will continue. Parliament has adopted a draft Directive on the electricity market at first reading. The adoption of new standards for the gas market is scheduled for July.

Parliament endorsed the Commission proposals to separate the production of energy from the distribution networks. The so-called 'legal unbundling' is supposed to enhance competition in the market. The issue of unbundling, however, is hotly debated both in Parliament and in Council.

Alejo Vidal Quadras MEP and Giles Chichester MEP cover the dossiers for the EPP-ED Group. "We are hoping for an agreement between Parliament and Council before the end of the year. Consumers must be given a choice. They are fed up with oligopolies and rising energy prices. We need to deliver and make the common market for energy in Europe a reality."

Serious lack of availability of veterinary medicines

By Majella O Doherty

The European Parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of a report by Avril Doyle (IE) on maximum residue levels of veterinary medicines in foodstuffs of animal origin (MRLs).

The MEP said the availability of an adequate range of veterinary medicines to treat the wide variety of animal species in the EU has been a growing challenge over the last two decades. The proposal on MRLs sets out to achieve a high level of consumer protection, coupled with the continued availability and development of veterinary medicinal products for the European market and good functioning of the intra- and extra- Community trade in food of animal origin. As the ultimate goal is human health protection, a more consistent approach is required for the risk analysis and control of residues of pharmacologically active substances, which may appear in food produced in or imported into the European Union.

Speaking after the vote, Avril Doyle said: "The proposal on MRLs is much-needed as the current residue control legislation has led to a serious decrease in authorised veterinary medicines to an extent that creates adverse effects for public and animal health and welfare."

"There are an insufficient number of authorised medicinal products available for the therapeutic treatment and welfare of animals. This is particularly alarming for certain minor use and minor species such as sheep and horses, bees and fish. As a result of this, there is a major deficiency of authorised medicines and the 'off-label' use of products is increasing, which jeopardises effective residue control with serious implications for consumer safety", she said.

Combating poverty and social exclusion

By Theo Georgitsopoulos

The majority of the European Parliament adopted a report by Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (GR) at first reading on '2010, the European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion'. The allocated budget - €17m - represents the highest budget ever granted to a European Year, thus demonstrating its high political importance.

The aim of the European Year is to reaffirm the Union’s commitment to solidarity, social justice, greater cohesion, and to promote consistency as well as boosting support for the overarching objectives of the Union, by making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty. Currently in the EU, almost 78m people are living at risk of poverty. The European Year should raise public awareness of poverty and exclusion in Europe as well as conveying the message that poverty and exclusion are disruptive to social and economic development. Therefore the purpose of this proposal is to designate 2010 as the European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion.

After the positive outcome of the vote, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou said: "Thanks to the agreement between the EU institutions, we have achieved the goal of directly planning the European Year's activities. The EPP-ED Group, retaining solidarity as one of its main goals, is always encouraging adequate measures in order to promote more social cohesion."

It is also worth mentioning that in 2006, 16% (78m) of the total EU-25 population lived under the poverty threshold. In 2000, within the EU-25, about 40m people (9% of the total) were confronted with persistent poverty. In 2005, within the EU-25 19%, (19m) children were at risk of poverty. Although in most Member States the gender gap is decreasing, the gender gap is about 2 percent as regards poverty and persistent poverty (figures from 2006).

Slovakia's Euro changeover

By David Stellini

This week, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of David Casa's (MT) report on Slovakia's bid to adopt the Euro in January 2009.

Casa's report finds Slovakia fit to adopt the Euro and details how it fulfils all the Maastricht criteria as laid down in the Treaty. The report was adopted by 579 votes to 17 with 86 abstentions.

The European Parliament's favourable vote came after the stamp of approval by EU Finance Ministers on Slovakia's efforts to converge to its Euro adoption obligations. They also urged Slovakia to fight inflation with tight fiscal policies.

Slovakia will become the fourth of the 12 new Member States to adopt the Euro after Slovenia's adoption in January 2007 and the Malta-Cyprus adoption in January 2008.

Bigger countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are expected to join the Euro-zone after 2010.

EU Heads of States are expected to give their approval on Slovakia's Euro adoption at the summit on 19-20 June. In early July, EU Finance Ministers will give their final blessing to the ex-Communist state where they will set the final exchange rate between the Slovak Crown and the single currency.

The report had the consensus of all the major groups in the European Parliament.

New European Commissioners congratulated by EPP-ED Group

By Antoine Ripoll

Following the European Parliament's confirmation on 18 June in Strasbourg of the nomination of Jacques Barrot as Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, and Antonio Tajani as European Commissioner responsible for Transport, the Chairman of the EPP-ED Group, Joseph Daul (FR), warmly congratulated them.

"Throughout his political career in France and in the European Union, Jacques Barrot has always shown a great sense of State and wholehearted European enthusiasm. I am sure that in his new responsibilities, he will show the same courage and commitment which he has already shown by taking up the position of Italian Minister Franco Frattini", said Daul.

"I express the same wish for success for Antonio Tajani, the new European Commissioner for Transport. An Italian and convinced European, Antonio Tajani was an MEP as active as he was appreciated, and I think I can talk for the whole European Parliament in saying that I have no doubt whatsoever in his capacities to take on the huge challenge awaiting him at the European Commission", concluded Joseph Daul.