Strasbourg, 10/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 9 March, the European Parliament approved the calendar of plenary sessions for 2012 and 2013. In a secret ballot, MEPs also adopted amendments to the proposed calendars which will mean that two sessions in Strasbourg will now be held during a single calendar week in October 2012 and October 2013. The amendments were adopted by 357 votes to 255, with 41 abstentions (2012 calendar) and 356 to 253, with 35 abstentions (2013 calendar).
Calendar of plenary sessions for 2012: 16-19 January; 1-2 February; 13-16 February; 12-15 March; 28-29 March; 17-20 April; 9-10 May; 21-24 May; 11-14 June; 2-5 July; 10-13 September; 22-23 October; 25-26 October; 7-8 November; 19-22 November; 10-13 December.
Calendar of plenary sessions for 2013: 14-17 January; 4-7 February; 27-28 February; 11-14 March; 27-28 March; 15-18 April; 8-9 May; 20-23 May; 10-13 June; 1-4 July; 9-12 September; 21-22 October; 24-25 October; 6-7 November; 18-21 November; 9-12 December.
The French delegation of the EPP critical of attacks on Strasbourg. Led by Jean-Pierre Audy, the French conservative delegation expressed its unhappiness at the adoption, in voting on the calendar of European Parliament plenary sessions for 2012 and 2013, of amendments put down by Ashley Fox (ECR, UK) which sought to have two plenary sessions held in the one week, thereby reducing the length of sessions to two days instead of the four as at present. “This amendment raises the problem of its compliance with protocol no 6 appended to the Treaties which makes provision for 12 sittings per year. We ask the French government to consider referring the matter to the EU Court of Justice. Behind these amendments, voted anonymously, by secret ballot, with no political courage and claiming to choose an improved agenda, have come together MEPs with no political coherence, except that of attacking the Parliament in Strasbourg, a highly symbolic site which embodies European reconciliation”, says a press release from the French delegation. (E.H./transl.rt)