Brussels, 15/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - As feared, the groups of the European Parliament failed, on Thursday 15 January, to agree on a common resolution on the working programme 2015 of the Commission and no resolution received a qualified majority.
It was a “disordered vote”, said the Greens/EFA group. The EPP had tried the day before to rally the ECR, but the attempt was abandoned and the other groups proceeded by means of individual resolutions. However, although certain groups had common concerns, they sabotaged each other during the vote. The “EPP wanted no critical language about the working programme”, said a source from the Greens/EFA group, indicating that this was one of the reasons a joint resolution had been blocked. As for the S&D, “they struggled to break free from their support for the Juncker Commission”. The upshot is that the European Parliament has no official opinion on the programme of the Juncker Commission for 2015.
There is, however, by no means consensus on this programme and many groups, particularly within the S&D, Greens and ALDE, had a few problems with the plans to withdraw projects regarding the circular economy and air quality or the 'maternity leave' directive. The Greens/EFA feel that this sketchy vote “represents the will of most of the MEPs to keep the legislative drafts on air quality, the circular economy and the use of resources”, Michèle Rivasi argued. The Greens, S&D and ALDE asked for rollcall votes on the paragraph of their resolution, with the Greens and S&D calling, amongst other things, for these pieces of legislation to be kept and stressed that “these amendments have obtained a clear majority each time, sometimes short, but always clear”. Other amendments adopted also concerned environmental or social standards or questions related to the TTIP, but the groups ultimately rejected each resolution in turn. “If, on the pretext of 'better regulation', the European Commission is trying to relegate questions of general interest such as health and the environment into second place, it still has to take account of the contrary opinion of our Parliament. It is greatly regrettable that our Assembly was unable to adopt a joint response to the Commission's working programme”, said the French MEP. Particularly as the European Commission is free to decide for itself whether or not to take on board the message sent out by the EP.
Yesterday evening, the EPP and ALDE expressed fears of a “ridiculous” scenario if no text was passed. (SP)