Brussels, 10/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - Next Monday, at the opening of the EP plenary session, the President of the European Council Antonio Guterres and the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi will present to the MEPs the aims and meaning on the Special Summit in Lisbon on the 23 and 24 March. Most of the political groups will then speak; as of Friday, several spokespersons indicates to the press certain priorities for their groups: the strengthening of the "markets social economy" for the EPP, the European social model and full employment for the Socialist group (the Green's spokesperson was pleased to see the reappearance of full employment as EU objective), the priorities outlined in the Blair-Verhofstad plan for the Liberal group. Only note of displeasure, that from the European of Democracies and Diversity group who assert that it is a mistake to believe that the governments may obtain a reduction in unemployment, and that the rates of unemployment in the Member States have increase following the European Unification process.
Furthermore, on Tuesday from 17 till 17.45pm, the Commissioner responsible for Institutional issues Michel Barnier informed the plenary of the decisions that the Commission would have taken the same day, during its weekly meeting concerning the additional contribution made by the Commission on the IGC on the taxation and social security aspects linked to the internal market.
Also on Tuesday, the European Parliament will continue its debate started in February in the Commission's annual legislative programme for 2000; in the meantime, the various Parliamentary Commission's and political groups have been able to have a closer look at this programme. An EPP spokesperson reproached on Friday, before the press, that this legislative programme does not contain the evaluation of the implementation of the 1999 programme, a crucial evaluation in his opinion as he believes it averaged a successful implementation of only 50% of the measure announced by the Commission.
Tuesday afternoon will see the debate on the Duff/Voggenhuber report on the European Charter of Fundamental Rights take place in the presence of Francisco Seixas da Costa, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs. Let us recall that the report calls that the Charter be inserted into the Treaty and be legally binding and that the European Union be given a legal personality and adhere as such to the European Human Rights Convention.
Wednesday afternoon the Presidency of the Council will answer the oral questions on Eurodac (digital fingerprints) and should also answer (if the Council schedule permits) questions on the Echelon system (see EUROPE of 25 February, pages 10, 12 and 13 over the recent EP hearing). The Parliament will also have a wider debate on the spying network during the session at the end of March in Brussels (Council and Commission will make announcements on Thursday 30 March); as of next week the Green group, as announced by its spokesperson, will start to gather signatures (they need 160) necessary to call for the creation of an investigating committee on this affair.
The urgent debates on Thursday afternoon will be over the western Sahara (where the referendum has be postponed again), Mozambique (the Commissioner for development Mr. Nielson will speak about his recent visit), the elections in Peru, the situation in Chechnya, the freedom of the press in Serbia, the fight against organised crime and the Cities Convention on trade in endangered fauna and flora.
Finally the report by Mrs. Ferrer on the associate agreement between the EU and Mexico will be discussed on Thursday morning instead of Friday. See detailed agenda of session in yesterday's EUROPE, pages 9 and 10.