Brussels, 08/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament has slightly altered the agenda for next week's plenary session in Strasbourg (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 13 and 14). It has, notably, included on the agenda, for Wednesday, the report by German MEP Markus Ferber on the liberalisation of the postal services, despite opposition by the EPP, ELDR and EDN. "It is not a question of political opposition but of principle, given the very short amount of time we have to table amendments", said the spokesperson for the EPP Group on Friday, stressing that 281 amendments had already been tabled in parliamentary committee. The Socialist Group, on the other hand, is very happy with its inclusion on the agenda "that will allow for the debate to begin on first reading on this very important subject" A Socialist spokesperson considered that "the EPP is trying to prepare a political manoeuvre by tabling a mountain of amendments". The Conference of Presidents also included on the Wednesday's agenda the report by the French Socialist Michel Dary, on the common market organisation for the banana (see EUROPE of 7 december, p.11).
The following changes have also been made: 1) the Colom I Naval Report on the revision of the financial perspectives will be debated on Tuesday in the context of discussions on the budget 2001; 2) the debate on the Cerdeira Report on the status of victims in the framework of criminal procedures has been moved forward to Monday; 3) the Peijs Report on credit establishments has been added to Wednesday's agenda; 4) the Langen Report on shipbuilding in the world has been added to Thursday's agenda.
The "topical debates", Thursday afternoon, will be devoted to the following subjects: 1) 50th anniversary of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 2) political prisoners in Serbia and the instability at Kosovo's borders, 3) the situation on the Ivory Coast, 4) human rights.