Brussels, 09/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament added to the agenda of next week's plenary the following themes: - Tuesday morning, after the debate on the European Commission programme, an oral question to the Commission on the Community initiatives concerning industrial restructuring and mergers; - Thursday at 1730, an oral question to the Commission from Mr von Wogau, Mr Suominen and Mr Doyle on behalf of the EPP group over the criteria that it has formulated in its assessment of the updated stability programmes for Ireland and France (it is the President of the United Left group, Mr Wurtz who called for the addition of the French case, while the Socialist, Liberals, the Irishman Mr Crowley for the Union of the Europe of Nations and the technical group of independent MEPs opposed the holding of such a debate, which was decided upon by 320 votes against 276). We will try to remove this question from the agenda, because the Greek Socialist Mr Katiforis is preparing a report on this issue as a whole (stability programmes and convergence programmes), said the spokesperson for the Socialist group.
Furthermore, according to what was indicated by the Parliament spokesperson, the European Commission has not as yet indicated on what themes its Communication on Tuesday to the plenary will cover, but it should be a new announcement from the Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler on BSE.
As for the themes which will be tackled during the topical debates on Thursday afternoon, the Conference of Presidents chose the situation in Kosovo and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, human rights (notably in Laos, in Guinee-Konaky and Pakistan), the developments in Chechnya and natural disasters (notably recent flooding in Portugal). On the other hand, the EPP call to raise in this context the recent Dutch legislation on euthanasia was rejected: this demand is supported in particular by the Union for a Europe of Nations and the Europe of Democracies and Diversities groups, while the other groups where opposed to it, by noting either that it is a question stemming from subsidiarity, and that the European Parliament cannot attack a decision taken by the Parliament of a Member State (the Dutch Parliament has taken twenty years to make it!, noted the spokesperson for the Greens), or that such a debate can take place at the European level, but not in a hasty manner, during the discussion of topical issues. It is not excluded that there is, next week in plenary, a finally attempt to have this question included on the agenda for Thursday afternoon.
Let us recall that the MEPs will question, on Tuesday, the Commission on the follow-up to Nice (the Presidents of the political groups have already raised this question with President Prodi), while they intend to do so with the Council President during the plenary session in March.
Finally, added to the agenda of the session, Wednesday, a report by the Portuguese Socialist Mario Soares on the European Union and Macao after 2000, and from Ozan Ceyhun (Socialist group, German) on the entry, circulation and unauthorised stay of third country citizens in the EU.