Brussels, 08/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - At its May session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament has to vote on the complex issue of the statute and financing of European political parties (see summary of the Schleicher Report in EUROPE of 7/8 May, p.10). In addition, on Wednesday it will hear statements by the Council and European Commission on the situation in the Middle East and on the state of the transatlantic dialogue. Also on Wednesday, the President of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Schuster, will make a statement in plenary.
Among the other topics for this session, we find the reshaping of the directive on the sale of tobacco products (see EUROPE of 15 December, p.9, for Parliament's amendments, on second reading, to the Council's common position), the Broad Economic Guidelines (on the subject of the presentation made by Commissioner Solbes, see EUROPE of 26 April, p.5) and new technologies and education.
Here is a detailed agenda, that could still be altered:
Monday 14 May (from 17.00 to 21.00)
Maaten Report (Dutch, Liberal Group) on reshaping the directive concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products (co-decision, third reading);
Paulsen Report (Swedish, Liberal Group) on the Council's common position on the amendment to the directive on the control of animal feed (co-decision, second reading);
Evans Report (British, Labour) on the Council's common position concerning the recommendation on mobility in the EU of students, people undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers and trainers (co-decision, second reading);
Joint discussion on the reports by Alavanos (Greek, United Left) on the Commission's report "Thinking of tomorrow's education, prmoting innovation with new technologies", Perry 9British Conservative) on the Commission's report "Teaching and Learning: towards a cognitive society", and Mauro (Forza Italia) on the Commission's communication on "e-learning";
Oral question by Gargani (Forza Italia) on the future goals of education and training systems.
Tuesday 15 May (with a first night session)
Von Wogau Report (German, EPP) on the Broad Economic Guidelines;
Myller Report (Finnish, Social Democrat) on the draft decision in view of a Community action programme for the environment for the period 2001-2006 (co-decision, first reading);
Joint discussion on the Florenz Report (German, EPP) on the directive aimed at reducing the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and that on the waste of electric and electronic equipment (in both cases, co-decision, first reading);
Breyer Report (German, Green) on amending the decision on the list of priority substances in the field of water (co-decision, first reading);
Stihler Report (British Labour) on the recommendation concerning alcohol consumption among children and adolescents (consultation in a single reading);
Gonzalez Alvarez Report (Spanish, United Left) on the Council's common position on the directive relating to general product safety (co-decision, second reading);
Sturdy Report (British Conservative) on the amendment to the regulation concerning the common market organisation in the beef sector (consultation in a single reading);
Langenhagen Report (German, EPP) on the EEC/Denmark/Greenland Fisheries agreement (consultation in a single reading);
Joint discussion on the Watts Report (British Conservative) on the Council's common position concerning amending the directive on international standards for maritime safety, pollution prevention and living conditions n board ships applicable to ships stopping off in EU ports or water under the jurisdiction of Member States, and Ortuondo Larrea (Spanish, Greens/EFA) on the common position amending the directive on common standards for bodies responsible for inspecting and visiting ships (in both cases, co-decision, second reading);
at 12.00 hrs., votes;
from 17.00 to 17.30 hrs. Commission communication on decisions taken the same day.
17.30 to 19.00 hrs., questions to the Commission. …/..
Presenting the EP Plenary session (continued)
Wednesday 16 May (with a second night session)
Thursday 17 May
In addition, Francis Wurtz, President of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group, has asked the Council to make a statement, during the session, on the situation in Turkish prisons. Mr. Wurtz, who had already called for such a debate for the plenary session in Brussels last week, recalls that over twenty people have died in protests against prison conditions in Turkey, and that Turkish and foreign human rights organisations have called on the EU to "intervene urgently with the Turkish Government to act".