Enlargement, Budget 2002, combating terrorism, statute of European company, Echelon, Ombudsman, air safety

Brussels, 27/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the parliamentary break, the first session of the European Parliament on resumption of work will be very rich, with on the agenda (which will doubtless be altered between now and then) topics such as the progress of applicant countries in enlargement negotiations (see EUROPE of 16/17 July, p.16), the EU and the fight against terrorism, the statute of the European company, presentation by the Council of Budget 2002, the report of the committee of enquiry into Echelon, the role of the Ombudsman (notably his proposal for a code of good conduct for all EU institutions and bodies), air safety. Here is the detailed agenda:

Monday 3 September (17.00 to 21.00 hrs.)

Joint discussion on the reports by Mayer (German Christian-Democrat) on the draft regulation on the statute of the European company and Menrad (German Christian-Democrat) on the draft directive complementing this statute regarding the involvement of workers and the state of application of the directive relating to the setting up of a European Works' Council.

Koukiadis Report (Greek Socialist) on the European Commission's 17th report on the monitoring of the application of Community legislation (in 1999);

Oral questions by Malcolm Harbour (British Conservative) and Catherine Guy-Quint (French Socialist) on the reform of the European Commission.

Tuesday 4 September (with the first night session)

Watson Report (British Liberal Democrat) on the role of the EU in the fight against terrorism;

Joint discussion on the reports by Schmitt (German Christian-Democrat) on the draft regulation introducing a European Air Safety Agency (co-decision, first reading) and Collins (Irish, Union for a Europe of Nations) on the Commission's Communication concerning the protection of air passengers in the EU

At 12.00 hrs., voting.

At 15.00 hrs., joint discussion on progress towards accession of the twelve applicant countries: oral question by Elmar Brok (CDU, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee) and reports by Carlsson (EPP-ED) on Estonia, Schroedter (German Green) on Latvia, Souladakis (Greek Socialist) on Lithuania, Gavronski (Forza Italia) on Poland, Jurgen Schroeder (German Christian-Democrat) on the Czech Republic, Wiersma (Dutch Socialist) on Slovakia, Quiero (Portuguese, Union for a Europe of Nations) on Hungary, Van Orden (British Conservative) on Bulgaria, Nicholson of Winterbourne (British Liberal Democrat) on Romania, Volcic (Italian, Democrattici di sinistra) on Slovenia, Poos (Luxembourg, Socialist) on Cyprus, Stenzel (Austrian, EPP-ED) on Malta.

Swoboda Report (Austrian, Social-Democrat) on the amendment to Protocol 9 of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden regarding the system of ecopoints applicable to heavy goods vehicles transiting though Austria (co-decision, first reading);

Ruffolo Report (Italian, Democratici di sinistra) on cultural cooperation in the EU;

From 17.00 to 17.30 hrs., Commission Communication on decisions taken the same day.

Wednesday 5 September (second night session)

Gerhard Schmidt Report (German Social-Democrat) on the Echelon interception system;

Joint discussion on the reports by Cappato (Italian, Bonino list) on the draft directive relating to the treatment of data of a personal nature and the protection of private life in electronic communication (co-decision, first reading) and Cederschiold (Swedish, EPP-ED) on the Commission Communication on a safer information society notably by combating cyber-crime;

Council presentation of the draft Budget 2002 (followed by interventions by the chair of the EP's Budgets Committee and two rapporteurs);

Jonathan Evans Report on the draft regulation concerning implementation of rules of competition provided for by articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty, on concerted agreements and practices between companies and the abusive exploitation of a dominant position (consultation, single reading);

Andria Report (Forza Italia) on the medium-term financial support mechanism for the balance of payments of Member States (consultation, single reading);

Ries Report (Belgian Liberal) on the proposal of Directive on the 24th amendment of the Directive concerning limits to the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances, and in this case pentabromodiphenylether (co-decision, first reading);

Nisticò Report (Forza Italia) on the proposal of directive concerning quality and security norms for the collection, control, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and blood components (codecision, first reading);

Lannoye Report (Greens, Belgium) on the simplification of vertical directives concerning foodstuffs: honey, certain sugars, fruit juices and similar products, dried milk products, jams and jellies, fruit and chestnut purée - all intended for human consumption (consultation in one reading);

At 12h00, voting;

From 17h30 to 19h00, questions in Council.

Thursday 6 September

Joint discussion of the Bösch Report (Social Democrat, Germany), the report by the Ombudsman on his activities in 2000, the Perry Report (Conservative, UK), the special Ombudsman report further to the inquiry on his own initiative on the introduction, for each institution, of a code accessible to the public on good administrative conduct, and the Almedia Garrett Report (EPP-ED, Portuguese) on amendments to Article 3 on the status of Ombudsman (see EUROPE of 21 July, p.11);

Camisón Asensio Report (Partido Popular, Spain) on the deliberations of the petitions committee during the parliamentary year 2000-2001;

At 12h00, voting;

From 15h00 to 17h30, topical and urgent issues and issues of prime importance;

Ebner Report (EPP-ED, Italy) on 25 years of application of Community regulations in favour of mountain agriculture;

Kinnock Report (Labour, UK) on basic education in developing countries with a view to the session of the UN General Assembly on children, in September this year.