Brussels, 06/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Next week's European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg will foremost be dedicated to the vote on second reading of the EU 2002 budget (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 13) and the presentation of the European Commission's 2002 programme. Furthermore, Parliament will hear statements from the Council and Commission on the Ministerial Conference of Doha, and vote on third reading on the "maritime safety" package. Parliament will also discuss a report on the Community patent (see EUROPE of 28 November, p.6, on the subject of the deadlock in Council) and, in the context of its annual debate on the area of freedom, security and justice, it will adopt the Watson report on security at European Councils. MEPs will also hear Council and Commission statements on implementation of the regulation on access to documents and on the funding of EU external aid. Thursday, they will question the European Commission on the rights of homosexuals in EU institutions. Tuesday, the President of Republic of Korea will make a speech. Here is a detailed agenda, which could still be altered.
Monday 10 December (from 17.00 to 21.00 hrs.)
Joint discussion (see EUROPE of 5 December, p.16) on reports by Niebler (CSU) on the Council's common positions concerning the directive "authorisation of electronic communications services and networks" and the decision on a "regulatory framework for policy in matters of radio-electric spectrum", as well as reports by Paasilinna (Finnish, Social-Democrat) on the framework-directive concerning a common regulatory framework for electronic networks and communication services, Brunetta (Forza Italia) on the directive on access to these networks and their inter-connection, and Harbour (British Conservative) on the directive concerning the universal service and users' rights (for all the reports, co-decision, second reading).
Bushill-Matthews report (British Conservative) on the Commission's report relating to the financial assistance for innovative SMEs, creators of jobs.
Graefe zu Baringdorf report (German Green) on the amendment to the directive concerning the movement of compound feed for animals (co-decision, third reading).
Tuesday 11 December (with the first night session)
presentation by Romano Prodi of the Commission's 2002 working programme.
Council and Commission statements on the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Doha (which ended in the middle of the November plenary session).
Whitehead (British Labour) recommendation on the Council's common position concerning the regulation establishing general principles for food legislation and setting up a European Food Authority (co-decision, second reading).
Trakatellis (Greek, Nea Demokratia) recommendation on the Council's common position in view of the decision on a Community action programme regarding public health (co-decision, second reading).
Paulsen (Swedish Liberal) recommendation on the Council's common position in view of the directive on undesirable substances in animal feed (co-decision, second reading)
Lange (German, Social-Democrat) recommendation on the Council's common position on the reduction of polluting emissions from two or three-wheeled motor vehicles (co-decision, second reading).
Miguelez Ramos (Spanish, Socialist) report on the Commission's Green Paper on the future of the common fisheries policy.
11.30 - 12.30 hrs., votes.
From 12.30 hrs. formal session with a speech by the President of the Republic of Korea.
11.30 to 13.00 hrs., further votes.
Joint discussion on budget 2002: reports by Costas Neves (Portuguese, EPP-ED), Buitenweg (Dutch, Green) on the budgets of the institutions, Colom i Naval (Spanish Socialist) on the 2002-2006 financial planning and on the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument, and Turchi (Alleanza Nazionale) on the grating of Community financial aid to the trans-European networks.
Haug (German Social-Democrat) recommendation on the Council's common position concerning the amendment to the regulation on the determination of contributions by Member States to own-resources based on VAT (co-decision, second reading).
EP plenary session (continued)
From 17.00 to 17.30 hrs., Commission Communication on the decisions taken at its meeting the same day.
From 17.30 to 19.00 hrs., questions put to the Commission.
Wednesday 12 December (with a second night session)
annual debate on the area of freedom, security and justice: questions by Alima Boumediene-Thiery (French, Green), reports by Watson (British Liberal Democrat) on the recommendation concerning security at European summits and other comparable events and Hazan (French Socialist) on the EU's priorities and objectives for external relations in the realm of justice and home affairs.
Council and Commission statements on the funding of aid to development, including the Commission's annual report on the EU's external aid (2000).
Lagendijk (Dutch Green) report on the Commission's communication on conflict prevention.
Council and Commission statements on the implementation of the regulation relating to access to documents.
Gahler (CDU) report on the Commission's communication relating to EU/Iran relations.
Joint discussion on "maritime safety": reports by Watts (British Labour) on the applying to vessels docking in EU ports of international standards relating to maritime safety, the prevention of pollution and living conditions on board ships ("control by the State of the port"), Ortuondo Lare (Spanish, Green/EFA) on bodies allowed to inspect and visit vessels and activities relevant to maritime administrations (in both cases, co-decision, third reading) and Hatzidakis (Greek Nea Demokratia) recommendation on the common position relating to the accelerated introduction of prescriptions regarding dual hulls or equivalent concepts for single-hulled oil tankers (co-decision, second reading).
Palacio Vallelersundi (Spanish, Partido Popular) report on the draft regulation concerning the Community patent (consultation).
van den Burg (Dutch Socialist) report on the Commission's communication on the elimination of tax obstacles to the provision cross-border vocational pensions.
Perez Royo (Spanish Socialist) report on the directive concerning financial guarantee contracts.
From 11.30 to 13.00 hrs., votes.
Thursday 13 December
Voting on the EU budget for 2002
question to the Commission on the rights of homosexuals in EU institutions.
McKenna (Irish, Green) report on flags of convenience.
Gallagher (Irish, UEN) report on the protocol to the EU/Mauritania fisheries agreement (consultation).
Lulling (Luxembourg, Christian-Democrat) report on actions aimed at improving the production and marketing of honey.
From 15.00 to 17.30 hrs., topical and urgent problems and problems of major importance.
18.30, votes.
This session will be followed by a short special session. See below.