Brussels, 03/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Many important issues are on the agenda of the forthcoming EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Thus, on Tuesday, among other things, the following issue will be discussed: recommendation by the Economic and Monetary Committee on the appointment if Lucas Papademos as Vice-President of the European Central Bank (see EUROPE of 22/23 April, p.7, and 24 April, p.13), vote on second reading of the 6th R&D programme (see EUROPE of 29/30 April, p.15), presentation of the 2003 preliminary draft budget (see EUROPE of 1 May, p.11), reports on Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the convergence and stability programme (on Commission recommendations, see EUROPE of 25 April, pages 8 to 10) and a series of issues concerning food safety as well as the outcome of conciliation over ambient noise. On Wednesday, Parliament will hear Council and Commission statements ahead of the EU/Latin America and EU/Russia Summits, as well as a speech by Vicente Fox, President of Mexico. Among the main topics on the agenda, we find the distribution of powers (see EUROPE of 30 January, p.4, 15 February, p. 5 and 19 April, p.6), Iraq (see EUROPE of 26 April, p. 6) and EU/Union of the Arab Maghreb relations (see EUROPE of 22 February, p. 14). On Thursday, the Commission will make a statement on the World Food Summit, and the EP will discuss reports on sustainable development. Here is the detailed agenda, that may still be altered:
Monday 13 May (from 17.00 to 22.00 hrs.)
Maij-Weggen Report on the list of documents accessible on the EP register (annex to the Regulation);
Berger Report (Austrian, Social-Democrat) on the Council common position on amending the directives on the distance marketing of financial services to consumers (co-decision, third reading);
Bouwman Report (Dutch, Green) on the Council common position on amending the directive on the alignment of legislation on the protection of salaried workers in case of employer insolvency (co-decision, third reading);
Foster Report (British, Conservative) on the Council common position on the adoption of a regulation establishing common rules regarding the safety of civil aviation (co-decision, third reading);
Torres Marques Report (Portuguese, Socialist) on the Commission's communication on the future of European tourism;
Pack Report (German, EPP) on the draft decision on "2004 European Year of Education through Sport" (co-decision, first reading);
Ojeda Sanz Report (Spanish EPP-ED) on amending the decision on the third phase of Tempus, Trans-European programme for higher education (consultation);
Groner Report (German, Social-Democrat) on the European Commission White Paper "A New Impetus for European Youth".
Tuesday 14 May (with the first night session)
Randzio-Plath recommendation on the appointment of Lucas Papademos as ECB Vice-President;
Caudron Report (French, Socialist) on the Council common position on the 2002-2006 Research and Development Framework-Programme (co-decision, second reading);
Presentation by the Commission of the 2003 preliminary draft budget;
Stenmarck Report (Swedish, EPP-ED) on the predicted state of the EP's revenue and spending for the financial year 2003;
Joint discussion of the reports by Tretin (Italian, Democratici di sinistra) on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines for 2002 and Marinos (Greek, Nea Demokratia) on the annual evaluation of the stability and convergence programmes;
Cappato Report (Italian, Bonino list), on the Council's common position concerning the directive on the treatment of data of a personal nature and the protection of private life in electronic communications (co-decision, second reading: see EUROPE of 25 Aprol, p.16);
Novelli Report (French, EPP) on the draft regulation concerning State aid to the coal industry (consultation);
Joint discussion of the report by Schnellhardt (German, EPP) on the draft regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs and foodstuffs of animal origin (in both cases, co-decision, first reading) and Kinderman (German, Social-Democrat) on the draft regulation on rules on the fitness of imports of products of animal origin for human consumption;
Joint discussion on the reports by Paulsen (Swedish, Liberal) on amending the directive on monitoring zoonoses and other zoonotic agents and on the draft regulation concerning the control of salmonella present in the food chain;
de Roo Report (Dutch, Green) on the common project approved by the Conciliation Committee on the directive on the evaluation of ambient noise (co-decision, third reading).
Wednesday 15 May (with the second night session).
Council and Commission statements on preparations for the EU/Latin America Summit, in Madrid on 17 and 18 May;
Elles Report (British, Conservative) on the Commission's communication on transatlantic relations;
Council and Commission statements on the EU/Russia Summit of 29 May, and Hoff Report (German, Social-Democrat) on the Commission's communication concerning the EU and Kaliningrad;
Lamassoure Report (French, EPP) on the separation of powers between the EU and Member States;
Nicholson of Winterbourne Report (British, Liberal) on Iraq, ten years on;
Report by Morillon (French, EPP) and Cohn-Bendit (German, Green) on implementation of the privileged partnership between the EU and the Arab Maghreb Union;
Pack Report (German, EPP) on the high level EU/Albania contact group in view of preparing negotiations over a stabilisation and association agreement with Albania;
At 11.30 hrs., voting;
At 12.00 hrs., speech by Vicente Fox, President of Mexico;
At 12.30, voting continues.
Thursday 16 May
Joint discussion of the reports by Papayannakis (Greek, United Left) on the Commission communication on "Rio, ten years on: preparing the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development" and Lannoye (Belgian, Green) on the Commission communication "Towards a World Partnership for Sustainable Development";
Commission statement on the World Food Summit;
Miranda Report (Portuguese, United Left) on "Building an effective partnership with the United Nations in the fields of development and humanitarian affairs;
At 12.00, voting;
From 15.00 to 17.30 hrs., topical and urgent issues and issues of major importance.