Brussels, 05/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - Next week's plenary session in Strasbourg will allow the European Parliament to take a first stance on the forthcoming EU enlargement, by voting on the Brok report (see EUROPE of 23 May, p.12 and 27/28 May, p.10) before giving its position, next year, on the reports concerning each candidate country. The Parliament will also hear the Council and Commission take stock of accession negotiations and will discuss various aspects of enlargement (agricultural policy, structural funds, gender equality, asylum, etc.). Furthermore, there will be explanations from the Council and the Commission on the European Council of Seville and the Sustainable Development Summit in Johannesburg (see EUROPE of 1 June, p.10). The Parliament will discuss relations with the Union of the Arab Maghreb (EUROPE of 29 May, p.2) and will hear a speech delivered by the King of Jordan. The main points on the agenda include several reports concerning the Parliament's own work: amendment of the regulation (the debate on the Corbett report is expected to cause a stir especially among the non-attached), the method of electing MEPs, parliamentary immunity (mainly the Berlusconi/Dell'Utri case: see EUROPE of 30 May, p.4). Finally, the plenary will give its stance on a package of reports on research policy, on legislation concerning blood donations and on that on cosmetic products as well as, in third reading, on equal treatment between men and women. Details of the agenda are as follows but are still subject to change:
Monday 10 June (17-22h00)
- Joint discussion on the Parliament regulation: reports by Corbett (British, Labour) on amending the regulation in order to ensure a balance between the rights of MEPs as individuals and as groups; Inglewood (British Conservative) on amending the regulation concerning provisions on justification of amendments.
- Joint discussion on reports by Duff (British Liberal) on parliamentary immunity and MacCormick on the immunity of members elected in Italy and the practices of Italian authorities in this respect.
- Figueiredo report (GUE, Portugal) on the Commission's communication on social inclusion.
Tuesday 11 June (with first night sitting)
- Report by Morillon (EPP, France) - Cohn-Bendit (Greens, Germany) on implementation of a preferential EU/Union of the Arab Maghreb partnership.
- Roth-Behrendt report (Social Democrat, Germany) on the common position on amendment of the directive on approximation of legislation on cosmetic products (codecision, second reading).
- Nistico' report (Forza Italia) on the common position concerning amendment of the directive on quality and security standards for the collection, control, processing, conservation and distribution of human blood and blood components (codecision, second reading).
- Klass report (Christian Democrat, Germany) on the amendment of the directive on ingredients present in foodstuffs (codecision, first reading).
- Hautala report (Greens, Finland) on the common project approved by the conciliation committee amending the 1976 directive on gender equality regarding access to employment, training and vocational training and working conditions.
- Joint discussion on the reports by Ouisthoudt-Rowohl (Christian Democrat, Germany) on the rules for participation by business, research centres and universities in the Framework Programme for Research 2002-2006 (codecision, first reading) and in the Euratom framework programme (consultation).
- Joint discussion on the reports by Van Velzen (Christian Democrat, Netherlands) on the decision that finalises a specific research programme for 2002-2006 aimed at strengthening the European Research Area, Zorba (Socialist, Greece) on "structuring the European Research Area", Piétrasanta (Greens, France) on direct actions to be carried out by the Joint Research Centre, Alyssandrakis (Communist, Greece) on the research programme on nuclear energy matters, Schwaiger (Christian Democrat, Germany) on direct actions to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Community on atomic energy (in all cases, consultation).
- at 12h00, voting
- at 15h00, report by Gil-Robles (EPP-ED, Spain) on the draft decision amending the act on election of MEPs (assent)
- Council and Commission declarations on the preparatory meeting in Bali (from 27 May to 7 June) with a view to the Johannesburg Summit
- from 17h30 to 18h00, Commission communication on decisions taken the same day
Wednesday 12 June (with second night session)
- Declarations of Council and Commission on European Council of Seville on 21 and 22 June
- from 11h30 to 12h00, voting
- from 12h to 12h30, solemn session and speech by Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- from 12h30, voting continued
- joint discussion on enlargement: declarations by Council and Commission, reports by Brok (Christian Democrat, Germany) on the enlargement process; Böge (Christian Democrat, Germany) on its financial impact; Sommer (Christian Democrat, Germany) on the impact on the candidate country border regions; Turco (Lista Bonino, Italy) on the Cohesion Fund and ISPA pre-accession structural instrument in 2000; Görlach (Social Democrat, Germany) on the SAPARD instrument in 2000; Olsson (Swedish Liberal) on enlargement and CAP; and oral questions by Karamanou (Socialist, Greece) on accession and equal opportunities; and van der Laan and Ludford (Liberals, NL and UK) on asylum seekers from candidate countries
- Stockmann report (Social Democrat, Germany) on the amendment of the regulation of January 1993 on time slots in airports (codecision, first reading)
- Marques report (EPP-ED, Portugal) on the proposal of decision on AIEM tax applicable to the Canary Islands (consultation)
- Garcia-Magallo report (EPP-ED, Spain) on adoption of the Fiscalis 2007 programme on improving the working of taxation systems on the internal market (codecision, first reading)
- Stihler report (British Labour) on the draft regulation establishing measures for recovery of cod and hake stocks (consultation)
Thursday 13 June
- Hedqvist Petersen (Social Democrat, Sweden) on the Commission communication on "protection of pedestrians: commitments from the European motor industry"
- Vlasto report (EPP, France) on the Commission communication on accelerating the rate of progress accomplished on corporate policy (programme of the Lisbon Summit)
- Belder report (Europe of Democracies and Diversities, NL) on the Commission's communication "eEUROPE 2002: accessibility of public websites and their content".
- at 12h00, voting
- at 15h00, topical issues, as well as urgent issues and those of major importance
- 17h30, end of voting.