Brussels, 15/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - The conference of Presidents of the European Parliament political groups has barely changed the draft agenda for the plenary session at all. The session will be taking place next week in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 14 November p 15).
As we have already indicated (see EUROPE 6 November p 5), this session will essentially be characterised by enlargement, with the examination of the Brok report, which will be preceded on Tuesday morning by a media event in the form of a debate bringing 626 MEPs together with 214 parliamentarians from candidate countries. As expected, the Presidents of the Commission and European Council, Commissioner Veheugen and the Danish Minister of European Affairs will be taking part in this debate, which will be attended by 160 journalists from candidate countries. Other activities, such as the buffet presenting the different cuisine from the candidate countries, as well as a concert, are also on the agenda. The participation of Turkish parliamentarians is not yet certain, given the recent elections in the country. Methods for Turkish participation will only be decided upon on Monday if the Great National Assembly in Turkey manages to get a delegation together in time of 12 members. A majority appears to currently be in favour of granting this delegation a different status, if the case warrants it, drawing on the fact that negotiations have not yet begun with Turkey. President Cox, supported by the Liberals and Greens, would prefer that Turkish MPs be subject to the same methods as parliamentarians from other candidate countries. Mr Cox's spokesperson indicated that he was intending to propose a special meeting of the Parliamentary Mixed Committee of the EU and Turkey before the European Council in Copenhagen. The EP President has also invited two Turkish Cypriot representatives to attend the debate as observers.
Wednesday will begin with the presentation of President Prodi's legislative programme and the European Commission's work programme for 2003. The Conference of Presidents explained that the agenda was particularly full on this day but had, nonetheless, added a Council declaration on social dialogue (at end of the afternoon). Among the subjects for debate are (new formula) on Thursday, is the situation on Sudan, Bangladesh and the Hachem Aghajari case in Iran. EUROPE believes that the Council of President has kept Sudan on the agenda to help block the candidacy of Sudan to the Joint ACP-EU Assembly, which the country had been pushing for the first half of 2003. In these conditions, Sudan could postpone its candidacy until peace accords are concluded. Mauritania has already had its invitation to the Assembly withdrawn and the latter is in danger of having to rely on one of its three workplaces at the Parliament. It is expected to meet in Brussels on 25-28 November (EUROPE will return to this subject) but the second plenary of 2003 will take place in Italy.
During the meeting of the Conference of Presidents, Pat Cox gave a report back on the exploratory talks he had had with the Council and Member States in order to push the case involving the status of MEPs forward. Against his own opinion and that of the Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL and UEN groups which wanted to continue looking for an agreement with the Council on this sensitive issue, an alliance of the PES and EPP-ED group encouraged the Conference of Presidents to insert it into the debate (in the form of an oral question to the Council) for the second session in December and authorise the Legal Committee to elaborate an initiative report on the subject. This procedure, sought by Willi Rothley (SPD), the rapporteur on this issue, and given full support by German Social Democrat, Martin Schulz and Austrian Christian Democrat, Otmar Karas, representing their groups, risks provoking more delays.