Brussels, 12/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - Next week's plenary session in Strasburg- hardly ten days following the Brussels session - will allow MEPs to make an assessment of the European Council of Copenhagen and the Danish half-year presidency (assessment that will be further enriched this week with positive results in the Transport and Environment Councils). Parliament will also approve the EU budget for 2003: the debate will be held on Tuesday the vote Thursday (see EUROPE of 27 November, p.9) and discuss two important institutional reports, on regional and local authorities in European policy and the hierarchy of standards (see EUROPE of 2/3 December, p.6 and 4 December, p.4 and 23 November, p.6). Plenary will, moreover, give its opinion on the Euro-Mediterranean EU/Lebanon agreement, accompanied by a vote on a resolution (see EUROPE of 30 November, p.16 and 6 December, p.16). Thursday, the European Commission will make statements on services of a general interest and on mountainous regions. Finally, the Sakharvo Prize will be attributed to the Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya Sardinas, put forward by the Liberal Group (see EUROPE of 9/10 September, p.15). Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has written to Fidel Castro asking him to allow Mr. Paya to come to Strasbourg personally to collect the award (see yesterday's EUROPE page 6).
Here is the detailed agenda:
Monday 16 December (from 17.00 to 21.00 hrs.)
Zimeray report (French Socialist) on Francesco Musotto's (Forza Italia) request to "defend parliamentary immunity and privileges;
Napolitano report (Italian, PES) on the role of regional and local authorities in European construction;
Bourlages report (French, PES) on the typology of act and hierarchy of standards in European construction;
Joint discussion on the reports by Kirkhope (British Conservative) on the Danish initiative concerning a Council decision on criminal investigations and prosecutions especially relating war crimes and crimes against humanity, and Sousa Pinto on a Danish initiative in view of a Council decision on enhancing co-operation between Member States on decisions to strip someone of their rights (in both cases, consultation).
Coehlo report (Portuguese, EPP-ED) on Spanish initiatives in view of a Council decision and regulation for the allocation of new jobs within the Schengen Information System, in the framework of combating terrorism (consultation);
Tuesday 17 December (with the first night session)
Kreissl-Dorfler report (German, PES) on the lessons to draw from the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis;
At 11.30 hrs., votes (resumed after the awarding of the Sakharov Prize);
From 12.00 hrs. to 12.30 hrs., awarding of the Sakharov Prize to Oswaldo Paya Sardinas;
At 15.00 hrs., joint discussion on the modified budget 2003; reports by Farm (Swedish, PES), Stenmarck (Swedish, EPP-ED) and Colom i Naval (Spanish PES) on a draft decision on mobilising flexibility instruments;
At 17.00 to 17.30 hrs., Commission communication on its decisions that day;
17.30 to 19.00 hrs., questions to the Commission;
Nistico report (Forza Italia) on the joint project concerning amending the directive on the quality and safety of the collection, storage and distribution of human blood and blood compounds (co-decision, third reading);
Ries report (Belgian, ELDR) on the joint project amending the directive on the limitation on the use of certain dangerous substances and preparations, pentabromodiphenylether, octabromodiphenylether (co-decision, third reading);
Florenz report (German, EPP) on the common project concerning the directive on electric and electronic equipment waste (co-decision, third reading)
Korhola report (Finnish, EPP-ED) on the joint draft directive on public access to environmental information (co-decision, third reading);
Wednesday 18 December (with the second night session)
Joint discussion on the European Council of Copenhagen and the Danish Presidency;
12.00 hrs., votes;
Common discussion of Watson report (ELDR, Britain) on European Commissioner/Hong Kong agreement on readmission of persons residing illegally (consultation) and oral question by Mr Watson on EU principles on the subject
Euro-Mediterranean Association EU/Lebanon (assent) and oral questions from Mr Brok on this subject from 17H30-19H, questions to the Council
Markov report (GUE, Germany) on the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Mayol I Raynal recommendation (Greens/EFA, Spain) on the common positions on a regulation on labour cost indicators (co-decision, second reading)
Pohjamo recommendation (ELDR, Finland) on a regulation on statistical data on passenger, freight and postal transport by air (co-decision, second reading)
Thursday 19 December
Pack recommendation (EPP, Germany) on common position for establishing European Year of Education through Sport 2004 (co-decision, second reading)
Commission declaration on services of general interest in Europe
Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EP-ED, Greece) on sixth annual report of the Equal Rights Committee on gender equality in EU
Commission declaration on sustainable development in mountainous regions
11H30-13H, 2003 budget vote and Colom I Naval report
16H30-17H30 debates on human rights violations, democracy and State of Law
17H30, final votes.