Brussels, 25/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - After their statements to the European Parliament on peace and stability in the Middle East next Tuesday (which will not be followed by a resolution), the Irish Presidency and the European Commission will also make statements on the recent ethnic violence in Kosovo (this issue will not be the subject of a separate resolution, but will doubtless be raised in the resolution the plenary will adopt on Thursday on the European Council of Brussels, after the debate to follow the statements of the up and the Commission on the Spring Summit on Wednesday).
Among the main changes to the agenda (see EUROPE of 24 March, p.15), Wednesday afternoon will see Commission statements on the trafficking in organs, and on extractive industries. On this latter subject, the spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group has cited a study, which states that World Bank funding to the oil and coal sectors bring absolutely no benefits to the populations concerned, and is more likely to promote waste and corruption. Instead, according to the Greens, the World Bank should fund alternative energies, said Helmut Weixler, pointing out that a conference on renewable energies will be held in Bonn in June.
Furthermore, the Oostlander report on progress made by Turkey on the road to EU membership will stay on Wednesday's agenda, despite the absence of Commissioner Verheugen (due to negotiations on Cyprus). The Parliament has asked for President Prodi himself to replace the Enlargement Commissioner in this debate.
During this session in a packed agenda (it is nearly the end of this Parliament's mandate, and there are 75 reports to be voted on), the plenary will also vote, this Wednesday, on the request by rapporteur Johanna Booger-Quaak to the European Commission to renege on its agreement with the US on collecting data on European passengers on board transatlantic flights (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.12).