Brussels, 16/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament will once again have a very full session next week in Strasbourg (see EUROPE of yesterday, p. 16 and 17). This plenary will be the last of the term where Parliament will vote. To complete all necessary procedures before enlargement and the opening of the campaign for the European elections, Parliament will reach a verdict on no fewer than 83 reports and around 1000 amendments. From Monday evening onwards, the sitting will last until 11pm to allow all debates to take place, in addition to which a discussion has been planned for the plenary to confirm to the President its request to bring the European Commission before the Court of Justice for failing to denounce (as the Parliament had requested) the agreement negotiated with the USA regarding personal data of passengers on transatlantic flights. Another debate on the motion of censure brought by Mr Bonde (see EUROPE of yesterday, p.6) could be added to the agenda once President Cox has confirmation that the motion has been signed by at least 62 MEPs. Once the President has that confirmation, he will announce it at the session and the debate will take place within 24 hours, his spokesperson said.
Among the delicate subjects for debate is the report by the Dutch liberal Johanna Boogerd-Quaak, which deals mainly with media concentration in Italy. This report recalls the need to ensure pluralism in the media, and invites the Italian parliament to "resolve fully and in an appropriate manner the problem posed by the conflict of interests of the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, who directly controls the principal private television company and indirectly controls the principal public television company, the principal advertising company, as well as numerous other activities linked to the audiovisual and media sector". The PPE-DE group has decided to obstruct this, much to the displeasure of the other political groups. No fewer than 350 amendments have been tabled by Forza Italia in order to prevent the report being put to the vote. The rules state that if there are more than 50 amendments, the president can refer the report to the relevant committee. In addition to this, the large number of amendments which must be translated into all the official languages will make examination of the text near-impossible in such a busy session. In view of the conditions, President Cox asked the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms to look to reduce the number of amendments on Monday evening.