Brussels, 22/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - The first plenary session of the EP in the new year will be marked by the adoption of Parliament's position on the European Constitution (EUROPE 1 December p 8) and by the presentation of the Luxembourg presidency's programme for the first half of 2005. The EP will also raise the issue of Trans-Atlantic relations (president Bush will be in Brussels on 22 February), the Buenos Aires conference on climate change (EUROPE 22 December, p 8) and debt in LDCs. The EP will also be deciding in a second reading on motor insurance and elect the European Ombudsman (EUROPE 7 December, p 15). The agenda is as follows but could be subject to modification.
Monday 10 January (17H - 21H)
declaration of the Commission on climate change
Tuesday (with first night session)
report by Inigo Mendez de Vigo (EPP-ED, Spain) Richard Corbett (PES, British) on a treaty establishing the European Constitution
election of European Ombudsman
assent of the EP on the stabilisation and association agreement between EU/FYROM and E/Croatia, Euro-Mediterranean agreements on EU/Egypt and Jordan, the protocol for an association agreement EU/Chile, the PEACE for Northern Ireland programme
Commission communication on decisions of the day
Report by Manuel Medina Ortega (PES, Spain) on the Council's common position on draft directives on civil liability insurance for motor vehicles (co-decision, second reading)
Wednesday 12 January
declaration of the Council on the programme of the Luxembourg presidency
declarations of the Council and Commission on Trans-Atlantic relations
declarations of the Council and Commission on debt relief for developing countries following reduction of the Iraqi debt
Thursday 13 January
oral question from Stephen Hughes (PES, British) on redundancies of Commission language teachers
debate on violation of human rights, democracy and rule of law.