1.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 292/1

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MINUTES

(2006/C 292 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 15.00.

2.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

3.   Documents received

The following documents had been received from Members:

Motion for a resolution (Rule 113)

—	Muscardini Cristiana — Motion for a resolution on anarchy on the Internet (B6-0188/2006) referred to responsible: LIBE   opinion: FEMM, ITRE

4.   Written declarations (Rule 116)

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declaration No 83/2005 lapsed as it had not obtained the required number of signatures.

5.   Action taken on Parliament's resolutions

The Commission communication on the action taken on the resolutions adopted by Parliament during the December 2005 part-session had been distributed.

6.   Legal professions and general interest in the functioning of legal systems (motions for resolutions tabled)

The debate had been held on 15.03.2006(Minutes of 15.03.2006, Item 15).

Motion for a resolution to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 108(5):

—

Klaus-Heiner Lehne and Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Maria Berger, on behalf of the PSE Group, Diana Wallis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ ALE Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, on legal professions and general interest in the functioning of legal systems (B6-0203/2006).

7.   Announcement by the President

The President informed the House that ETA had made a statement that day in which it announced a permanent ceasefire.

The following spoke on the matter: Martin Schulz, to point out that he was passing his speaking time over to Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop, Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop, on behalf of the PSE Group, Hans-Gert Poettering, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, James Hugh Allister, Non-attached Member, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, James Nicholson, Willy Meyer Pleite, Proinsias De Rossa and Enrique Barón Crespo, on Alejo Vidal-Quadras's remarks.

8.   Welcome

On behalf of Parliament, the President welcomed members of a delegation from the Danish Parliament — led by its Speaker, Christian Mejdahl — who had taken their seats in the distinguished visitors' gallery.

9.   Agenda

The order of business had been established (Minutes of 13.03.2006, Item 15) and a corrigendum to the agenda had been distributed (PE 369.607/OJ/COR).

The following spoke: Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, who requested, under Rules 103 and 130 of the Rules of Procedure, that a Commission statement on the situation in Belarus be included on the agenda for the next part-session (the President replied that the Conference of Presidents, which was responsible for setting the agenda, would discuss the matter at its next meeting).

The following spoke on the request: Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on behalf of the ALDE Group, who proposed that a debate on Belarus be held either that day or the following day (the President reminded her of the provisions of Rule 132(1), and stated that he could not agree to her request), Mario Borghezio, who mentioned the procedure via which 11 Members had been excluded from the IND/DEM Group (see Minutes of 16.03.2006, Item 2) (the President replied that it was an internal matter for the IND/DEM Group), Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, who urged that Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert's request be put to the vote (the President replied that he was obliged to comply with the Rules), Hans-Gert Poettering, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who requested that a debate be added to the following day's agenda, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, who supported Hans-Gert Poettering's request but also expressed reservations over the procedure being followed, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, who pointed out that she was collecting the 37 signatures required to request that a debate be included on the agenda, Miloslav Ransdorf, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Graham Watson and Hans-Gert Poettering.

The President indicated that if a request signed by 37 Members to include the item on the following day's agenda was submitted to the Presidency that evening, Parliament would vote on that request at the beginning of the sitting.

The agenda was thus established.

10.   Welcome

On behalf of Parliament, the President welcomed Peru's Foreign Minister, Oscar Maúrtua de Romaña, who had taken his seat in the distinguished visitors' gallery.

11.   2007 Annual Policy Strategy (debate)

Commission statement: 2007 Annual Policy Strategy

José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission) made the statement.

Françoise Grossetête spoke on behalf of the PPE-DE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Luigi COCILOVO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, on behalf of the GUE/ NGL Group, Guntars Krasts, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Non-attached Member, József Szájer, Hannes Swoboda, Andrew Duff, Georgios Karatzaferis, Hans-Peter Martin, Malcolm Harbour, Libor Rouček, José Manuel Barroso, Bronisław Geremek, Jeffrey Titford, John Bowis and Margarita Starkevičiūtė.

IN THE CHAIR: Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ

Vice-President

The following spoke: Alexander Stubb and Margot Wallström (Vice-President of the Commission).

The debate closed.

12.   Security of energy supply in the European Union (debate)

Oral question (O-0007/2006) by Giles Chichester, on behalf of the ITRE Committee, to the Council: Security of supply of energy in the European Union (B6-0009/2006)

Oral question (O-0008/2006) by Giles Chichester, on behalf of the ITRE Committee, to the Commission: Security of supply of energy in the European Union (B6-0010/2006)

Giles Chichester moved the oral questions.

Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) and Andris Piebalgs (Member of the Commission) answered the questions.

The following spoke: Paul Rübig, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Robert Goebbels, on behalf of the PSE Group, Lena Ek, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Claude Turmes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Umberto Pirilli, on behalf of the UEN Group, Bastiaan Belder, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Luca Romagnoli, Non-attached Member, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski, Pasqualina Napoletano, Šarūnas Birutis, Dimitrios Papadimoulis and Konrad Szymański.

IN THE CHAIR: Antonios TRAKATELLIS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Gerard Batten, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Reino Paasilinna, Fiona Hall, Diamanto Manolakou, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, Elmar Brok, Mechtild Rothe, Patrizia Toia, Jerzy Buzek, Adam Gierek, Herbert Reul, Katerina Batzeli, Charles Tannock, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Ján Hudacký, Eluned Morgan, Vytautas Landsbergis, Gunnar Hökmark, Peter Liese, Renato Brunetta, Avril Doyle, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Hans Winkler and Andris Piebalgs.

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

Motions for resolution to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 108(5):

—	Lena Ek, Fiona Hall, Anne Laperrouze, Vittorio Prodi and Patrizia Toia, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the security of supply of energy in the European Union (B6-0189/2006);

—	Cristiana Muscardini, Guntars Krasts, Umberto Pirilli, Konrad Szymański and Inese Vaidere, on behalf of the UEN Group, on security of energy supply (B6-0192/2006);

—	Paul Rübig, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Giles Chichester, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski and Alejo Vidal-Quadras, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on security of energy supply in the European Union (B6-0198/2006);

—	Claude Turmes, Rebecca Harms and Raül Romeva i Rueda, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the security of supply of energy in the European Union (B6-0201/2006);

—	Robert Goebbels, Pasqualina Napoletano, Reino Paasilinna, Hannes Swoboda, Jan Marinus Wiersma and Mechtild Rothe, on behalf of the PSE Group, on security of energy supply in the European Union (B6-0202/2006).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.9.

13.   Criteria for EU peace enforcement operations, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (debate)

Council statement: Criteria for EU peace enforcement operations, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) made the statement.

The following spoke: Karl von Wogau, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Ana Maria Gomes, on behalf of the PSE Group, Philippe Morillon, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Angelika Beer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Tobias Pflüger, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Helmut Kuhne, Marie-Hélène Aubert, Richard Howitt, Glyn Ford and Hans Winkler.

Motions for resolutions to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 103(2):

—

Karl von Wogau and Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Ana Maria Gomes and Jan Marinus Wiersma, on behalf of the PSE Group, Philippe Morillon, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, on behalf of the UEN Group, on the criteria for EU peace-keeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (B6-0190/2006);

—	Angelika Beer, Frithjof Schmidt, Marie-Hélène Aubert, Bart Staes and Raül Romeva i Rueda, on the Democratic Republic of Congo (B6-0195/2006);

—	Tobias Pflüger, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the criteria for EU peace-keeping operations, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (B6-0197/2006).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.10.

14.   Revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (debate)

Oral question (O-0004/2006) by Margrietus van den Berg, on behalf of the DEVE Committee, to the Council: Revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0006/2006)

Glenys Kinnock moved the oral question.

Hans Winkler (President-in-Office of the Council) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Jürgen Schröder, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Thierry Cornillet, on behalf of the ALDE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Mario MAURO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Margrete Auken, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Luisa Morgantini, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Alessandro Battilocchio, Non-attached Member, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Karin Scheele and Hans Winkler.

Motions for resolution to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 108(5):

—	José Ribeiro e Castro, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0191/2006);

—	Thierry Cornillet, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0193/2006);

—	Frithjof Schmidt, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0194/2006);

—	Francis Wurtz, Willy Meyer Pleite, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and the setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0196/2006);

—	Eoin Ryan, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, on behalf of the UEN Group, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF (B6-0199/2006);

—	Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez, Margrietus van den Berg, Glenys Kinnock, Elena Valenciano Martínez- Orozco, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement and setting of the amount for the 10th EDF — Committee on Development (B6-0200/2006).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.11.

15.   One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Pursuant to Rule 144, the following Members who wished to draw the attention of Parliament to matters of political importance spoke for one minute:

Manuel Medina Ortega, Arūnas Degutis, Ilda Figueiredo, Gerard Batten, Urszula Krupa, Tunne Kelam, Marianne Mikko, Danutė Budreikaitė, Mario Borghezio, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Marios Matsakis, Dariusz Maciej Grabowski, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Hannu Takkula, James Hugh Allister and Joseph Muscat.

16.   The development impact of Economic Partnership Agreements (debate)

Report on the development impact of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) [2005/2162(INI)] — Committee on Development.

Rapporteur: Luisa Morgantini (A6-0053/2006)

Luisa Morgantini introduced the report.

Louis Michel (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Maria Martens, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Glenys Kinnock, on behalf of the PSE Group, Fiona Hall, on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Margrete Auken, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Gabriele Zimmer, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Alessandro Battilocchio, Nonattached Member, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Kader Arif, Hannu Takkula, Vittorio Agnoletto and Louis Michel.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.12.

17.   European political parties (debate)

Report on European political parties [2005/2224(INI)] — Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Rapporteur: Jo Leinen (A6-0042/2006)

Jo Leinen introduced the report.

Margot Wallström (Vice-President of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Klaus-Heiner Lehne (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), Jean-Luc Dehaene, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Richard Corbett, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jules Maaten, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Gérard Onesta, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, James Hugh Allister, Non-attached Member, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Andrew Duff, Eva-Britt Svensson, Patrick Louis, Andreas Mölzer, Othmar Karas, Carlos Carnero González, Hans-Peter Martin, Maria da Assunção Esteves, Marie-Line Reynaud, Andrzej Jan Szejna, Aloyzas Sakalas, Józef Pinior, Zita Gurmai and Margot Wallström.

Paul Rübig expressed his disappointment that some Members had left the Chamber after their speeches rather than staying for the remainder of the debate.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.13.

18.   European contract law and revision of the acquis (debate)

Report on European contract law and the revision of the acquis: the way forward [2005/2022(INI)] — Committee on Legal Affairs.

Rapporteur: Klaus-Heiner Lehne (A6-0055/2006)

Klaus-Heiner Lehne introduced the report.

Margot Wallström (Vice-President of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Diana Wallis (draftsman of the opinion of the IMCO Committee), Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, and Manuel Medina Ortega, on behalf of the PSE Group.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.03.2006, Item 11.8.

19.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 367.609/OJME).

20.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 23.05.

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