31.1.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 27/1

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MINUTES

(2008/C 27 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 15.05.

2.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

3.   Statement by the President (Zimbabwe)

The President made a statement on the political situation in Zimbabwe. He condemned the violence being carried out against the opposition by Robert Mugabe's regime and called for the establishment of genuine democracy in the country.

The following spoke: Glenys Kinnock, Chairwoman of the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

4.   Assignment conferred on a Member

The President announced that he had been notified by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic of the decision that had been taken to appoint Jan Zahradil to represent the Prime Minister during consultations on the Berlin Declaration, and, more generally, in the context of the relaunch of the constitutional process during the German Presidency of the EU.

At its meeting of 19 and 20 March 2007, the JURI Committee, to which the matter had been referred under Rule 4(5), had concluded that the assignment was compatible with the letter and spirit of the Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage and that as a result it was not incompatible with the office of Member of the European Parliament. Jan Zahradil could therefore continue to carry out his mandate as an MEP.

5.   Welcome

On behalf of Parliament, The President welcomed members of a delegation from the Iraqi Parliament — led by Hamid Mousa — who had taken their seats in the distinguished visitors' gallery.

6.   Membership of committees and delegations

The President had received the following requests for appointments from the PPE-DE, PSE, ALDE and Nonattached Members Groups:

—	AFET Committee: Ria Oomen-Ruijten

—	INTA Committee: Corien Wortmann-Kool to replace Albert Jan Maat

—	CONT Committee: Ruth Hieronymi to replace Vito Bonsignore

—	REGI Committee: Wolfgang Bulfon to replace Giulietto Chiesa

—	PECH Committee: Joop Post to replace Albert Jan Maat

—	JURI Committee: Giulietto Chiesa to replace Wolfgang Bulfon

—	LIBE Committee: Albert Jan Maat to replace Ria Oomen-Ruijten

—	FEMM Committee: Albert Jan Maat to replace Corien Wortmann-Kool

—	PETI Committee: Gay Mitchell

—	Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and Delegation for relations with Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia: Adam Gierek

—	Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (including Libya): Filiz Husmenova

—	Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries: Kurt Lechner to replace Jan Zahradil

—	Delegation for relations with the Gulf States, including Yemen: Françoise Grossetête was no longer a member

—	Delegation for relations with Mercosur: Gérard Deprez to replace Antoine Duquesne

—	Delegation for relations with Japan: Gianni De Michelis

—	Delegation for relations with the countries of south Asia: Nedzhmi Ali

—	Delegation for relations with India: Jan Zahradil to replace Kurt Lechner

—	Delegation for relations with Afghanistan: Jacek Saryusz-Wolski

The appointments would be deemed ratified if there were no objections before the approval of these Minutes.

7.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

1)

from committees: 1.1) reports: — Report on the integration of the new Member States into the CAP (2006/2042(INI)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Csaba Sándor Tabajdi (A6-0037/2007) — * Report on the initiative by the Republic of Austria with a view to adopting a Council decision amending Decision 2002/348/JHA concerning security in connection with football matches with an international dimension (10543/2006 — C6-0240/2006 — 2006/0806(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Giusto Catania (A6-0052/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the civil liability and financial guarantees of shipowners (COM(2005)0593 — C6-0039/2006 — 2005/0242(COD)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Gilles Savary (A6-0055/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on compliance with flag State requirements (COM(2005)0586 — C6-0062/2006 — 2005/0236(COD)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Marta Vincenzi (A6-0058/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 89/391/EEC, its individual Directives and Council Directives 83/477/EEC, 91/383/EEC, 92/29/EEC and 94/33/EC with a view to simplifying and rationalising the reports on practical implementation (COM(2006)0390 — C6-0242/2006 — 2006/0127(COD)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Ilda Figueiredo (A6-0059/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council Regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products (COM(2005)0671 [[01]] — C6-0032/2006 — 2005/0278(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Marie-Hélène Aubert (A6-0061/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning structural business statistics (COM(2006)0066 — C6-0063/2006 — 2006/0020(COD)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Elisa Ferreira (A6-0062/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the Community participation in the capital increase of the European Investment Fund (COM(2006)0621 — C6-0426/2006 — 2006/0203(CNS)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Esko Seppänen (A6-0065/2007) — Report on the future of the European Union's own resources (2006/2205(INI)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Alain Lamassoure (A6-0066/2007) — Report on the future of Kosovo and the role of the EU (2006/2267(INI)) — AFET Committee. Rapporteur: Joost Lagendijk (A6-0067/2007) — Report on the guidelines for the 2008 budget procedure — Sections II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX — and on the European Parliament's preliminary draft estimates (Section I) for the 2008 budget procedure, Section I — European Parliament, Section II — Council, Section IV — Court of Justice, Section V — Court of Auditors, Section VI — European Economic and Social Committee, Section VII — Committee of the Regions, Section VIII — European Ombudsman, Section IX — European Data Protection Supervisor (2007/2013(BUD)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Ville Itälä (A6-0069/2007) — Report on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Giuseppe Gargani (2006/2300(IMM)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Diana Wallis (A6-0071/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters (COM(2004)0718 — C6-0154/2004 — 2004/0251(COD)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Arlene McCarthy (A6-0074/2007) 1.2) recommendations for second reading: — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Common position with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the assessment and management of flood risks (12131/6/2006 — C6-0038/2007 — 2006/0005(COD)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Richard Seeber (A6-0064/2007)

2)

from Members: 2.1) motions for resolutions (Rule 113): — Cristiana Muscardini. Motion for a resolution on genetic engineering (B6-0120/2007) referred to responsible: ENVI   opinion: ITRE, JURI, LIBE — Salvador Garriga Polledo and Carlos Coelho. Motion for a resolution on the Tagus International Nature Reserve (B6-0141/2007) referred to responsible: ENVI — Cristiana Muscardini. Motion for a resolution on EU action in response to the kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers in the Middle East (B6-0142/2007) referred to responsible: AFET — Salvador Garriga Polledo. Motion for a resolution on clean technology for coal (B6-0143/2007) referred to responsible: ITRE

8.   Written declarations (Rule 116)

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declarations 85, 86/2006 lapsed as they had not obtained the required number of signatures.

9.   Oral questions and written declarations (tabling)

The following documents had been received from Members:

1)

written declarations for entry in the Register (Rule 116): — Andreas Mölzer on the appropriate use of EU agencies (0031/2007), — Elizabeth Lynne on modern day slavery after the 200th anniversary of the end of the transatlantic slave trade (0032/2007), — Jacky Henin and Marco Rizzo on the European Union action needed to support the European aeronautical industry (0033/2007), — Karin Riis-Jørgensen, Silvia Ciornei, Simon Coveney, Lissy Gröner and Raül Romeva i Rueda on the creation of an EU-wide hotline for the victims of human trafficking (0035/2007), — Romana Jordan Cizelj and Christian Ehler on greenhouse gas emissions by the livestock sector (0036/2007), — Ivo Belet, Jean-Luc Bennahmias, Adeline Hazan, Guy Bono and Patrick Gaubert on combating the trafficking and exploitation of children in football (0037/2007) — Cristian Stănescu on the racist and xenophobic attack by Maurizio Zamparini (0038/2007).

10.   Action taken on Parliament's resolutions

The Commission communication on the action taken by the Commission on Parliament's resolution on the Commission's legislative and work programme for 2007 had been distributed.

11.   Agenda

The order of business had been established (Minutes of 12.03.2007, Item 15) and a corrigendum to the agenda had been distributed (PE 385.050/OJ/COR).

The agenda was thus established.

12.   Follow-up to the Berlin declaration (debate)

Council and Commission statements: Follow-up to the Berlin declaration

Angela Merkel (President-in-Office of the Council) and José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission) made the statements.

The following spoke: Joseph Daul, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Cristiana Muscardini, on behalf of the UEN Group, Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Gabriele Zimmer, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Bruno Gollnisch, on behalf of the ITS Group, Jim Allister, Non-attached Member, Hartmut Nassauer, Edite Estrela, Silvana Koch-Mehrin, Konrad Szymański, Johannes Voggenhuber, Roberto Musacchio, Vladimír Železný, Timothy Kirkhope, Bernard Poignant, Andrew Duff, Mario Borghezio, Rebecca Harms, Pedro Guerreiro, Antonio Tajani, Stephen Hughes, Bronisław Geremek, Angela Merkel, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, József Szájer, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo and Ioannis Varvitsiotis.

IN THE CHAIR: Luisa MORGANTINI

Vice-President

The following spoke: Margie Sudre, Bogusław Sonik, Elmar Brok and José Manuel Barroso.

The debate closed.

13.   Further convergence in supervisory practices at EU level (debate)

Oral question (O-0125/2007) by Pervenche Berès, on behalf of the ECON Committee, to the Council:

Further convergence in supervisory practices at EU level (B6-0010/2007)

Oral question (O-0126/2007) by Pervenche Berès, on behalf of the ECON Committee, to the Commission:

Further convergence in supervisory practices at EU level (B6-0449/2006)

Pervenche Berès moved the oral questions.

Günter Gloser (President-in-Office of the Council) and Charlie McCreevy (Member of the Commission) answered the questions.

The following spoke: Karsten Friedrich Hoppenstedt, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Joseph Muscat, on behalf of the PSE Group, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Piia-Noora Kauppi and Charlie McCreevy.

The debate closed.

14.   The future of Kosovo and the role of the EU (debate)

Report on the future of Kosovo and the role of the EU [2006/2267(INI)] — Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Rapporteur: Joost Lagendijk (A6-0067/2007)

Joost Lagendijk introduced the report.

The following spoke: Günter Gloser (President-in-Office of the Council) and Olli Rehn (Member of the Commission)

The following spoke: Erika Mann (draftsman of the opinion of the INTA Committee), Bernd Posselt, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, on behalf of the PSE Group, Lapo Pistelli, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, Gisela Kallenbach, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Tobias Pflüger, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Bastiaan Belder, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, and Alojz Peterle.

IN THE CHAIR: Mechtild ROTHE

Vice-President

The following spoke: Hannes Swoboda, Jelko Kacin, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Erik Meijer, Doris Pack, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, Adamos Adamou, Francisco José Millán Mon, Adrian Severin, Ioannis Kasoulides, Józef Pinior, Peter Šťastný, Monika Beňová and Olli Rehn.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.10.

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:

Zita Pleštinská, Martin Schulz, Marios Matsakis, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka and Věra Flasarová.

IN THE CHAIR: Pierre MOSCOVICI

Vice-President

Jim Allister, Atanas Paparizov, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Marco Cappato, Mario Borghezio, Bairbre de Brún, Martin Dimitrov, John Attard-Montalto, Danutė Budreikaitė, Milan Gaľa, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Brian Crowley, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Jörg Leichtfried, Avril Doyle, Neena Gill, Robert Evans, Carlo Fatuzzo and Dimitar Stoyanov, to make a point of order (the President cut him off as his remarks did not constitute a point of order).

16.   Organic production and labelling of organic products * (debate)

Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products [COM(2005)0671 — C6-0032/2006 — 2005/0278(CNS)] — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rapporteur: Marie-Hélène Aubert (A6-0061/2007)

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) spoke.

Marie-Hélène Aubert introduced the report.

The following spoke: Roberto Musacchio (draftsman of the opinion of the ENVI Committee), Agnes Schierhuber, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, María Isabel Salinas García, on behalf of the PSE Group, Kyösti Virrankoski, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Roberta Angelilli, on behalf of the UEN Group, Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Vincenzo Aita, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Luca Romagnoli, on behalf of the ITS Group, Ioannis Gklavakis, Marc Tarabella, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Bernadette Bourzai, Gábor Harangozó and Mariann Fischer Boel.

IN THE CHAIR: Diana WALLIS

Vice-President

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.8.

17.   The future of the European Union's own resources (debate)

Report on the future of the European Union's own resources [2006/2205(INI)] — Committee on Budgets.

Rapporteur: Alain Lamassoure (A6-0066/2007)

Reimer Böge, deputising for the rapporteur, introduced the report.

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Elisa Ferreira (draftsman of the opinion of the ECON Committee), Gerardo Galeote (draftsman of the opinion of the REGI Committee), Carlos Carnero González (draftsman of the opinion of the AFCO Committee), Salvador Garriga Polledo, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Catherine Guy-Quint, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jan Mulder, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, on behalf of the UEN Group, Gérard Onesta, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Hélène Goudin, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Petre Popeangă, on behalf of the ITS Group, Hans-Peter Martin, Non-attached Member, Richard James Ashworth, Jutta Haug, Gérard Deprez, Pierre Jonckheer, Jeffrey Titford, Sergej Kozlík, Valdis Dombrovskis, Neena Gill, Kyösti Virrankoski and José Albino Silva Peneda.

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Göran Färm, László Surján, Herbert Bösch, Monica Maria Iacob-Ridzi, Szabolcs Fazakas and Mariann Fischer Boel.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.11.

18.   2008 budget guidelines (debate)

Report on the guidelines for the 2008 budget procedure — Sections II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX — and on the European Parliament's preliminary draft estimates (Section I) for the 2008 budget procedure:

Section I — European Parliament

Section II — Council

Section IV — Court of Justice

Section V — Court of Auditors

Section VI — European Economic and Social Committee

Section VII — Committee of the Regions

Section VIII — European Ombudsman

Section IX — European Data Protection Supervisor [2007/2013(BUD)] — Committee on Budgets.

Rapporteur: Ville Itälä (A6-0069/2007)

Ville Itälä introduced the report.

The following spoke: Valdis Dombrovskis, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Vladimír Maňka, on behalf of the PSE Group, Anne E. Jensen, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Louis Grech and Nathalie Griesbeck.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.12.

19.   Future of Professional Football in Europe — Security at Football Matches * (debate)

Report on the future of professional football in Europe [2006/2130(INI)] — Committee on Culture and Education.

Rapporteur: Ivo Belet (A6-0036/2007)

Report on the initiative by the Republic of Austria with a view to the adoption of a Council decision amending Decision 2002/348/JHA concerning security in connection with football matches with an international dimension [10543/2006 — C6-0240/2006 — 2006/0806(CNS)] — Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Rapporteur: Giusto Catania (A6-0052/2007)

Ján Figeľ (Member of the Commission) spoke.

Ivo Belet introduced the report.

Giusto Catania introduced the report.

The following spoke: Jean-Luc Bennahmias (draftsman of the opinion of the EMPL Committee), Toine Manders (draftsman of the opinion of the IMCO Committee), Gary Titley (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), Thomas Mann, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Guy Bono, on behalf of the PSE Group, Karin Resetarits, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Dariusz Maciej Grabowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Ian Hudghton, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Věra Flasarová, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Jeffrey Titford, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Patrick Gaubert, Pier Antonio Panzeri, Luciana Sbarbati, Christopher Heaton-Harris, Christa Prets, Sharon Bowles, Luis Herrero-Tejedor, Emine Bozkurt, Manolis Mavrommatis, Joseph Muscat and Giuseppe Castiglione.

IN THE CHAIR: Miguel Angel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ

Vice-President

The following spoke: Richard Corbett, Jacek Protasiewicz, Maria Badia i Cutchet, Vasco Graça Moura, Mario Mantovani and Ján Figeľ.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.13 and Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.9.

20.   Compliance with the obligations of Flag States ***I — Civil liability and financial guarantees of shipowners ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on compliance with flag State requirements [COM(2005)0586 — C6-0062/2006 — 2005/0236(COD)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Marta Vincenzi (A6-0058/2007)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the civil liability and financial guarantees of shipowners [COM(2005)0593 — C6-0039/2006 — 2005/0242(COD)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Gilles Savary (A6-0055/2007)

Jacques Barrot (Vice-President of the Commission) spoke.

Marta Vincenzi introduced the report.

Gilles Savary introduced the report.

The following spoke: Luis de Grandes Pascual (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), Georg Jarzembowski, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Willi Piecyk, on behalf of the PSE Group, Paolo Costa, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Mary Lou McDonald, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Bogusław Liberadzki, Josu Ortuondo Larrea and Jacques Barrot.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.6 and Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.7.

21.   The integration of new Member States in the CAP (debate)

Report on the integration of the new Member States into the CAP [2006/2042(INI)] — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rapporteur: Csaba Sándor Tabajdi (A6-0037/2007)

Csaba Sándor Tabajdi introduced the report.

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Albert Deß, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Bogdan Golik, on behalf of the PSE Group, Tchetin Kazak, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Janusz Wojciechowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Dumitru Gheorghe Mircea Coşea, on behalf of the ITS Group, Peter Baco, Non-attached Member, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Dimitar Stoyanov, Andreas Mölzer and Mariann Fischer Boel.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.03.2007, Item 8.14.

22.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 385.050/OJJE).

23.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 00.05.

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