20.11.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 297/1

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MINUTES

(2008/C 297 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Rodi KRATSA-TSAGAROPOULOU

Vice-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.   Membership of Parliament

Bogdan Klich and Barbara Kudrycka had been appointed to the Polish Government with effect from 16.11.2007.

Under Rule 3(2), second subparagraph, of its Rules of Procedure, Parliament noted the appointments and established the vacancies with effect from 16.11.2007, under Article 7(1) of the Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage and under Rule 4(1).

Gitte Seeberg and Anders Samuelsen had been elected to the Danish Parliament with effect from 27.11.2007.

Under Rule 3(2), second subparagraph, of its Rules of Procedure, Parliament noted the appointments and established the vacancies with effect from 27.11.2007, under Article 7(1) of the Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage and under Rule 4(1).

4.   Verification of credentials

The President made the following announcement.

On 15 November 2007, the judge hearing the application for interim measures at the Court of First Instance of the European Communities issued an order suspending the European Parliament decision of 24 May 2007 on the verification of the credentials of Mr Beniamino Donnici. It is, of course, my responsibility to apply this court ruling immediately.

This order rules that the legal situations of Mr Beniamino Donnici and Mr Achille Occhetto that existed before the adoption of the decision in question are re-established with effect from 15 November 2007.

Therefore, pursuant to this order and under Rule 3(2) of the Rules of Procedure, Mr Donnici takes his seat in Parliament and on its bodies and enjoys all the rights attaching thereto at least until the expiration of that order.

On a recommendation by the JURI Committee, I have asked the Legal Service to bring an appeal before the Court of Justice against the order of the judge hearing the application for interim measures at the Court of First Instance.

*

* *

On a proposal from the JURI Committee, Parliament validated the mandates of the following Members: Ewa Tomaszewska, Giovanna Corda, Lily Jacobs, Vicente Miguel Garcés Ramón, Emmanouil Angelakas, Costas Botopoulos, Georgios Georgiou, Maria Eleni Koppa, Anni Podimata, Margaritis Schinas and Armando França.

5.   Membership of committees and delegations

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

—	CONT Committee: Lutz Goepel to replace Ruth Hieronymi

—	ITRE Committee: Anni Podimata to replace Vincent Peillon

—	AGRI Committee: Vincent Peillon to replace Anni Podimata

—	LIBE Committee: Gérard Deprez to replace Antoine Duquesne

—	PETI Committee: Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg

—	Delegation for relations with Belarus: Jacek Protasiewicz

—	Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (including Libya): Gianni De Michelis

—	Delegation for relations with the Gulf States, including Yemen: Gianni De Michelis

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

6.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

The Council had forwarded certified true copies of the following:

—	agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation in the audiovisual field, establishing the terms and conditions for the participation of the Swiss Confederation in the community programme MEDIA 2007;

—	agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Moldova on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation;

—	agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Moldova on the facilitation of the issuance of visas;

—	agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Montenegro on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation;

—	agreement between the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation;

—	agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Serbia on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation;

—	protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

7.   Action taken on Parliament's positions and resolutions

The Commission communication on the action taken on the positions and resolutions adopted by Parliament at the September I and II 2007 part-sessions had been distributed.

8.   Proclamation of consensus on humanitarian aid (motions for resolutions tabled)

The debate had been held on 13.11.2007(Minutes of 13.11.2007, Item 24).

Motion for a resolution tabled to wind up the debate pursuant to Rule 103(2):

—

Nirj Deva, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Corina Creţu, on behalf of the PSE Group, Thierry Cornillet, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ryszard Czarnecki, on behalf of the UEN Group, Margrete Auken, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Luisa Morgantini, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, and Jens-Peter Bonde, on the proclamation of a European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid (B6-0484/2007).

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.27.

9.   Situation in Georgia (motions for resolutions tabled)

The debate had been held on 14.11.2007(Minutes of 14.11.2007, Item 10).

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

—	Adam Bielan, Konrad Szymański, Inese Vaidere, Gintaras Didžiokas, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski and Ryszard Czarnecki, on behalf of the UEN Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0481/2007);

—	Lydie Polfer and Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, on behalf of the ALDE Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0482/2007);

—	Charles Tannock, Árpád Duka-Zólyomi, Elmar Brok, Karl von Wogau, Stefano Zappalà and Corien Wortmann-Kool, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0485/2007);

—	André Brie, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0487/2007);

—	Jan Marinus Wiersma, Hannes Swoboda and Alexandra Dobolyi, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0492/2007);

—	Marie Anne Isler Béguin and Cem Özdemir, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the situation in Georgia (B6-0493/2007).

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.28.

10.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

1)

from the Council and Commission: — Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (COM(2007)0600 — C6-0343/2007 — 2007/2226(ACI)) referred to responsible: BUDG   opinion: EMPL — Proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Euro Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (13199/2007 — C6-0438/2007 — 2007/0180(AVC)) referred to responsible: AFET   opinion: INTA

2)

from committees: 2.1) reports: — Report on a renewed EU Tourism Policy: Towards a stronger partnership for European Tourism (2006/2129(INI)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0399/2007) — Report on trade and climate change (2007/2003(INI)) — INTA Committee. Rapporteur: Alain Lipietz (A6-0409/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council framework decision on the European supervision order in pre-trial procedures between Member States of the European Union (COM(2006)0468 — C6-0328/2006 — 2006/0158(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Ioannis Varvitsiotis (A6-0428/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Arab Republic of Egypt (COM(2007)0352 — C6-0247/2007 — 2007/0124(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0429/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 80/181/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement (COM(2007)0510 — C6-0277/2007 — 2007/0187(COD)) — IMCO Committee. Rapporteur: Arlene McCarthy (A6-0430/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing Council Directive 84/539/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to electro-medical equipment used in veterinary medicine (COM(2007)0465 — C6-0255/2007 — 2007/0168(COD)) — IMCO Committee. Rapporteur: Arlene McCarthy (A6-0431/2007) — * Report on Advancing African Agriculture — Proposal for agricultural development and food security in Africa (2007/2231(INI)) — DEVE Committee. Rapporteur: Luisa Morgantini (A6-0432/2007) — * Report on the nomination of Hubert Weber as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0022/2007 — C6-0310/2007 — 2007/0819(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0433/2007) — * Report on the nomination of Ioannis Sarmas as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0021/2007 — C6-0309/2007 — 2007/0818(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0434/2007) — * Report on the nomination of Harald Noack as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0020/2007 — C6-0308/2007 — 2007/0817(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0435/2007) — * Report on the nominiation of Henri Grethen as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0019/2007 — C6-0307/2007 — 2007/0816(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0436/2007) — * Report on the nomination of Maarten B. Engwirda as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0018/2007 — C6-0306/2007 — 2007/0815(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0437/2007) — * Report on the nomination of Michel Cretin as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0017/2007 — C6-0305/2007 — 2007/0814(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0438/2007) — * Report on the nomination of David Bostock as a Member of the Court of Auditors (N6-0016/2007 — C6-0304/2007 — 2007/0813(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Inés Ayala Sender (A6-0439/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/54/EC as regards the application of certain provisions to Estonia (COM(2007)0411 — C6-0230/2007 — 2007/0141(COD)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0440/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council framework decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law (11522/2007 — C6-0246/2007 — 2001/0270(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Martine Roure (A6-0444/2007) — Report on the approval by the European Parliament of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union (2007/2218(ACI)) — AFCO Committee. Rapporteur: Jo Leinen (A6-0445/2007) — Report on Common Principles of Flexicurity (2007/2209(INI)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Ole Christensen (A6-0446/2007) — Report on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Renato Brunetta (2007/2172(IMM)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Aloyzas Sakalas (A6-0449/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I) (COM(2005)0650 — C6-0441/2005 — 2005/0261(COD)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Cristian Dumitrescu (A6-0450/2007) — * Report on the draft Council decision amending the Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice with regard to the treatment of questions referred for a preliminary ruling concerning the area of freedom, security and justice — (11824/2007 — C6-0292/2007 — 2007/0812(CNS)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Diana Wallis (A6-0451/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision providing Community macro-financial assistance to Lebanon (COM(2007)0476 — C6-0290/2007 — 2007/0172(CNS)) — INTA Committee. Rapporteur: Kader Arif (A6-0452/2007) — * Report on the draft Council regulation amending Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (14320/2007 — C6-0411/2007 — 2007/0820(CNS)) — AFCO Committee. Rapporteur: Jo Leinen (A6-0465/2007) 2.2) recommendations for second reading: — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (10076/6/2007 — C6-0352/2007 — 2005/0260(COD)) — CULT Committee. Rapporteur: Ruth Hieronymi (A6-0442/2007)

3)

from Members: 3.1) proposals for recommendations (Rule 114): — Joseph Daul, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Adam Bielan, on behalf of the UEN Group, Gintaras Didžiokas, on behalf of the UEN Group, Michael Gahler, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Marian-Jean Marinescu, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Cristiana Muscardini, on behalf of the UEN Group, João de Deus Pinheiro, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Charles Tannock, on behalf of the EPP-ED Group and Inese Vaidere, on behalf of the UEN Group. Proposal for a recommendation to the Council on the recognition of the Holodomor — artificial famine in Ukraine of 1932 as a Genocide of Ukrainian Nation (B6-0480/2007) referred to responsible: AFET

11.   Written declarations (tabling)

The following Members had submitted written declarations for entry in the register (Rule 116):

—	Urszula Krupa and Witold Tomczak on respect for democracy in Europe (0103/2007),

—	Tomáš Zatloukal on the Castle and Pleasure Gardens at Kroměříž (Czech Republic) (0104/2007),

—	Andreas Mölzer on mosque buildings (0105/2007),

—	Koenraad Dillen, Philip Claeys and Frank Vanhecke on the setting up of drug outlets (‘coffee shops’ and ‘coffee shop boats’) in the Netherlands at the border with Belgium, targeted at Belgian and French drug users (0106/2007),

—	Philip Claeys, Frank Vanhecke and Koenraad Dillen on the partial demolition by the Turkish authorities of an Orthodox monastery on the island of Halki (0107/2007).

12.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the November II 2007 sittings (PE 397.687/PDOJ) had been distributed and a number of amendments had been proposed (Rule 132):

Sittings of 28.11.2007 and 29.11.2007

The following spoke: Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, on his Group's request concerning the economic partnership agreements (see below under ‘Wednesday’).

The President proposed the following changes:

—

the joint debate on Community railways (Items 71, 72 and 73 on the final draft agenda) would take place before the debate on the recommendation for second reading (rapporteur: Ruth Hieronymi) on the coordination of certain of the Member States' provisions on television broadcasting (A6-0442/2007) (Item 69 on the final draft agenda);

—	the report by Josu Ortuondo Larrea on the interoperability of the Community rail system (A6-0345/2007) (Item 72 on the final draft agenda) would be put to the vote during the next part-session in Strasbourg;

—	the report by Jo Leinen on the draft Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (A6-0465/2007) had been adopted under Rule 43(1) and would be put to the vote on Thursday;

—	the vote on the report by Johannes Blokland on the the export and import of dangerous chemicals (A6-0406/2007) (Item 108 on the final draft agenda) was held over until the January part-session;

—	as no motion for a resolution on cross-border collective copyright management (Item 115 on the final draft agenda) had been tabled, this item would no longer be put to the vote.

Parliament approved these five proposals.

Wednesday

—	request by the PSE Group to hold over until the December part-session the vote on the motions for resolutions to wind up the debate on the Commission statement on economic partnership agreements (Item 122 on the final draft agenda);

The following spoke: João de Deus Pinheiro, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

Parliament agreed to the request.

The tabling deadlines were therefore set as follows:

Motions for resolution: 18.00 on Wednesday 05.12.2007;

Amendments and joint motions for resolutions: 19.00 on Monday 10.12.2007.

The vote would take place at 12.00 on Wednesday 12.12.2007.

—	request by the PPE-DE Group to wind up the debate on the Commission statement on the referendum in Venezuela (Item 130 on the final draft agenda) with the tabling of motions for resolutions.

The following spoke: Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, and João de Deus Pinheiro, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who moved the request.

Parliament rejected the request.

Thursday

—	no other amendments were proposed.

The order of business was thus established.

13.   Welcome

On behalf of Parliament, the President welcomed members of a delegation from the Parliament of Afghanistan, who had taken their seats in the distinguished visitors' gallery.

*

* *

The following spoke: Gyula Hegyi, who called for the an inquiry into the presence of asbestos in Parliament's buildings (the President referred him to the Secretary-General's message on the subject).

14.   Approval by the European Parliament of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (debate)

Report on the approval by the European Parliament of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union [2007/2218(ACI)] — Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Rapporteur: Jo Leinen (A6-0445/2007)

The following spoke: Manuel Lobo Antunes (President-in-Office of the Council) and Margot Wallström (Vice-President of the Commission).

Jo Leinen introduced the report.

The following spoke: Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Richard Corbett, on behalf of the PSE Group, Andrew Duff, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Konrad Szymański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Johannes Voggenhuber, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Jim Allister, Non-attached Member, Elmar Brok and Józef Pinior.

IN THE CHAIR: Mario MAURO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Bronisław Geremek, Bernard Wojciechowski, Koenraad Dillen, Charlotte Cederschiöld, Libor Rouček, Irena Belohorská, Reinhard Rack and Carlos Carnero González.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.29.

15.   Common principles on flexicurity (debate)

Report on the common principles on flexicurity [2007/2209(INI)] — Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Rapporteur: Ole Christensen (A6-0446/2007)

The following spoke: Manuel Lobo Antunes (President-in-Office of the Council) and Vladimír Špidla (Member of the Commission).

Ole Christensen introduced the report.

The following spoke: Olle Schmidt (draftsman of the opinion of the ECON Committee), Giovanni Berlinguer (draftsman of the opinion of the CULT Committee), Tadeusz Zwiefka (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), José Albino Silva Peneda, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Stephen Hughes, on behalf of the PSE Group, Bernard Lehideux, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ewa Tomaszewska, on behalf of the UEN Group, Elisabeth Schroedter, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Roberto Musacchio, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Kartika Tamara Liotard (draftsman of the opinion of the FEMM Committee), on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Thomas Mann, Jan Andersson, Siiri Oviir, Roberta Angelilli, Donata Gottardi, Manuel Lobo Antunes and Vladimír Špidla.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.30.

(The sitting was suspended at 17.05 and resumed at 17.10.)

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

16.   Future of Europe (debate)

Debate on the future of Europe with the participation of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of the Spanish Government, Member of the European Council.

The President made a brief statement introducing the debate.

The following spoke: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of the Spanish Government.

The following spoke: Jaime Mayor Oreja, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, initially to condemn the poor attendance of the debate by members of the PPE-DE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, Monica Frassoni, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Graham Booth, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Frank Vanhecke, Non-attached Member, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Jacques Toubon.

IN THE CHAIR: Luigi COCILOVO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Enrique Barón Crespo, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, Guntars Krasts, David Hammerstein, Willy Meyer Pleite, Irena Belohorská, Manfred Weber, Bernard Poignant and Andrew Duff.

IN THE CHAIR: Marek SIWIEC

Vice-President

The following spoke: Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Roger Helmer, Marianne Thyssen, Adrian Severin, Bogdan Pęk, Gerardo Galeote and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

The debate closed.

17.   Economic partnership agreements (debate)

Commission statement: Economic partnership agreements

Ján Figeľ (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Robert Sturdy, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Harlem Désir, on behalf of the PSE Group, Gianluca Susta, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Frithjof Schmidt, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Maria Martens, Glenys Kinnock, Margie Sudre, Erika Mann and Ján Figeľ.

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

—

Glenys Kinnock, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, Alain Hutchinson, Miguel Ángel Martínez Martínez, Josep Borrell Fontelles and Harlem Désir, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the Kigali Declaration in the context of the approaching 31 December 2007 deadline for the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements (B6-0486/2007);

—	Robert Sturdy and Maria Martens, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Gianluca Susta, Johan Van Hecke, Thierry Cornillet and Danutė Budreikaitė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Cristiana Muscardini and Ryszard Czarnecki, on behalf of the UEN Group, on Economic Partnerships Agreements (B6-0488/2007);

—	Helmuth Markov, Vittorio Agnoletto, Luisa Morgantini, Jens Holm, Gabriele Zimmer and Miguel Portas, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on Economic Partnership Agreements (B6-0489/2007);

—	Frithjof Schmidt, Caroline Lucas, Carl Schlyter, Alain Lipietz, Margrete Auken and Marie-Hélène Aubert, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on Economic Partnership Agreements (B6-0491/2007).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 12.12.2007, Item 6.2.

18.   Amendment of Directive 2004/49/EC on safety on the Community's railways ***I — Interoperability of the Community rail system (recast) ***I — Amendment of Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 establishing a European Railway Agency ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2004/49/EC on safety on the Community's railways [COM(2006)0784 — C6-0493/2006 — 2006/0272(COD)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0346/2007)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the Community rail system (recast) [COM(2006)0783 — C6-0474/2006 — 2006/0273(COD)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Josu Ortuondo Larrea (A6-0345/2007)

Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 establishing a European Railway Agency [COM(2006)0785 — C6-0473/2006 — 2006/0274(COD)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0350/2007)

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

Paolo Costa introduced the reports A6-0346/2007 and A6-0350/2007.

Josu Ortuondo Larrea introduced the report (A6-0345/2007).

The following spoke: Georg Jarzembowski, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Inés Ayala Sender, on behalf of the PSE Group, Nathalie Griesbeck, on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Bogusław Rogalski, on behalf of the UEN Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Luigi COCILOVO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Michael Cramer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Erik Meijer, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Michael Henry Nattrass, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Luca Romagnoli, Non-attached Member, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Jacky Hénin, Reinhard Rack and Jacques Barrot.

The debate closed.

Vote: Costa reports (A6-0346/2007 and A6-0350/2007): 29.11.2007; Ortuondo Larrea report (A6-0345/2007): next part-session.

19.   Coordination of certain of the Member States' provisions on television broadcasting ***II (debate)

Recommendation for second reading on the common position adopted by the Council with a view on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities [10076/6/2007 — C6-0352/2007 — 2005/0260(COD)] — Committee on Culture and Education.

Rapporteur: Ruth Hieronymi (A6-0442/2007)

Ruth Hieronymi introduced the recommendation for second reading (A6-0442/2007).

The following spoke: Viviane Reding (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Gunnar Hökmark, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Catherine Trautmann, on behalf of the PSE Group, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Helga Trüpel, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Doris Pack and Viviane Reding.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.11.

20.   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:

Vytautas Landsbergis, Lívia Járóka, Hans-Peter Martin, Monica Maria Iacob-Ridzi, Pierre Pribetich, Marian Harkin, Roberta Alma Anastase, Bogusław Rogalski, Maciej Marian Giertych and Antonio Tajani.

IN THE CHAIR: Adam BIELAN

Vice-President

The following spoke: Kyriacos Triantaphyllides and Laima Liucija Andrikienė.

The item closed.

The following spoke: Marios Matsakis, who condemned the fact that the time given over to one-minute speeches had been reduced (the President noted this).

21.   Control of the acquisition and possession of weapons ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons [COM(2006)0093 — C6-0081/2006 — 2006/0031(COD)] — Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

Rapporteur: Gisela Kallenbach (A6-0276/2007)

The following spoke: Günter Verheugen (Vice-President of the Commission).

Gisela Kallenbach introduced the report.

The following spoke: Alexander Alvaro (draftsman of the opinion of the LIBE Committee), Guido Podestà, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Lasse Lehtinen, on behalf of the PSE Group, Samuli Pohjamo, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Jens Holm, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Hélène Goudin, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Andreas Mölzer, Non-attached Member, Andreas Schwab, Arlene McCarthy, who illustrated her speech by showing the House a reproduction firearm, Siiri Oviir, Paul Rübig, who pointed out that firearms were prohibited in Parliament, Jim Allister, Michl Ebner, Véronique Mathieu, Paul Rübig, who asked whether Arlene McCarthy had obtained permission to bring a weapon into Parliament, and Arlene McCarthy, who replied to Paul Rübig's question and, in reference to the remarks made by Hélène Goudin, defended the work carried out within the trialogue.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.15.

22.   A renewed EU tourism policy: towards a stronger partnership for European tourism (debate)

Report on a renewed EU tourism policy: towards a stronger partnership for European tourism [2006/2129(INI)] — Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0399/2007)

Paolo Costa introduced the report.

The following spoke: Günter Verheugen (Vice-President of the Commission).

IN THE CHAIR: Diana WALLIS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Stavros Arnaoutakis (draftsman of the opinion of the REGI Committee), Marie-Hélène Descamps (draftsman of the opinion of the CULT Committee), Luís Queiró, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, on behalf of the PSE Group, Nathalie Griesbeck, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Sepp Kusstatscher, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Etelka Barsi-Pataky, Robert Evans, Alfonso Andria, Pedro Guerreiro and Bogusław Liberadzki.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.31.

23.   Macro-financial assistance for Lebanon * (debate)

Report on a proposal for a Council decision providing Community macro-financial assistance to Lebanon [COM(2007)0476 — C6-0290/2007 — 2007/0172(CNS)] — Committee on International Trade.

Rapporteur: Kader Arif (A6-0452/2007)

The following spoke: Günter Verheugen (Vice-President of the Commission).

Kader Arif introduced the report.

The following spoke: José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra (draftsman of the opinion of the AFET Committee), Esko Seppänen (draftsman of the opinion of the BUDG Committee), Tokia Saïfi, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, David Martin, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Bogusław Sonik.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.6.

24.   Trade and Climate Change (debate)

Report on trade and climate change [2007/2003(INI)] — Committee on International Trade.

Rapporteur: Alain Lipietz (A6-0409/2007)

Alain Lipietz introduced the report.

The following spoke: Stavros Dimas (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Jens Holm (draftsman of the opinion of the ENVI Committee), András Gyürk (draftsman of the opinion of the ITRE Committee), Georgios Papastamkos, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, David Martin, on behalf of the PSE Group, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, on behalf of the UEN Group, Graham Booth, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Daniel Caspary, Elisa Ferreira and Stavros Arnaoutakis.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 29.11.2007, Item 7.32.

25.   Referendum in Venezuela (debate)

Commission statement: Referendum in Venezuela

Stavros Dimas (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Francisco José Millán Mon, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Luis Yáñez-Barnuevo García, on behalf of the PSE Group, Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Alain Lipietz, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, and in his capacity as chairman of the Delegation for relations with the Andean Community, Willy Meyer Pleite, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, José Ribeiro e Castro and Alojz Peterle.

The debate closed.

26.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next day's sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 397.687/OJJE).

27.   Closure of the sitting

The sitting closed at 00.05.

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