MINUTES

(2008/C 263 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 17.00.

2.   Statement by the President

The President made a brief statement welcoming the outcome of the Lisbon European Council (18 and 19 October 2007), which had seen the adoption of the EU Reform Treaty, and he emphasised the importance of the Reform Treaty for the European Parliament. He would proclaim the Charter of Fundamental Rights at a formal sitting on 12 December 2007, the day before the Treaty would be signed. He thanked Mr Brok, Mr Barón Crespo and Mr Duff, Parliament's representatives at the IGC, for their work.

The following spoke: Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Hannes Swoboda.

3.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

4.   Membership of Parliament

Paul Vergès had given notice in writing of his resignation as Member of Parliament, with effect from 05.10.2007.

Under Rule 4(1) and (7), Parliament established the vacancy and informed the Member State concerned thereof.

The Portuguese authorities had given notice of the appointment of Armando França to replace Fausto Correia as Member of Parliament with effect from 15.10.2007.

Under Rule 3(2), until such time as his credentials had been verified or a ruling had been given on any dispute, and provided that he had previously made a written declaration stating that he did not hold any office incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament, Armando França would take his seat in Parliament and on its bodies and would enjoy all the rights attaching thereto.

5.   Membership of committees and delegations

At the request of the IND/DEM Group, Parliament ratified the appointment of Georgios Georgiou as a member of the following committee and delegations:

6.   Signature of acts adopted under codecision

The President announced that, on Tuesday, he and the President of the Council would sign the following acts adopted under the codecision procedure pursuant to Rule 68:

7.   Oral questions and written declarations (tabling)

The following documents had been received from Members:

8.   Lapsed written declarations

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declarations 57, 58 and 59 lapsed as they had not obtained the required number of signatures.

9.   Transfers of appropriations

The Committee on Budgets had considered the Commission's proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC 27/2007 (C6-0233/2007 — SEC(2007)0685).

Having noted the Council's opinion, it had authorised the transfer in full under Article 24(3) of the Financial Regulation of 25.06.2002, as amended on 13.12.2006.

10.   Petitions

The following petitions, which had been entered in the register on the dates shown below, had been forwarded to the committee responsible pursuant to Rule 191(5):

02.10.2007

Claude Arenales (Confédération pour la Sauvegarde de l'Environnement et de la Qualité de Vie) (No 914/2007);

Alke Kathrin Schmidt (Interessengemeinschaft ‘Fischereihafen’) (11 signatures) (No 915/2007);

Maria-Magdalena Widmer (No 916/2007);

Artur Kalmarczyk (Bürgerinitiative gegen den Ausbau Flugplatz Finow) (No 917/2007);

Romy Roscher (8 signatures) (No 918/2007);

Klaus Filthaut (No 919/2007);

Günther Gröger (No 920/2007);

Rebecca Saruhan (No 921/2007);

Andreas Deppenbrock (No 922/2007);

Lennart Lueders (No 923/2007);

Heinrich F. Lesemann (No 924/2007);

Joachim Weber (No 925/2007);

Tasoula Matraga (No 926/2007);

Christoforos Kostarellos (No 927/2007);

Aggelidis Kapsiohas (No 928/2007);

Alexios Panagiopoulos (No 929/2007);

Panagiotis Karras (No 930/2007);

Panagiotis Karras (No 931/2007);

Philipp Andrews (No 932/2007);

Genda Ruth (No 933/2007);

Claudio Chiaruttini (Lay Fraternities Charles de Foucauld) (24 signatures) (No 934/2007);

Angel Grela López (No 935/2007);

Antonio Muñoz Secilla (Ecologistas en acción) (No 936/2007);

Kebira Wild (No 937/2007);

Corinne Godard (No 938/2007);

Konstantinos Aivaliotis (No 939/2007);

Stéphane Wurtz (No 940/2007);

Stéphane Wurtz (No 941/2007);

Alicja Matak (No 942/2007);

Abílio Manuel de Sousa Vieira Garcia (No 943/2007);

Neculai Agafiţei (No 944/2007);

11.10.2007

Herbert Duenkel (No 945/2007);

Herbert Steins (No 946/2007);

Jörg Wende (No 947/2007);

Giorgio Bortini (No 948/2007);

Dirk Emmermann (No 949/2007);

Jürgen Peters (PetArt Foundation) (No 950/2007);

(name confidential) (No 951/2007);

Christa Pardeller (No 952/2007);

Herbert Funke (No 953/2007);

Constantinos Aivaliotis (2 signatures) (No 954/2007);

Athanasios Bergeles (No 955/2007);

Deirdre Levy (11 signatures) (No 956/2007);

Georgios Deskoulidis (No 957/2007);

Graham Unsworth (No 958/2007);

Helmut Koszuszeck (AGICOA) (No 959/2007);

Gerardine O'Brien (No 960/2007);

Elad Shetreet (No 961/2007);

(name confidential) (No 962/2007);

Mercedes Cuadra Acosta (Plafarma) (2 signatures) (No 963/2007);

Juan Antonio Navarro González (No 964/2007);

(name confidential) (No 965/2007);

Simone Spahiu (No 966/2007);

Gennaro D'Ascoli (No 967/2007);

Francesco Di Pasquale (No 968/2007);

Saimon Conti (No 969/2007);

Fikri Coskun (No 970/2007);

Urszula Sterna-Juda (No 971/2007);

(name confidential) (No 972/2007);

(name confidential) (No 973/2007);

Nicolae Bâldea (54 signatures) (No 974/2007);

Petre Radu (Surasul Soarelui) (No 975/2007);

Ioan Dumitrescu (No 976/2007);

Dragos Mosor (Societatea Comercială Crama Vânătorilor Srl) (No 977/2007);

Carmen Tudoran (4 signatures) (No 978/2007);

Milan Sitar (2 signatures) (No 979/2007);

16.10.2007

Torkild Todsen (Borgergruppe) (No 980/2007);

David Poole (No 981/2007);

Demitrios Paicopolos (No 982/2007);

(name confidential) (No 983/2007);

George Matagos (No 984/2007);

Giuseppe Ruga (2 signatures) (No 985/2007);

Jürgen Fritz Wisotski (No 986/2007);

Pedro Marquez (No 987/2007);

Juan Carlos de la Torre Rovira (No 988/2007);

Albert Sastre Mauri (No 989/2007);

Carlos Carrasco-Muñoz de Vera (1 569 signatures) (No 990/2007);

Vincenzo Gala (Associazione Placido Rizzotto Onlus) (No 991/2007);

Domenico Larosa (Movimento difesa ambientale di Condofuri (MDA)) (No 992/2007);

Janusz Kozuszko (No 993/2007);

Rafal Gawronski (No 994/2007);

Artur Misztal (Poland Street Association of Poles in Great Britain and Northern Ireland) (No 995/2007);

18.10.2007

Frank Nixon (No 996/2007);

Ivailo Ivanov (BSPB/Birdlife Bulgaria Varna Office) (7 signatures) (No 997/2007);

Vladimír Dostál (No 998/2007);

Jürgen Lümmerich (No 999/2007);

Jürgen Gerlach (2 signatures) (No 1000/2007);

Jakob Awik (No 1001/2007);

Rudolf Dancek (No 1002/2007);

Felix Kabelka (No 1003/2007);

Rolf Jürgens (No 1004/2007);

Hans Weichmann (No 1005/2007);

Zoran Corak (Corak + Fink Rechtsanwälte) (No 1006/2007);

Karl-Ernst Reichel (No 1007/2007);

Eckehard W. Rechlin (Hamburger ErfolgsSchmieden) (No 1008/2007);

Eduardo Caro López (9 signatures) (No 1009/2007);

Jaime Giménez Arbe (No 1010/2007);

Yosheba Miren Sainz de la Higuera y Gartzia (No 1011/2007);

Miguel Fernández Gersol (Sección Sindical Estatal-Santander) (No 1012/2007);

Pierre Battaglia (Le Comité de Soutien de Denise Pepitone en France) (1 893 signatures) (No 1013/2007);

Josiane Grunenberger (No 1014/2007);

Salvatore Fresta (No 1015/2007);

Teresa Matulka (Stowarzyszenia Chorych na Mukopolisacharydoze i Choroby Pokrewne) (3 signatures) (No 1016/2007);

Piotr Rylski (No 1017/2007);

Eugeniusz Dabrowski (No 1018/2007);

José Maria de Jesus Martins (No 1019/2007);

Valentin Hanganu (SC Luc Guard Sl Srl) (2 signatures) (No 1020/2007);

Constantin Zuica (No 1021/2007);

Florin Vladoiu (No 1022/2007);

Blaz Zgaga (No 1023/2007);

Roger McLennan (No 1024/2007).

11.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

12.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the October II 2007 sittings (PE 396.144/PDOJ) had been distributed and a number of changes had been proposed (Rule 132):

Sittings of 22.10.2007 to 25.10.2007

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

The following spoke: Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, who moved the request, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Richard Corbett, on behalf of the PSE Group.

Parliament agreed to the request.

The tabling deadlines were established as follows:

The following spoke: Herbert Bösch.

Parliament agreed to the request.

The tabling deadlines were established as follows:

Thursday

Debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 115):

The following spoke: Charles Tannock, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who moved the request, Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

Parliament agreed to the request.

*

* *

The order of business was thus established.

13.   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:

Rumiana Jeleva, Luis Yáñez-Barnuevo García, Eugenijus Gentvilas, Bogusław Rogalski, Carl Schlyter, Willy Meyer Pleite, Gerard Batten, Manolis Mavrommatis, Catherine Trautmann, Toomas Savi, Ewa Tomaszewska, Petya Stavreva, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Horia-Victor Toma, Richard James Ashworth, Pierre Pribetich, László Surján, Zita Pleštinská, Marianne Mikko, Marios Matsakis, Georgios Papastamkos, Karin Scheele, Ryszard Czarnecki, Milan Gaľa, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, György Schöpflin, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Anna Záborská, Marian Harkin, Ioannis Gklavakis, Geoffrey Van Orden, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański and Ilda Figueiredo.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Bernard Wojciechowski, Urszula Krupa and Mairead McGuinness.

14.   Framework directive on the sustainable use of pesticides ***I — Thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides — The placing of plant protection products on the market ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides [COM(2006)0373 — C6-0246/2006 — 2006/0132(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Christa Klaß (A6-0347/2007)

Report on a thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides [2007/2006(INI)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Irena Belohorská (A6-0291/2007)

Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market [COM(2006)0388 — C6-0245/2006 — 2006/0136(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Hiltrud Breyer (A6-0359/2007)

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

Christa Klaß introduced the report.

The following spoke: Marie Anne Isler Béguin, who felt that Christa Klaß had introduced the report in a way that reflected her own personal view rather than the committee's position. Christa Klaß replied that the committee's position was not unanimous.

Irena Belohorská introduced the report.

Hiltrud Breyer introduced the report.

The following spoke: Neil Parish (draftsman of the opinion of the AGRI Committee), Dorette Corbey (draftsman of the opinion of the ITRE Committee), Manuel Medina Ortega (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), Anja Weisgerber (draftsman of the opinion of the IMCO Committee), Kyösti Virrankoski (draftsman of the opinion of the AGRI Committee), Ambroise Guellec, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dan Jørgensen, on behalf of the PSE Group, Anne Laperrouze, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Wiesław Stefan Kuc, on behalf of the UEN Group, and Marie Anne Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Martine ROURE

Vice-President

The following spoke: Jiří Maštálka, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Johannes Blokland, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Andreas Mölzer, on behalf of the ITS Group, Jim Allister, Non-attached Member, Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, Anne Ferreira, Holger Krahmer, Gintaras Didžiokas, Jens-Peter Bonde, Pilar Ayuso, Frédérique Ries, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Urszula Krupa, Peter Baco, Marianne Thyssen, Bogdan Golik, Jan Mulder, Michael Henry Nattrass, Richard Seeber, Evangelia Tzampazi, Marian Harkin, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Dan Jørgensen, Anders Wijkman, Esther De Lange, Françoise Grossetête, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Stavros Dimas and Markos Kyprianou.

IN THE CHAIR: Mechtild ROTHE

Vice-President

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 23.10.2007, Item 9.9, Minutes of 23.10.2007, Item 9.10 and Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.22.

15.   Verbatim Reports (amendment of Rule 173) (debate)

Report on amendment of Rule 173 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure on verbatim reports [2007/2137(REG)] — Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Rapporteur: Richard Corbett (A6-0354/2007)

Richard Corbett introduced the report.

The following spoke: Ingo Friedrich, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Costas Botopoulos, on behalf of the PSE Group, Andrew Duff, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Johannes Voggenhuber, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Bernard Wojciechowski, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, and Richard Corbett, who provided a clarification in response to Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański's remarks.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.15.

16.   Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles (debate)

Report on the Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles [2007/2119(INI)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Chris Davies (A6-0343/2007)

Chris Davies introduced the report.

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

The following spoke: Rebecca Harms (draftsman of the opinion of the ITRE Committee), Wolfgang Bulfon (draftsman of the opinion of the IMCO Committee), Martin Callanan, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Marie-Noëlle Lienemann, on behalf of the PSE Group, Holger Krahmer, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Claude Turmes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Kartika Tamara Liotard, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Malcolm Harbour and Matthias Groote.

IN THE CHAIR: Marek SIWIEC

Vice-President

The following spoke: Péter Olajos, Linda McAvan, Andres Tarand, Małgorzata Handzlik, Dorette Corbey, Ivo Belet and Stavros Dimas.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.24.

17.   Conventional energy sources and energy technology (debate)

Report on conventional energy sources and energy technology [2007/2091(INI)] — Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

Rapporteur: Herbert Reul (A6-0348/2007)

Herbert Reul introduced the report.

The following spoke: Andris Piebalgs (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Margrete Auken (draftsman of the opinion of the DEVE Committee), Bogusław Sonik (draftsman of the opinion of the ENVI Committee), András Gyürk, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Adam Gierek, on behalf of the PSE Group, Šarūnas Birutis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, on behalf of the UEN Group, Rebecca Harms, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Lydia Schenardi, on behalf of the ITS Group, Roger Helmer, Non-attached Member, Jan Březina, Reino Paasilinna, Anne Laperrouze, Wiesław Stefan Kuc, Alyn Smith, Miloslav Ransdorf, Ján Hudacký, Hannes Swoboda, Mariela Velichkova Baeva, Vladimír Remek, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Atanas Paparizov, Markus Pieper, Andres Tarand, Vladimir Urutchev, Joan Calabuig Rull, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Edit Herczog and Andris Piebalgs.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.23.

18.   European Statistical Governance Advisory Board ***I — European Statistical Advisory Council ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board [COM(2006)0599 — C6-0348/2006 — 2006/0199(COD)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: Sharon Bowles (A6-0327/2007)

Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a European Advisory Committee on Community Statistical Information Policy [COM(2006)0653 — C6-0379/2006 — 2006/0217(COD)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: Ieke van den Burg (A6-0328/2007)

The following spoke: Joaquín Almunia (Member of the Commission).

Sharon Bowles introduced the report.

Ieke van den Burg introduced the report.

The following spoke: Jean-Paul Gauzès, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Wolf Klinz, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Hans-Peter Martin, Non-attached Member, and Joaquín Almunia.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.16 and Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.17.

19.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next day's sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 396.144/OJMA).

20.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 23.00.

MINUTES

(2008/C 263 E/02)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ

Vice-President

1.   Opening of sitting

The sitting opened at 09.05.

The following spoke: Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, who, referring to Parliament's decision to authorise the tabling, during the current part-session, of motions for resolutions to wind up the debate on the EU-Russia Summit (Minutes of 22.10.2007, Item 7), asked for the vote to be taken during the next part-session, and Joseph Daul, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who supported this request (the President replied that the other political groups would be consulted).

2.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

3.   Written declarations (tabling)

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

4.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

The Council had forwarded certified true copies of the following:

5.   Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (announcement of motions for resolutions tabled)

Pursuant to Rule 115, the following Members or political groups had requested that such a debate be held on the following motions for resolutions:

Speaking time would be allocated in accordance with Rule 142.

6.   Taxation and customs policies and the Lisbon Strategy (debate)

Report on the contribution of taxation and customs policies to the Lisbon Strategy [2007/2097(INI)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: Sahra Wagenknecht (A6-0391/2007)

Sahra Wagenknecht introduced the report.

The following spoke: László Kovács (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Piia-Noora Kauppi, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Katerina Batzeli, on behalf of the PSE Group, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Heide Rühle, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Derek Roland Clark, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Petre Popeangă, on behalf of the ITS Group, Eoin Ryan, on behalf of the UEN Group, Gay Mitchell, Pervenche Berès, Olle Schmidt, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, Zsolt László Becsey, Dariusz Rosati, Konrad Szymański and László Kovács.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.25.

(The sitting was suspended at 09.55 and resumed at 10.10.)

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

7.   Results of the informal summit of heads of state and government (Lisbon, 18-19 October 2007) (debate)

Council and Commission statements: Results of the informal summit of heads of state and government (Lisbon, 18-19 October 2007)

The President made a brief statement paying tribute to the commitment of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council and of the President of the Commission to the adoption of the EU Reform Treaty.

José Sócrates (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, 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, Nigel Farage, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Jean-Marie Le Pen, on behalf of the ITS Group, Irena Belohorská, Nonattached Member, and Elmar Brok, Enrique Barón Crespo and Andrew Duff, in their capacity as Parliament's representatives at the IGC, Luís Queiró, Edite Estrela, Karin Riis-Jørgensen, Konrad Szymański, Johannes Voggenhuber, Ilda Figueiredo, Vladimír Železný, Luca Romagnoli, Jana Bobošíková, Timothy Kirkhope, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Marielle De Sarnez, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Ian Hudghton, Koenraad Dillen, Hans-Peter Martin, Marianne Thyssen and Jo Leinen.

IN THE CHAIR: Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ

Vice-President

The following spoke: Lapo Pistelli, Mario Borghezio, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo and Jan Marinus Wiersma.

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

The following spoke: Bronisław Geremek, Alain Lamassoure, Bernard Poignant, Hartmut Nassauer, Richard Corbett, Bogdan Klich, Adrian Severin, Jan Zahradil, Andrzej Jan Szejna, Tunne Kelam, Jerzy Buzek, José Sócrates and José Manuel Barroso.

The debate closed.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS

Vice-President

8.   Agenda

The President proposed, in agreement with the political groups and pursuant to the Rules of Procedure, two amendments to the agenda of the current part-session.

Proposal to put back to the next part-session the vote on the motions for resolutions tabled to wind up the debate on the EU-Russia Summit (Minutes of 22.10.2007, Item 12 and Minutes of 23.10.2007, Item 1).

The following spoke on this proposal: Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, and Martin Schulz, who requested that Russia be informed by the Commission and the Council of Parliament's position at the Summit.

The President, noting that Parliament wished to vote on this proposal, put the matter to the vote.

Parliament approved the proposal by EV (321 for, 309 against, 27 abstentions).

The tabling deadline was set as follows:

Proposal to vote on the report by Margie Sudre (A6-0405/2007) on the EC-Madagascar Fisheries Partnership Agreement (Item 57 on the agenda) and the report by Emanuel Jardim Fernandes (A6-0404/2007) on the EC-Mozambique Fisheries Partnership Agreement (Item 58 on the agenda) without debate during voting time at noon on Thursday, reports that had initially been planned with debate.

The following spoke: Christopher Beazley, who referred to the procedure relating to the first proposal and called for the Council and the Commission to provide Mr Putin with the Verbatim Report of the debate on the EU-Russia Summit, and Margie Sudre, who requested confirmation that both abovementioned reports would be voted on without debate (the President confirmed this).

Parliament approved the proposal.

9.   Voting time

Details of voting (amendments, separate and split votes, etc.) appear in the ‘Results of votes’ annex to the Minutes.

9.1.   EC-Chile Association Agreement (accession of Bulgaria and Romania) *** (Rule 131) (vote)

Recommendation on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Second Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union [12550/2007 — C6-0325/2007 — 2007/0083(AVC)] — Committee on International Trade.

Rapporteur: Helmuth Markov (A6-0361/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 1)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0436)

Parliament thereby gave its assent.

9.2.   EC-Swiss Confederation Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report on the proposal for a decision of the Council and of the Commission on the signature and provisional application on behalf of the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Communities of the one part and the Swiss Confederation of the other part [COM(2007)0305 — C6-0227/2007 — 2007/0106(CNS)] — Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0377/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 2)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0437)

9.3.   Community plant variety rights * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 as regards the entitlement to file an application for a Community plant variety right [COM(2007)0445 — C6-0274/2007 — 2007/0161(CNS)] — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rapporteur: Neil Parish (A6-0373/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 3)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0438)

9.4.   Nuclear energy (ratification by Slovenia of the Protocol amending the Paris Convention) *** (Rule 131) (vote)

Recommendation on the proposal for a Council decision authorising the Republic of Slovenia to ratify, in the interest of the European Community, the Protocol of 12 February 2004 amending the Paris Convention of 29 July 1960 on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy [09453/2007 — C6-0180/2007 — 2006/0260(AVC)] — Committee on Legal Affairs.

Rapporteur: Giuseppe Gargani (A6-0369/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 4)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0439)

Parliament thereby gave its assent.

9.5.   UN/ECE Espoo Convention * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the approval, on behalf of the European Community, of the first and the second amendments to the UN/ECE Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context [COM(2007)0470 — C6-0291/2007 — 2007/0169(CNS)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Miroslav Ouzký (A6-0395/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 5)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0440)

9.6.   Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report on the recommendation for a Council decision concerning the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Convention of 26 July 1995, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, the Protocol of 27 September 1996, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, to the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, the Protocol of 29 November 1996, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, the Protocol on the interpretation, by way of preliminary rulings, by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests and the Second Protocol of 19 June 1997, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, to the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests [COM(2007)0277 — C6-0238/2007 — 2007/0100(CNS)] — Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Rapporteur: Jean-Marie Cavada (A6-0360/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 6)

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, AMENDMENT and DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0441)

9.7.   Communication infrastructure for the Schengen Information System environment (decision) * (Rule 131) (vote)

Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the installation, operation and management of a Communication Infrastructure for the Schengen Information System (SIS) environment [COM(2007)0306 — C6-0215/2007 — 2007/0104(CNS)] — Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Rapporteur: Carlos Coelho (A6-0357/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 7)

COMMISSION PROPOSAL, AMENDMENTS and DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Carlos Coelho (rapporteur) made a statement pursuant to Rule 131(4).

Adopted by single vote (P6_TA(2007)0442)

9.8.   Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (vote)

Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in application of point 28 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management [COM(2007)0415 — C6-0323/2007 — 2007/2168(ACI)] —Committee on Budgets.

Rapporteur: Reimer Böge (A6-0378/2007)

(Qualified majority: three fifths of votes cast)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 8)

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Adopted (P6_TA(2007)0443)

9.9.   Framework directive on the sustainable use of pesticides ***I (vote)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides [COM(2006)0373 — C6-0246/2006 — 2006/0132(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Christa Klaß (A6-0347/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 9)

The following spoke: Christopher Heaton-Harris, who condemned the attempt by a pressure group to influence Members' voting.

COMMISSION PROPOSAL

Approved as amended (P6_TA(2007)0444)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted (P6_TA(2007)0444)

9.10.   The placing of plant protection products on the market ***I (vote)

Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market [COM(2006)0388 — C6-0245/2006 — 2006/0136(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Hiltrud Breyer (A6-0359/2007)

(Simple majority)

(Voting record: ‘Results of votes’, Item 10)

COMMISSION PROPOSAL

Approved as amended (P6_TA(2007)0445)

DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Adopted (P6_TA(2007)0445)

The following spoke:

*

* *

The following spoke: Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, who requested that the remainder of the votes be held over until the next day, in view of the time.

The following spoke on this request: Joseph Daul, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, who stated that a review of working procedures was needed, and Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Roberto Musacchio, who both commented on Mr Daul's remarks.

The vote was suspended and the remaining items would be taken during the next day's voting time.

10.   Explanations of vote

Written explanations of vote:

Explanations of vote submitted in writing under Rule 163(3) appear in the Verbatim Report of Proceedings for the sitting.

Oral explanations of vote:

11.   Corrections to votes and voting intentions

Corrections to votes and voting intentions appear on the ‘Séance en direct’ website under ‘Votes’/‘Results of votes’/‘Roll-call votes’. They are published in hard copy in the ‘Result of roll-call votes’ annex.

The electronic version on Europarl will be regularly updated for a maximum of two weeks after the day of the vote concerned.

After the two-week deadline has passed, the list of corrections to votes and voting intentions will be finalised so that it can be translated and published in the Official Journal.

*

* *

Mairead McGuinness had informed the Chair that her voting machine had not worked during the vote on the report by Angelika Niebler — A6-0377/2007.

Jacek Protasiewicz had informed the Chair that his voting machine had not worked during the vote on the report by Christa Klaß — A6-0347/2007, Amendment 146.

(The sitting was suspended at 14.25 and resumed at 15.05.)

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

12.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

13.   2008 budget: Section III — Commission — 2008 budget (Sections I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX) (debate)

Report on on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008, Section III — Commission (C6-0287/2007 — 2007/2019(BUD)) and Letter of amendment No 1/2008 (13659/2007 — C6-0341/2007) to the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008 — Committee on Budgets.

Rapporteur: Kyösti Virrankoski (A6-0397/2007)

Report on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008, 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 [C6-0288/2007 — 2007/2019B(BUD)] — Committee on Budgets.

Rapporteur: Ville Itälä (A6-0394/2007)

The President made the following statement:

Before I give the floor to Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaitė, I should like to express my amazement that other Commissioners whom we invited to attend are not here. There are various reasons for this. Our invitations were, apparently, sent too late. That may be the case; I will look into the matter.

However, I would remind the Commission that, under an interinstitutional agreement, the Commission is required to be present at the plenary sessions of the European Parliament. I will look into the matter, and I expect both the Commission and, of course, we in Parliament to honour our commitments under the interinstitutional agreement.

I call on the Commissioner present, Dalia Grybauskaitė, to pass on this message to the Commission. I had, incidentally, also expressed this view in the Conference of Presidents. However, I do not want to make any one-sided accusations here, but I will look into the matter.

Ville Itälä and Kyösti Virrankoski introduced the reports.

The following spoke: Richard James Ashworth, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Catherine Guy-Quint, on behalf of the PSE Group, Anne E. Jensen, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Wiesław Stefan Kuc, on behalf of the UEN Group, Helga Trüpel, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nils Lundgren, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, and Hans-Peter Martin, Non-attached Member.

The following spoke: Dalia Grybauskaitė (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Michael Gahler (draftsman of the opinion of the AFET Committee) and Ralf Walter (draftsman of the opinion of the DEVE Committee).

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Peter Šťastný (draftsman of the opinion of the INTA Committee), Salvador Garriga Polledo (draftsman of the opinion of the CONT Committee), Cristóbal Montoro Romero (draftsman of the opinion of the ECON Committee), Gabriele Stauner (draftsman of the opinion of the EMPL Committee), Jutta Haug (draftsman of the opinion of the ENVI Committee), Angelika Niebler (draftsman of the opinion of the ITRE Committee), Luisa Fernanda Rudi Ubeda (draftsman of the opinion of the IMCO Committee), Wojciech Roszkowski (draftsman of the opinion of the REGI Committee), Jan Mulder (draftsman of the opinion of the AGRI Committee), Emanuel Jardim Fernandes (draftsman of the opinion of the PECH Committee), Helga Trüpel (draftsman of the opinion of the CULT Committee), Gérard Deprez (draftsman of the opinion of the LIBE Committee), Rihards Pīks (draftsman of the opinion of the AFCO Committee), Christa Prets (draftsman of the opinion of the FEMM Committee), Luciana Sbarbati (draftsman of the opinion of the PETI Committee), László Surján, Jutta Haug, Gérard Deprez, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, Gérard Onesta, Pedro Guerreiro, Jean-Claude Martinez, Sergej Kozlík, Ingeborg Gräßle, Vladimír Maňka, Nathalie Griesbeck, Seán Ó Neachtain, Margrete Auken, Adamos Adamou and Janusz Lewandowski.

IN THE CHAIR: Adam BIELAN

Vice-President

The following spoke: Louis Grech, István Szent-Iványi, Konrad Szymański, Satu Hassi, James Elles, Joan Calabuig Rull, Samuli Pohjamo, Simon Busuttil, Göran Färm, Hannu Takkula, Monica Maria Iacob-Ridzi, Marusya Ivanova Lyubcheva, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, Rolf Berend, Thijs Berman, Christofer Fjellner, Katerina Batzeli and Reimer Böge (Chairman of the BUDG Committee).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 25.10.2007, Item 7.2 and Minutes of 25.10.2007, Item 7.3.

(The sitting was suspended at 17.45 pending Question Time and resumed at 17.50.)

IN THE CHAIR: Diana WALLIS

Vice-President

14.   Membership of Parliament

Joop Post had given notice in writing of his resignation as Member of Parliament, with effect from 17.10.2007.

Under Rule 4(1), Parliament established the vacancy with effect from that date and informed the national authority concerned thereof.

In the interim, the competent Dutch authorities had given notice of the election to the European Parliament of Cornelis Visser, replacing Joop Post. Parliament noted this with effect from 17.10.2007.

Under Rule 3(2), until such time as his credentials had been verified or a ruling had been given on any dispute, and provided that he had previously made a written declaration stating that he did not hold any office incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament, Cornelis Visser would take his seat in Parliament and on its bodies and would enjoy all the rights attaching thereto.

15.   Question Time (Commission)

Parliament considered a number of questions to the Commission (B6-0318/2007).

Part one

Question 41 (Manuel Medina Ortega): Child abduction.

Franco Frattini (Vice-President of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by Manuel Medina Ortega, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Reinhard Rack.

Question 42 (Milan Gaľa): Tropical virus chikungunya in Europe.

Markos Kyprianou (Member of the Commission) answered the question and a supplementary by Milan Gaľa.

Question 43 (Paulo Casaca): Humanitarian disaster in Iraq.

Neelie Kroes (Member of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by Paulo Casaca and Danutė Budreikaitė.

Part two

Question 44 (Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou): Contract staff in posts meeting established and permanent needs in the EU institutions and services.

Siim Kallas (Vice-President of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Paul Rübig.

Question 45 (Johan Van Hecke): Impact of the growing number of EU officials on pension costs.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Johan Van Hecke, Justas Vincas Paleckis and Ingeborg Gräßle.

Question 46 (Esko Seppänen): Commission and trade unions.

Siim Kallas answered the question and supplementaries by Esko Seppänen and Paul Rübig.

Questions 47 to 48 would receive written answers.

Question 49 (Bart Staes): Total proceeds from fines imposed on businesses under competition rules.

Neelie Kroes answered the question and supplementaries by Bart Staes, Reinhard Rack and Danutė Budreikaitė.

Question 50 (Lambert van Nistelrooij): Merger between Suez and Gaz de France.

Neelie Kroes answered the question and a supplementary by Lambert van Nistelrooij.

Question 51 lapsed as its author was absent.

Question 52 (Anne Van Lancker): Subsidy to Volvo Cars Ghent/EU rules on state aid.

Neelie Kroes answered the question and a supplementary by Anne Van Lancker.

Question 53 (Georgios Papastamkos): Trade and climate change.

Peter Mandelson (Member of the Commission) answered the question and supplementaries by Georgios Papastamkos and Daniel Caspary.

Question 54 (Daniel Caspary): Discussion on the future of the trade defence instruments.

Question 55 (Laima Liucija Andrikienė): EU trade defence instruments.

Peter Mandelson answered the question and supplementaries by Daniel Caspary, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Georgios Papastamkos and Elisa Ferreira.

Questions 56 to 98 would receive written answers.

Commission Question Time closed.

(The sitting was suspended at 19.35 and resumed at 21.00.)

IN THE CHAIR: Adam BIELAN

Vice-President

16.   The rise in foodstuff prices, consumer protection (debate)

Oral question (O-0065/2007) by Joseph Daul, Lutz Goepel and Neil Parish, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, to the Commission: The rise in foodstuff prices (B6-0321/2007)

Oral question (O-0067/2007) by Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, on behalf of the PSE Group, to the Commission: Consumer protection and rise in prices (B6-0377/2007)

Oral question (O-0069/2007) by Sergio Berlato, Janusz Wojciechowski, Gintaras Didžiokas and Liam Aylward, on behalf of the UEN Group, to the Commission: Significant increases in food prices and consumer protection (B6-0378/2007)

Neil Parish (co-author) moved oral question (B6-0321/2007).

Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos (author) moved oral question (B6-0377/2007).

Sergio Berlato (co-author) moved oral question (B6-0378/2007).

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) answered the questions.

The following spoke: Mairead McGuinness, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Bernadette Bourzai, on behalf of the PSE Group, Niels Busk, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Janusz Wojciechowski, 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, Jim Allister, Non-attached Member, Struan Stevenson, María Isabel Salinas García, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, Diamanto Manolakou, Agnes Schierhuber, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Esther Herranz García, Rosa Miguélez Ramos, James Nicholson, Catherine Neris and Mariann Fischer Boel.

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

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 25.10.2007, Item 7.9.

17.   Tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level (debate)

Report on the Green Paper: Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke, policy options at EU level [2007/2105(INI)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Karl-Heinz Florenz (A6-0336/2007)

Karl-Heinz Florenz introduced the report.

The following spoke: Markos Kyprianou (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Marianne Thyssen, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Glenis Willmott, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jules Maaten, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Hiltrud Breyer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Jens Holm, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Koenraad Dillen, on behalf of the ITS Group, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Gyula Hegyi and Marios Matsakis.

IN THE CHAIR: Mario MAURO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Carl Schlyter, Bogusław Sonik, Karin Scheele, Holger Krahmer, Anja Weisgerber, Catherine Stihler, Christofer Fjellner and Markos Kyprianou.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.26.

18.   Protocol amending TRIPS ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the acceptance, on behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement, done at Geneva on 6 December 2005 [08934/2006 — C6-0359/2006 — 2006/0060(AVC)] — Committee on International Trade.

Rapporteur: Gianluca Susta (A6-0403/2007)

Gianluca Susta introduced the report.

The following spoke: Peter Mandelson (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Michel Rocard (draftsman of the opinion of the JURI Committee), Georgios Papastamkos, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Kader Arif, on behalf of the PSE Group, Johan Van Hecke, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ryszard Czarnecki, on behalf of the UEN Group, Carl Schlyter, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Umberto Guidoni, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Zbigniew Zaleski, Erika Mann and Francisco Assis.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.14.

19.   Qualifications framework for lifelong learning ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of the European qualifications framework for lifelong learning [COM(2006)0479 — C6-0294/2006 — 2006/0163(COD)] — Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Rapporteur: Mario Mantovani (A6-0245/2007)

The following spoke: Peter Mandelson (Member of the Commission).

Mario Mantovani introduced the report.

The following spoke: Pilar del Castillo Vera (draftsman of the opinion of the ITRE Committee), Milan Gaľa (draftsman of the opinion of the CULT Committee), Thomas Mann, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Françoise Castex, on behalf of the PSE Group, Ona Juknevičienė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, on behalf of the UEN Group, Sepp Kusstatscher, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Derek Roland Clark, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Joel Hasse Ferreira, Ewa Tomaszewska and Peter Mandelson.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 24.10.2007, Item 8.18.

20.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next day's sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 396.144/OJME).

21.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 0.05.