18.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 323/1

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MINUTES

(2008/C 323 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 17.05.

2.   Statement by the President

The President made a statement in response to the murder of two Spanish civil guards by ETA in Capbreton (France) on 1 December 2007. He informed Members that he had passed on Parliament's condolences to the victims' families and its sympathy to the Spanish authorities; he reiterated Parliament's condemnation of any use of violence for political ends.

3.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

4.   Membership of Parliament

The Romanian authorities had forwarded the names of the 35 Members elected to the European Parliament at the elections held on 25.11.2007:

ANASTASE Roberta Alma

BODU Sebastian Valentin

BOŞTINARU Victor

BULZESC Nicodim

BUŞOI Cristian Silviu

CORLĂŢEAN Titus

CREŢU Corina

CREŢU Gabriela

CSIBI Magor Imre

DĂIANU Daniel

DAVID Dragoş Florin

DUMITRIU Constantin

FILIP Petru

FRUNZĂVERDE Sorin

IACOB-RIDZI Monica Maria

MĂNESCU Ramona-Nicole

MARINESCU Marian-Jean

NECHIFOR Cătălin-Ioan

NICULESCU Rareş-Lucian

OPREA Dumitru

PAŞCU Ioan Mircea

PETRE Maria

PLUMB Rovana

POPA Mihaela

POPA Nicolae Vlad

SÂRBU Daciana Octavia

SEVERIN Adrian

SÓGOR Csaba

STOLOJAN Theodor Dumitru

ŢICĂU Silvia-Adriana

TŐKÉS László

VĂLEAN Adina-Ioana

WEBER Renate

WINKLER Iuliu

ZLOTEA Marian

The President welcomed those Members.

The Danish authorities had informed Parliament of the appointment, with effect from 29.11.2007, of Johannes Lebech in place of Anders Samuelsen and of Christian Foldberg Rovsing in place of Gitte Seeberg.

The Polish authorities had informed Parliament of the nomination, appointment, with effect from 06.12.2007, of Krzysztof Hołowczyc in place of Barbara Kudrycka and of Urszula Gacek in place of Bogdan Klich.

Under Rule 3(2), until such time as their credentials had been verified or a ruling had been given on any dispute, and provided that they had previously made written declarations stating that they did not hold any office incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament, these new Members would take their seats in Parliament and on its bodies and would enjoy all the rights attaching thereto.

*

* *

Jean-Louis Bourlanges had given notice in writing of his resignation as Member of Parliament, with effect from 01.01.2008.

Under Rule 4(1), Parliament established that a vacancy existed with effect from that date and informed the Member State concerned thereof.

5.   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:

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 954/79 concerning the ratification by Member States of, or their accession to, the United Nations Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences (03660/2007/LEX — C6-0464/2007 — 2006/0308(COD))

—	Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community Statistical Programme 2008 to 2012 (03654/2007/LEX — C6-0462/2007 — 2006/0229(COD))

—	Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 89/665/EEC and 92/13/EEC with regard to improving the effectiveness of review procedures concerning the award of public contracts (03634/2007/LEX — C6-0461/2007 — 2006/0066(COD))

—	Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community programme to improve the operation of taxation systems in the internal market (Fiscalis 2013) and repealing Decision No 2235/2002/EC (03633/2007/LEX — C6-0460/2007 — 2006/0076(COD))

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council banning the placing on the market and the import to, or export from, the Community of cat and dog fur and products containing such fur (03632/2007/LEX — C6-0459/2007 — 2006/0236(COD))

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing common rules for the provision of basic information on Purchasing Power Parities and for their calculation and dissemination (03615/2007/LEX — C6-0458/2007 — 2006/0042(COD))

—

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 (03667/2007/LEX — C6-0457/2007 — 2005/0260(COD))

The President announced that, on Tuesday 18.12.2007, he and the President of the Council would sign the following act adopted under the codecision procedure pursuant to Rule 68:

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding (03688/2007/LEX — C6-0455/2007 — 2007/0130(COD))

6.   Referral back to committee for reconsideration of amendments tabled in plenary (Rule 156)

The President announced that, as over 50 amendments had been tabled to the report by Giuseppe Castiglione on the proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in wine and amending certain regulations (A6-0477/2007) (Item 12 on the final draft agenda) for consideration in plenary, he had asked the AGRI Committee, as the committee responsible, to meet that day in order to consider those amendments under Rule 156. Any amendment not receiving favourable votes at this stage from at least one 10th of the members of the committee would not be put to the vote in plenary.

The debate on the report remained on the next day's agenda.

7.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

1)

from the Council and Commission: — Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/22/EC on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks, Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on consumer protection cooperation (COM(2007)0698 — C6-0420/2007 — 2007/0248(COD)) referred to responsible: IMCO   opinion: CULT, ITRE, JURI, ECON, LIBE — Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services, 2002/19/EC on access to, and interconnection of, electronic communications networks and services, and 2002/20/EC on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (COM(2007)0697 — C6-0427/2007 — 2007/0247(COD)) referred to responsible: ITRE   opinion: CULT, JURI, ECON, LIBE, IMCO — Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Electronic Communications Market Authority (COM(2007)0699 — C6-0428/2007 — 2007/0249(COD)) referred to responsible: ITRE   opinion: CULT, BUDG, JURI, ECON, CONT, LIBE, IMCO — Draft amending budget No 7 for the financial year 2007 — Section III — Commission (15715/2007 — C6-0434/2007 — 2007/2237(BUD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Letter of amendment No 2 to the draft general budget of the European Communities for the financial year 2008 (15716/2007 — C6-0435/2007 — 2007/2019(BUD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Draft general budget of the European Communities for the financial year 2008, as amended and accompanied by proposals for modifications (15717/2007 — C6-0436/2007 — 2007/2019(BUD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (Codified version) (COM(2007)0755 — C6-0437/2007 — 2007/0256(COD)) referred to responsible: JURI — Proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the 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 (15061/2007 — C6-0445/2007 — 2007/0165(AVC)) referred to responsible: AFET   opinion: INTA — Proposal for a Council regulation setting up the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (COM(2007)0571 — C6-0446/2007 — 2007/0211(CNS)) referred to responsible: ITRE   opinion: ENVI, BUDG, CONT — Proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, as regards the support scheme for cotton (COM(2007)0701 — C6-0447/2007 — 2007/0242(CNS)) referred to responsible: AGRI   opinion: BUDG — Proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic identification for ovine and caprine animals (COM(2007)0710 — C6-0448/2007 — 2007/0244(CNS)) referred to responsible: AGRI — Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument (COM(2007)0786 — C6-0450/2007 — 2007/2273(ACI)) referred to responsible: BUDG   opinion: ITRE

2)

from committees: 2.1) reports: — * Report on the proposal for a decision of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States of the European Union, meeting within the Council, on the conclusion of the Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Kingdom of Morocco, on the other hand (COM(2006)0145 — C6-0333/2007 — 2006/0048(CNS)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Johannes Blokland (A6-0416/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision relating to the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Council of Europe on cooperation between the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the Council of Europe (COM(2007)0478 — C6-0311/2007 — 2007/0173(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Adamos Adamou (A6-0443/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision establishing the European Police Office (Europol) (COM(2006)0817 — C6-0055/2007 — 2006/0310(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra (A6-0447/2007) — Report on deposit-guarantee schemes (2007/2199(INI)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Christian Ehler (A6-0448/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 98/71/EC on the legal protection of designs (COM(2004)0582 — C6-0119/2004 — 2004/0203(COD)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Klaus-Heiner Lehne (A6-0453/2007) — Report on the Green Paper: Dimplomatic and consular protection of Union citizens in third countries (2007/2196(INI)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Ioannis Varvitsiotis (A6-0454/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision adapting Annex VIII to the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania (COM(2007)0594 — C6-0405/2007 — 2007/0217(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Neil Parish (A6-0455/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of Protocols amending the Agreements on certain aspects of air services between the European Community and — the Government of Georgia — the Republic of Lebanon — the Republic of Maldives — the Republic of Moldova — the Government of the Republic of Singapore and — the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to take account of the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Romania (COM(2007)0366 — C6-0265/2007 — 2007/0125(CNS)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0456/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco on certain aspects of air services in order to take account of the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania (COM(2007)0497 — C6-0329/2007 — 2007/0183(CNS)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0457/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol amending the Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, to take account of the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania (COM(2007)0495 — C6-0330/2007 — 2007/0181(CNS)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Paolo Costa (A6-0458/2007) — Report on Asset Management II (2007/2200(INI)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Wolf Klinz (A6-0460/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries (COM(2007)0268 — C6-0203/2007 — 2007/0095(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Bogdan Golik (A6-0461/2007) — Report on the trade and economic relations with Korea (2007/2186(INI)) — INTA Committee. Rapporteur: David Martin (A6-0463/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (COM(2007)0368 — C6-0200/2007 — 2007/0128(COD)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Adriana Poli Bortone (A6-0464/2007) — Report on the common organisation of the market in the fisheries and aquaculture products sector (2007/2109(INI)) — PECH Committee. Rapporteur: Pedro Guerreiro (A6-0467/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (COM(2005)0649 — C6-0079/2006 — 2005/0259(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Genowefa Grabowska (A6-0468/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive amending Directive 2006/112/EC with regard to certain temporary provisions concerning rates of value added tax (COM(2007)0381 — C6-0253/2007 — 2007/0136(CNS)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Ieke van den Burg (A6-0469/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (COM(2007)0484 — C6-0283/2007 — 2007/0177(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Jan Mulder (A6-0470/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on population and housing censuses (COM(2007)0069 — C6-0078/2007 — 2007/0032(COD)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Ona Juknevičienė (A6-0471/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive concerning indirect taxes on the raising of capital (Recast version) (COM(2006)0760 — C6-0043/2007 — 2006/0253(CNS)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Werner Langen (A6-0472/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on non-automatic weighing instruments (codified version) (COM(2007)0446 — C6-0241/2007 — 2007/0164(COD)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Hans-Peter Mayer (A6-0473/2007) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coupling device and the reverse of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors (Codified version) (COM(2007)0319 — C6-0175/2007 — 2007/0117(COD)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Hans-Peter Mayer (A6-0474/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation laying down maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs and of feedingstuffs following a nuclear accident or any other case of radiological emergency (Codified version) (COM(2007)0302 — C6-0205/2007 — 2007/0103(CNS)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Hans-Peter Mayer (A6-0475/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves (codified version) (COM(2006)0258 — C6-0200/2006 — 2006/0097(CNS)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Francesco Enrico Speroni (A6-0476/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in wine and amending certain regulations (COM(2007)0372 — C6-0254/2007 — 2007/0138(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Giuseppe Castiglione (A6-0477/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 386/90 on the monitoring carried out at the time of export of agricultural products receiving refunds or other amounts (COM(2007)0489 — C6-0282/2007 — 2007/0178(CNS)) — CONT Committee. Rapporteur: Herbert Bösch (A6-0478/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation setting up the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (COM(2007)0241 — C6-0171/2007 — 2007/0089(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Françoise Grossetête (A6-0479/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive on the marketing of fruit plant propagating material and fruit plants intended for fruit production (Recast version) (COM(2007)0031 — C6-0093/2007 — 2007/0014(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Ioannis Gklavakis (A6-0480/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation setting up the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking (COM(2007)0315 — C6-0226/2007 — 2007/0118(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Lena Ek (A6-0483/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on the establishment of the ‘Artemis Joint Undertaking’ to implement a Joint Technology Initiative in Embedded Computing Systems (COM(2007)0243 — C6-0172/2007 — 2007/0088(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Gianni De Michelis (A6-0484/2007) — Report on the 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)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Reimer Böge (A6-0485/2007) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation setting up the ‘ENIAC Joint Undertaking’ (COM(2007)0356 — C6-0275/2007 — 2007/0122(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Nikolaos Vakalis (A6-0486/2007) — Report on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008 as modified by the Council (all sections) and Letters of amendment Nos 1/2008 (13659/2007 — C6-0341/2007) and 2/2008 (15716/2007 — C6-0435/2007) to the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008 (15717/2007 — C6-0436/2007 — 2007/2019(BUD)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Kyösti Virrankoski (A6-0492/2007) — Report on Draft amending budget No 7/2007 of the European Union for the financial year 2007 (15715/2007 — C6-0434/2007 — 2007/2237(BUD)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: James Elles (A6-0493/2007) 2.2) recommendations for second reading: — ***II Recommendation for a second reading on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Framework for Community action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (09388/2/2007 — C6-0261/2007 — 2005/0211(COD)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (A6-0389/2007) — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a paperless environment for customs and trade (08520/4/2007 — C6-0267/2007 — 2005/0247(COD)) — IMCO Committee. Rapporteur: Christopher Heaton-Harris (A6-0466/2007) — ***II Recommendation for a second reading on the Council common position for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, and repealing Council Directive 91/670/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 and Directive 2004/36/EC (10537/3/2007 — C6-0353/2007 — 2005/0228(COD)) — TRAN Committee. Rapporteur: Jörg Leichtfried (A6-0482/2007)

3)

from Members: 3.1) oral questions for Question Time (Rule 109) (B6-0384/2007): — to the Council: Medina Ortega Manuel, Papastamkos Georgios, Moraes Claude, Ludford Sarah, Panayotopoulos- Cassiotou Marie, Geringer de Oedenberg Lidia Joanna, Schmidt Olle, Markov Helmuth, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Posselt Bernd, Seppänen Esko, McGuinness Mairead, Harkin Marian, Burke Colm, Higgins Jim, Mitchell Gay, Karim Sajjad, Mavrommatis Manolis, Vakalis Nikolaos, Crowley Brian, Ryan Eoin, Aylward Liam, Ó Neachtain Seán, Newton Dunn Bill, Martin David, Van Hecke Johan, Pafilis Athanasios, Czarnecki Ryszard, Toussas Georgios, Manolakou Diamanto, Guerreiro Pedro, Andrikienė Laima Liucija, Paleckis Justas Vincas — to the Commission: van Nistelrooij Lambert, Paleckis Justas Vincas, Riis-Jørgensen Karin, Burke Colm, Higgins Jim, Budreikaitė Danutė, Corda Giovanna, Markov Helmuth, Posselt Bernd, McGuinness Mairead, Mitchell Gay, Seppänen Esko, Öger Vural, Crowley Brian, Hutchinson Alain, Rübig Paul, Czarnecki Ryszard, Podimata Anni, Andrikienė Laima Liucija, Papastamkos Georgios, Moraes Claude, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Gklavakis Ioannis, Ludford Sarah, Panayotopoulos- Cassiotou Marie, Harkin Marian, Goudin Hélène, Toussas Georgios, Ryan Eoin, Aylward Liam, Martin David, Arnaoutakis Stavros, Gill Neena, Ţicău Silvia-Adriana, Raeva Bilyana Ilieva, Medina Ortega Manuel, Evans Robert, Batzeli Katerina, Matsis Yiannakis, Karim Sajjad, Mavrommatis Manolis, Salinas García María Isabel, Vakalis Nikolaos, Bushill-Matthews Philip, Ó Neachtain Seán, Irujo Amezaga Mikel, Kuźmiuk Zbigniew Krzysztof, Trakatellis Antonios, Belet Ivo, Iotova Iliana Malinova, Van Hecke Johan, Pafilis Athanasios, Gaľa Milan, Manolakou Diamanto, Guerreiro Pedro, Leichtfried Jörg, Martin Hans-Peter

8.   Oral questions and written declarations (tabling)

The following documents had been received from Members:

1)

oral questions (Rule 108): — (O-0074/2007) Gianluca Susta, Ignasi Guardans Cambó and Johan Van Hecke, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Robert Sturdy, Tokia Saïfi, Georgios Papastamkos and Vasco Graça Moura, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Erika Mann, Glyn Ford, Kader Arif and Elisa Ferreira, on behalf of the PSE Group, Cristiana Muscardini and Eugenijus Maldeikis, on behalf of the UEN Group, Caroline Lucas and Alain Lipietz, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, to the Commission: Textiles (B6-0383/2007); — (O-0066/2007) Glyn Ford, Giles Chichester, Graham Watson, Arlene McCarthy, Peter Skinner, Nicholson of Winterbourne, Elizabeth Lynne, Sarah Ludford, Toine Manders, David Martin, Glenys Kinnock, Claude Moraes, Erika Mann, Alexandra Dobolyi, Ana Maria Gomes, Robert Evans, Christopher Heaton-Harris, Reino Paasilinna, Marianne Mikko, Stephen Hughes, Stavros Lambrinidis, Malcolm Harbour, Bill Newton Dunn, Catherine Stihler, Sérgio Sousa Pinto, Jan Andersson, Linda McAvan, Luisa Morgantini, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Harlem Désir, Jo Leinen, Zita Gurmai, Caroline Lucas, Brian Simpson, Barbara Weiler, Christel Schaldemose, Neena Gill, Benoît Hamon, Michael Cashman, Udo Bullmann, Corina Creţu and Glenis Willmott, to the Commission: Hotel fire safety (B6-0385/2007); — (O-0072/2007) Paolo Costa, on behalf of the TRAN Committee, to the Commission: Directive 2006/38/EC on charging heavy-goods road vehicles (Eurovignette), Article 11, interim reporting on assessment of inclusion of internal and social costs (B6-0386/2007); — (O-0073/2007) Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the JURI Committee, to the Commission: Common frame of reference for European contract law (B6-0387/2007); — (O-0077/2007) Pedro Guerreiro, Jacky Hénin, Roberto Musacchio, Marco Rizzo, Ilda Figueiredo and Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, to the Commission: Expiry of the Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and China on imports of certain textile and clothing products (B6-0388/2007);

2)

written declarations for entry in the Register (Rule 116): — Daniel Strož, on the need to resolve fundamental problems in the EU by means of the forms of direct democracy, in particular the referendum (108/2007); — Jules Maaten, on the jail sentence handed down to the Chinese cyber-dissident Yang Maodong (109/2007); — Benoît Hamon, Ana Maria Gomes, Véronique De Keyser and Harlem Désir, on the EU taking over the protection of Ayaan Hirsi Ali (110/2007); — Mary Lou McDonald, Jacek Protasiewicz, Claude Moraes, Gérard Onesta and Jean Marie Beaupuy, on ending street homelessness (111/2007); — Oldřich Vlasák, Miroslav Ouzký, Herbert Reul and Edit Herczog, on the low-carbon energy future (112/2007); — Jo Leinen, Vural Öger and Marek Siwiec, on the proposition of a creation of a Committee of wise men (113/2007); — Urszula Krupa, on ensuring personal data protection in the EU (114/2007); — Urszula Krupa, on discrimination against the Torun College for Social and Media Studies (115/2007); — Urszula Krupa, on respect for human dignity and journalistic ethics in the European Union (116/2007).

9.   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):

03.12.2007

Tsveta Hristova (Coalition ‘for Nature in Bulgaria’ — Ecologist (Коалиция ‘За да остане природа в България’)) (1082/2007)

Kurt Möbus (1083/2007)

Bernhard Schick (1084/2007)

Axel Bandow (1085/2007)

Elisabeth Liakopoulou (1086/2007)

Oisin Jones-Dillon (1087/2007)

(name confidential) (1088/2007)

Gábor Egri (Association for the Roman Bank) (3 600 signatures) (1089/2007)

Dimitrinka Staikova (1090/2007)

Seamus Feeney (1091/2007)

Joan O'Sullivan (6 signatures) (1092/2007)

(name confidential) (1093/2007)

(name confidential) (1094/2007)

Hans Müller (Sandkorn) (1095/2007)

Anne Iurascu (1096/2007)

Wanda Novicka (Astra Network — Federation for Women and Family Planning) (8 signatures) (1097/2007)

Juan Antonio Carrasco Ragel (Asociación Gaditana para la Defensa y el Estudio de la Naturaleza) (8 signatures) (1098/2007)

Yosheba Sainz de la Higuera y Gartzia (1099/2007)

Catalina Rodríguez Lahoz (1100/2007)

Ángeles Negre Cuevas (1101/2007)

(name confidential) (8 signatures) (1102/2007)

Laurent Hermoye (Association pour la Défense des Droits des Médecins en formation (ADDMF)) (1103/2007)

Alain Larralde (Association pour la sérénité à la Campagne) (17 signatures) (1104/2007)

(name confidential) (8 signatures) (1105/2007)

David Ojeda Caicedo (1106/2007)

Germano Bertolino (1107/2007)

Andrea Bucci (1108/2007)

Michel Brams (1109/2007)

Theo Lathouwers (1110/2007)

Maria Przybylska (1111/2007)

Robert Szarfenberg (1112/2007)

Kamil Gardocki (1113/2007)

José Sampaio (1114/2007)

Sándor Hadnagy (1115/2007)

Sebastian Viorel (1116/2007)

Stephanie Johanna Goldbach (1117/2007)

Wolfgang Friedrich Dahm (1118/2007)

Norbert Höfs (1119/2007)

Thomas Weigelt (1120/2007)

(name confidential) (1121/2007)

Rudolf Bichler (1122/2007)

Karl-Friedrich Lentze (1123/2007)

Gerold Ewald (Danziger Exilregierung) (1124/2007)

Jovanka Jusic (1125/2007)

Stelian Ciuciu (1126/2007)

Gregor Fister (1127/2007)

Rainer Sander (Carcentro S.L.) (1128/2007)

Beata Monika Pokrzeptowicz-Meyer (1129/2007)

Peter Ausborn (1130/2007)

Achim Alex (1131/2007)

Petros Kazias (1132/2007)

Adam Augustyn (1133/2007)

Salva Piera (1134/2007)

Romana Sodotovicova (1135/2007)

Heinz-Peter Schepputat (1136/2007)

(name confidential) (1137/2007)

Mark Kerwin (1138/2007)

José María Martínez Fagoaga (1139/2007)

José Manuel Ruiz Álvarez (1140/2007)

Juan Manuel Fajardo Recouso (Agrupación comarcal de Izquierda Unida Arousa) (2 signatures) (1141/2007)

(Colegio Fray Pedro de Aguado A.M.P.A.) (1142/2007)

Jesús Carlos Marruecos Huete (1143/2007)

Jean François Guiheneuf (1144/2007)

Alain Vermeulen (General Menuiserie Sprl) (1145/2007)

(name confidential) (1146/2007)

(name confidential) (1147/2007)

Flavio Miccono (I.P.A.) (1148/2007)

Simone Curini (2 signatures) (1149/2007)

Andrea Gaffuri (1150/2007)

Dino Pasquali (1151/2007)

Eliana Lentisco (1152/2007)

Hans Super (1153/2007)

Janina Rebkowska-Vrouwenvelder (1154/2007)

Monika Orzechowska (Nieformalna Grupa Inicjatywna ‘Fosfi’) (2 signatures) (1155/2007)

Eva-Maria Weides (Naturschutzjugend des NABU) (60 signatures) (1156/2007)

(name confidential) (60 signatures) (1157/2007)

Jiri Pik (1158/2007)

Dionisie Buzogany (Asociaţia Foştilor Militari Constructori) (1159/2007)

Denis O'Hare (1160/2007)

Rafael Gomez (Organic and Organomineral Fertiliser Association (FOMA)) (1161/2007)

Markos Manchado Mateos (1162/2007)

Damien Martin (1163/2007)

Caterina Caloisi (1164/2007)

Paolo Pollini (1165/2007)

(name confidential) (1166/2007)

Adrian Stefan Iurascu (Romanian Civic Forum (Forumul Civic Romanesc)) (1167/2007).

04.12.2007

Günther Dauwen (European Free Alliance) (10 signatures) (1168/2007)

Klaus Zimmer (1169/2007)

Peter Ulbrich (2 signatures) (1170/2007)

Wolfram Arlt (1171/2007)

Hans-Peter Schneider (1172/2007)

Christian Hagemann (1173/2007)

Guido Debye (1174/2007)

Gerhard Brenner (1175/2007)

Jochen Sommer (Sommer Motorradtechnik) (1176/2007)

Maura Griffin (1177/2007)

Mark De'Ath (Amenity Forum) (80 signatures) (1178/2007)

Louise Anne Pulis (1179/2007)

Pat Grant (2 signatures) (1180/2007)

Frank Doyle (12 signatures) (1181/2007)

Steven Morris (2 signatures) (1182/2007)

Mary Wall (1183/2007)

Grace Kinirons (Nutritional Therapists of Ireland) (1184/2007)

Ewaen Fred Ogieriakhi (1185/2007)

Michael Cain (1186/2007)

Beatrice Laloux (Union Internationale de la propriété immobilière) (2 signatures) (1187/2007)

Paula May Gladys Douglas (1188/2007)

Matthias Verbeke (Bringing Peace Together) (1189/2007).

05.12.2007

Mark Sugrue (1190/2007)

John Browne (1191/2007)

Ann Kelly (1192/2007)

Thomas Doyle (1193/2007)

Elizabieta Whomsley (1194/2007)

Kurt Heidenreich (1195/2007)

Jürgen Reinke (1196/2007)

Diethelm Grass (1197/2007)

(name confidential) (1198/2007)

Kumar Mitra-Endres (1199/2007)

(name confidential) (1200/2007)

Giorgio Bortini (1201/2007)

Michael Wenner (1202/2007)

Karl-Enno Doehnel (1203/2007)

Ralf Gerhardt (1204/2007)

(name confidential) (1205/2007)

Paulo Jorge Frade Parreira (1206/2007)

(name confidential) (1207/2007)

Wilfried Meyer (1208/2007)

René Brungs (1209/2007)

Anka Dörnfeld (1210/2007)

Christian Dirk Ludwig (1211/2007)

Alexander Weimann (1212/2007)

Horst Steinicke (1213/2007)

Alireza Shahbazi (Iranian National Civil Resistance and Disobedience) (1214/2007)

Desmond Fitzgerald (9 signatures) (1215/2007)

Nigel Beckwith (1216/2007)

Janusz Wilczynski (2 signatures) (1217/2007)

(name confidential) (4 signatures) (1218/2007)

Milan Reska (1219/2007)

Henry Price (1220/2007)

Sakthi Sathivel (1221/2007)

Ralph Ellis (1222/2007)

Marc Wisbey (1223/2007)

Brian Heath (1224/2007)

Henrik Ladefoged (1225/2007).

10.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

The Council had forwarded certified true copies of the following:

—	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,

—	protocol to the Agreement on Cooperation and Customs Union between the European Economic Community and the Republic of San Marino, regarding the participation, as contracting parties, of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, following their accession to the European Union,

—	agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan amending the EC-Jordan Association Agreement.

11.   Lapsed written declarations

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declarations 71, 72, 73, 74, 76 and 77/2007 lapsed as they had not obtained the required number of signatures.

12.   Request for urgent procedure

Council request for the application of urgent procedure (Rule 134) for:

—	the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic identification for ovine and caprine animals [COM(2007)0710 — C6-0448/2007 — 2007/0244(CNS)]

Reason for request:

The Commission report indicated that it was no longer possible to confirm the mandatory date of 1 January 2008 laid down in the regulation. Urgent procedure had been requested because an amendment to the proposal would need to be adopted by 1 January 2008 for the sake of legal certainty.

Parliament would take a decision on the request for urgent procedure at the beginning of the following day's sitting.

13.   Fight against terrorism (motions for resolutions tabled)

The debate had been held on 05.09.2007(Minutes of 05.09.2007, Item 2).

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

—	Jean-Marie Cavada, on behalf of the LIBE Committee, on the fight against terrorism (B6-0514/2007)

Vote: Minutes of 12.12.2007, Item 3.13.

14.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the December 2007 sittings had been distributed (PE 398.771/PDOJ) and no changes had been proposed.

The order of business was thus established.

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:

Georgios Papastamkos, András Gyürk, Antonio Masip Hidalgo, Inés Ayala Sender, Metin Kazak, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Milan Horáček, Willy Meyer Pleite, Gerard Batten, Monica Maria Iacob-Ridzi, Justas Vincas Paleckis, Toomas Savi, Ryszard Czarnecki, Gisela Kallenbach, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Pál Schmitt, Maria Eleni Koppa, Zsolt László Becsey, Marianne Mikko, Emmanouil Angelakas, Marios Matsakis, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Mairead McGuinness, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Zita Pleštinská, Richard Corbett, Ljudmila Novak, Viktória Mohácsi, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Milan Gaľa and Jörg Leichtfried.

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Ján Hudacký, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Dushana Zdravkova, Péter Olajos, Nickolay Mladenov, Edit Bauer, Tunne Kelam, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Eluned Morgan, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Jacky Hénin, Ioan Mircea Paşcu and Manolis Mavrommatis.

16.   Protection and conservation of the marine environment: Marine Strategy Directive ***II (debate)

Recommendation for second reading on the common position adopted by the Council on 23 July 2007 with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Framework for Community Action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) [09388/2/2007 — C6-0261/2007 — 2005/0211(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (A6-0389/2007)

Marie-Noëlle Lienemann introduced the recommendation for second reading.

The following spoke: Charlie McCreevy (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Eija-Riitta Korhola, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Justas Vincas Paleckis, on behalf of the PSE Group, Adamos Adamou, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Ioannis Gklavakis, Inger Segelström, Georgios Toussas, Andres Tarand, Daciana Octavia Sârbu and Charlie McCreevy.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 11.12.2007, Item 9.18.

17.   Air pollution: ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe ***II (debate)

Recommendation for second reading on the common position adopted by the Council on 25 June 2007 with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe [16477/1/2006 — C6-0260/2007 — 2005/0183(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Holger Krahmer (A6-0398/2007)

Holger Krahmer introduced the recommendation for second reading.

The following spoke: Charlie McCreevy (Member of the Commission).

The following spoke: Anja Weisgerber, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Marek SIWIEC

Vice-President

The following spoke: Dorette Corbey, on behalf of the PSE Group, Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Marie Anne Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Bastiaan Belder, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Andreas Mölzer, Non-attached Member, Péter Olajos, Justas Vincas Paleckis, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Hiltrud Breyer, Jaromír Kohlíček, Françoise Grossetête, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Richard Seeber, Lambert van Nistelrooij and Charlie McCreevy.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 11.12.2007, Item 9.19.

18.   Population and housing censuses ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on population and housing censuses [COM(2007)0069 — C6-0078/2007 — 2007/0032(COD)] — Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Rapporteur: Ona Juknevičienė (A6-0471/2007)

The following spoke: Meglena Kuneva (Member of the Commission).

Ona Juknevičienė introduced the report.

The following spoke: José Albino Silva Peneda, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, on behalf of the PSE Group, Ewa Tomaszewska, on behalf of the UEN Group, Elisabeth Schroedter, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Jiří Maštálka, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Derek Roland Clark, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, and Andreas Mölzer, Non-attached Member.

IN THE CHAIR: Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT

Vice-President

The following spoke: Jan Březina, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Kathy Sinnott, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Ljudmila Novak, Miroslav Mikolášik and Meglena Kuneva.

The debate closed.

Vote: at a later part-session.

19.   Toy safety (debate)

Commission statement: Toy safety

Meglena Kuneva (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Marianne Thyssen, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Evelyne Gebhardt, on behalf of the PSE Group, Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Roberta Angelilli, on behalf of the UEN Group, Hiltrud Breyer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Eva-Britt Svensson, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Malcolm Harbour, Arlene McCarthy, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, Heide Rühle, Iliana Malinova Iotova, Vicente Miguel Garcés Ramón and Meglena Kuneva.

The debate closed.

20.   Fire safety in hotels (debate)

Oral question (O-0066/2007) by Glyn Ford, Giles Chichester, Graham Watson, Arlene McCarthy, Peter Skinner, Nicholson of Winterbourne, Elizabeth Lynne, Sarah Ludford, Toine Manders, David Martin, Glenys Kinnock, Claude Moraes, Erika Mann, Alexandra Dobolyi, Ana Maria Gomes, Robert Evans, Christopher Heaton-Harris, Reino Paasilinna, Marianne Mikko, Stephen Hughes, Stavros Lambrinidis, Malcolm Harbour, Bill Newton Dunn, Catherine Stihler, Sérgio Sousa Pinto, Jan Andersson, Linda McAvan, Luisa Morgantini, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Harlem Désir, Jo Leinen, Zita Gurmai, Caroline Lucas, Brian Simpson, Barbara Weiler, Christel Schaldemose, Neena Gill, Benoît Hamon, Michael Cashman, Udo Bullmann, Corina Creţu and Glenis Willmott, to the Commission: Hotel fire safety (B6-0385/2007)

Glyn Ford moved the oral question.

IN THE CHAIR: Gérard ONESTA

Vice-President

Meglena Kuneva (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Malcolm Harbour, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Arlene McCarthy, on behalf of the PSE Group, Wolfgang Bulfon, Linda McAvan and Meglena Kuneva.

The debate closed.

21.   European contract law (debate)

Oral question (O-0073/2007) by Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the JURI Committee, to the Commission: Common frame of reference for European contract law (B6-0387/2007)

Rainer Wieland moved the oral question.

Meglena Kuneva (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Klaus-Heiner Lehne, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Manuel Medina Ortega, on behalf of the PSE Group, Diana Wallis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, and Meglena Kuneva.

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

—	Giuseppe Gargani, on behalf of the JURI Committee, on European contract law (B6-0513/2007)

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 12.12.2007, Item 6.3.

22.   Tenth anniversary of the mine ban treaty (Ottawa Convention) (debate)

Commission statement: Tenth anniversary of the mine ban treaty (Ottawa Convention)

Meglena Kuneva (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Stefano Zappalà, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Ana Maria Gomes, on behalf of the PSE Group, Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, on behalf of the UEN Group, Angelika Beer, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Tobias Pflüger, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Geoffrey Van Orden, Thijs Berman, Meglena Kuneva and Marios Matsakis, who deplored the absence of the Council at the last three debates (the President took note of this).

As the motions for a resolution tabled were not yet available, they would be announced in the House at a later time.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 13.12.2007, Item 6.7.

23.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next day's sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 398.771/OJMA).

24.   Closure of the sitting

The sitting closed at 22.20.

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