14.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 174/1

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MINUTES

(2005/C 174E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 17.00.

2.   Announcement by the President

As the UN had celebrated its 59th birthday the previous day, the President emphasised, on behalf of Parliament, the important role played by the UN. He also urged the Member States to avoid disagreeing publicly within the UN.

3.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

Karl von Wogau and Jean-Louis Bourlanges had informed the Presidency that they had been present but that their names were not on the attendance register.

Bruno Gollnisch made a personal statement in response to the fact that he had been accused by the President, and subsequently admonished by the Bureau, for making ‘revisionist comments’. He denied this and objected to the fact that he had been condemned before he had been able to respond. Mr Gollnisch went on to say that he would be seeking an apology (the President replied that, for his part, his comments had echoed the Bureau's reaction).

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

4.   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 2003/88/EC concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time (COM(2004)0607 — C6-0122/2004 — 2004/0209(COD)) referred to responsible: EMPL opinion: FEMM — Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE+) (COM(2004)0621 — C6-0127/2004 — 2004/0218(COD)) referred to responsible: ENVI opinion: INTA, BUDG, ITRE — Proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC51/2004 — Section III — Commission (SEC(2004)1228 — C6-0133/2004 — 2004/2179(GBD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC52/2004 — Section III — Commission (SEC(2004)1229 — C6-0134/2004 — 2004/2180(GBD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC53/2004 — Section III — Commission (SEC(2004)1230 — C6-0135/2004 — 2004/2181(GBD)) referred to responsible: BUDG — Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending, for the twenty-ninth time, Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (substances classified as carcinogen, mutagen or toxic to reproduction — c/m/r) (COM(2004)0638 — C6-0136/2004 — 2004/0225(COD)) referred to responsible: ENVI opinion: ITRE, IMCO — Proposal for a Council regulation on the conclusion of the Protocol setting out, for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2007, the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire on fishing off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire (COM(2004)0619 — C6-0138/2004 — 2004/0211(CNS)) referred to responsible: PECH opinion: DEVE, BUDG — Proposal for a Council decision amending Council Decision 2002/883/EC providing further macrofinancial assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina (COM(2004)0604 — C6-0145/2004 — 2004/0207(CNS)) referred to responsible: INTA opinion: AFET, BUDG — Proposal for a Council decision on macro-financial assistance to Serbia and Montenegro and amending Decision 2002/882/EC providing further macro-financial assistance to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (COM(2004)0605 — C6-0146/2004 — 2004/0204(CNS)) referred to responsible: INTA opinion: AFET, BUDG

2)

from committees: 2.1) reports: — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain diseases affecting bivalve molluscs (Codified version) (COM(2004)0326 — C6-0026/2004 — 2004/0100(CNS)) — Committee on Legal Affairs Rapporteur: Giuseppe Gargani (A6-0011/2004) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (Codified version) (COM(2003)0847 — C5-0003/2004 — 2003/0333 (COD)) — Committee on Legal Affairs Rapporteurs: Giuseppe Gargani and Antonio López-Istúriz White (A6-0012/2004) — Report on the 2003 Annual Report of the European Central Bank (2004/2144(INI)) — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Rapporteur: Alain Lipietz (A6-0014/2004) — * Report on the nomination of Kikis Kazamias as a Member of the Court of Auditors (SGS4/10195 — C6-0116/2004 — 2004/0811(CNS)) — Committee on Budgetary Control Rapporteur: Szabolcs Fazakas (A6-0015/2004) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Principality of Liechtenstein providing for measures equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 2003/48/EC of 3 June 2003 on taxation of savings income in the form of interest payments (COM(2004)0569 — C6-0121/2004 — 2004/0191(CNS)) — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Rapporteur: Jean-Paul Gauzès (A6-0016/2004) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Principality of Andorra providing for measures equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 2003/48/EC on taxation of savings income in the form of interest payments (COM(2004)0564 — C6-0120/2004 — 2004/0192(CNS)) — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Rapporteur: Jean-Paul Gauzès (A6-0017/2004) — *** I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 2130/2001 on operations to aid uprooted people in Asian and Latin American developing countries (COM(2004)0126 — C5-0097/2004 — 2004/0040(COD)) — Committee on Development Rapporteur: Luisa Morgantini (A6-0018/2004) — * Report on the Commission proposal for a Council decision amending Decision 2002/463/EC adopting an action programme for administrative cooperation in the fields of external borders, visas, asylum and immigration (ARGO programme) (COM(2004)0384 — C6-0049/2004 — 2004/0122(CNS)) — Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Rapporteur: Martine Roure (A6-0019/2004) — Report on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2005: 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(A) — European Ombudsman, Section VIII(B) — European Data Protection Supervisor (11445/2004 [02] — C6-0123/2004 — 2004/2002(BUD)) — Committee on Budgets Rapporteur: Anne Elisabet Jensen (A6-0020/2004) — Report on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2005, Section III — Commission (11445/2004 [01] — C6-0123/2004 — 2004/2001(BUD)) — Committee on Budgets Rapporteur: Salvador Garriga Polledo (A6-0021/2004) — Report with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on EU-India relations (B6-0005/2004 — 2004/2195(INI)) — Committee on Foreign Affairs Rapporteur: Emilio Menéndez del Valle (A6-0024/2004)

3)

from Members: 3.1) oral questions (Rule 108): — Karl-Heinz Florenz, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, to the Commission, on environmental effects of high-intensity active naval sonars (B6-0018/2004); — Anna Záborská, on behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Women and poverty, on the occasion of World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty (17 October 2004) (B6-0019/2004). 3.2) oral questions for Question Time (Rule 109) (B6-0017/2004): — Ryan Eoin, De Rossa Proinsias, von Wogau Karl, Ferber Markus, Protasiewicz Jacek, Claeys Philip, Czarnecki Ryszard, Posselt Bernd, Crowley Brian, Papastamkos Georgios, Özdemir Cem, Sjöstedt Jonas, Meyer Pleite Willy, Sbarbati Luciana, Staes Bart, Díaz De Mera García Consuegra Agustín, De Vits Mia, McGuinness Mairead, Stihler Catherine, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Guardans Cambó Ignasi, Bowis John, Ford Glyn, Karatzaferis Georgios, Mavrommatis Manolis, Medina Ortega Manuel, Hedkvist Petersen Ewa, Seppänen Esko Olavi, Schlyter Carl, Ó Neachtain Seán, Karas Othmar, Kauppi Piia-Noora, Coveney Simon, Ibrisagic Anna, Aylward Liam, Newton Dunn Bill, Kamiński Michał Tomasz, Purvis John, Moraes Claude, Cashman Michael, Belet Ivo, Casaca Paulo, Catania Giusto, Martin David W., Valenciano Martínez-Orozco María Elena, Herrero-Tejedor Luis Francisco, Evans Robert J.E., Batzeli Katerina, Toussas Georgios, Van Hecke Johan, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Březina Jan, Herranz García María Esther, Manolakou Diamanto, Paasilinna Reino, van Buitenen Paul K.T.J., Pafilis Athanasios, Landsbergis Vytautas, Martin Hans-Peter, Schapira Pierre, Szent-Iványi István, Beglitis Panagiotis, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Sjöstedt Jonas, Trakatellis Antonios, Evans Robert J.E., Posselt Bernd, Protasiewicz Jacek, Karatzaferis Georgios, Medina Ortega Manuel, Brepoels Frederika M.J., Crowley Brian, Ryan Eoin, Newton Dunn Bill, Malmström Cecilia, Moraes Claude, Meyer Pleite Willy, Mastenbroek Edith, Casaca Paulo, Mavrommatis Manolis, De Rossa Proinsias, Kinnock Glenys, In 't Veld Sophia Helena, Batzeli Katerina, Toussas Georgios, Staes Bart, Van Hecke Johan, Figueiredo Ilda, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Manolakou Diamanto, Pafilis Athanasios, Martin Hans-Peter, Czarnecki Ryszard 3.3) motions for resolutions (Rule 113): — Muscardini Cristiana — Motion for a resolution on immigration control and information (B6-0084/2004) referred to responsible: LIBE — Figueiredo Ilda — Motion for a resolution on the closure of companies following the granting of EU financial aid (B6-0085/2004) referred to responsible: ECON opinion: EMPL, ITRE, REGI — Pahor Borut — Motion for a resolution on the European Parliament's places of work (B6-0086/2004) referred to responsible: AFCO opinion: CONT 3.4) written declarations for entry in the Register (Rule 116): — Luca Romagnoli, Maciej Marian Giertych, Frank Vanhecke and Jean-Claude Martinez, on the decision to open negotiations with Turkey, which the European Council is set to take in December 2004 (0042/2004).

5.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

The Council had forwarded a certified true copy of the following:

—

Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and Barbados, Belize, the Republic of Congo, Fiji, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Jamaica, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Madagascar, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of Suriname, Saint Christopher and Nevis, the Kingdom of Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Uganda, the Republic of Zambia and the Republic of Zimbabwe on the accession of the Republic of Mozambique to Protocol No 3 on ACP Sugar of Annex V to the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement.

6.   Transfers of appropriations

The Committee on Budgets had considered proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC49/2004 by the Commission (C6-0124/2004 — SEC(2004)1151).

After noting the Council's opinion, it had authorised the transfer in full, pursuant to Article 24(3) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002.

7.   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):

29 September 2004

by Barfs Hinrich (No 744/2004);

by Justyna Blach (No 745/2004);

by Mirsad Delic (No 746/2004);

by Georg Heinrich Zogalla (No 747/2004);

by Robin Helios (No 748/2004);

by Marion Mäusbacher-Roth (No 749/2004);

by Harald Schwarz (No 750/2004);

by Thanh Son Nguyen (and 173 signatures) (No 751/2004);

by Otto Voggenreiter (No 752/2004);

by Christian Kranabetter (No 753/2004);

by Wilfried Henschel (No 754/2004);

by Frank-Thomas Kirchberg (No 755/2004);

by Michael Ballmann (No 756/2004);

by Hans-Jürgen Hahn (No 757/2004);

by Ivan Erdec (No 758/2004);

by Irene Hoffmann (No 759/2004);

by Johannes and Geraldine Warbeck (No 760/2004);

by Udo Matyssek (No 761/2004);

by Gertrud Bousseljot Mergja (No 762/2004);

by Benjamin Belger (No 763/2004);

by Gavin Hewitt (The Scotch Whisky Association) (No 764/2004);

by Ian Speirs (Resposta Association) (No 765/2004);

by Martina Finn (No 766/2004);

by Barry Lennox (No 767/2004);

by Steven Krantz (No 768/2004);

by František Brychta (No 769/2004);

by František Brychta (No 770/2004);

by Jan Van Es (Transes Holding SA) (No 771/2004);

by Danijel Burazer (Drustvo Vrtickarjev ‘Vrticek Cricek’) (No 772/2004);

by Raymond Sammut (No 773/2004);

by Alexandra Mareschi (Internationale Liga der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft) (No 774/2004);

by Petra Lawlor (No 775/2004);

by Maria Brzezinska (No 776/2004);

by Francis de Souza (No 777/2004);

by Eric Thomsen (Romano) (No 778/2004);

by Jette Friis Tuca (No 779/2004);

by Hildegard Rech (No 780/2004);

by C.H. Evegroen (No 781/2004);

by Marek Kuchcinski (No 782/2004);

by Roman Sapelkin (No 783/2004);

by Julianna Toth (No 784/2004);

1 October 2004

by Beatriz González González (No 785/2004);

by Roberto Pérez (No 786/2004);

by Luis Mayoral Gazquez (Asociación por la democracia plena en la Unión Europea) (No 787/2004);

by Alba Rebordosa Rius (No 788/2004);

by Juan Carlos Lobo Garrido (No 789/2004);

by Andreu Bosch I Rodoreda (Ajuntament de Teià) (No 790/2004);

by Miquel Ramón Marti Matias (No 791/2004);

by Vicente Muñoz-Reja Corzo (No 792/2004);

by Céline Moine (No 793/2004);

by Eric Lafon (No 794/2004);

by Manuel Coelho De Oliveira (No 795/2004);

by Suzanne Servant (No 796/2004);

by Paolo Sanviti (No 797/2004);

by Nicola Leugio (No 798/2004);

by Nella Silvana Vit (No 799/2004);

by Nicola Vallinoto (No 800/2004);

by Antonio Buda (No 801/2004);

by Stefano Giuliani (No 802/2004);

by Tersilio Marotta (Comune di Castelfidardo) (No 803/2004);

by Marco Bava (No 804/2004);

by Guido Barbarossa (No 805/2004);

by Maria Silva Direito (No 806/2004);

by Massimo Campailla (No 807/2004);

8 October 2004

by Armin Andreas Haas (No 808/2004);

by Peter Steinert (No 809/2004);

by Gustav Fricke (No 810/2004);

by Horst Frühling (No 811/2004);

by Siegfried Smolka (No 812/2004);

by Arno Nebauer (No 813/2004);

by Markus Marnet (No 814/2004);

by Regina Poursanidis (No 815/2004);

by Michael Holm (No 816/2004);

by Daniela Siletchi (No 817/2004);

by Srinivasan Devrajan (No 818/2004);

by Michael Povey (No 819/2004);

by Rahy Javan (Refugee Organizations Rijnmond (SVOR)) (No 820/2004);

by Ian Cawsey (No 821/2004);

by Attila Oess (Los residentes de Las Lagunas) (No 822/2004);

by Trevor Evans (No 823/2004);

by Jonathan Zammit (No 824/2004);

by Jozef Sliwinski (No 825/2004);

by Wanda Talarowska-Zejdler (No 826/2004);

by Andrzej Rozwadowski (No 827/2004);

20 October 2004

by Mads Ifversen (No 828/2004);

by Marcus von der Lippe (No 829/2004);

by Helmut Le Barillec (No 830/2004);

by Jochen Osada (No 831/2004);

by Helmut Stange (Deutscher Lourdes-Verein) (No 832/2004);

by Gerriet Kohls (No 833/2004);

by Ismail Kul (ZAMAN) (No 834/2004);

by Godefroy Kozlik (No 835/2004);

by Rita Strickler (No 836/2004);

by Ewald Henze (No 837/2004);

by Andrew McGrath (The Tara Foundation) (No 838/2004);

by Andrew McGrath (The Tara Foundation) (No 839/2004);

by Andrew McGrath (The Tara Foundation) (No 840/2004);

by Emily McIvor (BUAV) (and 15 signatures) (No 841/2004);

by Roger Brooke (No 842/2004);

by Petar Kovacevic (No 843/2004);

by Kuisma Lappalainen (No 844/2004);

by Walid Taqatqa (Palestine Foundation) (No 845/2004);

by Sam McMahon (No 846/2004);

by Matthew Ball (No 847/2004);

by Athos Eleftheriou (Coordinating Committee of Municipalities and Refugee Associations of Kyrenia District) (No 848/2004);

by Bernard Ross (No 849/2004);

by Paul Nettleship (No 850/2004);

by Sigrid van Dort (No 851/2004);

by Constant Verbraeken (No 852/2004);

by Josef Varga (No 853/2004);

by Agnieszka Rajewska (No 854/2004);

by Franciszek Grubich (No 855/2004);

by Declan Marron (No 856/2004).

8.   Approval by the Council of Parliament's positions adopted at first reading (Rule 66)

The Council had indicated, in accordance with Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty, its approval of Parliament's positions adopted at first reading:

—	on 20 April 2004 with a view to adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws (‘Regulation on consumer protection cooperation’) (2003/0162(COD));

—	on 20 April 2004 with a view to adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending the Directive establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community, in respect of the Kyoto Protocol's project mechanisms (2003/0173(COD));

—	on 31 March 2004 with a view to adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1726/2000 on development cooperation with South Africa (2003/0245 (COD));

—	on 31 March 2004 with a view to adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and repealing Directives 80/590/EEC and 89/109/EEC (2003/0272(COD)).

The acts in question were thus adopted. They would be signed by the President of Parliament, with the President of the Council, in accordance with Rule 68 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure.

***

The Council had also indicated, pursuant to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty, its approval of Parliament's position adopted at first reading on 31 March 2004 with a view to adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC, 85/611/EEC, 91/675/EEC, 93/6/EEC and 94/19/EC and European Parliament and Council Directives 2000/12/EC, 2002/83/EC and 2002/87/EC in order to establish a new organisational structure for financial services committees (COM(2003)0659 — C5-0520/2003 — 2003/0263(COD)).

Pursuant to Rule 66(2), the President had decided to consult the committee responsible, in this case the ECON Committee, to verify that that the technical adaptations the Council had made to the proposal did not affect the substance.

9.   Authorisation to draw up own-initiative reports

AFET Committee:

—	Recommendation on EU-India relations (2004/2195(INI)) (opinion: INTA).

10.   Membership of committees

At the request of the PPE-DE Group, Parliament ratified the following appointments:

—	Subcommittee on Human Rights: Lojze Peterle to replace Mihael Brejc,

—	Subcommittee on Security and Defence: Mihael Brejc to replace Lojze Peterle.

11.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the October part-session (PE 347.486/PDOJ) had been distributed. No changes had been proposed.

At the request of the Verts/ALE and GUE/NGL Groups, a deadline had been set at 19.00 that day for tabling amendments to the Emilio Menéndez del Valle report on EU-India relations (A6-0024/2004 — Item 56 on the final draft agenda).

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

—

Proposal for a Council regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2667/2000 on the European Agency for Reconstruction [COM(2004)0451 — C6 0075/2004 — 2004/0133(CNS)] Reason for request: Without an extension of its mandate, the Agency would not be able to continue its work after 31 December 2004. It was thus necessary to take a decision on the extension of its mandate as soon as possible.

—

Proposal for a Council regulation establishing an instrument of financial support for encouraging the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community [COM(2004)0465 — C6-0098/2004 — 2004/0145(CNS)] Reason for request: To facilitate the reunification of Cyprus, the proposal seeks to implement the conclusions of the Council on Cyprus, held on 26 April 2004, as soon as possible.

Request for urgent procedure from the Council and Commission:

—	Proposal for a Council decision amending Council Decision 2002/883/EC providing further macrofinancial assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina [COM(2004)0604 — C6-0145/2004 — 2004/0207 (CNS)]

—

Proposal for a Council decision on macro-financial assistance to Serbia and Montenegro and amending Decision 2002/882/EC providing further macro-financial assistance to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia [COM(2004)0605 — C6-0146/2004 — 2004/0204(CNS)] Reason for request: Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina need external financial aid to continue to support the economic stabilisation and reform programmes agreed with the IMF. Parliament would take a decision on the request for urgent procedure at the beginning of the following day's sitting.

***

The order of business was thus established.

12.   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:

Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Simon Coveney, Bogusław Sonik, Luis Yañez-Barnuevo García, Sylwester Chruszcz, Ryszard Czarnecki, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Georgios Papastamkos, Bogdan Pęk, Philip Bushill-Matthews, Pál Schmitt, Urszula Krupa, Margrietus van den Berg, Katalin Lévai, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Louis Grech, Sarah Ludford, Camiel Eurlings, Hélène Flautre, Robert Evans, Frederika Brepoels, Ilda Figueiredo, Helmuth Markov, Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo, Ian Hudghton.

13.   ECB 2003 annual report (debate)

Report on the 2003 Annual Report of the European Central Bank [2004/2144(INI)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: Alain Lipietz (A6-0014/2004)

Alain Lipietz introduced the report.

IN THE CHAIR: Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT

Vice-President

The following spoke: Jean-Claude Trichet (President of the ECB), Kurt Joachim Lauk, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Joseph Muscat, on behalf of the PSE Group, Wolf Klinz, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Sahra Wagenknecht, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nils Lundgren, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Hans- Peter Martin, Non-attached Member, Othmar Karas, Benoît Hamon, Johannes Blokland, Alexander Radwan, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil (as time was running out, the President asked Jean-Claude Trichet to reply to Members' questions in writing), Joaquín Almunia (Member of the Commission) and Jean-Claude Trichet.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 26.10.2004, Item 8.5.

IN THE CHAIR: Gérard ONESTA

Vice-President

The following spoke: Josu Ortuondo Larrea on Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo's remarks (Item 12), and José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil on Josu Ortuondo Larrea's remarks.

14.   Restructuring of the automobile sector (statement followed by debate)

Commission statement: Restructuring of the automobile sector

Olli Rehn (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Thomas Mann, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Udo Bullmann, on behalf of the PSE Group, Rebecca Harms, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Jonas Sjöstedt, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Patrick Louis, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Ivo Belet, Helmut Kuhne, Helmuth Markov, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Jan Andersson, Gunnar Hökmark, Inés Ayala Sender, Malcolm Harbour, Garrelt Duin and Olli Rehn.

The debate closed.

15.   Consequences of the rise in oil prices on the European economy, agriculture and fisheries (statement followed by debate)

Commission statement: Consequences of the rise in oil prices on the European economy, agriculture and fisheries

Joaquín Almunia (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Carmen Fraga Estévez, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Katerina Batzeli, on behalf of the PSE Group, Philippe Morillon, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ian Hudghton, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Georgios Karatzaferis, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Bogdan Golik, Non-attached Member, Ambroise Guellec, Rosa Miguélez Ramos, María Esther Herranz García, Magda Kósáné Kovács, Agnes Schierhuber, Reino Paasilinna, Piia-Noora Kauppi and Joaquín Almunia.

The debate closed.

16.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 347.486/OJMA).

17.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 20.35.

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