Climate Change
The key debate during this Plenary Session (Wednesday morning) will focus on the interim report of the Parliament's special Committee on Climate Change. Presented by German MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz (Chairman of the Climate Change Committee), this interim report, which deals with the scientific facts of climate change, criticises attempts to discredit the reality of climate change, calls for additional research on the impact of biofuels and warns that current policies will not be sufficient to stem global warming in the long term.
The Committee's final report in February 2009 will deal with recommendations for the EU's future integrated climate change policy, for adaptation and mitigation measures and for the Parliament's position in international negotiations in the post-2012 climate change framework.
Irish MEPs on this issue: Liam Aylward (FF - East); Avril Doyle (FG - East); Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South); Bairbre De Brún (SF - Northern Ireland)
PEACE
On Monday evening, Bairbre De Brún (SF - Northern Ireland) will present her report evaluating the PEACE programme and looking at strategies for the future. The report points out that the lessons learned from the PEACE programmes in Ireland (the importance of local empowerment, the establishment of networks and the experience gained by the networks in the use of EU funds for example) could be used within the EU and beyond its borders. The report also notes that a discussion is underway to create a Europe-wide network of regions and cities living with, or emerging from, conflict and exclusion.
The current PEACE III Programme (2007-2013) will provide a total of €333m of funding and will focus on reconciliation. The EU has also been contributing to the International Fund for Ireland since 1989.
Note: This will be the first report to be presented in Irish; a Press Conference will be held on Tuesday.
Irish MEPs on this issue: Jim Higgins (FG - North West); Seán Ó Neachtain (FF - North West); Marian Harkin (Ind. - North West)
Equal opportunities and non-discrimination in the EU
On Tuesday, British MEP Elizabeth Lynne will present her report on the EU's progress in relation to equal opportunities and non-discrimination. MEPs in the Parliament's Employment Committee welcome the European Commission's plans to propose a comprehensive EU law to combat discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial/ethnic origin, religion/belief, disability, age/sexual orientation but they are also calling for effective sanctions and support for victims in this area. In addition, MEPs call on EU Member States and on the European Commission to agree on broad definitions of disability as a matter of urgency in order to facilitate the harmonisation of anti-discrimination laws.
Irish MEPs on this issue: Mary Lou McDonald (SF - Dublin), Proinsias De Rossa (Labour - Dublin), Marian Harkin (Ind. - North West) and Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South)
Employment Policies - a review of current guidelines
On Tuesday morning, Belgian MEP Anne van Lancker will present the Employment Committee's response to the European Commission's proposals to revise the guidelines currently used for the employment policies of each of the EU Member States. MEPs in the Employment Committee are calling for the inclusion of measures to ensure that people combining work and care are not penalised in relation to pensions and social security benefits; they are calling for a review of the tax-benefit structures that impact negatively on women's participation in the labour force; MEPs are calling for measures to encourage workers to prolong their working lives and for the implementation of new guidelines in relation to social integration.
Irish MEPs on this issue: Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South), Proinsias De Rossa (Labour - Dublin); Mary Lou McDonald (SF - Dublin)
Other items on the EP Agenda:
· A health check on the CAP - Liam Aylward (FF - East), Mairead McGuinness (FG - East), Marian Harkin (Ind. - North West), Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South) and Bairbre De Brún (SF - Northern Ireland) will respond to the European Commission's communication on this issue on Tuesday afternoon.
· EP resolution on rising food prices - Mairead McGuiness (FG - East) will speak on this issue.
· An EU Maritime Policy - Seán Ó Neachtain (FF - North West) and Jim Higgins (FG - North West) will speak during the debate on this report. Note: 20 May is to become European Maritime Day.
· Preparation for EU/Russia summit (26-27 June) - Brian Crowley (FF - South) will speak following statements from the Council of the EU and from the European Commission.
· Turkey's progress towards EU accession - Seán Ó Neachtain (FF - North West) will speak following the presentation of the 2007 report on Turkey's progress. MEPs are urging Turkey to introduce a faster pace to its reforms.
· A new animal health strategy for the EU 2007-2013 - Avril Doyle (FG - East), Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South) and Mairead McGuinness (FG - East) will speak during the debate on this report.
· The effectiveness of aid - Gay Mitchell (FG - Dublin), Eoin Ryan (FF - Dublin) and Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South) will speak during the debate on this issue.
· Women and science - on Tuesday evening Avril Doyle (FG - East) and Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South) will speak following the presentation of the Parliament's draft report on this issue. MEPs will point out that more female scientists are needed.
· EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 - Colm Burke (FG - South) is the shadow rapporteur (drafting) for the Parliament's position on this strategy.
· Burma - Gay Mitchell (FG - Dublin), Brian Crowley (FF - South) and Colm Burke (FG - South) will speak during the debate on the tragic situation in Burma.
· China - Colm Burke (FG - South) will speak during the debate on the situation in China.
· Road Transport - on Tuesday afternoon, Jim Higgins (FG - North West) will speak during the debate on three laws in this area.
· Misleading 'Directory Companies' - Mairead McGuinness (FG - East) will speak during the debate on the so-called Directory Companies which operate cross-border in several EU Member States and apply misleading and fraudulent business practices.
· Chad - Proinsias De Rossa (Labour - Dublin)
· Parliament's estimates for the 2009 budget - Mairead McGuinness (FG - East) will speak on this issue.
Individual MEPs:
Monday - one-minute speeches
· Eoin Ryan (FF - Dublin) - situation in Chad
· Marian Harkin (Ind. - North West) - TBC
Tuesday - Questions to the European Commission
· Avril Doyle (FG - East) - communication strategy in relation to the Lisbon Treaty
· Mairead McGuiness (FG - East) - transparency of discussions concerning WTO negotiations
· Colm Burke (FG - South) - situation in Chad and food distribution by the WFP
· Jim Higgins (FG - North West) - competition in the broadband sector
· Gay Mitchell (FG - Dublin) - the citizens' initiative
Wednesday - Questions to the Council of the EU
· Avril Doyle (FG - East) - current status of the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty
· Gay Mitchell (FG - Dublin) - climate change and international security
· Jim Higgins (FG - North West) - the effective protection of the EU's external borders
· Colm Burke (FG - South) - negotiations with FYR of Macedonia regarding EU membership
· Mairead McGuinness (FG - East) - scrutiny of ongoing discussions on WTO
In addition:
· Kathy Sinnott (Ind. - South) will be promoting her Written Declaration on the deinstitutionalisation of children with disabilities in the EU.
· Mary Lou McDonald (SF - Dublin) will follow up on the adoption of the Written Declaration on Ending Street Homelessness in the EU.
· Avril Doyle (FG - East) is responsible for drafting the Parliament's position on the European Commission's proposal for a Directive (law) on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
The above is a brief synopsis of the main issues to be discussed next week. For assistance in
organising interviews, a more detailed Pre-Session Briefing, copies of Agendas/reports being
discussed, raw audio/video footage of the proceedings or of interviews with Irish MEPs www.radioep.ie, or
general information concerning any of the issues mentioned above, please contact:
Sarah Sheil on 086 8559423 or sarah.sheil@europarl.europa.eu