Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
Formation of political groups
Monday 07 July 2008
Monday, 7 July 2008
The report from the constitutional affairs committee proposed to raise the threshold for the formation of political groups from 20 to 30 MEPs and one fourth instead of one fifth of member states while protecting smaller groups which fall temporarily under the threshold. PSE believe that this modification is necessary due to very low threshold for creating a Group in the EP. This corresponds to 4%, still lower than the average in national parliaments, but making it less likely that the extreme right could obtain staff and funding.
The threshold for the formation of political groups must be increased to avoid an excessive fragmentation of the parliament and to improve its efficiency. Parliament's cohesiveness and effectiveness would suffer if it is deeply divided into many small groups. To strengthen the pluralism, smaller groups must be protected against temporary slips below the threshold.
Contacts
Common authorisation procedure for food additives
Monday 07 July 2008
Monday, 7 July 2008
The proposal on common authorisation for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings is part of the Food Improvement Agents Package (FIA) which was presented by the Commission in July 2006. It consists of four components (individual regulations on food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings plus the common authorisation proposal). The aim of the proposal is to harmonise, clarify and update current rules in this area.
In first reading, the rapporteur focused on increasing transparency in the authorisation procedure, thereby strengthening consumer protection. The rapporteur also aimed at including an environmental dimension into the legislative proposal. This approach was supported by Parliament.
PES seeks to increase transparency for increased consumer and public health protection.
Contacts
Stabilisation of Afghanistan
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Afghanistan remains a major concern of the European Union and is likely to remain so for several years, particularly because of the presence in the country of European troops and European Union civilian operations.
State-building (Rule of Law, security, development, etc.) becomes an even slower process when the production of opium and corruption undermine donor efforts, which are not always well coordinated.
Contacts
Environmental impact of the planned gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
In order to take citizens' concerns seriously, we need to make sure that all relevant preparatory environmental procedures and actions according to the EU standards have been completed before the project can start...
Contacts
+ 33 3 88 17 51 89
+ 32 2 284 51 89
lasse.lehtinen@europarl.europa.eu
riitta.aarrevuo@brutto.inet.fi
Conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
This report is part of a third internal energy market package presented by the Commission in September 2007. This package consists of 2 directives and 3 regulations. In 1996 and 1998, the first electricity and gas directives were adopted, representing an important step towards the creation of an internal market in these sectors.
The second gas and electricity directives were adopted in June 2003. These seek to achieve full opening of the markets while maintaining high standards of public service and a universal-service obligation. The proposal deals with the establishment of a European Network for Transmission System Operators for Gas and its main tasks, particularly the establishment and evaluation of technical and market codes. It also deals with regional cooperation of transmission system operators, new interconnections, and the adoption of guidelines related to the inter-transmission system operators. This proposal will facilitate integration of EU internal gas market, by tackling cross-border issues between the Member States and increasing regulatory oversight at the European level.
Contacts
+ 33 3 88 17 56 99
+ 32 2 284 56 99
kei@parliament.bg
atanas.paparizov@europarl.europa.eu
paparizov@parliament.bg
Coordination of the social security system
Monday 07 July 2008
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Emine Bozkurt has been working on the clarification and simplification of the Annexes to the Social Security report. An important adjustment is the elimination of Annex III, because of the fact that it gives less rights to cross border workers.
For the plenary session in Strasbourg Emine Bozkurt tabled an amendment to include registered partners or married spouses of the same sex in the definition of members of family.
Contact
Inclusion of aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 2008
Council adopted substantial changes to Parliament's first reading position. 44 amendments of a total of 60 adopted by Parliament have not been considered by Council at all. Consequently the rapporteur re-tabled a considerable number of amendments to re-instate Parliament's position.
Two trilogues have already taken place. Even though there has been progress on a number of issues, further negotiations on key points (cap, auctioning, revenues, starting date) and more flexibility on the Council side are needed to achieve a global compromise. A third trilogue has been scheduled to be held this week.
PES wants to give a strong signal for environmental integrity and ambition of the legislation.
Contacts
The EU’s response to the challenge of sovereign wealth funds
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 9 July 2008
Sovereign wealth funds are investment funds held by governments such as those in Norway, Russia, China and also certain countries in the Middle East in order to manage huge reserves derived from revenue from (more often than not) their oil resources. Their effect has been particularly noticeable during the financial crisis and the "rescue" of certain banking institutions. That being the case, it has become important to address this issue in plenary and see how the other institutions are (or are not) considering a coordinated European response to this type of individual investor.
This topic forms part of our policy priorities on financial services. Our position advocates a non-protectionist European approach, but with a minimum of transparency.
Contacts
ECB annual report for 2007
Monday 07 July 2008
Wednesday, 9 July
In its report concerning the European Central Bank's annual report, the European Parliament evaluates the work of the European Central Bank in 2007. This year the report focuses on the challenges ahead for the ECB, especially in the wake of the financial turmoil that has followed the US sub-prime mortgage crises, but also on governance issues such as effective decision-making and transparency.
Contacts
+ 33 3 88 17 58 69
+ 32 2 284 58 69
manuel.dossantos@europarl.europa.eu
mail@mdossantos.com
Commission's 2007 enlargement strategy paper
Monday 07 July 2008
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
The report was adopted in the committee by 55 votes in favour, 1 against and 9 abstentions. During a complicated vote on 251 amendments a heated debate took place on one of the compromise amendments regarding the PSE initiative on the Union for the Black Sea. This initiative has been put forward in order to counterbalance Sarkozy's focus on the Mediterranean and his attempt to find an alternative arrangement for Turkey. The main innovation of the PSE initiative is that it fully encompasses two key EU's interlocutors: Russia and Turkey.
Main elements for a successful enlargement strategy:
Solving the crisis of confidence after the Irish "NO" and delivering institutional reform;
Strict but fair conditionality applied to all candidate and potential candidate countries (no preferential treatment for certain countries);
Upholding the commitments the EU already made in the past.
Contacts
+ 33 3 88 17 54 35
+ 32 2 284 54 35
jmwiersma@planev.nv
janmarinus.wiersma@europarl.europa.eu
Internal market in natural gas
Monday 07 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
This report is part of a third internal energy market package presented by the Commission in September 2007. This package consists of 2 directives and 3 regulations. In 1996 and 1998, the first electricity and gas directives were adopted, representing an important step towards the creation of an internal market in these sectors. The second gas and electricity directives were adopted in June 2003.
The energy committee adopted 24 compromise amendments. Socialists received strong backing for its proposals which put consumers back in the centre of the reform and tackle the issue of energy poverty
Contacts
