SHORT SUMMARY: December European Council, Polish Presidency, address by President Buzek, Future of the European Globalization Fund (EGF), Court of Auditors: Parliament to vote on eight candidates - and more
Full Article is below
Login to remove this Notice at the start of all News articles
|
FREE MONTHLY DRAWS for PRIZES
for EuropeanIrish Members
 
Registration is FREE, QUICK and EASY to do.
Never Miss an Upcoming Irish Event nearby again
YOUR FREE NEWSLETTER
|
FULL NEWS ARTICLE:
Being discussed in Strasbourg - at the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Plenary Session (Strasbourg)12-15 Dec
December European Council, Polish Presidency, address by President Buzek, Future of the European Globalization Fund (EGF), Court of Auditors: Parliament to vote on eight candidates - and more...
MEPs to review December European Council
Parliament will review the 8-9 December European Council, dominated by what the EU and Member States must do to overcome the crisis.
Procedure: Council and Commission statements
Debate on Tuesday 13 December - 09.00h
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin),Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West), Nessa Childers (Labour-East), Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin), Marian Harkin (Independent-North West), Phil Prendergast (Labour-South)
MEPs to review work of Polish Presidency
Parliament will review Poland's six-month Polish Presidency of the Council, which runs until the end of 2011, in debates on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Procedure: Council and Commission statements
Debate on Wednesday 14 December - 09.00h
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West), Nessa Childers (Labour-East)
President Buzek to take stock of his time in office
Jerzy Buzek will take stock of his two and a half year presidency of the European Parliament in a plenary address on Thursday. His term as President expires on 17 January 2012, when Parliament elects his successor.
Procedure: Address by EP President Thursday 15 December (before the voting session)
Irish MEPs on this issue: Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West)
Future of the European Globalization Fund (EGF)
The EGF was established to provide additional support for workers made redundant as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation or the financial crisis and help reintegrate them into the labour market. Its annual ceiling is €500 million.
A Commission proposal to extend the EGF crisis measures until the end of 2013 was approved by a large majority in Parliament on 29 September, but employment ministers rejected it on 2 December. The Commission will present its view of the situation on Thursday.
MEPs will also debate a new proposal, which would maintain the fund until 2020 and extend it to cover farmers affected by new trade agreements, temporary employees and independent workers.
Procedure: Budgetary
Votes: Tuesday 13 December and Thursday 15 December (EGF Renault)
Irish MEPs on this issue: Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East),Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West), Nessa Childers (Labour-East) Marian Harkin (Independent-North West), Phil Prendergast (Labour-South)
Court of Auditors: Parliament to vote on eight candidates
On Tuesday MEPs will vote on eight candidate members of the European Court of Auditors
Of the eight candidates, three are re-nominations: current President of the Court, Mr Vítor Manuel da Silva Caldeira (PT), and current members Mr Karel Pinxten (BE) and Mr Hans Gustaf Wessberg (SE).
The newly-proposed members are Mr Henrik Otbo, nominated by Denmark, Mr Juan-Francisco Corona Ramón, nominated by Spain, Mr Ville Itälä, nominated by Finland, Mr Pietro Russo, nominated by Italy, and Mr Kevin Cardiff, nominated by Ireland.
In the Budgetary Control Committee vote on 23 November, all the nominees were approved except for Mr Cardiff, whose candidature was narrowly rejected.
Although it is the Council of Ministers that formally decides upon the appointments, co-operation with the European Parliament, and particularly its Budgetary Control Committee, is crucial for members of the Court of Auditors. It has become standard practice for the Council to consult Parliament on appointments to the Court.
Procedure: Consultation
Vote: Tuesday 13 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West), Nessa Childers (Labour-East)
Sustainable transport: MEPs to fix targets for 2020
Halving road deaths and injuries, cutting transport CO2 emissions by 20% from 1990 levels and promoting walking, cycling and public transport, are the key aims of a draft resolution on the "single European transport area", to be put to a plenary vote on Wednesday.
The debate on Tuesday afternoon will also focus on measures to better connect various modes of transport, build environmental costs into the price paid by users and the use of longer, heavier lorries (25,25m, 60t) on certain roads.
Procedure: Non-legislative resolution
Debate on Wednesday 14 December
Vote on Thursday 15 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East)
Improving health and safety at work
The effects of new technologies, harmful substances and nanomaterials on health should be included in the next EU strategy on health and safety at work (from 2013), says a draft resolution to be put to vote on Thursday.
The potential risks of new technologies and harmful substances must be assessed, and legislation drafted to ensure that nanomaterials are covered by the current European Occupational Health and Safety regulation, says the text, which was drafted by the Employment and Social Affairs Committee.
Furthermore, individuals who legitimately warn of risks at work should be protected from any pressure to remain silent, say MEPs, calling on the Commission to propose a directive to protect these workers.
Procedure: Non-legislative resolution
Debate on Wednesday 14 December
Vote on Thursday 15 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Marian Harkin (Independent-North West)
Clearer labelling rules for fruit juices
Proposed changes to EU labelling rules for fruit juices, "nectars", juices made from concentrates, and those made from several fruits will be debated Tuesday and voted Wednesday. MEPs want the rules clarified, e.g. to enable consumers to identify whether sweeteners have been added. These changes were provisionally agreed with the Council in informal negotiations in October.
Procedure: Co-decision, 1st reading agreement
Debate on Tuesday 13 December
Vote on Wednesday 14 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael-East), Nessa Childers (Labour-East)
Cutting phosphates out of detergents
Washing powders throughout the EU will need to be almost phosphate-free in future, if legislation proposing tough limits wins the support of the European Parliament and Council. Voting on Wednesday, MEPs may follow an Environment Committee recommendation to demand that only minimal amounts of phosphates be allowed in dishwasher detergents, too.
Phosphates help wash clothes and dishes, especially in hard water. Some Member States already impose restrictions (especially on laundry detergents) because the release of phosphates into waterways can lead to excessive plant growth that stifles fish and other aquatic life. Treatment to remove phosphates from water is expensive and not always available.
Procedure: Co-decision
Vote on Wednesday 14 December
Press conference: (tbc)
Irish MEPs on this issue: Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael-East), Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East),Nessa Childers (Labour-East)
Public access to documents: towards more transparency in the EU
The scope for restricting public access to documents held by EU institutions would be severely curtailed if Parliament backs amendments, adopted by the Civil Liberties Committee, to a draft law on public access. The committee's bid to enhance transparency, accountability, and democracy in the EU will be put to a plenary vote on Thursday.
Procedure: Co-decision (1st reading)
Debate on Wednesday 14 December
Vote on Thursday 15 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Nessa Childers (Labour-East)
Debate with Catherine Ashton on security policy and human rights
MEPs will discuss the impact of the financial crisis on the defence sector and human rights developments with EU foreign policy High Representative Catherine Ashton on Tuesday afternoon. The debate starts at 15.00h.
Ms Ashton will also present developments in relations with Russia following the recent summit and the situation in Syria in a later debate on Tuesday.
Procedure: Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy with debate: non-legislative resolutions
Debate on Tuesday 13 December
Vote on Thursday 15 December (EU-Russia and Syria)
Irish MEPs on this issue: Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin), Phil Prendergast (Labour-South)
More powers for European Maritime Safety Agency to prevent oil pollution at sea
The EU should beef up the powers and the resources of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to reduce the risks of oil pollution from tankers and offshore oil rigs, says a draft resolution to be voted on Tuesday.
Transferring monitoring and inspection tasks from national agencies to EMSA would enable Member States to make major economies of scale, says the draft text, which was prepared by the Transport Committee.
It also recommends using EMSA's electronic monitoring systems for maritime traffic to pool information on commercial shipping entering or leaving ports in the EU. This would, it believes, reduce formalities and speed up the creation of a real "European maritime space without barriers".
Procedure: Co-decision, first reading
Debate on Wednesday, 14 December
Vote on Thursday 15 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Pat the Cope Gallagher (Fianna Fail-North West)
EU-wide protection for crime victims
Crime victims who are granted protection from their aggressors in one EU Member State could get similar protection if they move to another, under new rules to be voted by Parliament on Tuesday. These rules, already agreed with national governments, would protect victims of, for instance, gender violence, harassment, abduction, stalking or attempted murder.
The European Protection Order (EPO) would enable anyone protected under criminal law in one EU state to apply for similar protection if they move to another. Once the new directive is adopted, Member States will have three years to transpose it into their national laws.
MEPs sought from the outset to ensure that EPO rules cover victims of all crime, not just gender violence. Today, most protection measures are granted to female victims of gender violence but an EPO can cover victims of either sex and other crimes too.
The rules seek to protect victims or possible victims "against a criminal act of another person which may, in any way, endanger his life, physical, psychological and sexual integrity […] as well as his dignity or personal liberty". Such acts would include harassment, abduction, stalking and "other forms of indirect coercion".
The rules say an EPO may be issued if the aggressor is banned by the initial country from places where the protected person resides or which s/he visits, or if restrictions are imposed on contact or approaches by the aggressor to the protected person.
The UK has opted in, but Ireland and Denmark are not taking part.
Procedure: Co-decision, second reading (agreement)
Debate on Monday 12 December
Vote on Tuesday 13 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Phil Prendergast (Labour-South)
Common rights and single work and residence permit for non-EU workers
Third country migrants working legally within the EU should enjoy comparable rights to those of EU nationals as regards working conditions, social security and access to public services, under a new "single permit" law to be voted on Tuesday. The draft law, already informally agreed by Parliament and the Council, would also cut red tape, by enabling foreign workers to obtain work and residence permits via a single procedure.
The "single permit" directive complements other measures on legal migration, such as the blue card, and is designed to facilitate such migration where it meets the needs of the EU labour market.
These rules do not affect EU countries' power to decide whether or not to admit non-EU workers or how many to admit, but they would have to decide within four months on whether to grant single permit applications.
Single permit holders would enjoy a standard set of rights comparable to those of EU workers, such as decent basic working conditions, recognition of qualifications, the right to join trade unions and access to pensions, social security, employment office services and public housing. However, EU countries could apply some specific restrictions to those rights.
The proposed directive would also reduce red tape for third-country nationals, by enabling them to obtain both work and residence permits in a Member State via a single procedure.
Who is covered?
The agreed rules would apply to non-EU nationals who wish to live and work in a Member State, or who already legally reside or work there.
The new law would not cover long-term residents, refugees and posted workers (who are already subject to other EU rules), seasonal workers or intra-company transferees (who will be covered by other EU directives). Au pairs and seafarers sailing under the flag of a Member State are also excluded.
Member States would have two years to transpose the directive into their national laws.
Procedure: Co-decision (2nd reading)
Debate on Monday 12 December
Vote on Tuesday 13 December
Irish MEPs on this issue: Phil Prendergast (Labour-South)
Other developments
(i) 2011 Sakharov prize to be awarded to Arab Spring activists on Wednesday
The 2011 Sakharov prize for freedom of thought will be awarded by President Jerzy Buzek to five "Arab Spring" activists, for their contribution to historic changes in the Arab world, at a ceremony at noon on Wednesday, 14 December, in the plenary chamber.
Three of the five winners will attend the ceremony - Ms Asmaa Mahfouz (Egypt), Mr Ahmed El Senussi (Libya) and Mr Ali Ferzat (Syria). Mr Mohamed Bouazizi (Tunisia) will be awarded the prize posthumously. Ms Razan Zaitouneh is in hiding in Syria, where she is accused of being a foreign agent.
The Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, has been awarded by the European Parliament every year since 1988 to individuals or organizations that have made an important contribution to the fight for human rights or democracy.
Award ceremony on Wednesday 14 December, 12.00h
(ii)Thirteen new MEPs
On Monday President Jerzy Buzek will announce the arrival of 13 new MEPs, from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Malta, Spain, Sweden and UK, further to a June 2010 European Council decision allowing for an additional 18 MEPs. The other 5 will join once their national governments have notified their names to Parliament.
The 13 incoming MEPs are:
· Josef Weidenholzer (AT, S&D)
· Svetoslav Hristov Malinov (BG, EPP)
· Vicente Garcés Ramón (ES, S&D)
· Dolores García-Hierro Caraballo (ES, S&D)
· Eva Ortiz Vilella (ES, EPP)
· Salvador Sedo i Alabart (ES, EPP)
· Yves Cochet (FR, GUE/NGL)
· Jean Roatta (FR, EPP)
· Giulio Trematerra (IT, EPP)
· Joseph Cuschieri (MT, S&D)
· Amelia Andersdotter (SE, Greens/EFA)
· Jens Nilsson (SE, S&D)
· Anthea McIntyre (UK, ECR)
The other five will come from Austria (1), Latvia (1), the Netherlands (1), Poland (1) and Slovenia (1).
Announcement to be made on Monday 12 December at the beginning of the plenary session
In addition:
Monday
- Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael-East) will follow the debate on the report by Mr Iturgaiz Angulo from the Petitions Committee on the issues raised by petitioners in relation to the application of the Waste Management Directive (debate Monday, vote Tuesday)
- Sean Kelly (Fine Gael-South) will be following the debate on the Fisas Ayxela report on the European dimension in sport(vote Tuesday)
- Gay Mitchell (Fine Gael-Dublin) and Phil Prendergast (Labour-South) will follow the debate on the Sturdy report on trade and investment barriers
Tuesday
- Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin) will follow the debate on the David and Siwiec report on European Neighbourhood Policy (vote Wednesday)
Wednesday
- Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael-East) and Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin) will follow the vote on the Commission's work programme on which the debate took place on 15 November 2011.
- Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin will follow the vote on the in't'Veld report on EU counter-terrorism strategy on which the debate had taken place in September 2011
- Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin) will follow the vote on the Albertini report on the instrument for pre-accession assistance
- Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin) will follow the debate on the oral questions on detention conditions in the EU
- Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin), Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East) and Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin) will follow the debate on the EC-Uzbekistan partnership and cooperation agreement and bilateral agreement on textiles (Sabin Cutas report, vote Thursday)
- Paul Murphy (Socialist-Dublin) and Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin) will follow the debate on the EU strategy for Central Asia (Kiil-Nielsen report, vote Thursday)
Thursday
- Sean Kelly (Fine Gael-South)will be following the debate on the oral question on the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (vote Thursday)
- Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East) and Gay Mitchell(Fine Gael-Dublin) will be following the debate on the Schwab report on EU Competition Policy (vote Thuursday)
One-minute speeches:
- Sean Kelly (Fine Gael-South) will be making a one minute speech on the practices of banks
Other
- Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail-East) will be taking part in the Agriculture Committee meeting on Monday evening which will be examining the Deprived Persons Programme (Food Aid)-Budget and allocations for 2012 and 2013
- Pat the Cope Gallagher(Fianna Fail-North West) will be taking part in the Fisheries Committee meeting on Monday evening on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy
__________________________________________________________________________
To watch any part of the Plenary Session live, please click on the EP Live section of the Parliament's website and select Live Broadcast from the menu on the left-hand side.
To view a debate which has already taken place, please click on the Multimedia Library section of the Parliament's website, select 'search by date' from the menu on the left-hand side and choose the debate. You can also scroll through the speakers and just listen to a speaker of your choice.
To access raw audio of interviews with the Irish MEPs recorded during the Plenary Session, please visit www.radioep.ie.
|
