European Policy Update 22
17.10.2006 |Sascha Gabizon
European Policy Update 22
Tuesday, 13 October 2006
2 – 5 October European Parliament Committee Meetings
9 - 13 October European Parliament Plenary Sessions
Dear Member,
In this Policy Review we will look back on the European Parliament Committee meetings held in Brussels last week from the 2nd until the 5th of October. For further information or the official documents please click the links. We also have a look at the plenary meetings that take place in Brussels this week.
With the highest regards,
Doeke Eisma & Lotje Paauwe & Ewout Doorman
Executive Director Assistant to the Director Assistant to the Director
2 – 6 October European Parliament Committee meetings
Meeting documents of the selected committees:
ENVI (Environment, Public Health and Food Safety)
ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy)
AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development)
PECH (Fisheries)
REGI (Regional Development)
Following items are selected from meetings held. Further developments on these issues will be reported on in future European Policy Update editions.
REACH
An important event for the environmental committee was the second reading voting concerning REACH and the legislation for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals. The committee has adopted the report by rapporteur Guido Sacconi with 42 in favour, 12 against and 6 abstentions. His recommendations to reintroduce most of the Parliament's first-reading amendments of last year provide Sacconi a stronger position to negotiate with the Council of Ministers in view of a possible final agreement before the end of 2006. Read the adopted text.
However, it remains to be seen whether it will also be adopted in the plenary . For more information and viewpoints from the different parties, read more in the article by Euractiv.
CoP
From 6 to 17 November 2006 Kenya will host the second meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 2), in conjunction with the twelfth session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP 12), in Nairoby. During the ENVI Committee meeting Last Wednesday 4 October, one of the topics on the agenda was the COP 12. Most amendments of a draft motion for a resolution on the EU Strategy for the Nairobi Conference on Climate Change were adopted.
9 - 13 October: European Parliament Plenary Sessions
This week in there was mini plenary session in Brussels. An interesting topic during the plenary session was a debate on 11 October where an emphasis was placed upon higher welfare standards for animals in the "Community Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2006 – 2010". The debate proposed better treatment of domestic and wild animals by means as the provision of information through a special EU label for animal friendly products, alternatives for animal testing and more humane cattle transport. The market position of European cattle sector should not be endangered.
The following day the report, prepared by rapporteur Elisabeth Jeggle (EPP-ED, DE) was adopted by 565 votes in favour to 29 against with 15 abstentions, with amendments.
Selection of other news:
- "Commission proposes €100 million global risk capital fund for developing countries to boost energy efficiency and renewables".
- 4 October 2006: a planned ENVI delegation to Turkey has been postponed by Turkey. In an official reaction on their website the Greens considers this as very regrettable, especially considering the negotiations about the future membership of Turkey.
- During his world tour to promote the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" ex-vice premier of the US Al Gore visited Brussels and discussed with Commissioner Dimas about the problem of global climate change. Commissioner Dimas, DG Environment, is occupied at the moment with the European Commissions Climate Change campaign which is launched in May.
