21.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 314/1

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MINUTES

(2006/C 314 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 17.05.

2.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

Françoise Grossetête informed the Chair that she had been present but that her name was not on the attendance register.

The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

3.   Transfers of appropriations

The Committee on Budgets had considered the Commission's proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC 43/2006 (C6-0364/2006 — SEC(2006)1283 final).

It had authorised the transfer in full under Article 24(2) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002.

*

* *

The Committee on Budgets had considered the Commission's proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC 45/2006 (C6-0365/2006 — SEC(2006)1285 final).

It had authorised the transfer in full under Article 24(2) and (3) of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002.

4.   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):

07.11.2006

Karnaukh (Dr. Gorev — Engelmann und Kollegen RAE) (No 666/2006)

Wilhelm Sailer (No 667/2006)

Epameinondas Petrovas (No 668/2006)

Name confidential (+ 2 signatures) (No 669/2006)

Dimitrios Stavropoulos (Evroserca) (No 670/2006)

Oikodomikos Syneterismos Eleftheron Epangelmation (+ 1 signature) (No 671/2006)

Konstantinos Tsoupakis (Paratheristikos Oikodomikos Senterismos o Agios Nektarios) (No 672/2006)

Panagiotis Nikolopoulos (Sillogos Goneon Kai Kidemonon 89ou Dimotiko Skoleiou Thessalonikis) (No 673/2006)

Spiridon Aggelopoulos (No 674/2006)

Stelios Matsiaris (No 675/2006)

Antis Roditis (No 676/2006)

George Papachrisostomou (No 677/2006)

Christoforos Kostarellos (No 678/2006)

Dimitris Petsas (No 679/2006)

Hider Buci (Somatio Alvanon Metanaston Stin Ellada) (+ 1 signature) (No 680/2006)

Petros Demetropoulos (No 681/2006)

Giorgos Sgourakis (Sindesmos Ellinon Paragogon Kinimatografou Tileorasis) (No 682/2006)

Efthimiou Sigouras (No 683/2006)

Ioannis Kyriakidis (Skyropoia Leonik LTD) (No 684/2006)

Ioannis Kyriakidis (Skyropoia Leonik LTD) (No 685/2006)

Name confidential (Hellenic Association of Automobile Merchants & Importers) (No 686/2006)

Nikos Geroulakis (Exoraistikos Oikologikos) (+ 1 signature) (No 687/2006)

Stergos Stagas (Dimotiki Epichirisi Idrevsis Apohetevsis Dimou Ialisou) (No 688/2006)

Aggeliki Harokopou (Dikigoriko Grafeio Aggelikis Harokopou) (No 689/2006)

Din Stavros (No 690/2006)

Andreas & Nikolaos Mavraganis (No 691/2006)

Dimitrios Vasileiou (No 692/2006)

Purificación Sepúlveda Vizoso (No 693/2006)

Rosa Maria Hennecke-Gramatzki (Colectivo Ornitológico Cigueña Negra) (No 694/2006)

Serafin Baños Martin (No 695/2006)

Ana Maria Gallego Barrós (No 696/2006)

José Maria Nieto Jimenez (No 697/2006)

Niilo Tammiranta (No 698/2006)

Janine Vogler (Refuge de l'espoir Animaux Secours) (No 699/2006)

Maria Mozzone (+ 1 signature) (No 700/2006)

Alfredo del Gaudio (No 701/2006)

John Murray (No 702/2006)

Pauline Mullingan (The parishioners of St Anthony's RC Church) (+ 96 signatures) (No 703/2006)

Fouad Hamdan (Friends of the Earth Europe) (+ 27 signatures) (No 704/2006)

Siggi Fay (No 705/2006)

William Joseph Morrin (No 706/2006)

Muthukumaran Thangaramanujam (No 707/2006)

Name confidential (No 708/2006)

Christopher Thomas Booth (No 709/2006)

Larisa Sokolova (No 710/2006)

Rafał Kosno (Stowarzyszenie Federacja Zielonych w Białymstoku) (No 711/2006)

Lidia Jochimsen (No 712/2006)

Beata Monika Pokrzeptowicz Meyer (No 713/2006)

Deborah McAleese (The Belfast Telegraph, The National Newspaper of Northern Ireland) (No 714/2006)

5.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

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

—	Procès-Verbal of Rectification of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Andean Community and its Member States (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela), of the other part

6.   Written declarations (Rule 116)

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declarations 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54/2006 lapsed as they had not obtained the required number of signatures.

7.   Written declarations and oral questions (tabling)

The following documents had been received from Members:

1)

oral questions (Rule 108): — (O-0115/2006) Karl-Heinz Florenz, on behalf of the ENVI Committee, Gerardo Galeote, on behalf of the DEVE Committee, and Joseph Daul, on behalf of the AGRI Committee, to the Council: European initiative in the field of civil protection (B6-0442/2006); — (O-0118/2006) Arlene McCarthy, on behalf of the IMCO Committee, to the Commission: Gambling and sports betting in the Internal Market (B6-0443/2006) — (O-0122/2006) Duarte Freitas, Carmen Fraga Estévez, Salvador Garriga Polledo, Esther Herranz García, Elisabeth Jeggle, Albert Jan Maat, Mairead McGuinness, Francisco José Millán Mon, James Nicholson, Neil Parish and Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, to the Commission: Milk quotas (B6-0444/2006) — (O-0106/2006) Marcin Libicki, on behalf of the PETI Committee, to the Commission: Incorporation of the return of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants into the comprehensive measures to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community (B6-0446/2006)

2)

written declarations for entry in the Register (Rule 116): — Michael Cashman, Andrew Duff and Richard Howitt, on the French National Assembly's adoption of a law criminalising denial of the ‘Armenian genocide of 1915’ (80/2006) — Alessandra Mussolini, on the commemoration of the Communist occupation of Hungary in 1956 (81/2006) — Stanisław Jałowiecki, on the use of clearer language in European Union documents (82/2006) — Philip Claeys, Frank Vanhecke and Koenraad Dillen, on discrimination against trade union members on the basis of their political preferences in Belgium (83/2006)

8.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

1)

from committees: 1.1) reports: — Report on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Gérard Onesta (2006/2121(IMM)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Klaus-Heiner Lehne (A6-0386/2006) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (COM(2006)0091 — C6-0082/2006 — 2006/0033(COD)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (A6-0385/2006) — Report on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Gabriele Albertini (2006/2122(IMM)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Diana Wallis (A6-0383/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the establishment of a Joint Undertaking to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR) (COM(2005)0602 — C6-0002/2006 — 2005/0235(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Erna Hennicot-Schoepges (A6-0382/2006) — Report on 2006 annual report on the euro area (2006/2239(INI)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil (A6-0381/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COM(2006)0082 — C6-0105/2006 — 2006/0023(CNS)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Giusto Catania (A6-0380/2006) — Report on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Gabriele Albertini (2006/2099(IMM)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Diana Wallis (A6-0378/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending and correcting Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (COM(2006)0500 — C6-0335/2006 — 2006/0172(CNS)) — AGRI Committee. Rapporteur: Joseph Daul (A6-0377/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the First Instalment of the Third Community Contribution to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Chernobyl Shelter Fund (COM(2006)0305 — C6-0251/2006 — 2006/0102(CNS)) — BUDG Committee. Rapporteur: Janusz Lewandowski (A6-0374/2006) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Framework for Community Action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy (Marine Strategy Directive) (COM(2005)0505 — C6-0346/2005 — 2005/0211(COD)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (A6-0373/2006) — Report on new framework strategy for multilingualism (2006/2083(INI)) — CULT Committee. Rapporteur: Bernat Joan i Marí (A6-0372/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the Specific Programme: ‘Capacities’ implementing the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (COM(2005)0443 — C6-0384/2005 — 2005/0188(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Vittorio Prodi (A6-0371/2006) — Report on Mortgage Credit in the EU (2006/2102(INI)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: John Purvis (A6-0370/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the specific programme: ‘Ideas’ implementing the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (COM(2005)0441 — C6-0382/2005 — 2005/0186(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Angelika Niebler (A6-0369/2006) — Report with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on fighting trafficking in human beings — an integrated approach and proposals for an action plan (2006/2078(INI)) — LIBE Committee. Rapporteur: Edit Bauer (A6-0368/2006) — Report on a Baltic Sea Region Strategy for the Northern Dimension (2006/2171(INI)) — AFET Committee. Rapporteur: Alexander Stubb (A6-0367/2006) — Report on the implementation of the European Security Strategy in the context of the ESDP (2006/2033(INI)) — AFET Committee. Rapporteur: Karl von Wogau (A6-0366/2006) — Report on the White Paper on a European communication policy (2006/2087(INI)) — CULT Committee. Rapporteur: Luis Herrero-Tejedor (A6-0365/2006) — Report on a thematic strategy on the protection and conservation of the marine environment (2006/2174(INI)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Aldis Kušķis (A6-0364/2006) — Report on Women in international politics (2006/2057(INI)) — FEMM Committee. Rapporteur: Ana Maria Gomes (A6-0362/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive on the exemption from valued added tax and excise duty of goods imported by persons travelling from third countries (COM(2006)0076 — C6-0078/2006 — 2006/0021(CNS)) — ECON Committee. Rapporteur: Charles Tannock (A6-0361/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the specific programme ‘People’ implementing the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (COM(2005)0442 — C6-0383/2005 — 2005/0187(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Umberto Pirilli (A6-0360/2006) — Report with recommendations to the Commission on succession and wills (2005/2148(INI)) — JURI Committee. Rapporteur: Giuseppe Gargani (A6-0359/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the Specific Programme to be carried out by means of direct actions by the Joint Research Centre implementing the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2011) of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities (COM(2005)0444 — C6-0385/2005 — 2005/0189(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Daniel Caspary (A6-0357/2006) — Report on the situation of people with disabilities in the enlarged European Union: the European Action Plan 2006-2007 (2006/2105(INI)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Elizabeth Lynne (A6-0351/2006) — Report on a strategy for biomass and biofuels (2006/2082(INI)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Werner Langen (A6-0347/2006) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community and Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (COM(2005)0676 — C6-0442/2005 — 2005/0258(COD)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Maria Matsouka (A6-0346/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of an amendment to the Convention on access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice in environmental matters (COM(2006)0338 — C6-0276/2006 — 2006/0113(CNS)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Eija-Riitta Korhola (A6-0336/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the Specific Programme to be carried out by means of direct actions by the Joint Research Centre under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013) (COM(2005)0439 — C6-0380/2005 — 2005/0184(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: David Hammerstein Mintz (A6-0335/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the Specific Programme implementing the seventh Framework Programme (2007-2011) of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities (COM(2005)0445 — C6-0386/2005 — 2005/0190(CNS)) — ITRE Committee. Rapporteur: Umberto Guidoni (A6-0333/2006) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC and Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and the Council as regards the review of the medical device directives (COM(2005)0681 — C6-0006/2006 — 2005/0263(COD)) — ENVI Committee. Rapporteur: Thomas Ulmer (A6-0332/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council Regulation concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture (COM(2006)0154 — C6-0137/2006 — 2006/0056(CNS)) — PECH Committee. Rapporteur: Philippe Morillon (A6-0331/2006) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS) (COM(2006) 0011 — C6-0024/2006 — 2006/0004(COD)) — EMPL Committee. Rapporteur: Jan Andersson (A6-0324/2006) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products (COM(2006)0233 — C6-0202/2006 — 2006/0081(CNS)) — PECH Committee. Rapporteur: Philippe Morillon (A6-0311/2006) 1.2) recommendations for second reading: — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market (10003/4/2006 — C6-0270/2006 — 2004/0001(COD)) — IMCO Committee. Rapporteur: Evelyne Gebhardt (A6-0375/2006)

2)

from Members: 2.1) oral questions for Question Time (Rule 109) (B6-0445/2006): — Commission: Mavrommatis Manolis, Davies Chris, Moraes Claude, Medina Ortega Manuel, Panayotopoulos- Cassiotou Marie, Ludford Sarah, Budreikaitė Danutė, Kinnock Glenys, McAvan Linda, Hall Fiona, Guerreiro Pedro, Posselt Bernd, Paleckis Justas Vincas, Papastamkos Georgios, Hieronymi Ruth, Ryan Eoin, Batzeli Katerina, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Willmott Glenis, Karim Sajjad, Jensen Anne E., Lundgren Nils, Rudi Ubeda Luisa Fernanda, Ayuso Pilar, Karatzaferis Georgios, Demetriou Panayiotis, Ó Neachtain Seán, Crowley Brian, Aylward Liam, Matsis Yiannakis, Vakalis Nikolaos, Doyle Avril, Hutchinson Alain, Evans Robert, Toussas Georgios, Parish Neil, Staes Bart, Gaľa Milan, Manolakou Diamanto, Trüpel Helga, Pafilis Athanasios, Mitchell Gay, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Seppänen Esko, Rutowicz Leopold Józef, Bushill- Matthews Philip, Belet Ivo, Beglitis Panagiotis, Lucas Caroline, Brejc Mihael, Frassoni Monica, Czarnecki Ryszard, Queiró Luís — Council: Moraes Claude, Medina Ortega Manuel, Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou Marie, Karim Sajjad, Ludford Sarah, Lundgren Nils, Kauppi Piia-Noora, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Valenciano Martínez- Orozco Elena, Davies Chris, Posselt Bernd, Crowley Brian, Aylward Liam, Ryan Eoin, Hutchinson Alain, Evans Robert, Goudin Hélène, Doyle Avril, Toussas Georgios, Manolakou Diamanto, Meyer Pleite Willy, Pafilis Athanasios, Mitchell Gay, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Rutowicz Leopold Józef, Beglitis Panagiotis, Ó Neachtain Seán, Guerreiro Pedro, Czarnecki Ryszard

9.   Decisions concerning certain documents

Decision to draw up a report under Rule 201

AFCO Committee

—	Revision of Rule 139 of the Rules of Procedure. Transitional arrangement concerning languages. (2006/2244(REG))

10.   Membership of Parliament

The President of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies had given notice of the appointment of Ioana Vălean as Observer at the European Parliament with effect from 26 October 2006, in place of Monica Octavia Muscă.

*

* *

The Italian authorities had given notice of the following changes in the appointments of representatives of the Italian Republic at the European Parliament, following decisions taken by the Council of State on 12 and 29 May 2006:

—	Matteo Salvini's mandate as a Member of the European Parliament had been revoked;

—	Umberto Bossi had given up his seat as Member of the European Parliament for the second constituency (north-east Italy) and had been elected in the first constituency (north-west Italy);

—	Gian Paolo Gobbo had been elected in the second constituency (north-east Italy).

These changes would take effect on 8 November 2006. The file pertaining to them had been sent to the JURI Committee.

The following spoke: Francesco Enrico Speroni, who disputed the decision for the changes to take effect on that date, which, he thought, should be decided upon by the committee responsible (the President noted his point and said that it would be passed on to the committee responsible as appropriate).

11.   Membership of committees and delegations

At the request of the PSE Group, Parliament ratified the following appointment:

Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners: Ana Maria Gomes

12.   Signature of acts adopted under codecision

The President announced that, on Wednesday, he and the President of the Council would sign the following acts adopted under the codecision procedure pursuant to Rule 68:

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on information on the payer accompanying transfers of funds (3630/2/2006 — C6-0415/2006 — 2005/0138(COD))

—	Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an instrument for stability (3634/1/2006 — C6-0412/2006 — 2004/0223(COD))

—	Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the implementation of a programme of support for the European audiovisual sector (MEDIA 2007) (3653/2006 — C6-0413/2006 — 2004/0151(COD))

—	Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the ‘Youth in Action’ programme for the period 2007-2013 (3654/2006 — C6-0414/2006 — 2004/0152(COD))

—	Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an action programme in the field of lifelong learning (3655/2006 — C6-0408/2006 — 2004/0153(COD))

13.   Draft general budget for the 2007 financial year (deadline for tabling draft amendments)

The deadline for tabling draft amendments for the second reading of the draft general budget for the 2007 financial year had been set at Monday, 27.11.2006, 12.00.

Pursuant to Annex IV, Article 5(3) to the Rules of Procedure, draft amendments must be tabled by at least 37 Members or on behalf of a committee.

14.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the November I and II sittings (PE 379.744/PDOJ) had been distributed and a number of changes had been proposed (Rule 132):

Sittings of 13.11.2006 to 16.11.2006

Monday

—	Request from the PSE Group to postpone the debate on: Report: Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin — A6-0385/2006, ‘Establishment of the European Globalisation adjustment Fund’.

The following spoke: Jean Louis Cottigny, on behalf of the PSE Group, who moved the request, and Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (rapporteur), on behalf of the PPE-DE Group.

Parliament approved the request.

Tuesday

—	no changes

Wednesday

—	no changes

Thursday

—	no changes

Sittings of 29 and 30.11.2006

—	no changes

*

* *

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

—	proposal for a Council regulation on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (COM(2006)0506 — C6-0334/2006 — 2006/0168(CNS))

Reason for request:

The agreement had to be concluded as soon as possible so that the first financial compensation payment could be made before the end of 2006. If this did not happen, the Member States' fishing activities would be suspended.

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.

*

* *

The following spoke: Jens-Peter Bonde, who did not think that the composition of Parliament's delegations to meetings on the Constitution taking place abroad with the national parliaments was representative of the outcome of the vote at which the draft Constitution had been approved (the President replied that the members of the committees concerned were responsible for the composition of the delegations).

15.   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:

József Szájer, Catherine Guy-Quint, Magda Kósáné Kovács, Danutė Budreikaitė, Manolis Mavrommatis, Jean Lambert, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Kinga Gál, Glyn Ford, Avril Doyle, Zbigniew Zaleski, Françoise Castex, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Jörg Leichtfried, Georgios Karatzaferis, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, András Gyürk, Marios Matsakis, Jim Higgins, Mairead McGuinness, Georgios Toussas, Ryszard Czarnecki, Willy Meyer Pleite, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Bogusław Rogalski, Janusz Wojciechowski and Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou.

16.   2006 annual report on the euro area (debate)

Report on the 2006 annual report on the euro area [2006/2239(INI)] — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Rapporteur: José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil (A6-0381/2006)

José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil introduced the report.

IN THE CHAIR: Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ

Vice-President

Joaquín Almunia (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Othmar Karas, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Pervenche Berès, on behalf of the PSE Group, Danutė Budreikaitė, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Jens Holm, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Zbigniew Krzysztof Kuźmiuk, on behalf of the UEN Group, Dariusz Maciej Grabowski, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Hans-Peter Martin, Non-attached Member, Gunnar Hökmark, Udo Bullmann, Jeffrey Titford, Sergej Kozlík, Zsolt László Becsey, Benoît Hamon, Georgios Karatzaferis, Andreas Mölzer, Dariusz Rosati, Joaquín Almunia and Jean-Claude Juncker, Chairman of the Eurogroup.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 14.11.2006, Item 11.1.

17.   Community action in the field of marine environmental policy ***I — Thematic Strategy on the Marine Environment (debate)

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Framework for Community Action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy (Marine Strategy Directive) [COM(2005)0505 — C6-0346/2005 — 2005/0211(COD)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (A6-0373/2006)

Report on a thematic strategy on the protection and conservation of the marine environment [2006/2174(INI)] — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Aldis Kušķis (A6-0364/2006)

Vladimír Špidla (Member of the Commission) spoke.

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

Marie-Noëlle Lienemann introduced the report (A6-0373/2006).

Aldis Kušķis introduced the report (A6-0364/2006).

The following spoke: Ioannis Gklavakis (draftsman of the opinion of the PECH Committee), Ville Itälä, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Riitta Myller, on behalf of the PSE Group, Chris Davies, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Carl Schlyter, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Adamos Adamou, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Sebastiano (Nello) Musumeci, on behalf of the UEN Group, Urszula Krupa, on behalf of the IND/ DEM Group, John Purvis, Åsa Westlund, Henrik Lax, Ian Hudghton, Georgios Toussas, Cristina Gutiérrez- Cortines, Evangelia Tzampazi, Marios Matsakis, Dorette Corbey, Olle Schmidt and Vladimír Špidla.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 14.11.2006, Item 9.15 and Minutes of 14.11.2006, Item 11.2.

IN THE CHAIR: Luigi COCILOVO

Vice-President

18.   European electricity network breakdown (debate)

Commission statement: European electricity network breakdown

Andris Piebalgs (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Herbert Reul, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Reino Paasilinna, on behalf of the PSE Group, Anne Laperrouze, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Claude Turmes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Esko Seppänen, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vincenzo Lavarra, Paul Rübig, Giles Chichester and Andris Piebalgs.

The debate closed.

19.   Milk quotas (debate)

Oral question (O-0122/2006) by Duarte Freitas, Carmen Fraga Estévez, Salvador Garriga Polledo, Esther Herranz García, Elisabeth Jeggle, Albert Jan Maat, Mairead McGuinness, Francisco José Millán Mon, James Nicholson, Neil Parish and Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, to the Commission: Milk quotas (B6-0444/2006)

Duarte Freitas (author) moved the oral question.

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.

The following spoke: Elisabeth Jeggle, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Katerina Batzeli, on behalf of the PSE Group, Jan Mulder, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Ilda Figueiredo, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Janusz Wojciechowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Kathy Sinnott, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Albert Jan Maat, Rosa Miguélez Ramos and Kyösti Virrankoski.

IN THE CHAIR: Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI

Vice-President

The following spoke: Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Carmen Fraga Estévez, Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, James Nicholson, Salvador Garriga Polledo, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Mairead McGuinness, Neil Parish, Duarte Freitas, who put a question to the Commission which Mariann Fischer Boel answered.

The debate closed.

20.   Support for rural development by the EAFRD * — Voluntary modulation of direct payments under the CAP * (debate)

Report on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) [COM(2006)0237 — C6-0237/2006 — 2006/0082(CNS)] — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rapporteur: Jan Mulder (A6-0319/2006)

Report on the proposal for a Council regulation laying down rules for voluntary modulation of direct payments provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 [COM(2006)0241 — C6-0235/2006 — 2006/0083(CNS)] — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rapporteur: Lutz Goepel (A6-0315/2006)

Mariann Fischer Boel (Member of the Commission) spoke.

Lutz Goepel introduced the report (A6-0315/2006).

Jan Mulder introduced the report (A6-0319/2006).

The following spoke: Herbert Bösch (draftsman of the opinion of the BUDG Committee), Struan Stevenson, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Katerina Batzeli, on behalf of the PSE Group, Kyösti Virrankoski, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Ilda Figueiredo, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Janusz Wojciechowski, on behalf of the UEN Group, Andrzej Tomasz Zapałowski, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Duarte Freitas, Bogdan Golik, Nathalie Griesbeck, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, James Nicholson, Bernadette Bourzai, Elspeth Attwooll, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, Neil Parish, Gábor Harangozó, Mairead McGuinness, Esther Herranz García, Jim Allister and Mariann Fischer Boel.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 14.11.2006, Item 9.11 and Minutes of 14.11.2006, Item 9.17.

21.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 379.744/OJMA).

22.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 22.45.

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