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After the summer recess, MEPs were raring to go this month, not least because, for many of them, it was as if Christmas had come early this year. Part of the debating chamber roof in Strasbourg collapsed last month. Luckily, no-one was hurt in the collapse because the chamber was empty – as it is for most of the year. Repairs couldn’t be completed on time and that left the authorities with no choice but to hold both the plenary sessions scheduled for September in Brussels.

Gary Titley was delighted by this decision. He has long argued for the European Parliament to meet solely in Brussels. He said: “The success of this week-long plenary session in Brussels demonstrates that it is time to break with tradition and make Brussels the only seat of the European Parliament. This would save taxpayers £200 million a year and avoid all the environmental costs of shifting the whole Parliament lock, stock and barrel to Strasbourg each month.” A recent study has shown that 89% of MEPs want the Parliament to have just one seat.

Georgia

This summer’s worrying events in Georgia and South Ossetia were top of the agenda in Brussels. The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, speaking on behalf of the EU Presidency, explained that the European Council had decided to suspend talks with Russia on a new partnership agreement until Moscow withdraws its troops from Georgia. But he made clear that channels of communication with Russia would remain open.

In the debate that followed, some MEPs pressed for a tough stance against Russia, arguing that EU member states bordering Russia like Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were now at risk. Other MEPs, though, emphasised that it was not a black and white situation. The actions of the Georgian government had contributed to the escalation of the crisis, they said. A general consensus eventually emerged that the EU should play a constructive role in resolving the conflict and help with rebuilding work in Georgia.

Social Package

Labour MEPs believe the single market is important, but only if it comes with proper protection for workers rights and citizens’ welfare. That is why they gave a guarded welcome to a series of proposals from the European Commission on employment, education, health and economic affairs, all designed to improve opportunities for ordinary people.

The elements in this ‘Social Package’ that covered discrimination and balancing job flexibility and security were widely welcomed. But overall, Labour MEPs criticised the package for being too vague and weak – a direct result, they said, of many EU countries having centre-right governments, which do not regard social protection as a political priority. Gary warned that this was why next year’s European Elections were so crucial. “We need to get Europe’s social agenda back on track, and if we’re going to do that successfully, we will need more Labour MEPs in the European Parliament,” he said. “Now is the time to start campaigning.”

Hydrogen Powered Cars

This month, MEPs paved the way for the mass production of hydrogen powered motor vehicles by 2015, in yet another move by the EU to fight climate change. Using hydrogen from sustainable sources in cars will help reduce traffic pollution, because it does not create CO2 emissions like other conventionally powered vehicles.

The production of hydrogen powered cars is on the increase. In 2000, there were just a few hundred on the roads, but now the number has reached 16,000. This latest EU-wide proposal will help further boost production by giving a clear signal to car manufacturers that more research and development into these new technologies will be rewarded. Gary welcomed the move. He said: “With high petrol prices and concerns over climate change, we need to look for alternatives. This new proposal should help do just that.”


Ban on animal cloning in food

Health and safety concerns are always a top priority for MEPs, especially when it comes to food. This month they adopted a resolution calling for a ban on cloned animals entering the food chain. They want the Commission to stop imports of cloned animals, their offsprings and by-products. The resolution, though, will not affect research on cloning. But it will mean that, if these food products eventually prove to be dangerous, EU citizens will have been protected.

Time to get serious on tax fraud

MEPs called for tough action on tax fraud this month. Some €200-250bn in national tax revenues are being lost across Europe each year with VAT fraud alone accounting for around €40bn – 10% of total receipts. As well as tightening up the VAT system, Parliament also voted to reform the Savings Tax Directive, in a move to persuade member states to treat tackling tax fraud seriously.

Equality between men and women

This month the Parliament adopted the first ever report to look at equality between men and women across the EU’s 27 member countries. The report’s findings were not encouraging. Men are being paid on average 15% more than women for doing the same job and only a third of company directors are women. Less than a quarter of national MPs are female and even the European Parliament is only slightly better with a third. For their part, British Labour MEPs have almost reached gender equality with 8 women out of 19. Meanwhile the Tories only have one female MEP and she is standing down at the next election.
 

And Finally…

The true face of David Cameron’s ‘cuddly’ Tory Party was clear for all to see this month. On the equality resolution, 22 voted to delete a reference to European cooperation to combat trafficking of women, 19 abstained on the final report and 2 actually voted against! On another resolution about reducing the number of women dying in childbirth globally by 75%, 9 Tory MEPs – including 2 prospective UK general election candidates – voted against. As Gary pointed out: “Nothing has really changed. Cameron says he has a new party, but if you look at what really matters – his MEPs’ voting record – you’ll find a completely different story. It’s the same old Tories.”

Gary Titley MEP
September 2008
(1st Session)