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Strasbourg Round Up - Latest

December 2008

Main Topic: Working Time Directive

The Last Nöel

The December plenary had special significance for Gary Titley. It was his last full Strasbourg session as Labour’s Leader in Europe and the last Christmas he would spend in the city as an MEP before standing down next June. And to add further spice to a highly emotional week, there were some very important issues on the European Parliament’s agenda.

Working Time

The Working Time Directive came back to the Parliament this month. First implemented in the 1990s, it ensures that workers get four weeks paid holidays a year. It also lays down a 48 hour maximum working week, averaged out over 4 months, unless there is voluntary agreement between employer and employees to set this aside. Currently 14 countries take advantage of this opt out. Like all EU laws, this directive was subject to review. But the whole subject is highly controversial as different countries interpret and implement this directive in different ways. To further complicate matters, certain European Court judgements have recently declared the widespread practice of categorising ‘on call’ time as rest time illegal. A revised directive tabled by the Commission went through first reading stage in the European Parliament almost 5 years ago. Since then governments have struggled to reach agreement on the issue. Their final position went to Parliament for second reading this month and was strongly opposed. The Parliament particularly disliked ‘on-call’ time being classified as rest time. It also opposed the opt out, preferring instead to create more flexibility by allowing the 48 hours maximum to be averaged out over 12 months, rather than the current 4 months. The British government wanted to keep the opt out, while the Socialist Group was opposed. This left British Labour MEPs in a very difficult position. Eventually the majority voted to end the opt out, although support for the Parliament’s position was so strong that the Labour vote made no difference to the final result either way. The directive now goes into negotiations between the Parliament and member state governments, but positions are so far apart it is difficult to see where a solution will be found. Speaking after the vote, Gary said: "This has been a difficult week for the Labour side, but there was a clear vote in the Parliament. The problem now is that, if no agreement can be reached, we will end up with the existing law which has lots of loopholes. Watch this space!"

Climate Change

This month in Strasbourg Labour MEPs celebrated a historic victory, as groundbreaking new policies to tackle climate change were finally agreed. It took nearly 12 months of tortuous negotiations to reach a deal. Dubbed the 20/20/20 vision, the agreement commits the EU to reduce carbon emissions by 20% and sets a 20% target for renewable energy production, all by 2020. Also included in the package are strong sustainability criteria for biofuels, new limits for carbon emissions in cars and the promise to spend €9bn on new technology to clean up coal and gas power stations. In addition, there will be a tightening up of the Emissions Trading Scheme, which will both bring in money for research into green technologies and reduce carbon emissions from the big polluters. Governments from across the globe have been watching the EU’s progress on the climate change package with intense interest. In essence, the EU package sets the standards that the rest of the world will now be under pressure to follow. Welcoming the agreement, Gary said: "Whilst EU action on climate change is crucial, we really need a global deal to secure the future for the next generation."
Banning Killer Cuddlies

In the run-up to Christmas, the last thing mums and dads need to worry about is whether the toys they are buying to put in Santa’s stocking are safe. That is why MEPs voted this month in Strasbourg to bring in updated rules to guarantee that every toy sold in Europe meets strict safety standards. Dangerous chemicals, which are known to cause allergies or even cancer, will be kept out of toys and heavy metals will also be banned. Any chemicals that are used will have to be properly labelled. Gary said: "Even though the EU already had toy safety standards in place, it was high time they were brought right up to date. This directive should put parents’ minds at ease by doing just that."

Sarkozy bows out

It has been an eventful six months for the EU, what with the global financial crisis, war in Georgia and the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in the Irish referendum. All thee challenges required strong leadership from the French Presidency and most MEPs agreed that President Sarkozy provided it. In his final speech of the French EU Presidency to the Parliament, he said that a "strong Europe must be a unified Europe". Specifically commenting on the climate change agreement he said: "When we do not have unity, how will the rest of the world listen to us?" President Sarkozy also praised the role of Gordon Brown in tackling the financial crisis. In Gary’s address to the Parliament on the French Presidency, he said: "What we have learned is that Europe stands or falls together. If we act individually we are lost. We are in a situation now where we have never been before. That is why I welcome the dynamic leadership we have had, in contrast with Timothy Kirkhope’s Tory party, whose members, like rabbits paralysed in the headlights, think that doing nothing is the only solution to the great crisis we face."
And Finally

It’s good to see that President Sarkozy’s ego is still intact. Normally, when one of Europe’s heads of government addresses the European Parliament, they are happy to make do with sitting in the seat marked number 2. But France’s premier was not prepared to accept what for him was second best, so just for this one occasion, the seat numbers one and two were removed for the first time ever. Perhaps Mr Sarkozy should ask Santa for some humble pie for Christmas, just like ‘I’m a celebrity’ Robert Kilroy-Silk might have been eating in the members’ restaurant after his recent escapades in the Australian rainforest, rather than looking after the interests of his East Midlands’ constituents. Gary Titley MEP December 2008

Gary Titley MEP

December 2008