Welcome to the S&D's priorities on the agenda for upcoming June Plenary session in Strasbourg. Find out more about each topic.
Monday 10 June 2013 -
- Social investment for growth and cohesion,
- A new agenda for European consumer policy,
Tuesday 11 June 2013 -
- Serious cross-border threats to health,
- Fund for European aid to the most deprived,
- Minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers,
- Application for international protection lodged in a member state by a third-country national or a stateless person,
- Evaluation mechanism to verify application of the Schengen acquis,
- Transparency requirements in relation to information about issuers whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market,
- Adjustment rate to direct payments provided for in Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in respect of calendar year 2013,
Wednesday 12 June 2013
- Deadlock on the revision of Regulation,
Thursday 13 June 2013
- Second amendment to the Cotonou Agreement of 23 June 2000
For more information, please contact Dimitris KOMODROMOS
dimitris.komodromos@europarl.europa.eu
0032 474 62 28 84 (GSM)
0032 2 283 14 59 (Brussels)
0033 3 88 17 46 98 (Strasbourg)
Social investment for growth and cohesion
Monday, 10 June
[[{"fid":"125965","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Pervenche BERÈS","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
This oral question is a response to the Social Investment Package presented by the European Commission on 20 February and is intended to send a strong signal from the European Parliament regarding the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
A lack of effective social governance has resulted in increasing levels of social exclusion and inequality, with the burden of austerity falling hardest on public services and the most disadvantaged. Yet social and economic progress are interdependent. Europe's global competitiveness depends on its capacity to strengthen its social model.
Our vision for the EMU begins with a strong social aspect to its structure to guarantee economic and fiscal aspects are integrated with the social dimension. Our plans for a social pillar within the EMU include a detailed set of proposals on how economic and monetary union can be transformed into an economic, monetary and social union.
Your contact :
Pervenche Berès
Phone : + 32 2 284 57 77
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 57 77
pervenche.beres@europarl.europa.eu
A new agenda for European consumer policy
Monday, 10 June
[[{"fid":"125967","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":103,"title":"Vicente Miguel GARCÉS RAMÓN ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
This report contains a number of positive measures to improve the co-ordination of social housing policy and the exchange of best practice within the existing framework – there is currently no EU competence on this issue.
The S&D Group calls for effective measures for redress, transparent consumer information and strong support for consumer organisations in order to tackle the challenges consumers face in a globalised, digitised world and to ensure a high level of consumer protection amidst the financial crisis.
Your contact :
Vicente Miguel Garcés Ramón
Phone : + 32 2 284 54 14
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 54 14
vicentemiguel.garcesramon@europarl.europa.eu
Serious cross-border threats to health
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125964","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Gilles PARGNEAUX ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
The Commission’s proposal is a response to recent crises such as the bird flu pandemic in 2009, the volcanic ash cloud in 2010 and the E. coli bacteria outbreak in 2011. It aims to strengthen measures for protecting populations by tackling cross-border threats to health more efficiently and effectively.
It is only through a well-prepared, co-ordinated and efficient approach at EU level that member states can better provide the public with the necessary protection and information they need when faced with a health pandemic.
Your contact :
Gilles Pargneaux
Phone : + 32 2 284 54 40
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 54 40
gilles.pargneaux@europarl.europa.eu
Fund for European aid to the most deprived
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125968","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Emer COSTELLO","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
The Fund for European aid to the most deprived (FEAD) is intended to both replace and expand on the current EU food aid programme (the Food distribution programme for the most deprived persons of the community – MDP), which has been running since 1987. It would provide assistance to charities and NGOs working with the most deprived members of the community, including the homeless and children, for the period 2014-2020. The report by Emer Costello leaves it to each country to decide the final scope of the support within their own programmes (whether to provide food aid or basic material assistance and which groups to target amongst the most deprived).
FEAD is symbolic of European solidarity with those most severely affected by the crisis, but the increased budget is still far from adequate. In 2010, nearly 25% of Europeans (120 million people) were at risk of poverty and social exclusion. FEAD is an instrument designed to alleviate the most severe forms of poverty – food and material deprivation – which exist in all member states.
Your contact :
Emer Costello
Phone : + 32 2 284 56 81
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 56 81
emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu
Minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125969","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Antonio MASIP HIDALGO","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
The main objective of the directive is to ensure higher standards of treatment for asylum seekers in terms of reception conditions, to guarantee a dignified standard of living in line with international law. It also harmonises national rules on reception conditions to limit the secondary movements of asylum seekers between member states and therefore lessen the administrative burden.
Your contact :
Antonio Masip Hidalgo
Phone : + 32 2 284 54 74
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 54 74
antonio.masiphidalgo@europarl.europa.eu
Application for international protection lodged in a member state by a third-country national or a stateless person
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125970","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Sylvie GUILLAUME ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
The objective of this regulation is to improve the efficiency of the 'Dublin system' and to ensure higher standards of protection for the people involved. The proposal also aims to address the situations which put pressure on member states' reception facilities and asylum systems.
It introduces the so-called 'early warning, preparedness and crisis management mechanism', to address the root causes of ineffective national asylum systems or problems stemming from particular pressures. It introduces a number of improvements on the protection level, provides more legal clarity, extends the right to information and allows for unaccompanied minors to be reunited with family members.
Your contact :
Sylvie Guillaume
Phone : + 32 2 284 54 33
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 54 33
sylvie.guillaume@europarl.europa.eu
Evaluation mechanism to verify application of the Schengen acquis
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125971","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Ioan ENCIU","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
Following the decision of the Council in June 2012 to change the legal basis and not to include the European Parliament in co-decision on the Schengen evaluation mechanism, the Conference of Presidents decided to freeze five legislative dossiers until a solution could be found.
Even if this agreement is not exactly what the European Parliament would have liked, it can be considered a satisfactory result and is a major achievement for Schengen and for freedom of movement. This agreement transforms Schengen from being a system based merely on intergovernmental co-operation to a truly European system where the Commission will play a key role in ensuring that it functions well and the European Parliament will provide democratic scrutiny.
Your contact :
Ioan Enciu
Phone : + 32 2 284 54 57
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 54 57
ioan.enciu@europarl.europa.eu
Transparency requirements in relation to information about issuers whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125972","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":100,"title":"Arlene McCARTHY ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
This directive harmonises transparency requirements for all listed companies. It has already received significant press attention, largely due to the issue of country-by-country reporting for the extractive and forestry industries – which was dealt with as a package alongside the Accounting Directive.
Our Group has pushed hard for this legislation for many years. New rules will boost investor confidence and reduce short-termism after the financial crisis. They will also reduce administrative burdens on small- and medium-sized issuers. We have now ensured that sanctions remain effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Your contact :
Arlene McCarthy
Phone : + 32 2 284 55 01
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 55 01
arlene.mccarthy@europarl.europa.eu
Adjustment rate to direct payments provided for in Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in respect of calendar year 2013
Tuesday, 11 June
[[{"fid":"125973","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Luis Manuel CAPOULAS SANTOS ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
In the 2014 draft budget, the Commission's first estimates for direct payments and market-related expenditure for farmers showed that the sub-ceiling under Heading 2 for the financial year 2014 is likely to be exceeded. To meet financial discipline obligations, the Commission proposes a cut of 4.91759% on direct payments over €5000 (representing €1471.4 million for the calendar year 2013) to try to achieve a more balanced distribution of payments.
The rapporteur, supported by the committee on agriculture and rural development, contested the Commission’s method of calculation, which is based on the European Council multi-annual financial framework (MFF) agreement of 7-8 February 2013. This agreement does not have formal legal standing and therefore the rapporteur has taken the original figures from the Commission's proposal on the MFF as a basis of calculation, as these are the same figures as in the CAP reform proposals. This method of calculation resulted in a reduction of 0.748005%.
The rapporteur agrees on the threshold of €5000 and the committee adopted an amendment which leaves the door open for the European Parliament to reconsider its position once the MFF has been adopted.
Your contact :
Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos
Phone : + 32 2 284 59 91
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 59 91
luismanuel.capoulassantos@europarl.europa.eu
Deadlock on the revision of Regulation
Wednesday, 12 June
[[{"fid":"125974","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Michael CASHMAN ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
This motion for a resolution on the deadlock in negotiations on Public Access to Parliament, Council and Commission Documents follows the Commission statement made on 21 May (during the last plenary session) on this issue.
The revision of Regulation No 1049/2001 on Public Access to Parliament, Council and Commission Documents has been ongoing since the initial Commission proposal was published on 30 April 2008. After a subsequent Commission proposal and deadlock in Council, the Parliament adopted its first reading position on 15 December 2011.
Since then, trilogue negotiations have broken down due to the unwillingness of some member states – and the Commission in particular – to compromise.
This motion for resolution is intended to show: the Parliament's willingness to negotiate; its reasonableness in terms of red lines; and that the responsibility for the deadlock lies with the Commission and the Council.
Your contact :
Michael Cashman
Phone : + 32 2 284 57 59
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 57 59
michael.cashman@europarl.europa.eu
Second amendment to the Cotonou Agreement of 23 June 2000
Thursday, 13 June
[[{"fid":"125974","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":130,"width":102,"title":"Michael CASHMAN ","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]
The Cotonou Agreement of 2000 established a unique partnership between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the European Community and its member states. The agreement includes a revision clause which allows it to be adapted every five years until 2020.
The report was adopted unanimously and without amendments, recommending that Parliament gives consent to the second revision of the agreement. The rapporteur and the committee, however, express the strongest reservations about parts of the Cotonou Agreement which “do not reflect the position of the European Parliament and the values of the Union” and urges all parties to revise the unsatisfactory clauses during the next revision of the agreement, "including the explicit introduction of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation”.
Your contact :
Michael Cashman
Phone : + 32 2 284 57 59
Phone : + 33 3 88 17 57 59
michael.cashman@europarl.europa.eu
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