Debates of the European Parliament 1

01-09-2008 EN Debates of the European Parliament 1 MONDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2008 IN THE CHAIR: MR PÖTTERING President (The sitting was opened at 5 p.m.) 1. Resumption of the session President. – I declare resumed the session of the European Parliament adjourned on 10 July 2008. 2. Announcement by the President President. − Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to you all. I would like to begin with some comments about the situation regarding the plenary chamber in Strasbourg. As you know, due to the partial collapse of the false ceiling in the plenary chamber in Strasbourg on 7 August, this first part-session of the European Parliament in September has had, exceptionally, to be held here in Brussels. I took this decision with a view to ensuring the greatest possible safety of Members and staff, based on my perusal of the initial expert reports and after consultation with the chairpersons of the groups and the French Council Presidency. The decision also takes account of the need to maintain continuity in the European Parliament’s legislative work. The preliminary findings of the investigations indicate that the partial collapse of the false ceiling was caused by fractures in the building components which connect the suspended ceiling with the actual ceiling structure. The investigations are ongoing and are being carried out by several independent international structural engineering firms commissioned by Parliament with a view to establishing further details and responsibilities for the collapse. These investigations are being carried out in very close cooperation with the relevant local authorities as well as with a senior buildings safety expert appointed by the French Government. The apportionment of responsibility and liability between the contractors involved in the construction of the original ceiling will be established on the basis of the final investigation reports, once they are available. The false ceiling in the plenary chamber will now be re-suspended using a new technique which has been approved by the independent experts and the local buildings authorities. Although every effort is being made to complete the work as soon as possible, the procedure involved is, of necessity, somewhat lengthy. Nonetheless, we hope that all the safety investigations and necessary repairs will be completed in time for the House to hold its September II part-session in Strasbourg. May I assure you that safety takes absolute priority in all our considerations and decision-making. 3. Tribute President. − Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid I have some very sad announcements to make. During the summer, we learned with great sadness of the tragic death of our friend and colleague Professor Bronisław Geremek. He was a great Polish patriot and a true European who, for decades, campaigned tirelessly for the Polish people to share in the fundamental values of democracy, liberty, human rights and the rule of law. His commitment to the democratic opposition and the great popular movement Solidarność ultimately bore fruit. For almost two decades now, Poland has occupied its rightful place among the free and democratic nations of Europe and, as we all know, has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004. His contribution to this achievement undoubtedly made Bronisław Geremek – who also served as a member of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament, for many years and was his country’s Foreign Minister from 1997 to 2000 – one of the founding fathers and chief architects of the new Poland. Bronisław Geremek had been a Member of the European Parliament since 2004. We knew him as a man whose belief in the European project was profound and genuine. It embodied his ideals and convictions: reconciliation, dialogue and compromise. I greatly admired his unique ability to be near to his country and near to the European Union at the same time. He worked tirelessly for the integration process, which he regarded as the best solution for the future of his country and, indeed, for our continent as a whole. 2 EN Debates of the European Parliament 01-09-2008 We have lost an exceptional figure from the European scene, a colleague whose tragic and untimely death has left a vacuum which will be hard to fill. I wish to express my deepest condolences to his family – especially his two sons – and all his friends. We in the European Parliament will always honour his memory. Ladies and gentlemen, we also heard with great sorrow, in early August, of the death of our colleague Willi Piecyk shortly before his 60th birthday. On this sad occasion too, I would like to speak for the European Parliament in expressing our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. Willy Piecyk had been a Member of the European Parliament since 1992. He was a leading figure in the Committee on Transport and Tourism, where he served as spokesman for the Socialist Group for many years. Only a few weeks ago, he was able to join us to celebrate the first European Maritime Day. At the time, although I was aware of his serious illness, it seemed to me that his health was improving. Sadly, this impression was mistaken. Willi Piecyk will remain in our memories in many ways as the initiator of many important projects. With his passing, we have lost a colleague who enjoyed the respect and appreciation of everyone in this House. We will remember Willi Piecyk, too, with lasting gratitude. Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid I must also inform you about the death of a much-loved former colleague, Maria Luisa Cassanmagnago Cerretti, who died on 4 August. I have particularly vivid memories of her, for she joined the European Parliament at the same time as I did, in 1979, when she took up the cause of Europe and European integration in this House. She served as a Vice-Chairwoman of the Group of the European People’s Party and was Vice-President of the European Parliament from 1982 to 1987. Her other political functions included chairing the Political Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, the forerunner of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a time. Through her political commitment, Maria Luisa Cassanmagnago Cerretti was an inspiration, particularly for women, and as a Member of the European Parliament, she was a woman of intellectual courage and compassion who made a valuable contribution to European integration. We will remember her with great fondness. Ladies and gentlemen, during the summer recess, a series of tragic air disasters occurred. On 20 August, Spain’s worst air disaster for 25 years left 154 people dead. Only 18 of the 172 people on board the aircraft, which was en route from Madrid’s Barajas Airport to the Canary Islands, survived the tragedy. The day after the crash, I made a statement on behalf of the European Parliament, and today I would like to reiterate that message of solidarity and support to the families and friends of the deceased. Just a few days after the Madrid tragedy, on 24 August, another plane crashed shortly after take-off at Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, killing 68 of the passengers and crew. I would like to speak for everyone in this House in expressing our most heartfelt condolences to the victims of these and other tragic events. I would ask you all to rise for a minute’s silence in memory of those who have lost their lives. (The House rose and observed a minute’s silence) 4. Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting: see minutes 5. Composition of Parliament: see minutes 6. Composition of committees and delegations: see minutes 7. Interpretation of the Rules of Procedure: see minutes 8. Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council: see Minutes 9. Action taken on Parliament’s resolutions: see Minutes 10. Lapsed written declarations: see Minutes 01-09-2008 EN Debates of the European Parliament 3 11. Transfers of appropriations: see Minutes 12. Petitions: see Minutes 13. Documents received: see Minutes 14. Oral questions and written declarations (submission): see Minutes 15. Order of business President. − The final version of the draft agenda as drawn up by the Conference of Presidents at its meeting of Thursday, 28 August 2008 pursuant to Rules 130 and 131 of the Rules of Procedure has been distributed. No amendments have been proposed, so the agenda is adopted. Hannes Swoboda (PSE). – (DE) Mr President, looking at the agenda and assuming that the debate on Georgia takes place today, we do not have any specific requests. However, if there are delays and the sitting overruns, with the result that the debate on Georgia cannot take place until tomorrow, then we would move that the debate on the social package be postponed until the September II part-session for, in my view, it will be impossible for us to debate the social package and Georgia in a single morning. I just wanted to give the House advance notice, as it were. President. − Thank you, Mr Swoboda. There was no interpretation, I believe, particularly into English, if I have identified the colleagues concerned correctly. Let me repeat what Mr Swoboda has just said. Mr Swoboda said that, if the debate on today’s Summit does not take place today but happens tomorrow, the debate on the social package should then be postponed until the September II part-session, as the time allocated for this debate will then be taken up talking about today’s Summit. That is as I understand it. Do we agree on that? It seems we do. That brings us to the one-minute speeches on important political issues under Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure. 16.

Load more