No58 July/ Aug 1979 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT First Meeting - Unruly but for Real Both cere1:1ony and acrimony marked the opening sitting and Allies and the Liberal and Democrat Group. Smallest of the elected European Parliament at its meeting in of the old groups is the European Progressive Democrats, Strasbourg on 17-20 July. Ceremony was represented by drawn from France, Ireland, Denmark - and now also inaugural speeches by the new President, Simone Veil, the United Kingdom, for Scottish National Member followed by those of Irish Premier Ja..:k Lynch, President­ Winnie Ewing has surrendered her non-attached status. in-Office of the Council of Ministers, of European But other non-attached Members were there in Commission President Roy Jenkins and of the political abundance: 23 at the beginning of the July plenary session group leaders. The acrimony arose from procedural against three in the old Parliament. And it was their wrangles which were interpreted on the one hand as the role which contributed so much to the nature of the defence of the rights of independent Members and on the session. under the existing rules of procedure a minimum other as deliberate wrecking tactics. One thing was clear: of ten Members drawn from at least two countries the old, consensual, sometimes too cosy Parliament was can be recognised as a group with the right to a seat on of the past. A new, lusty, perhaps wayward infant had the "enlarged Bureau" - the executive committee of the taken its place. Parliament - and to a group secretariat financed from The new Parliament reflects the political choice of the parliamentary funds. Before the house on 18 July was a 100 million Europeans who went to the polls on 7-10 motion to raise this minimum to 21, and it was to June. The Socialists, though still the largest single group, forestall this that eleven of the independents, including now have only a riarrow margin over the Christian five Italian Radicals and other left-wingers and four Danes Democrats - now known as the European People's elected on an anti-Common Market ticket, formed the ~ Party. (Yet, notwithstanding proportional representation Group for the Technical Coordination and Defence of Pihroughout the Community except in Great Britain, Groups and Non-Attached Members. It was an argument EPP candidates actually obtained more votes than over their status, characterised by procedural delaying Socialists.) tactics, which emphasised the contrast with the old Third in size is the European Democratic Group, the Parliament's normally decorous behaviour. But, irritated newly renamed European Conservatives, whose 63 as many were by the disruption of the proceedings of members have a handsome lead over both the Communists what had promised to be a sitting consisting mainly of ceremony, there was a more philosophical view expressed that the events marked the emergence of a "real" parliament which would contribute actively to the resolution of serious issues relevant to the lives of the 260 million citizens of the Community and the millions First President of the elected European Parliamen t is Simone Veil (Lihrral, more beyond its borders. It was recognised by more than France). Narrowl.v missing outright one speaker that the relatively low turnout in the l'/cctio11 in the first ballot 011 a field of European elections (with the UK taking "the wooden five candiclales. she .'Wccreded in a run­ off al(ainst two other candidat('s. spoon" in the words of Commission President Jenkins) Born in Nice 111 1927, Mrs ~ ci/ sur· ;:efleded poorly on the policies the Community vivcd a Nazi conc,•ntralion camp in hcr implemented and how it presented them to the public. youth heforc f.{radualin!f in law and political sci<'ll<"<' . .r\ fter a f<,1;al career The parliament, said European Democrat leader James she hccamc French Minister of Puhfic Scott-Hopkins, will have to demonstrate that it "is 1/calth and Fa111ily ,\ {fairs, a post fro111 something which is worth the electorate voting for and wh1Ch she rc'.'iij.fned on l'lcction lo the f :uropcan Parhame11t. continuing to support." Work begins Having elected its officers, Parliament now looks beyond the Summer recess to the commencement of committee work at the beginning of September. The provisional dates for 1979 plenary sessions (all in Strasbo~irg) are: 94 - 28 September, 22 - 26 October, 12 -16 11.,weinber 1d 10 - 14 December. The major autumn tt;tsk facing 1arliament will be examination and amendment of the EPP 108 Community budget for 1980. This, of course, will cover agriculture and food expenditure, the regional and social funds, research and technology, overseas aid etc. The Autumn may well see :: by-election in the UK constituency of· South-West London which is normally regarded as marginal by the parties. Although the group affiliation of some Members is provisional, and with two vacancies, the current strength of European political groups is as follows: (2 Seats vacant. For Group Titles see page 2). REPORT have not come here to sabotage this European Council meeting in Stras­ The Parliament: Assembly's wotk ... We want to alter bourg and the Irish tum as President Denmark's complete relationship with of the Council of Ministers. The what now? the European Community into a energy problem, said Commission President Veil (Lib/F) " It is for general trading arrangement." President Roy Jenkins "could not us, with a view to future elections, to Willy Brandt (Soc/Ger) said the merely damage our economies, but draw up a single electoral system ... Parliament now had to prove its use­ bring them into a state of dislocation A responsible Parliament should not fulness. It should be a forum where or collapse within the next decade". limit itself, in the drawing up of the views can be expressed on matters Countries which failed to "break the budget, to fixing the amount of ex­ closely affecting the voters of link between economic growth and penditure, but should also concern Europe. He proposed that the Parlia­ the consumption of oil" would be­ itself with how taxes are raised ... We ment should hold more open heari."lgs, come the "dinosaurs of the industrial know that historically it was through and suggested that the first oppor­ world" of the 1990s. the control of supply that the first tunity could be taken this autumn, The need for a common energy parliaments in the world evolved." prior to the Madrid East-West Con­ policy was underlined by Willi Ernest Glinne (Soc/Bel) " ... The ference on Security and Co-operation Brandt (Soc/Ger), Egon Klepsch wish that the Council Presidency in Europe. (EPP/Ger), James Scott-Hopkins from now on take part in all the Paddy Lalor (EPD/lrl) " ... This (Dern/UK), Giorgio Amendola major debates in the Assembly ... the Assembly must be accorded its right­ (Com/It) and Jean-Frarn;ois Pintat decision to hold direct elections was ful place in the legislative process." (Lib/F) and Paddy Lalor (EPD/Irl). concommittant and coupled with the Colette Flesch (Lib/Lux) com­ The solidarity shown in Strasbourg creation of the European Council, an plained that the new European should be translated into concerted institution which was not foreseen in Development Fund for overseas aid Community action. Among the most the Rome Treaty, and whose inter­ was not included in the Community frequently cited measures were energy vention is only acceptable if the budget snd that the Parliament had conservation schemes and a reduction Assembly, after its election, becomes no control over it. in consumpt10n, development of a real counterweight." Roy Jenkins, Commission Presi­ alternative energy sources, diversifi­ Leo Tindemans (EPP/Bel)" ... This dent: " ... We believe that it is impor­ cation of supplies and more meetings Parliament, in co-operation with the tant from the outset that there should between producers and consumers, Commission and the Council, must be the opportunity for wider and including those from the Third find a new equilibrium, and must earlier discussion of major proposals World, and control over multinational make proposals and take initiatives which we take to the Council. Here it oil companies. F.conomic growth was which can be discussed with the other seems to us essential that there should needed to cure unemployment. This bodies of the Comm unity and we also be a greater understanding of impor­ was impossible until energy problems hope, be implemented.:' tant issues at a Community level, and were solved. ~ James Scott-Hopkins (DemiUK) we would be willing to prepare, where The excessive cost of the common ~ " ... It is wrong to assume that any appropriate, discussion documents as agricultural policy - currently some extension of our powers would auto­ a basis of parliamentary debate of three quarters of the Community matically be at the expense of broad policy issues in advance of budget - also figured largely in the national parliaments . .. In matters formulating proposals for the debate. As James Scott-Hopkins put relating to external agreements there Council." it, "we cannot go on as we are ... " is inadequate provision for any form The present arrangements for spend­ of democratic control either in the ing tax payers' money on storage and drawing up of the Commission's The Political Groups disposal of surpluses were "lunacy". negotiating mandate or at the con­ Socialist Group (Soc) Liberal and Democratic Group t~:bl The Council had not done ,\·ell: the et.airman: Cha1rna."I clusion of these negotiations. National E~est Gl.m.'lEe 'Bel) McU1J1. Barigerra.,n (Ger Commission had done even worse. Vicc.~ha.::nc-n. V 1ce -cnair.i"aen parliaments have little, if any power L..1dw10 Fcliermaier cG.c:r) lee1.n· rram;:o,s Pin·a: F' And the Irish Foreign i\'iinisier Ciaude Estie: (f) V.nce11z0Baniz.a1lt) in this area ..