European Parliament 2019-2024 Committee on Petitions PETI_PV(2021)0412_1 MINUTES Meeting Monday 12 April 2021, 13.45-15.45 and 16.45 – 18.45 and Tuesday 13 April 2021, 9.00 – 12.00 and 13.45-15.45 Brussels by remote connection (via Room SPINELL 1G3) The meeting opened at 13.53 on Monday, 12 April 2021, with Dolors Montserrat (Chair) presiding. Monday 12 April 2021, 13.45-15.45 At 13.45 1. Adoption of draft agenda1 The agenda was adopted in the form shown in the minutes. Speakers: Point of order: Thomas Waitz requested the reconsideration by coordinators of the 1 In accordance with the committee’s Guidelines 2016, items in sections B of the draft agenda will not be discussed during the current meeting. However any PETI Member may ask before the end of the meeting for an item in section B to be kept open; it will then be automatically included in the Coordinators’ agenda for a decision on its further treatment at a subsequent Coordinators’meeting. PV\1229230EN.docx PE691.346v01-00 EN United in diversityEN closure of petition 0722/20. 2. Chair's announcements The Chair welcomed the new members of the secretariat *** 1st Remote Voting session *** (in parallel with Committee proceedings) (with EPVote) 3. Opinion on Strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body Rapporteur : KANEV (EPP) (2020/2133 (INI)) (for AFCO) (deadline for AM :4 February 2021 / vote :12-13 April 2021) Vote on Amendments *** End of voting *** at 15:15 The results of the vote on the amendments were announced in writing. 4. Report on the protection of persons with disabilities through petitions: lessons learnt, 2020/2209(INI) Rapporteur : Alex Agius Saliba - consideration of a draft report Speakers: Alex Agius Saliba, Stelios Kympouropoulos, Yana Toom, Tatjana Ždanoka, Anne-Sophie Pelletier, Ádám Kósa, Inma Placencia Porrero (EC-EMPL). 5. Opinion on The Commission’s 2020 Rule of law report - COM(2020)0580- 2021/2025(INI) Rapporteur : Margrete AUKEN (Greens) (deadline for AM : 19/04/2021 / vote : 26-27.05.2021 - consideration of draft opinion Speakers: Margrete Auken, Marc Angel, Angel Dzhambazki, Vlad Gheorghe, Ádám Kósa, Peter Jahr, Annegret Kempf (EC-JUST). In the presence of the European Commission A. Petitions for discussion in committee on the basis of the Commission's written reply or other documents received PE691.346v01-00 2/16 PV\1229230EN.docx EN Transport 6. Petition 0998/2020 by Maria del Rosario González (Spanish), on behalf of the Plataforma cinco puntos (Five-Point Platform) on school transport. (In the presence of the petitioner by remote connection) Speakers: María del Rosario González (petitioner), Peter Broertjes (EC-GROW), Peter Jahr, Andris Ameriks, Sira Rego. Decision: Keep the petition open; ask the Commission for a written update and to inform on all the decisions taken in the framework of the informal group of school transport; send to TRAN for information. The meeting adjourned at 16.34 * * * The meeting resumed at 16.45 with Dolors Montserrat (Chair) presiding from 16.45 – 18.45 at 16.45 In the presence of the European Commission A. Petitions for discussion in committee on the basis of the Commission's written reply or other documents received Health 7. Petition 1149/2020 by Kevin Reto Sequeira (Luxembourgish) on mandatory transparency for female hygienic products Speakers: Paolo Lavaggi (EC-JUST), Alexander Bernhuber, Marc Angel on behalf of Cristina Maestre Martín de Almagro, Stelios Kympouropoulos. Decision: Keep the petition open; send to IMCO and FEMM for an opinion; ask the Commission for a written reply. Environment 8. Petition 0929/2019 by G.R. (Romanian) on recycling and separate collection of waste in Romania Speakers: Cibor Kocman (EC-REGIO), Diane Chevreux (EC-ENV), Marc Angel on PV\1229230EN.docx 3/16 PE691.346v01-00 EN behalf of Cristina Maestre Martín De Almagro, Vlad Gheorghe, Eleonora Evi. Decision: Keep the petition open; send to ENVI for information;ask the Commission for an update of all the relevant information about the ongoing technical and political dialogue with the Romanian authorities and about the financial support that is being provided to Romania in the field of waste management; send a letter to the Romanian government inquiring about the progress of their programmes in the field of waste management and the use of European funds. 9. Petition No 0124/2020 by C. D’A. (Italian), on behalf of the Voluntary Citizens’ Committee against the landfill in the former Viti quarry, plus five environmental associations, bearing approximately 18 signatures, protesting at the authorisation of a hazardous waste landfill, including asbestos" (In the presence of the petitioner by remote connection) Speakers: Marco Grondacci (petitioner), Clelia Antico (EC-ENV), Radan Kanev, Marc Angel, on behalf of Massimiliano Smeriglio, Eleonora Evi. Decision: Keep the petition open; ask the Commission to update the report; send a letter to the regional authorities (Tuscany Region); send a letter to the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition. at 18.00 (in camera) 10. Coordinators' meeting The meeting closed at 17:51 * * * The meeting opened at 9.02 on Tuesday, 13 April 2021, with Dolors Montserrat (Chair) presiding. Tuesday 13 April 2021, 9.00 – 12.00 at 09.00 11. Chair's announcements concerning Coordinators' decisions 1. Adoption of agenda The agenda was adopted in the form shown in this outcome. The coordinators were briefed by Mr Rangel, rapporteur for the proposed Regulation on the Statute of the Ombudsman, on the status of negotiations with the Council on this dossier. PE691.346v01-00 4/16 PV\1229230EN.docx EN Mr Rangel committed himself to come back for another briefing, once the negotiations were more advanced. 2. Chair’s announcements Coordinators took the following decisions: The amendment to the AFCO report on dialogue with citizens and citizen participation in EU decision-making in order to protect PETI’s prerogatives would be put to the vote of the committee in the form suggested by Mr Jahr. At the request of the Greens, petition 722/20 will be reopened. Not to postpone the presentation of the Study End the Cage Age. 3. Adoption of the draft agenda of the PETI meeting of 26-27 May 2021 Coordinators approved the proposed draft agenda. 4. Proposals for future meetings 4.1 EPP Requests Petition No 0742/2018 by Jürgen Kirchner (German) on the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) alleged infringement of rules against conflicts of interest for consulted experts agenda of May or June. Petition 1356-20 on the infringement of Directive 2005/36/EC on the free movement of health professionals by the Spanish authorities will be added to the agenda of June. 4.2 S&D requests Petition No 1413/2020 by Alberto Maritati (Italian), on behalf of ‘Movimento Europeo Italia’, bearing 623 signatures, on the request to put an end to the massacre of human beings in the Mediterranean Sea and Petition No 1268/2020 by Gabriel Bao Moreno (Spanish) on the need for joint action by the European Union on migration in the Mediterranean Sea will be included in the agenda of May. 4.3 Greens/ALE requests Petition 0760/2007, presented by Cosimo Fracasso, on the dioxin alarm in Taranto, Petition 2207/2013, presented by Violante Sion on the environmental pollution caused by the ILVA plant in Taranto and Petition 1150/2019 by P.S. (Italian), bearing 7 signatures, against the construction of a biodigester for waste treatment will be include in the agenda of May. 5. Requests by the groups At the request of the S&D, PETI will draft a short motion for resolution under Rule 227(2) on LGTBI+ rights; PV\1229230EN.docx 5/16 PE691.346v01-00 EN At the request of the Greens/ALE, PETI will table an Oral Question + Resolution on "Transparency on the EU COVID-19 vaccination strategy" 6. Requests concerning B-items B-items will be dealt with by written procedure. 7. Withdrawn petitions Coordinators took note that there were no withdrawn petitions. 8. Letters Coordinators took note of the letters received. *** 2nd Remote Voting session *** (in parallel with Committee proceedings) (with EPvote) 12. Opinion on Strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body Rapporteur : KANEV (EPP) (2020/2133 (INI)) (for AFCO) (deadline for AM :4 February 2021 / vote :12-13 April 2021) - Final vote *** End of voting *** at 10:00 The results of the vote on the amendments were announced in writing. The opinion was adopted with 19 in favour, 6 against and 9 abstentions. 13. PETI position in the form of amendment on the AFCO report Citizens dialogues and Citizens participation in the EU decision- making (2020/2201)(INI)), Rapporteur: Dolors Montserrat. (Vote in AFCO 15.06.2021 - Vote The amendment was unanimously adopted with 34 in favour and no abstentions. 14. Debate on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “People4Soil” (In the presence of the organizers). Speakers: Cosimo Damiano di Simine (organizer of the initiative), Andrea Vettori (EC- ENV), Alex Agius Saliba, Ulrike Müller, Eleonora Evi, Peter Jahr, Thomas Waitz. PE691.346v01-00 6/16 PV\1229230EN.docx EN Decision: Ask for a written reply from the Commission on the topics of this ECI; send to ENVI. In the presence of the European Commission A. Petitions for discussion in committee on the basis of the Commission's written reply or other documents received Justice 15. Petition 1300/2019, by Julie Grace (Irish) on the process of administration of Protected Disclosures in Ireland. (In the presence of the petitioner by remote connection) Speakers: Alex Agius Saliba, Peter Jahr, Luke Ming Flanagan, Julie Grace (petitioner), Maria Mollica (EC-JUST). Decision: Keep the petition open; send this petition to JURI for information; send a letter to the Irish Ministry for Justice showing its concern for the violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights and requesting information on when the Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law would be transposed by Ireland.