Official Journal of the European Communities Debates of the European Parliament 1997/98 Session. Report of proceedings from 25 to 26 June 1997
92
pages
English
Documents
Le téléchargement nécessite un accès à la bibliothèque YouScribe Tout savoir sur nos offres
92
pages
English
Ebook
Le téléchargement nécessite un accès à la bibliothèque YouScribe Tout savoir sur nos offres
ISSN 0378-5041
Annex Official Journal
of the
European Communities
No 4-503
English edition Debates of the European Parliament
1997/98 Session
Report of proceedings
from 25 to 26 June 1997
Espace Leopold Building, Brussels
General contents Sitting of Wednesday, 25 June 1997
1. Resumption of the session, p. 2 - 2. Approval of the Minutes, p. 2 -
3. Welcome, p. 2 - 4. Urgent political matters, p. 2 - 5. Takeover bids, p. 8 -
6. Dangerous preparations, p. 12 - 7. 1998 estimate for EP and Ombudsman,
p. 17 - 8. The information society, p. 21 - 9. Imports of hormone-treated meat,
p. 33 - 10. Cohesion Fund - structural funds, p. 37 - 11. Agreement with Kyrgyz
Republic, p. 47-12. PHARE programme, p. 48
Sitting of Thursday, 26 June 1997 54
1. Welcome, p. 54 - 2. European Council of 16/17 June - Dutch presidency,
p. 54 - 3. Votes, p. 76 - 4. Adjournment of the session, p. 87 NOTE TO READER
Parallel editions will also be appearing in the following official languages of the Union:
Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Finnish and
Swedish. The English edition contains the original texts of the interventions in English
and an English translation, provided by freelance translators, of those made in other
languages. In these cases, the following letters appear in brackets after the name of the
speaker- to indicate the language spoken: (DA) for Danish, (DE) for German, (EL) for
Greek, (ES) for Spanish, (FR) for French, (IT) for Italian, (NL) for Dutch, (PT) for
Portuguese, (FI) for Finnish and (SV) for Swedish.
The original texts of these interventions appear in the edition published in the language
spoken.
Abbreviations used for Political Groups as shown following the name of the speaker
(PSE) Group of the Party of the European Socialists
(PPE)p of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)
(UPE)p of the Union for Europe
(ELDR) Group of the European Liberal Democratic and Reformist Party
(GUE / NGL) Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left
(V) Green Group in the European Parliament
(ARE) Group of the European Radical Alliance
(I-EDN)p of Independents for a Europe of Nations
(NI) Non-attached Members
Resolutions adopted at the sitting of 25-26.6.1997 appear in the Official Journal of the
European Communities C 222, 21.7.1997. Debates of the European Parliament 25.6.97 No 4-503/1
SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 25 JUNE 1997
Contents
1. Resumption of the session 2
2. Approval of the Minutes
Posselt, Florio, Schwaiger
3. Welcome
4. Urgent political matters
de Silguy (Commission), Seillier, de Silguy, Boogerd-Quaak, de Silguy, Katiforis, de
Silguy, Rübig, de Silguy, Arroni, de Randzio-Plath, de Hautala, de Provan, de Féret, de Silguy, Scarbonchi, de Silguy, Fayot, de Silguy,
Mulder, de Silguy
5. Takeover bids
Florio, Medina Ortega, Fontaine, Verde i Aldea, Mosiek-Urbahn, Florio, Thors,
Falconer, Palacio Vallelersundi, Cassidy, Monti (Commission) 8
6. Dangerous preparations
Baldi, Hulthén, Schleicher, Eisma, Sjöstedt, Bowe, Trakatellis, Graenitz, Flemming,
Myller, Blak, Bangemann (Commission) 13
7. 1998 estimate for EP and Ombudsman
Tomlinson, Fabra Valles, Haarder, Svensson, Müller, Vanhecke, Elles, Florio, Virranko
ski, Hautala 17
8. The information society
Hendrick, Boogerd-Quaak, Rübig, Ahlqvist, Berger, T. Mann, Holm, Haarder, Hautala,
Glante, Malerba, Ryynänen, Pailler, Scarbonchi, Lukas, Paasilinna, Herman, Plooij-
Van Gorsel, Ribeiro, Wibe, Günther, Thors, Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Bangemann (Commis
sion), Plooij-Van Gorsel 21
9. Imports of hormone-treated meat
Bangemann (Commission), Roth-Behrendt, Provan, Rosado Fernandes, Mulder, Quer-
bes, Graefe zu Baringdorf, Vandemeulebroucke, des Places, Happart, Gillis, E. Mann 33
10. Cohesion Fund - structural funds
Novo, Novo Belenguer, Eisma, Vallvé, McCartin, Lindqvist, Langenhagen, Karamanou,
Costa Neves, G. Collins, Ephremidis, Schroedter, Moretti, Bosch, Hatzidakis, Van
Bladel, Botz, Rack, Berend, Wulf-Mathies (Commission) 37
11. Agreement with Kyrgyz Republic
Chesa, Schwaiger, Schroedter, Wulf-Mathies (Commission), Schroedter 4
12. PHARE programme
Wiersma, Swoboda, Schwaiger, Van Bladel, Plooij-Van Gorsel, Schroedter, Van der
Waal, Elchlepp, Rübig, Krehl, Linser, Wulf-Mathies (Commission) 48 25.6.97 Debates of the European Parliament No 4-503/2
President. - Thank you very much, Mr Schwaiger. As I IN THE CHAIR: MR. GIL-ROBLES
said to Mr Posselt, I shall find out what has happened and
President
give you an answer.
(The Minutes were approved) (')
(The sitting was opened at 3.05 p.m.)
3. Welcome
1. Resumption of the session
President. -1 should like to inform Honourable Members
President. - I declare resumed the session of the Euro that a parliamentary delegation from Central America is
pean Parliament adjourned on Friday, 13 June 1997. present in the House and I should like to extend the
European Parliament's greetings and welcome to them.
(Applause)
2. Approval of the Minutes
I call upon Mrs Seillier.
President. - The Minutes of the sitting of 13 June 1997
have been distributed.
4. Urgent political matters
Are there any comments?
President. - The next item on the agenda is a communi
Posselt (PPE). - (DE) Mr President, Friday's Minutes cation by the Commission on the economic agenda of the
correctly record my protest that the plenary did not discuss Amsterdam European Council and the Denver Summit.
financial aid for Bulgaria and Macedonia. The President
also told me that according to her information that was the I call upon Mr Commissioner de Silguy.
decision of the Committee on External Economic Rela
De Silguy, Member of the Commission - (FR) Mr tions. Let me make it quite clear that the Committee on
President, ladies and gentlemen, President Santer has External Economic Relations unanimously decided the
asked me to report to you on the economic results of the contrary! After all, this was an urgency, which we ap
European Council in Amsterdam and the G7 meeting held proved on Tuesday morning. The committee met on
last weekend in Denver, Colorado. Tuesday evening in Strasbourg and decided unanimously
that its chairman or a representative would present an oral
There are three principal messages emerging from these
report; and then suddenly, on Friday morning, we heard
two international meetings. The euro is now an established
that there would not be a debate. I am absolutely in favour
reality, which is a good thing for Europe and a good thing
of accelerated procedures, but to find that an important
for the world; the economic climate is developing satisfac
political question, involving a lot of money, is not dis
torily, and employment has become the first economic
cussed either in committee or in plenary is quite contrary
priority of the national governments.
to parliamentary procedure and our Rules of Procedure!
First, the euro. The G7 summit ratified the results of the
President. - Mr Posselt, I shall find out exactly what Amsterdam Council. The euro is here to stay. All the
happened and let you know. evidence I need is the completion of the preparatory work
associated with its introduction, and the acknowledgement
Florio (UPE). - (LT) Mr President, I want to speak on a
of its international dimension. The European Council in
point of procedure. In February I put a question to the
Amsterdam definitively adopted the legal framework for
Office of the Presidency on the building work in Stras
the euro, which, I should remind you, comprises three
bourg. Well, four months have gone by and I have
essential elements: the resolution on the new form of the
received no reply whatsoever. This is no way for Parlia
European Monetary System; the two Regulations creating
ment to operate! I demand an urgent reply to my question,
the legal status of the euro, in other words the monetary
and to questions from other Members who are having to
law of Europe for the year 2000; and the two Regulations
wait too long in contempt of the Rules of Procedure.
- one preventive, one deterrent - which together with the
Amsterdam resolution make up the Pact for Stability and
President. - Mr Florio, the draft reply to your question
Growth. This framework, which is necessary for the
was put before the Bureau this morning. The Bureau
proper functioning of economic and monetary union, has
considered that a fuller answer was required, so the
been devised in close co-operation with this House. It will
question is still pending and due for approval on 10 July
encourage growth and employment while preventing or
in order to give you a fuller reply.
correcting excessive public spending deficits.
Schwaiger (PPE). - (DE) Mr President, following on
The European Council in Amsterdam also gave a specific
from what Mr Posselt said, let me point out that the
mandate to the Commission, the Council and the Euro
Commission decided on financial aid for Bulgaria as early
pean Monetary Institute on the work needed to place the
as mid-May,
