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NEWSANALYSISUNHCR/A. Rodríguez/July-October 2007Las Raices temporary detention centre on the Spanish Canary Island of TenerifeDear Ms Hennis-Plasschaert, The common European asylum system exists on paper but not yet in reality. Its practice in member states is still very divergent – too divergent, in my opinion, to ensure that people who need protection will find it all across the EU. My question is: do member states have the political will to rectify this situation? If they do, it is hard to explain why we still face a situation where asylum seekers of the same nationality, and often with very similar case histories, have completely different prospects of receiving protection, depending on where in the EU they lodge their claims. UNHCR research shows that the claims of asylum seekers from countries where conflict and human rights violations are rampant, countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Sri Lanka, are assessed in totally different ways from one EU member Judith Kumin state to another. So it is no wonder that people move across the EU in search of protection. We hope that the establishment of an effective European asylum support office will tackle this problem seriously. I worry, though, that the political priority lies elsewhere – namely, on the effort to reduce the number of people seeking entry to the EU. Governments work closely together to develop ever-more effective entry control measures. As a result, it is increasingly hard for asylum seekers to get to a place where they can seek protection, and even when they do, there is no guarantee of fair assessment of their claims. The credibility of the common European asylum system is at stake. How can the parliament help to ensure that border control measures do not pose an insurmountable obstacle for persons seeking protection from violence and persecution?Dear Ms Kumin, I am equally concerned about the huge differences in decisions to recognise or reject asylum requests from applicants from the same country of origin. It goes against the principle of providing equal access to protection across the EU and creates secondary movements as a consequence. As I said earlier, further alignment of member states’ law, as well as better enforcement and thus compliance, is crucial in order to achieve a better and more harmonised standard of protection. Indeed, member states find it extremely difficult to meet the ambitions first expressed in 1999. Over and over again the council reaffirms the importance of full respect by all member states of their international obligations, notably those relating to human rights and international protection. However, the adoption of such statements is completely meaningless if member states do not proceed accordingly at the same time. So yes, political courage is urgently needed. Clearly, the issues of migration, asylum, border management and cooperation with third countries are closely linked. It is therefore essential to develop these policies in parallel. Most important is that the council does not look upon the issues in an isolated way. In this respect, and above all, political will should clearly not be exercised only in the case of border patrols and other measures to keep illegal migrants out, but also with regard to international protection, which should be afforded to asylum seekers and others in need of protection. By now the parliament has the power to adopt legislative acts on an equal footing with the council. Miracles in the short term cannot be expected, but if the parliament plays its role as it is supposed to do, I am convinced that the parliament will be able to force the council to get out of the current impasse.“The common European asylum system exists on paper but not yet in reality”Yours sincerely, Judith KuminYours sincerely, Jeanine Hennis-PlasschaertJeanine HennisPlasschaert was elected to the European parliament in 2004 and is a member of the ALDE group. She is a member of parliament’s civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee (LIBE), the temporary committee on climate change and serves on the delegation for relations with south-east Europe. Between 1995 and 1998 she worked at the European commission’s directorate-general for enlargement, in the department responsible for relations with Poland and the Baltic states, and in the commission delegation to Riga, Latvia (1998-2000). In 2000 she moved back to the Netherlands to work as a subsidy adviser for KPMG.2 February 2009 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 11 Issue 281 2 February 2009Damage limitation “WE SAW MANY WOMEN WITH NO TEARS TO CRY ”Luisa Morgantini on the conflict in Gaza, who she’s backing for parliament president and how the EU can conquer the hearts and minds of voters ahead of June’s elections World Cancer Day Liz Lynne, the ECPC’s, Hildrun Child Online Safety Opportunity and SecurityThe Internet offers children tremendous educational and social benefits, but may also expose them to harmful images, predators and bullying. If the web is to realise its true potential, parents need to know that in enjoying the very best opportunities for Issue 281 2 February 2009NEWSANALYSIS 6 Czech mates The Parliament Magazine’s new year reception was a packed affair, thanks in part to the hospitality of the Czech EU presidencySPECIALREPORT FOOD LABELLING 29 Lost in the supermarket The commission’s proposal on food labelling risks confusing consum CATHERINESTIHLEREDITORIAL TEAM Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Sarah Collins Martha Moss International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0)2 285 0828 newsdesk@theparliament. www.theparliament.com EDITORIAL BOARD Editor Catherine Stihler MEP Editorial board PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE NEW YEAR RECEPTION??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? NEWSANALYSIS 2 February 2009 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 7 European Commission European Commission Enterprise and Industry Enterprise and Industry NEWSANALYSISPest (mis) management The recent European parliament ban on 22 substances linked to cancer is a step too far for Neil ParishPlease don’t misunderstand me, it is vitally important that any pesticides likely to be harmful to human health or to the environment must be removed from the marke TÊTE À TÊTE | AsylumHaven or hell? Marking the first in a new series of tête à tête debates in the Parliament Magazine, Judith Kumin and Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert examine the reality of the common European asylum policy Dear Ms Hennis-Plasschaert, UNHCR/C. Vandervoort/2007Dear Ms Kumin,Judith Kumin NEWSANALYSISUNHCR/A. Rodríguez/July-October 2007Las Raices temporary detention centre on the Spanish Canary Island of TenerifeDear Ms Hennis-Plasschaert, The common European asylum system exists on paper but not yet in reality. Its practice in member states is still very divergent – too divergent, i Feed the world. Tackle climate change. CONFERENCE Agriculture, Fertilizers and Climate Change 12 February 2009 Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Brussels Register: www.efma.org 48% of the current global population are fed thanks to the use of mineral fertilizers. Conversely, fertilizer production and use re NEWSANALYSISVive la France! Apologies to deputies Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg and Silvana Koch-Mehrin, for the omission of their MEP comments on the French presidency in the last issue. We were inundated with responses from parliamentarians and unfortunately the two MEPs’ thoughts slipped thr The ECNIS Network of Excellence: Four yearsof progress towards the integration of European research on the causes and prevention of cancerCancer constitutes a major public health problem worldwide as well as in Europe. As described by Dr. P. Boffetta, a researcher at the International Agency of Rese NEWSANALYSISDamage limitation Luisa Morgantini tells Martha Moss that the EU needs to stand firm and hold Israel accountable for the destruction in GazaAs the people of Gaza struggle to rebuild their lives following three weeks of heavy fighting, Luisa Morgantini wants the EU to meet its responsibil GAZA | MEP DelegationEU development chief Louis Michel walks with a Palestinian family as he inspects a devastated area in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Europe responsible for “pushing Hamas back”. “When they decided to participate in the election, they decided to enter a democratic arena. And when we NEWSANALYSISA losing battleIFeleknas Uca sets out what Europe can do to ensure a sustainable ceasefire in Gazaleft for the Gaza Strip on 10 January with eight other colleagues to evaluate the humanitarian situation on the ground. We witnessed scenes of massive destruction – houses, infrastructure, s NEWSANALYSISOn the campaign trailAWith a 20-year career in the European parliament under his belt, Neil Corlett is still as fascinated as ever by the EU’s ever-growing, ever-changing institutionss unelected EU bureaucrats go, I am as guilty as the next man (or woman) of having devoted much, if not a ELECTION WATCH | Neil Corlett“I don’t expect to be elected from a place half way down the list, but the very act of participation makes me feel part of the democratic process as well as understand better what it takes to be a politician” Campaigning in a dreary shopping centre in the rain or trudgin The heart of EU politics POLITICS, POLICY AND PEOPLEwww.theparliament.com/bFor accurate, real-time, tailored political informationwww.dods.eu/monitoring 7th Framework research projectMINIMIZING ACTIVITIES AND DOSES BY ENHANCING IMAGE QUALITY IN RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL ADMINISTRATION MADEIRAOne of the biggest success stories in combating cancer is the earlier diagnosis for some cancers. Medical imaging has contributed largely to this success. This diagno NEWSANALYSISStemming the tideIf we don’t invest money, time and effort to fight cancer now, the consequences will be even more severe in the long run, warns Liz Lynne Veldeman PhotoIn 2006 I, along with two other MEPs – with considerable help from the European Cancer Patient Coalition – set up MEPs WORLD CANCER DAYLiz Lynne is a founding member of the MEPs Against Cancer groupthe council set as its minimum target are currently being completed. What is more, only 41 per cent of screenings are undertaken as part of population-based programmes, meaning that many EU citizens are still unable to ac NEWSANALYSIS“Earlier detection of cancers through screening... helps stem the cancer tide Europe faces due to its ageing population” more in prevention and screening. One in four people currently dies from cancer, even though experts tell us that around 50 per cent of all cancers are preventable – s CANCERDIP going beyond genetics in the fight against cancer D uring the onset and progression of most human tumour types, and besides the more classical genetic alterations, a growing number of epigenetic alterations have become hallmarks of cancer. In order to tackle the disease from this new angle NEWSANALYSISToday’s children, tomorrow’s world Isabel Mortara explains how educating children can help reduce the burden of cancer in adultsBeing overweight can lead to cancer later in life. On Wednesday 4 February – World Cancer Day – the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) will launch the ‘I WORLD CANCER DAYIsabel Mortara is executive director of UICC, the international union against cancer, which has more than 330 member organisations in over 100 countriesOverweight and obesity among children and adults is a major and growing problem in many EU countries, yet scarcely more than half th SPECIALREPORT SPECIALREPORT SPECIALREPORTIN THIS SECTIONLost in the supermarketFOOD LABELLING 29 Lost in the supermarket The commission’s proposal on food labelling risks confusing consumers and conflicts with the provisions of the small business act, argues Renate Sommer 33 Our daily bread Ludger F FOOD LABELLING | Rapporteur“For multilingual packages, a 3mm font size would not be workable at all” member states responsible for laying down food labelling rules for non-prepacked products, assuming that they provide for limited requirements workable for small businesses. However, this procedure c Save more than fuel Save more than fuel10 tips to use fuel effi ciently 10 tips to use fuel effi ciently1. Keep your car well serviced and check the oil level regularly. 6. Start driving soon after the engine is on and 1. Keep your car well serviced and check the oil level regularly. 6. Start drivin SPECIALREPORTOur daily breadALudger Fischer invites commission officials to experience a day in the life of a small business in the hope of re-educating them on food labels ers vary their production every day, according to season and availability. Their production is not standardised – small craft p FOOD LABELLING | ConsumersEating your wordsA A traffic light label on UK supermarket Sainsbury’s stuffed crust cheese feast pizzaA simple, colour-coded labelling system on the front of products is the easiest way to inform consumers of its nutritional value, explains BEUC’s Willemien Bax listened to SPECIALREPORTMatters of the heartA traffic light labelling system is one way to inject health into highly relevant legislation, writes Adamos AdamouThe European parliament is currently debating the commission’s proposal for a regulation on the provision of food information to consumers. A key elemen Aim High Go Low , Insulate ! Europe’s main challenges are: economic recovery, energy security and fighting climate change A crucial part of the solution is already available:low energy buildings ? Buildings account for 40% of Europe’s energy use ? A low energy building requires approximately 90% les INSIDEEUA new frontierFVincent Berrutto looks at programmes to promote low-carbon houses programme, called PEP, aims to promote the concept of passive housing across Europe. The PEP project team developed a series of tools enabling the transfer of know-how from a pool of experts to a wider community EU SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEKIn the energy mix Member states need national strategies if they are to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix, says Mechtild RotheEMechtild Rothe is a Socialist MEP, the president of the European forum for renewable energy sources (Eufores) and a member of parl INSIDEEU INSIDEEUEurope’s green revolution Politicians must show the public that renewable energy is vital for a sustainable economic future, argues Claude TurmesThe ink is still drying on new EU legislation to ensure that at least 20 per cent of Europe’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2020; EU SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEKBuilding a greener future Improving energy efficiency is key to meeting Europe’s 2020 targets on renewables, says Fiona HallNFiona Hall is an Alde MEP, the vice president of the European forum for renewable energy sources (Eufores) and a member of parliament’s committee on INSIDEEUBeyond 20-20-20 A coordinated approach is needed for Europe to meet its climate change objectives, says Luc Van den BrandeThe Committee of the Regions (CoR) is a strong supporter of the covenant of mayors and its ambitious goals to go beyond the EU’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emiss EU SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEKLight relief Jan Denneman calls on EU member states to enforce measures to increase energy efficiency in lighting Traditional light bulbs are to be phased out as part of energy saving measuresT Jan Denneman is president of the European lamp companies federationhe European L ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? POLITICS, POLICY AND PEOPLE??????? ?????????????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????????????? Football belongs to everyone, everywhereUEFA is building thousands of mini-pitches across Europe, creating new public spaces for young people to play. With UEFA, football means solidarity. We redistribute the revenues from our competitions to all levels of the sport, amateur and professional.