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European Elections | PESReasons to be cheerful? EPP -ED The threat of the UK conservatives leaving the EPP-ED group makes it difficult to predict its future makeup. The Tories are mooting a “European conservative” group with members from the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Sweden and Denmark ALDE French and German liberals should do well in June, and Germany may become the largest national party in the ALDE group. New Irish members are also expected PES Whilst socialist parties are resurgent in Sweden, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, PES could be a dominant force in parliament. However, French socialists are faring badly and an Italian party which sends members to PES and ALDE faces an uncertain future UEN The UEN group could be disbanded with two parties change sides, and some Polish members of the group not expected to return in the next sessionurope’s socialists are in a buoyant mood ahead of this year’s elections. Confident that they are best placed to tackle the economic crisis, MEPs from across the EU are doing all they can to engage voters on a day-to-day level and ensure they get out and get voting between 4 and 7 June. In Britain, where Gordon Brown’s government is suffering from an acute case of the third-term blues, Labour MEP Richard Corbett insists that the Socialists will do well if they manage to get their point across effectively. “I think the key battleground is economic,” he says. “It’s basically about what kind of market you want: one where it’s just unregulated freefor-all with everything left to market forces – which the main centre-right groups seem to favour – or a common market with common rules to make it fair and efficient.” One issue in the UK is the threat of the far right. Socialist MEP Glyn Ford has warned that the BNP could win up to seven seats, saying, “Unfortunately the evidence suggests that at the moment the extreme right is likely to do well in the European elections.” Some are predicting it will attract support from people who voted for the nationalist Ukip party, which took 16 per cent of the vote at the last European election. Turnout for European elections is low, particularly in the UK, where only 38.5 per cent of those eligible cast a ballot in 2004, compared to 45.7 per cent across Europe. Corbett, however, insists that the situation is not as bad as is often presented. “The decline is a trend which is of concern to me as a democrat but it’s not something that you just point the finger only at the European parliament,” he says. “It’s normal that there is a lower turnout for European elections than for national elections because obviously it’s less important, there’s less visibly at stake. What we have to do is try to motivate people to vote for our programme and underline why it matters.”EMartha Moss speaks to British, Irish and French Socialists about the situation on the ground ahead of this year’s elections Socialist MEP Proinsias de Rossa predicts that turnout in Ireland, which usually exceeds 50 per cent, will be higher because local elections are being held at the same time and because of “the anger there is towards the government at the moment”. The economy and job losses dominate the political agenda in Ireland, where the recession has taken a particularly strong hold. The island nation is also grappling with the issue of the Lisbon treaty, and anti-Lisbon treaty group Libertas is fielding candidates in each of Ireland’s four constituencies, and across Europe. De Rossa doesn’t see Libertas as a threat on the basis of current showings in the opinion polls, but is concerned by the appointment of political strategist Lynton Crosby – who ran Boris Johnson’s successful bid for London mayor – as campaign chief. “We can expect some nasty campaigning from that corner I’m sure,” de Rossa says. Susan O’Keeffe, the World in Action presenter who sparked the famous beef tribunal in the 1990s, is Labour’s North West candidate and, says de Rossa, “will have an uphill battle”. “It’s do-able but traditionally there’s not a strong Labour vote in the area, although her popularity may overcome that,” he argues. French Socialist (PS) MEP Pervenche Berés expects her party’s performance to be affected by the reduction in the number of seats allocated. Berés, who chairs parliament’s economic and monetary affairs committee, is number two on her party’s list in Ile-de France for the third time running. Asked whether the launch of Left Party last year risked dividing the socialist vote, she says, “Facing this [economic] crisis you really need to have people willing to tackle the real issues, which is why people should be looking more carefully at our proposals. I’m still confident that the social democrats are the ones who have the real capacity to propose an alternative to the current project and I hope people will have a sense of responsibility that the situation is so critical.”18 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 13 April 2009 Issue 286 13 April 2009Bridging the gap Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering on the upcoming elections, the issues that really matter and why the EU is worth defending at the ballot boxThe question is “How to bridge the gap and convince eu citizens that what the parliament does, frequently has a IF THIS MAKES YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, IMAGINE HOW IT MAKES HER FEEL World Malaria Day. A day we’d all like to eradicate. Every 30 seconds malaria kills an African child. In just one year malaria takes more than one million lives in Africa, the world’s most afflicted region, and leaves poverty and devastation in its wake. Babies and young children are particularly su Issue 286 13 April 2009newsanalysis 6 Blue skies thinking The commission’s aviation package will help create safer and greener skies, argues Antonio Tajani21 Banging on about EuropeUKIP will come into their own during this year’s elections, claims Nigel Farage22 The big debate8 Talking telecomsConci catherinestihlerEditorial team Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Martha Moss Francesca Ross Louise Tait 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 Edi AviationBlue skies thinking afer flights, shorter routes, less emissions per flight, less cost for airspace users: these are the ambitious objectives of the aviation package which the European parliament and council adopted in late March 2009. Above all it is a strong signal to European citizens tha newsanalysisair traffic management should reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation by up to 10 per cent per flight, which amounts to 16 million tonnes of CO2 savings per year and annual cost savings for airspace users of €2.4bn. The second pillar concerns safety. The pillar provides for increas Telecoms packageTalking telecoms Conciliation discussions between the parliament and the council have thrashed out a deal on the much-discussed draft telecoms directive. Francesca Ross reports hard-won second reading agreement in the internal market committee should pave the way for stronger consume newsanalysisDamage limitation n the plenary session in March, sound majorities in the European parliament backed proposals to enhance the legislation on industrial pollution prevention and control (IPPC), strengthening the rather inconsistent proposal from the European commission. The core compromis European business summitGender agenda Martin Banks reports on the recent Parliament Magazine debate on tackling gender inequality in business and politicsThe statistics speak for themselves: women represent 52 per cent of the population but, at best, a mere six per cent of decision makers. Why is th newsanalysisMum’s the word Europe needs more harmonised maternity legislation to promote equal opportunities, writes Edite EstrelaThe commission’s proposal amending the 92/85/ EEC directive aims to improve health and safety protection of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or European Elections | European parliament presidentHans-Gert Pöttering with the 10 surviving former presidents of the parliamentBridging the gap Key events and dates • The ELDR campaign launch takes place on 15 April • European People’s Party (EPP) holds its convention in Warsaw, Poland: 29-30 April specialreportor tackling climate change with emission targets, in the end boil down to solving problems on the local level related to job security and a better environment. While politicians have a major responsibility, the role of the media is also crucial, as is the role played by various informat European Elections | EPPStrong for the people A few months ago, it seemed a done deal. The assumption was that parliament’s top job, the presidency, would as usual be split between the two biggest political groups. But the EPP and PES groups currently look far less certain to have their candidates – specialreportA united front People are at the heart of Europe, and the EPP party’s policies reflect this, argues parliament group leader Joseph Daul social model. We believe in the primacy and the dignity of the individual. We believe that Europe needs to create jobs and growth so that people can fi European Elections | PESFactfile • The elections take place on 4-7 June in each member state • More than 375 million EU citizens are eligible to vote • The first direct elections were in 1979 • From 1958 to 1979, MEPs were appointed by their national governments and all had dual mandates • Since 195 specialreportChoices for the future The Socialists have the policies to tackle the economic crisis facing the world and the environmental challenges facing the planet, argues Martin SchulzThe European elections this year are arguably the most important that have ever been held. At a time of crisis, European Elections | PESReasons to be cheerful? EPP -ED The threat of the UK conservatives leaving the EPP-ED group makes it difficult to predict its future makeup. The Tories are mooting a “European conservative” group with members from the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Sweden and Denmark ALDE Fre specialreportBig thinking, bold ideas European voters are looking to the liberals to promote freedoms, says Graham WatsonThe campaign for this June’s European elections contains a paradox: never has the EU been needed more, and never before has the eurosceptic vote been chased so fervently. EU oppon European Elections | ELDRParliamentary reform The need to better define the competences of certain committees has become more urgent as the number of inter-committee conflicts have increased. LIBE, IMCO, ECON and JURI are the committees with the highest number of conflicts. On 12 and 19 March, the c specialreport“This is our election because of the proportional representation form of voting in the European elections... It means that a vote for us is going to make a difference” UKIP will come into their own during this year’s elections, claims Nigel Farage uropean elections are, for a party whos European Elections | Libertas vs GreensThe big debateO The decision by David Cameron to sever the link between the Tories and the EPP group is a risky enterprise, writes Martin Banks. While the move allowed Cameron to curry favour with the eurosceptic wing of the party, the “isolationist” move has n specialreportPutting the E into MEP Intergroups play a vital role in parliamentary work, and Richard Howitt is concerned over new rules to restrict them hat is best about the culture of the European parliament? Surely it is the chance to meet, share ideas and forge alliances with colleagues from our European Elections | IntergroupsRichard Howitt is president of parliament’s disability intergroupThe recent parliamentary review group studied parliamentary practices in member states and aboard, to recommend revisions to our own institution. Each of us knows that informal cross-party groupings play specialreporthas many mainstream politicians worried: they have no answer to our questions and are scared that we will expose the inadequacies of the current system and their part in it. As a pan-European, pro-European movement, we value the EU’s historic achievements and see its potential, while re European Elections | Former members associationLife after the mandate es, there is a life after the mandate in the European parliament, and it can be a very fulfilling and exciting one. Whatever people do with their life after parliament, a small part of them will always remain in Brussels and Stras AN ALLIANCE TO ENHANCE THE MARITIME TESTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE EU Hydro-Testing Alliance (HTA) is a Network of Excellence aiming to continue world leadership and to enhance integrity of the European Hydrodynamic testing facilities. HTA is funded by the EU-FP6 (Proj no: 031316) over a 5 year progr TransportOptimising mobility revolution is on the way in the transport sector. But it needs a little help to materialise. This is why parliament is supporting the commission’s suggestion for an action plan and a directive to foster the use of intelligent transport systems. In the future intelligent Demonstrator FastRCargoDRY PORT CONCEPTS HINTERLAND TERMINALS RAIL-TO-RAIL TRANSHIPMENT FACILITIES FOR CONTAINERS HIGH PERFORMANCE LINER TRAIN TERMINALS STRATEGIC TERMINALS FOR REGIONAL ACCESS AT TEN FastRCargo: The project “FastRCargo” presents a technology for fast loading and unloading of intermo TransportGet a grip New tyre labelling regulations will enable people to make more ecological choices, says Ivo BeletT Ivo Belet is a member of parliament’s culture and education committee and rapporteur on the proposal for a new directive on labelling of tyreshe parliament is set to vote on a new l NANO-MUBIOP: a FP7 funded project on the detection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) orldwide, cervical cancer is the fifth most deadly cancer in women. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is responsible for lesions leading to cervix cancer. The use of HPV DNA testing can provide women the opportunity for early Immunisation weekThe immunisation obligation Immunisation programmes are key to reducing the burden of avoidable diseases, writes Gay MitchellT Gay Mitchell is a member of parliament’s development committeehe European Union is the world’s single largest donor of overseas aid, dwarfing the contributi insideeuClear and present danger cross the EU, the reduction of infectious disease as a result of the implementation of national vaccination programmes cannot be underestimated. Several of the more serious infectious diseases that can be prevented through vaccination have now been almost eliminated AdvertorialWyeth’s commitment to protecting health through immunisation with Prevenar Vaccination against pneumococcus saves lives Pneumococcal disease is caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, which can result in death and illnesses including pneumonia, meningitis and middle ear infection. Children and insideeuPublic protection The World Health Organisation is launching a new programme to raise public awareness about the awareness of immunisationThe principal challenges facing Europe’s immunisation programmes are changing. While national programmes still face problems delivering services to geogra Immunisation weekPrevent, protect, immuniseD Monika Kosinska is secretary general of the European Public Health AllianceVaccination health scares mean preventable diseases are claiming too many lives, says Monika Kosinskaespite the major progress in the work against vaccine-preventable diseases, gap EPAD EUROPEAN PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORYOne of the most comprehensive guides to names and addresses in Brussels, covering all the EU institutions, diplomatic and press corps, consultancies, trade associations and corporate headquarters.” Financial Times ... indispensable to specialists of European pub MalariaCounting malaria out Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease but, as MEPs will hear at a special working lunch next week in Strasbourg, EU leadership and decisive action are needed to tackle the number one killer disease in Africa orld malaria day, on 25 April, marks a critical junctur insideeupeople a year – the large majority in the poorest sub-Saharan Africa countries.” The most vulnerable, he says, are pregnant women and children under five. “Being a major public health issue, it is our responsibility to engage actors from the north and the south to jointly scaleup efforts to European Commission European Commission Enterprise and Industry Enterprise and Industry insideeuKnockout blow Vaccine development is a cruical weapon in the fight against malaria, say Sally Ethelston and Ashley BirkettThe head of a small Indian manufacturing plant picks up the phone and calls the director of a not-forprofit product development partnership in Denmark. The head of a rese 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.