20.4.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 92/1

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MINUTES

(2006/C 92 E/01)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SITTING

IN THE CHAIR: Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

President

1.   Resumption of session

The sitting opened at 17.05.

2.   Approval of Minutes of previous sitting

Corrections to votes:

Date of sitting: 14.04.2005

Report: Elmar Brok — A6-0062/2005

—	resolution (as a whole) against: Hélène Goudin

Date of sitting: 28.04.2005

Report: Christa Klaβ — A6-0061/2005

—	amendments 102/122 for: Hélène Goudin

Report: Małgorzata Handzlik — A6-0068/2005

—	amendment 1 for: Pervenche Berès, Brigitte Douay Catherine Guy-Quint, Pierre Moscovici, Catherine Trautmann

Report: Simon Coveney — A6-0086/2005

—	amendment 17 against: Pervenche Berès

—	amendment 8 for: Pervenche Berès, Jacques Toubon

—	amendment: 9 for: Jacques Toubon

—	amendment 50 for: Jacques Toubon

Riccardo Ventre had informed the Chair that he had wanted to vote for the resolution (as a whole) of the Giles Chichester report (A6-0080/2005) (Minutes of 28.04.2005, Item 8.5), but that his voting machine had not worked.

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The Minutes of the previous sitting were approved.

3.   Commemorative sitting

The President made a statement to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

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To mark the anniversary Baiba Skride, a Latvian violinist, played JS Bach's Chaconne BWV 1004.

4.   Documents received

The following documents had been received:

1)

from committees: 1.1) reports: — * Report on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation concerning the latter's participation in the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (COM(2004)0658 — C6-0173/2004 — 2004/0233(CNS)) — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Rapporteur: Florenz Karl-Heinz (A6-0088/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on cross-border mergers of companies with share capital (COM(2003)0703 — C5-0561/2003 — 2003/0277(COD)) — Committee on Legal Affairs Rapporteur: Lehne Klaus-Heiner (A6-0089/2005) — * Report on the Council's recommendation on the appointment of Lorenzo Bini Smaghi as Executive Board Member of the European Central Bank (06289/2005 — C6-0054/2005 — 2005/0802(CNS)) — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Rapporteur: Berès Pervenche (A6-0094/2005) — Report on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO agreement on 1 August 2004 (2004/2138(INI)) — Committee on International Trade Rapporteur: Moreno Sánchez Javier (A6-0095/2005) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1868/94 establishing a quota system in relation to the production of potato starch (COM(2004)0772 — C6-0014/2005 — 2004/0269(CNS)) — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Rapporteur: Wojciechowski Janusz (A6-0096/2005) — * Report on the proposal for a Council directive on the common system of value added tax (recast) (COM(2004)0246 — C6-0009/2004 — 2004/0079(CNS)) — Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Rapporteur: Hudghton Ian (A6-0097/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (COM(2004)0775 — C6-0223/2004 — 2004/0270(COD)) — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Rapporteur: Roth-Behrendt Dagmar (A6-0098/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning measures to safeguard security of electricity supply and infrastructure investment (COM(2003)0740 — C5-0643/2003 — 2003/0301(COD)) — Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Rapporteur: Chichester Giles (A6-0099/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on film heritage and the competitiveness of related industrial activities (COM(2004) 0171 — C5-0133/2004 — 2004/0066(COD)) — Committee on Culture and Education Rapporteur: Hegyi Gyula (A6-0101/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/88/EC concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time (COM(2004)0607 — C6-0122/2004 — 2004/0209(COD)) — Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Rapporteur: Cercas Alejandro (A6-0105/2005) — Report on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of Parliament for the financial year 2006 (2005/2012(BUD)) — Committee on Budgets Rapporteur: Dombrovskis Valdis (A6-0106/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) (COM(2005)0028 — C6-0034/2005 — 2005/0004(COD)) — Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Rapporteur: Del Turco Ottaviano (A6-0107/2005) — ***I Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses (Codified version) (COM(2004)0290 — C6-0035/2004 — 2004/0090(COD)) — Committee on Legal Affairs Rapporteur: Lopez-Istúriz White Antonio (A6-0110/2005) — Report on the implementation of the European Union's information and communication strategy (COM(2004)0196 — 2004/2238(INI)) — Committee on Culture and Education Rapporteur: Herrero-Tejedor Luis Francisco (A6-0111/2005) — Report on the simplification of the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (COM(2004)0549 — 2004/2193(INI)) — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Rapporteur: Herranz García María Esther (A6-0121/2005) — *** Recommendation 1. on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Framework Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Albania in Community programmes; 2. on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Framework Agreement between the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the general principles for the participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Community programmes; 3. on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Framework Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Croatia on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Croatia in Community programmes; 4. on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the general principles for the participation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in Community programmes; 5. on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of a Framework Agreement between the European Community and Serbia and Montenegro on the general principles for the participation of Serbia and Montenegro in Community programmes (05532/2005 [1] — C6-0039/2005 — 2004/0276(AVC)) — Committee on Foreign Affairs Rapporteur: Brok Elmar (A6-0122/2005) — * Report on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulations (EEC) No 2759/75, (EEC) No 2771/75, (EEC) No 2777/75, (EC) No 1254/1999, (EC) No 1255/1999 and (EC) No 2529/2001 as regards exceptional market support measures (COM(2004)0712 — C6-0220/2004 — 2004/0254(CNS)) — Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Rapporteur: Busk Niels (A6-0126/2005) 1.2) recommendations for second reading: — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC (12884/1/2004 — C6-0006/2005 — 2002/0254(COD)) — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Rapporteur: Maaten Jules (A6-0102/2005) — ***II Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the recognition of professional qualifications (13781/2/2004 — C6-0008/2005 — 2002/0061 (COD)) — Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Rapporteur: Zappalà Stefano (A6-0119/2005)

2)

from Members: 2.1) oral questions (Rule 108): — Karl-Heinz Florenz, on behalf of the ENVI Committee, to the Commission: Commission's strategy for the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (B6-0237/2005); — Paolo Costa, on behalf of the TRAN Committee, to the Council: Financing TEN-T (B6-0238/2005); — Paolo Costa, on behalf of the TRAN Committee, to the Commission: Financing TEN-T (B6-0239/2005); 2.2) oral questions for Question Time (Rule 109) (B6-0236/2005): — Ryan Eoin, Evans Robert, Dimitrakopoulos Giorgos, Staes Bart, Posselt Bernd, Mitchell Gay, Goudin Hélène, Crowley Brian, Karatzaferis Georgios, Pieper Markus, McGuinness Mairead, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Martin David, Papastamkos Georgios, Beglitis Panagiotis, Moraes Claude, Geringer de Oedenberg Lidia Joanna, Lambsdorff Alexander, Bowis John, Karas Oth-mar, Hammerstein Mintz David, Sjöstedt Jonas, Krarup Ole, Schlyter Carl, Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou Marie, Rudi Ubeda Luisa Fernanda, Kinnock Glenys, Stihler Catherine, Newton Dunn Bill, Seppänen Esko, Davies Chris, Morgantini Luisa, McAvan Linda, Matsouka Maria, Mavrommatis Manolis, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Herczog Edit, Landsbergis Vytautas, Adamou Adamos, Dombrovskis Valdis, Pack Doris, Podkański Zdzisław Zbigniew, Czarnecki Ryszard, Kuźmiuk Zbigniew Krzysztof, Wuermeling Joachim, Van Hecke Johan, Martin Hans-Peter, Riis-Jørgensen Karin, Stenzel Ursula, Onyszkiewicz Janusz, Casaca Paulo, Aylward Liam, Ó Neachtain Seán, Vakalis Nikolaos, Pafilis Athanasios, Toussas Georgios, Sonik Bogusław-Hammerstein Mintz David, Evans Robert, Posselt Bernd, Davies Chris, Morgantini Luisa, Mitchell Gay, Martin David, Beglitis Panagiotis, Moraes Claude, Seppänen Esko, Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi, Papadimoulis Dimitrios, Pack Doris, Wallis Diana, Czarnecki Ryszard, Geringer de Oedenberg Lidia Joanna, Lambsdorff Alexander, Van Hecke Johan, Martin Hans-Peter, Casaca Paulo, Hennicot-Schoepges Erna, Crowley Brian, Aylward Liam, Ó Neachtain Seán, Ryan Eoin, Manolakou Diamanto, Pafilis Athanasios, Toussas Georgios 2.3) written declarations for entry in the Register (Rule 116): — Maciej Marian Giertych, on a reform establishing a single seat for the European Parliament in the city of Rome (25/2005).

5.   Petitions

The following petitions, which had been entered in the register on the dates shown below, had been forwarded to the committee responsible pursuant to Rule 191(5):

21.04.2005

Society of Russian-Speakers in Ireland (and 46 signatures) (No 342/2005);

Jan Molnar (Movimiento para la Libertad de Manifestación) (No 343/2005);

Claude Coste (No 344/2005);

Jeanne Charles (No 345/2005);

Roselyne Catheau (No 346/2005);

Comitato Ecumenico per le Comunicazioni Sociali (No 347/2005);

Leopoldina Maria Andrade Serôdio e Silva (No 348/2005);

Frutuoso Paulo Ferreira da Rocha (No 349/2005);

Kurt Radke (No 350/2005);

Rainer Keuser (No 351/2005);

Nelli Schwarz (No 352/2005);

Thomas Potts (No 353/2005);

Jelka and Milan Aleksic (No 354/2005);

Frank Holtmann (Verband der Berufsschiffer und das Berufsschiffer-Kolleg in Belgrad) (No 355/2005);

Elfi and Klaus Schreiber (No 356/2005);

Tim Gerber (No 357/2005);

Anneliese Müller (No 358/2005);

Barbara Wolff (No 359/2005);

Varpetjan Hovanes Agubevic and Karapetjn Raja Badalovna (No 360/2005);

Franz Haas (No 361/2005);

Yasar Bozkurt (No 362/2005);

Renate and Hans-Jürgen Rüdiger (No 363/2005);

Walter Diterle (No 364/2005);

Alexander Stabel (No 365/2005);

Olaf Quasdorff (No 366/2005);

Lothar Bohrman (No 367/2005);

Mirko Mendek (No 368/2005);

Gerhard Brenner (No 369/2005);

Richard Sauerwald and Elke Stein (No 370/2005);

Okkes Ciftci (No 371/2005);

Ariel Machiel Rijkenberg (No 372/2005);

Joachim Tjaden (Bürgerinitiative ‘Burger gegen den Jade WeserPort’) (No 373/2005);

Günter Kania (No 374/2005);

Dimitrios Skouma (No 375/2005);

Jean Edouard Sieffert (No 376/2005);

Macjen Franc (No 377/2005);

František Brychta (No 378/2005);

Silvana Novarin (No 379/2005);

Eric Andrew Gueslain se Classie (No 380/2005);

David R Burrage (British Expats Association in Spain) (No 381/2005);

Jossef Ladislaus Illes (No 382/2005);

Marie Kavanagh (No 383/2005);

Jeroen van der Rijst (No 384/2005);

Maria Vaessen-Huis (No 385/2005);

Özcan Kaldoyo (ACSA) (No 386/2005);

Andrea Spöttle (No 387/2005);

Peter Beszterczey (Jövőnkért Alapítvány) (No 388/2005);

Bogusław Stec (No 389/2005);

Stanisław Chmal (No 390/2005).

6.   Texts of agreements forwarded by the Council

The Council had forwarded a certified true copy of the following:

—	Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation

7.   Action taken on Parliament's positions and resolutions

The Commission communications on the action taken on the positions and resolutions adopted by Parliament during the part-sessions in February and March 2005 had been distributed.

8.   Written declarations (Rule 116)

In accordance with Rule 116(5), written declarations 2, 3, 4/2005 lapsed as they had not obtained the required number of signatures.

9.   Membership of Parliament

Ottaviano Del Turco had given notice in writing that he had been elected President of the Abruzzi region in Italy.

Since, pursuant to Rule 4(4) of its Rules of Procedure and Article 7(1) of the Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, this office was incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament, Parliament established that the vacancy would take effect from 02.05.2005 and informed the Member State concerned thereof.

10.   Membership of committees

At the request of the PPE-DE Group, Parliament ratified the following appointment:

—	JURI Committee: Kurt Lechner to replace Giorgio Carollo.

11.   Signature of acts adopted under codecision

The President announced that, on Wednesday, he and the President of the Council would sign the following acts adopted under the codecision procedure pursuant to Rule 68:

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a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Council Directives 72/166/EEC, 84/5/EEC, 88/357/EEC and 90/232/EEC and Directive 2000/26/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles (3604/2005 — C6-0123/2005 — 2002/0124(COD));

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a European Parliament and Council Directive concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the Internal Market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC and Directives 97/7/EC and 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive) (3616/2005 — C6-0121/2005 — 2003/0134(COD));

—	a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies (3688/2004 — C6-0122/2005 — 2004/0023(COD)).

12.   Order of business

The next item was the order of business.

The final draft agenda for the May I and May II sittings (PE 357.268/PDOJ) had been distributed and a number of changes had been proposed (Rule 132):

Sittings of 09.05.2005 to 12.05.2005

Monday

—	no changes

Tuesday

—	no changes

Wednesday

—	Request from the IND/DEM Group to add to the agenda an oral question by Nigel Farage to the Commission (06-0066/2005), ‘Commission procedure designed to avoid any risk of conflict of interest’

The following spoke: Nigel Farage, who moved the request, and Jens-Peter Bonde.

Parliament rejected the request by roll-call vote (IND/DEM) (28 for, 147 against, 11 abstentions).

Nils Lundgren pointed out that he had wanted to vote in favour of the request.

Carl Schlyter had informed the Chair he had wanted to vote in favour of the request.

Vasco Graça Moura had informed the Chair he had wanted to vote against the request.

Thursday

—	no changes

The following spoke: Hans-Peter Martin, who referred to remarks he had made on 27 April 2005 during the one-minute speeches on matters of political importance (Minutes of 27.04.2005, Item 9). He objected to the fact that the Dombrovskis report (A6-0106/2005) on Parliament's estimates for 2006 had been included on Wednesday's agenda, maintaining that this was due to a procedural error (the President replied that he had received a letter on the subject from Mr Martin and that he would send Mr Martin a written answer).

Sittings of 25.05.2005 and 26.05.2005

—	no changes

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The order of business was thus established.

13.   One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Pursuant to Rule 144, the following Members who wished to draw the attention of Parliament to matters of political importance spoke for one minute:

Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Yannick Vaugrenard, Sophia in 't Veld, Jim Higgins, Gyula Hegyi, Georgios Karatzafe-ris, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Agnes Schierhuber, Pedro Guerreiro, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Jörg Leichtfried, Philip Claeys, Urszula Krupa, Adam Jerzy Bielan, Marios Matsakis, Carlo Fatuzzo, Ryszard Czar-necki, Vytautas Landsbergis, Gerard Batten, Bogdan Pęk and Sylwester Chruszcz.

14.   Justice for the McCartney Family (debate)

Commission statement: Justice for the McCartney Family

The President welcomed Robert McCartney's sisters, who were in the distinguished visitors' gallery.

Stavros Dimas (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

The following spoke: Avril Doyle, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Marian Harkin, on behalf of the ALDE Group.

IN THE CHAIR: Manuel António dos SANTOS

Vice-President

The following spoke: Jean Lambert, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Helmuth Markov, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Kathy Sinnott, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Brian Crowley, on behalf of the UEN Group, James Hugh Allister, Non-attached Member, James Nicholson, Gary Titley Marian Harkin, Bairbre de Brún, Eoin Ryan, Simon Coveney Proinsias De Rossa, Liam Aylward and Stavros Dimas.

Motions for resolutions to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 103(2):

—	Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on justice for the family of Robert McCartney (B6-0279/2005):

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Hans-Gert Poettering, Avril Doyle, Simon Coveney, Jim Higgins, Mairead McGuinness, Gay Mitchell and James Nicholson, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, Proinsias De Rossa and Gary Titley, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson and Marian Harkin, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Jean Lambert and Raül Romeva i Rueda, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Brian Crowley, Eoin Ryan and Liam Aylward, on behalf of the UEN Group, on violence and criminality by the self-styled ‘Irish Republican Army’ (IRA) in Northern Ireland, in particular the murder of Robert McCartneyon violence and criminality by the self-styled ‘Irish Republican Army’ (IRA) in Northern Ireland, in particular the murder of Robert McCartney (B6-0281/2005).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 10.05.2005, Item 9.5

IN THE CHAIR: Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT

Vice-President

15.   Quality of bathing water ***II (debate)

Recommendation for second reading on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC (12884/1/2004 — C6-0006/2005 — 2002/0254(COD)) — Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Rapporteur: Jules Maaten (A6-0102/2005)

Jules Maaten introduced the recommendation for second reading.

Stavros Dimas (Member of the Commission) spoke.

The following spoke: Christa Klaß, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Gyula Hegyi, on behalf of the PSE Group, Holger Krahmer, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Marie Anne Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Adamos Adamou, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Johannes Blokland, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Caroline Jackson, Dorette Corbey Frédérique Ries, Françoise Grossetête, Riitta Myller, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Marta Vincenzi, Christofer Fjellner, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, John Purvis, Peter Olajos and Stavros Dimas.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 10.05.2005, Item 9.1

16.   Second meeting of the parties to the Aarhus Convention (debate)

Oral question by Karl-Heinz Florenz, on behalf of the ENVI Committee, to the Commission: Commission's strategy for the Second Meeting of the parties to the Aarhus Convention (B6-0237/2005)

Karl-Heinz Florenz moved the oral question.

Stavros Dimas (Member of the Commission) answered the oral question.

IN THE CHAIR: Luigi COCILOVO

Vice-President

The following spoke: Eija-Riitta Korhola, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Gyula Hegyi, on behalf of the PSE Group, Rebecca Harms, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, and Stavros Dimas

Motion for a resolution to wind up the debate tabled pursuant to Rule 108(5):

—	Karl-Heinz Florenz, on behalf of the ENVI Committee, on the EU strategy for the Almaty Conference on the Aarhus Conventionon the EU strategy for the Almaty Conference on the Aarhus Convention (B6-0277/2005).

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 12.05.2005, Item 5.1

17.   Film heritage and related industrial activities ***I (debate)

Report on the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on film heritage and the competitiveness of related industrial activities (COM(2004)0171 — C5-0133/2004 — 2004/0066(COD)) — Committee on Culture and Education.

Rapporteur: Gyula Hegyi (A6-0101/2005)

Viviane Reding (Member of the Commission) spoke.

Gyula Hegyi introduced the report.

The following spoke: Eoin Ryan (draftsman of the opinion of the DEVE Committee), Marie-Hélène Desc-amps, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Guy Bono, on behalf of the PSE Group, Claire Gibault, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Alyn Smith, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Vasco Graça Moura, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Alfonso Andria, Ljudmila Novak, Nikolaos Sifunakis and Viviane Reding.

The debate closed.

Vote: Minutes of 10.05.2005, Item 9.3

18.   State of negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur (debate)

Commission statement: State of negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur

Viviane Reding (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

IN THE CHAIR: Gérard ONESTA

Vice-President

The following spoke: Charles Tannock, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Javier Moreno Sánchez, on behalf of the PSE Group, Erika Mann, on behalf of the PSE Group, and Viviane Reding.

The debate closed.

19.   Agenda for next sitting

The agenda for the next sitting had been established (‘Agenda’ PE 357.268/OJMA).

20.   Closure of sitting

The sitting closed at 21.20.

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