"Euro MP" weekly newsletter of the European Parliament Socialist Group
Tony Robinson
"Euro MP" for 12 June 1998: Volume V Issue Number XIX
"Euro MP" is the weekly newsletter of the largest political group in the
European Parliament, the 214-strong Socialists led by London Labour and
Co-operative MEP Pauline Green.
The Spokesman's Service of the Group produces the newsletter on Fridays to help
journalists spot up-and-coming stories.
For a regular e-mail copy please contact Socialist Group spokesman Tony Robinson
-- tel Brussels 284 3060 fax 284 9026 e-mail TRob...@europarl.eu.int
In this issue:
TIGHTEN THE NET: EU legislation to make the Internet safe
SOCIALIST SUMMIT IN CARDIFF: Press Conference and camera pool details
REPORT BACK: Blair on outcome of UK Presidency plus other ministers in EP
GLOBAL BUILD UP: International symposium in Berlin
THE THIRD WAY: London talks on the future of social democracy
EURO MPs RUN FOR THE HILLS: Bikers in annual rally with Euro MPs
RIGHTS OF MAN: Move to change French usage
KLAUS AT THE CENTRE: Jospin honours former EP President
HUGH'S THAT MAN: McMahon takes responsibility for preparing conference of older
people
KEY TO GROWTH AND JOBS: Conference on small and medium businesses
WEB SITE FIGHTS RACISTS: Solidar targets young people
SMOKES BRING FIRY PROTEST: Move to end EU's tobacco subsidies
PIET OPENS THOUGHT CRIME MUSEUM: Banned books and records among exhibits
TIGHTEN THE NET
The European Union is set to enact new laws aimed at making the Internet safe -
so opening the door to a heated, global debate.
Ratings systems and filtering software are to be provided for in the legislation
as well as alignment of national laws and plans for the involvement of police
officers and teachers. The Internet itself would also be used in information
campaigns with the creation of special web pages hosted by the European Network
of Schools.
Euro MPs will have an equal say with ministers from the 15 EU countries in
legislation to be adopted under the co-decision procedure.
Targets for the law-makers will include content on bomb-making, illegal drug
production, terrorist activities, pornography, race hatred, fraud and hacking as
well as measures to protect privacy and intellectual property.
Labour Euro MP Glyn Ford today urged Internet users to e-mail their views to
him. His e-mail address is GF...@europarl.eu.int
The European Parliament's civil liberties committee, of which Mr Ford is a
member, has already adopted a report on safe use of the Internet. The report
was drawn up by German social democrat Gerhard Schmid. The full 626-member
Parliament is to debate and vote on it at its session of 1 and 2 July.
Says Mr Ford: 'I would like to be as liberal as possible. Nevertheless, there
are things that are illegal. If they are illegal on paper, they should be
illegal electronically.'
He said the EP's Scientific and Technological Options Assessment experts had
compiled a report showing ways of controlling what appears on the Internet -
including blocking pornography by using filters to search for large areas of
flesh tone.
Mr Schmid stresses: 'The vast majority of Internet content is intended for
information purposes for totally legitimate business or private usage. However,
the Internet also contains a limited amount of harmful or illegal content or can
also be used for criminal activities in the same way as traditional modes of
communication. The benefits of the Internet far outweigh any drawbacks but the
risks need to be addressed.'
The report encourages self-regulation in the industry and action to align
appropriate provisions of criminal law in the Member States. Says Mr Schmid:
'Prosecution in the case of child pornography is difficult if 'child' is defined
on the basis of differing age limits.'
SOCIALIST SUMMIT IN CARDIFF -- PRESS CONFERENCE AND CAMERA POOL DETAILS
Socialist Premiers - who now form a majority in the EU Council - are to hold a
Summit in Cardiff on 14 June, the eve of the European Council meeting.
The Socialist Summit, organised by the Party of European Socialists, will be
chaired by PES President Rudolf Scharping and hosted by British Prime Minister
Tony Blair.
Mr Scharping and Socialist Group Leader in the European Parliament Pauline Green
will give a press briefing immediately before the talks.
The briefing will be at 15h45 in the Presidency Briefing Room in the media
centre.
Pool camera access will be available at the opening of the Socialist Summit - at
16h30 in the Park Hotel. The talks conclude at 18h30.
Along with Mr Blair, Mr Scharping and Mrs Green, participants in the Socialist
Summit will be Lionel Jospin of France, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, Goran
Persson of Sweden, Paavo Lipponen of Finland, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen of Denmark,
Costas Simitis of Greece and Chancellor Viktor Klima of Austria.
REPORT BACK
Council President Tony Blair is to report to the European Parliament on the
outcome of the Cardiff Summit and the results of his Presidency on Thursday 18
June.
Farm minister Jack Cunningham is to attend the agriculture debates on CAP reform
in the light of Agenda 2000 on Tuesday 16 June. Foreign office minister Doug
Henderson is to make a statement on the Middle East peace process on Wednesday
17 June.
Scottish Europe Minister Callum McDonald is also to be in Strasbourg.
GLOBAL BUILD UP
The Socialist International's Global Progress Committee is to hold a symposium
on 'Building Up Globalisation' in the Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin, on 17 and 18
June.
Committee chairman Felipe Gonzalez and SPD leader Oskar Lafontaine are to
introduce the talks at 17h15 on the first day. Former Israeli will be a keynote
speaker at the opening session.
Leading journalists are to chair discussions the following day. Tomas Lundin of
Svenska Dagbladet will take a debate on 'Technological changes, innovation and
environment'; Quentin Peel of the Financial Times will chair the debate on
'Economic growth and policy of employment'; and Christine Ockrent of France 3
will take the discussion on 'Perspectives for social-democratic policy in
Europe.'
SPD candidate for Chancellor in the autumn elections Gerhard Schroeder,
Portuguese Premier Antonio Guterres, Polish Social Democracy leader Leszec
Miller and Spanish Socialist leader Joaquin Almunia are among participants.
THE THIRD WAY
European Socialists are to hold round-table talks on the future of social
democracy in London on 25 and 26 June.
UK foreign secretary Robin Cook will host the discussions at the London School
of Economics. The talks are organised by the PES and the Socialist Group in the
EP.
Themes for debate include globalisation, social structures, the role of the
state, the future of Europe and the third way.
The event is open to the media throughout. The programme and details of
participants will be available from the Spokesman's Service later.
+ Further round-table talks to be held after the summer recess are to be held
in Brussels, Bologna and Lisbon on taxation, education and the environment.
EURO MPs RUN FOR THE HILLS
Motorbiking Euro MPs Roger Barton and Bernd Lange are to lead 200 bikers on a
40km ride to the top of the 763m Mount St Odile in the Vosges mountains during
the June session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Mr Barton (UK) and Mr Lange (D) hope the event will raise the profile of bikers'
concerns about EU policy questions. Mr Barton was behind one of the first
successful EP uses of the power of co-decision in legislation when he thwarted
moves to introduce a Europe-wide ban on big motorbikes.
The bikers are to gather at 19h00 on the Thursday of the June session at the
main entrance to the Palais de l'Europe. The ride will be followed by a
reception attended by the mayor of Andlau.
Other Socialists who are to join the run to the hills include riders Joe Wilson
and David Thomas, pillion-passenger Bernie Malone and minibus passenger
Christine Oddy.
Bikes are available for licensed riders and pillion passenger places or seats in
a minibus for others. Journalists who wish to have use of a bike or other
facilities for the event should contact the Spokesman's Service -- tel
Strasbourg 03-88174381.
CHANGE RIGHTS OF MAN
Portuguese Socialist Helena Torres Marques has won the backing of the all-party
women's rights committee in her campaign to change a key phrase in French has
been launched.
Ms Torres Marques wants the phrase used for Human Rights -- 'Droits de l'homme',
literally Rights of Man -- changed to 'Droits de la personne humaine' meaning
Rights of the Human Person.
Now the committee's President is to take the issue up with EP President Jose
Maria Gil-Robles to find the best way forward.
KLAUS AT THE CENTRE
French Premier Lionel Jospin has appointed former EP President Klaus Haensch,
deputy leader of the Socialist Group, as President of the prestigious European
Studies Centre in Strasbourg.
The Centre provides continuous training for national civil servants involved in
EU policy questions.
HUGH'S THAT MAN
The European Parliament is to organise a conference of older people on 1 and 2
October to prepare for the UN's International Year for Older Persons next year.
More than 100 NGOs are to put forward their ideas and experiences at the
conference.
Scots Labour Euro MP Hugh McMahon has been appointed by the all-party social
affairs committee to draw up proposals for running the conference and the themes
to be discussed.
The overall theme of the conference -- 'Senior citizens within the 21st century
- a new lease of life' - will be broken down into four working groups on keeping
older people in the labour market, safeguarding the role of older people in
society, improving the quality of life for older people and ensuring their
dignity and freedom from discrimination.
To ensure political balance in the conference, the D'Hondt system is being
applied to create quotas based on the size of the different political groups.
The Socialist Group is therefore inviting 31 representatives from senior
citizens' organisations to attend.
KEY TO GROWTH AND JOBS
Austrian finance minister Rudolf Edlinger and EU enterprise Commissioner
Christos Papoutsis are to be keynote speakers at a two-day conference on small
and medium-sized businesses to be held by the Socialist Group next month.
The aim of the conference is to help the Group build up a range of policy
proposals in areas covered by four workshops - competitiveness, financing needs,
access to management support, and taking advantage of a single market and a
single currency.
The conference will be on 6 and 7 July
WEB SITE FIGHTS RACISTS
Socialist Group leader Pauline Green has given her backing to Solidar - an
alliance of Socialist and Union Linked NGOs - which has launched an anti-racist
web site.
The web address is http://www.fight-racism.org
Prizes in a youth competition on the site include a trip to Brussels, a
Barcelona football signed by all the players and World Cup T-shirts. Belgian
artist Jean Michel Folon has designed a poster to promote the web site.
SMOKES BRING FIERY PROTEST
Moves to end the EU's one billion ECU-a-year tobacco subsidies are set to ignite
a heated debate on Tuesday 16 June.
For supporters of the subsidies claim they help to maintain 135,000 producers,
400,000 seasonal jobs and 30,000 primary processing jobs with a knock-on effect
of extra job creation.
Aims of tobacco market reforms proposed by the Commission include improving
quality, increasing awareness of public health and environmental concerns and
helping producers to convert to other activities.
But Labour Euro MPs Veronica Hardstaff and Terry Wynn are tabling amendments to
phase the subsidies out by 2008.
Said Ms Hardstaff: 'Some people argue that tobacco is an agricultural market
like any other. It is one thing to subsidise the production of food or other
useful products, but to subsidise the production of something which is addictive
and harmful is quite different.'
She claims that rich countries where product diversification is possible benefit
from the subsidies.
During the debate she is to raise a French scheme using public funds to develop
a 'tobacco route' in Alsace intended to encourage tourists to visit tobacco
farms and drying facilities.
PIET OPENS THOUGHT CRIME MUSEUM
A museum of crimes of thought is to be opened today, 12 June, in Izmir, Turkey.
Dutch Socialist Euro MP Piet Dankert will make the keynote speech at the opening
ceremony. Mr Dankert, a former president of the EP, now chairs the EU-Turkey
Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Prominent Turkish artists, writers, lawyers and NGOs will attend the opening of
the singularly empty museum gallery: it contains only symbolic samples in each
room such as a banned book, a broken record, a burned film relating to famous
artists. The artists include Nazim Hikmet, a poet who spent much of his life in
prison, Yilmaz Guney, a film actor and director who won many international
awards, Dr Ismail Besikci, an author now in prison, and Ruhi Su, father of the
modernised folk music, who spent many years in prison and died in early 80s.
Also on display will be cartoons, sculptures and paintings - all banned -- as
well as famous articles of the Terror Law, the Penal Code and article 19 of the
Universal Human Rights declaration.
This weekend Piet Dankert is also to visit Human Rights leader Akin Birdal,
recently injured in a terrorist attack, and Ms Eren Keskin, vice chair of the
human rights association and famous as a lawyer defending Kurdish political
prisoners.
He will also meet journalists and trade union leaders.
end
Tony.R...@ping.be
Mobile: +32-75257410
STAN MULAIK
ARTICULOS DE EURO MP IN INTERLINGUA
RESTRICTENTE LE RETE: LEGISLATION UE PRO FACER LE INTERRETE SECUR
Le Union Europee es preste a promulgar nove leges con le objecto de facer
le Interrete secur - assi aperiente le porta a un debatto animate global.
Indices de graduamento e software a filtrar essera providite in le
legislation tanto ben como alineamento de leges national e planos pro
le participation de policia e inseniantes. Le Interrete mesme esserea
usate tanto ben in campanias informational con le creation de special
paginas del tela patronizate per le Rete de Scholas Europee.
Europarlamentarios va haber un equal voce con le ministros del 15 paises
del UE in legislation que va adoptar se sub le procedura de co-decision.
Objectos pro le legislatores includera contento super le fabrication de
bombas, production illegal de drogas, activitates terrorista, pornographia,
odio racial, fraude e hacking tanto ben como mesuras pro salveguarda le
intimitate e le proprietate intellectual.
Labor europarlamentario Glyn Ford hodie urgeva usatores del Interrete
a e-postar lor opiniones a ille. Su adresse e-posta es GF...@europarl.eu.int.
Le committee europarlamentari super libertates civil, de que Sr. Ford es
un membro, jam ha adoptate un reporto super secur uso del Interrete.
Le reporto esseva preparate per german socialdemocrato Gerhard Schmid.
Le plen 626-membro Parlamento va debattar e votar super illo a su
session de 1 e 2 julio.
Sr. Ford dice: "Io desira que illo essera tante liberal como possibile.
Totevia, il ha cosas que es illegal. Si illos es illegal in papiro,
illos debe esser illegal electronicamente."
Ille diceva que le expertos europarlamentari del Evalutationes de Optiones
Scientific e Technologic ha compilate un reporto demonstrante vias de
controllar lo que pare in le Interrete, includente le blocage de
pornographia per usar filtros pro cercar pro areas grande de tintas de
pelle.
Sr. Schmid emphatiza: 'Le grandissime majoritate del contento del
Interrete es intendite pro objectos informational pro totalmente
legitime usage commericial o private. Nonobstante le Interrete contine
tanto ben un certe limitate contento que es malefic o illegal o pote
esser usate pro activitates criminal in le mesme maniera como modos
traditional del communication. Le beneficios del Interrete excede
multo qualcunque disavantages, mais le riscos debe esser adressate.
Le reporto incoragia autoregulation in le industria e action pro
alinear provisiones proprie del leges criminal in le statos membros.
Dice Sr. Schmid: 'Prosecution in le caso del pornographia infantil
es difficile si 'infante' es definite super le base de limitates
differente de etat.'
REPORTO DEL SUMMITO CARDIFF
Le Presidente del Consilio Tony Blair va reportar al Parlamento Europee
super le resultatos del Summito Cardiff e le resultatos de su Presidentia
super jovedi le 18 de junio.
Ministro del Agricultura Jack Cunningham va attender le debattos
agricultural super reforma CAP in respecto de Agenda 2000 a martedi
le 16 de junio. Ministero del Bureau de Affaires Estranier Doug
Henderson va facer su exposition super le processo de cercar le
pace in le Oriente Medie.
Ministro de Europa scotese Callum McDonald anque va esser in
Strasbourg.
LE VIA TERTIE
Eurosocialistas va convenir discussiones a tabulo ronde super le futuro del
democratia social in London le 25 e 26 de junio.
Secretario Estranier del Regno Unite, Robin Cook, va esser le hospite
de disucussiones al London Schola del Economica. Le discussiones es
organizate per le PSE e le Gruppo Socialista in le Parlamento Europee.
Themas pro debatto include le globalization, structura social, le
function del stato, le futuro de Europa e le via tertie.
Le evenimento es aperte al medios in tote parte. Le programma e le
detalios del participantes essera disponibile del Servicio Portavoce
plus tarde.
Additional discussiones a tabulo ronde convenite post le recesso del estate
va convenir in Brussel, Bologna e Lisboa super le taxation, education,
e le ambiente.
CAMBIO IN LE DERECTOS DEL HOMINE
Portugese socialista Helena Torres Marques ha ganiate le appoio del
committee totepartital del derectos de feminas in su campania lanceate a
cambiar un phrase central in francese.
Sra Torres Marques vole le phrase usate pro Derectos Human 'Droits de
l'homme', literalmente le derectos del homine, cambiate a 'Droits de la
personne humaine' significante "derectos del persona human".
Ora le presidente del Committee va prender le question a Presidente del
PE Jose Maria Gil-Robles pro trovar le melio via in avantia.
FUMATORES FACE UN PROTESTA ARDENTE
Movimento a terminar le subsidios de tabaco de un milliardo ecus cata
anno per le PE es preste a ignir un debatto ardente martedi le 16 junio.
Advocatos del subsidios pretende que illos adjuta a mantener 135.000
productores, 400.000 occupationes saisonal, e 30.000 occupationes de
production primari con un effecto additional del creation de occupationes
extra.
Objectos del reformas del mercato de tabaco proponite per le Commission
include meliorar le qualitate, crescer cognoscimento de questiones del
sanitate public e le ambiente, e adjutar productores a converter se a
altere activitates.
Mais Labor europarlamentarios Veronica Hardstaff e Terry Wynn remove del
agenda emendamentos pro supprimer gradualmente le subsidios usque a 2008.
Diceva sra. Hardstaff: 'Alcun gentes argue que le tabaco es un mercato
agricultural justo como alcun altero. Il es un cosa a subsidizar le
production del nutrimento o altere productos utile, mais a subsidizar
le production de alque que es addictive e malefic es multo differente.'
Illa pretende que le paises ric ubi le diversification de productos es
possibile, se beneficia del subsidios.
Durante le debatto illa va levar un schema francese usante fundos public
pro disveloppar un 'route de tabaco' in Alsace intendite a incoragiar
touristas a visitar fermas de tabaco e facilitates de dessication.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Iste traduction in Interlingua es offerite pro illustrar le uso de
Interlingua como un lingua auxiliar del communication europee. Le
traduction de iste materia in interlingua non significa ni le appoio ni
le opposition al programmas socialista de Europa.
Visita le sito de www.interlingua.com
--
Stanley A. Mulaik
School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!pscccsm
Internet: psc...@prism.gatech.edu