Citizens at the centre

The European Parliament (EP), apart from sharing legislative power with the other institutions of the EU, monitors the Community budget, expresses its view on the composition of the Commission, controls the action of the Executive, and also represents – an essential role – the voice of citizens within the EU. In its debating chambers in Strasbourg and Brussels the EP discusses everything: from the policy implemented by the 27 member states to the more urgent social and economic questions that impact on the whole continent, and the problems and events that occur beyond the frontiers of the EU. The plenary session of 12-15 February confirms the role of “democratic assembly” of the EP, where the deputies of the various countries and the various parties give rise to lively debates before voting on the documents placed before it. THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN TURKEY. The report of the Dutch MEP EMINE BOZKURT on Turkish women was presented to the EP meeting in Strasbourg during this session. “Despite the progress made – says the report – much still remains to be done in Turkey to guarantee the rights of women”. This observation is not an end in itself, given that “the respect of these rights is an essential condition for Turkey’s membership of the EU”. The report also points out that the legal framework on the question in Turkey is “in general satisfactory”, but at the same time underlines “its imperfect implementation”. Ankara is therefore urged to “accelerate the application of the new legislation on women’s rights with a view to ensuring that it goes hand in hand with what is required by the acquis communautaire and be applied in practice in an effective way”. More precisely, the report deplores the fact that “in some areas of south-eastern Turkey babies of female sex are not registered at birth”, preventing “any crackdown on forced marriages and crimes of honour”. Emine Bozkurt also insists on the need to put an end to the perpetration of violence on women, calls for “pink quotas” to ensure their greater presence in political life, and appeals to Turkey’s educational institutions for real female emancipation. The report also warns of continuing polygamy and discrimination in the labour market. FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM, BUT WITHOUT DEMONISING ISLAM. “The fight against terrorism is one of the priorities of the European Union”. But the report of the Spanish MEP LUIS YAÑEZ-BARNUEVO GARCÍA concentrates instead on the “pro-active policy of prevention, protection and repression against terrorism, in respect for fundamental rights”. From this point of view, we need to “foster intercultural dialogue in the member countries”, prohibit any form of incitement to violence and “eliminate the reasons for the recruitment” of new terrorists. Apart from these evaluations of sociological and cultural type, however, the report also makes precise requests to the European Council and to national governments, urging them to act in ways that ensure proper coordination between the security forces and intelligence services. The report endorses the Council’s view that “the gravest threat for Europe at this time comes from violent radical groups that claim to defend Islam, such as the criminal network Al Qaeda”. But it also argues that “to demonise any culture, civilization or religion in the name of the fight against terrorism is an error that may have counter-productive effects”. So the recipe should be, on the one hand, the repressive battle “at the global level” against any terrorist cell, and, on the other, a “constructive and serious dialogue between peoples and nations” that “should take into account their respective conceptions and concerns”. REFUSE UNDER CONTROL; REFORM OF THE WINE MARKET. European public opinion at times ignores the fact that the EP also tackles issues of extreme concreteness that impact on national legislations and, in the last analysis, on the daily life of citizens. This week, for instance, the EP examined the Directive aimed at implementing EU legislation on waste disposal, “with the objective of reducing its environmental impact”. CAROLINE JACKSON , English MEP, presented a report that insists on the need for “prevention”, asking EU member countries for “a strategy aimed at modifying consumption” to reduce at source the production of waste materials and to “promote the ecological design of products”. The objectives set out by Jackson include the stabilization of waste production by 2012 at 2008 levels. The document also intervenes on the need drastically to reduce the quantities of waste materials deposited in landfill sites, held to be the system of waste disposal that most threatens human health and the environment. Another report, presented by the Greek MEP KATERINA BATZELI , defines a reform of the European viticulture sector. Its aim is to “permit the sector to withstand growing international competition”. The report presses for a partial liberalization of production, a better defence of geographical denominations, and norms for the enrichment of production with saccharine substances.