Religions, environment, health

This plenary meeting was marked by Ireland’s “no” to the Lisbon Treaty and by the approval of the “repatriation directive” for illegal immigrants. The EU Parliament’s plenary meeting in Strasbourg on June 16-19, was the occasion to anticipate the themes addressed during the forthcoming European Council (June 19-20). MEPs voted also in favour of Slovakia’s entry in Euroland, while they confirmed the appointment of French MEP Jacques Barrot as Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner, and Italian MEP Antonio Tajani at the head of the Transports Commission.World religions, contribution to peace. “The religious dimension is a crucial element in intercultural dialogue, since faiths are part of peoples’ history and culture”, recalled Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief in her address delivered at the Hemicycle. Having been invited to take part in a solemn sitting in the framework of the Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, Madam Jahangir claimed that “the history of Europe is constellated with a number of contributions and ideas, including religious ones. However, we cannot forget the religious conflicts which deeply scarred Europe”. Asma Jehangir is a human rights activist who was persecuted and arrested in her own Country, Pakistan. She is presently committed in the defence of religious freedom throughout the five continents. Madam Jehangir highlighted the importance of “interpreting the confrontation between cultures and religions from a broad perspective, as a decisive contribution to peace, democracy, integration and for the respect of personal rights and freedoms”. “Highlighting the role of families and women”. In her address before the Assembly, Ms. Asma Jahangir called to “overcome the inflexible attitudes of religious groups”, “enhance diversity and mutual respect among the faithful”, and “involve in the interreligious dialogue the believers of all faiths along with those who today appear to have lost their faith”. According to the UN officer, “dialogue between cultures and religions does not exclude mutual criticism, provided it envisages the respect for the other, in an informed manner, and after having created an atmosphere of mutual esteem and trust” in order to avoid misunderstandings and violent stands. The speaker claimed that certain people and groups “can give a special contribution to this confrontation”. These include “the family, where a positive attitude towards the other can be nurtured” (a special case is represented by mixed marriages); schools, artists and journalists. Madam Jehangir reaffirmed the special contribution “of women, who suffer the most for religious intolerance throughout the world”. Less refuse to safeguard health and the environment. “Measures aimed at protecting the environment and human health, preventing or reducing the negative impact determined by waste management and production”. This topic was delved into by a complex Community directive, definitively approved by the European Parliament after a complex legislative procedure. British MEP Caroline Jackson was the rapporteur of the document which defines a real and true “European strategy” on a topic which involves all Member States. The new regulation establishes measures aimed at reducing waste production and the resort to differentiated refuse collection by 2015, which was given priority over incinerators and refuse-to-energy incinerators. Various assignments were given to the Commission which will need to “formulate an action plan aimed at modifying present consumption models” and “defining an eco-design of products in order to reduce waste production and of toxic waste compounds, by promoting technologies focused on sustainable and recyclable products”. EU States have 24 months to “implement necessary dispositions which will conform with the directive”. Street safety; partnership with Russia. Many different issues were debated by MEPs. Some of these include measures regarding street safety and pedestrians’ protection, the case of “chlorine chicken” and the thorny issue of electric networks property. The statements delivered by members of the Council and of the Commission triggered a debate regarding the summit between the European Union and the Russian Federation scheduled on June 26-27 in Khanty Mansiysk, Siberia. It is a bilateral priority issue, as pointed out by MEPs, which will take stock of the renewal of the partnership with Moscow entailing a series of concrete aspects, starting from trade and energy supplies of the Twenty-seven Member States.