Various open fronts

The speech on the "state of the Union" delivered by the President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso, a hot debate on banking union and another on the 2013 community budget, a new directive on energy efficiency, several provisions regarding fundamental rights, along with a worrying balance of human rights in Russia. The latest plenary session of the European Parliament addressed international and national political issues, focused on the attempts to respond to the economic crisis, which appear to have triggered a comprehensive reflection on European political integration.Protection to refugees. The Assembly (gathered in Strasburg from September 10-13) reiterated that EU protection to Third country asylum-seekers should be marked by practical "solidarity". The EP endorsed a report presented by Cypriot MEP Kyriacos Triantaphyllides calling upon the Commission to introduce in its legislative proposal the criteria of "an EU distribution key" for the relocation of internationally protected people in the EU. "The system -endorsed by a large majority of MEPs – is based on appropriate indicators relating to Member States’ reception and integration capacities", which include GDP and national population, and in which "solidarity has been recognised as an essential component", added Triantaphyllides", namely, "solidarity-sharing between Member States". The rights of the victims. The Parliament thus gave the green light to a directive for the recognition and defense of the rights of all the victims of serious crimes in the EU. The resolution calls for legal and psychological support. Accordingly, victims "will have the right to be questioned by police and heard in court in a language they understand. The regulation is based on the possibility of becoming a victim of violence, theft, accidents, or threat when abroad: the problems caused by the crime itself could be worsened by hurdles linked to legislative, linguistic or cultural problems. The document unanimously endorsed ensures a "comprehensive legal framework to ensure that all victims of crime enjoy the respect of fundamental rights in penal proceedings throughout the EU, so they may be treated "with respect and dignity and have access to victim-support services, justice and compensation", when due. Spanish rapporteur Teresa Jiménez-Becerril, said: "This directive says loudly and clearly to victims that their rights are no longer going to be neglected. This will serve to build confidence in justice". This Directive is tabled for adoption by the EU Council of Ministers. Once the new rules are adopted, EU countries will have three years to transpose them into their national laws. Donation of tissue and cells. Among the reports presented during the plenary figure the "Voluntary and unpaid donation of tissue and cells", signed by British MEP Marina Yannakoudakis. The report reaffirms the urgent need "to work towards creating a transparent donation system which is safe for donors and recipients", highlighting its "gratuitousness" and the "voluntary" feature of donation which apart from skin tissue and amniotic membrane, "usually takes place via a deceased donor". "Umbilical cord stem cells could be used in the treatment of many diseases", MEPs said during the debate". Yannakoudakis pointed out that "the report does not encompass issues related to embryo stem cell research, therapeutic cloning and IVF. Budgetary negotiations. Last but not least, MEPs tackled the 2013 budget, the object of ongoing negotiations with the Council, due to undergo assembly debate on October 23. "Some Member States register schizophrenic positions", underlined French MEP Alain Lamassoure, president of the EP Committee on Budgets. "They first advance individual requests of EU intervention; then, when they realize the amount of money needed for these interventions they call for a reduction of Community budget". "Budgetary negotiations are more complex today compared to the past", he acknowledged. Notably, in the framework of the ongoing crisis, Member States call for a cut in Community budget transfers.