Forty years later

In the plenary session which preceded the reunion of the EU Council in Brussels, the EU parliament hosted a debate on the summit and celebrated its 50th birthday. The Hemicycle gave the green light to the creation of the European Institute of Technology. Safer and less polluting transportation, along with the modernization of the Common Agricultural Policy were some of the topical issued addressed in Strasbourg’s meeting of March 10-13. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia delivered a speech on the success and limits of enlargement and on the presence of Eastern Countries in the “common home”. Green light to EIT. Climate changes, renewable energy, second-generation information and communication technologies. These are some of the first areas the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will most likely focus on. The Assembly approved its regulatory statute. Finnish MEP Reino Paasilinna illustrated the parliamentary report defining objectives and functions of the new institution. “Its role is to contribute to economic growth and sustainable development in Europe”, strengthening the ability to innovate and transferring “projects and skills to enterprises including small and medium enterprises”. Special effort will focus on the integration of higher education, university education and applied research: the so-called “triangle of knowledge”. According to the regulation, the EIT is called “to sensitize potential partners and encourage their participation in EIT activities” in order to access public and private subsidies. To the Institute the EU earmarked 308 million for the period 2008-2013.Stepping up air safety. Among the documents voted by MEPs, figures a set of regulations establishing “common rules guaranteeing airport, aircraf and passenger security” to be implemented through a series of measures “including the possible presence of guards -on-board”. After September 11 terror attacks, the EU and the Member States had adopted a series of preventive measures to combat terrorism. In the global consolidation of security policy undertaken by the 27, this special attention for air transport has been confirmed, considered especially at risk. Regulations establish “penalties to defaulting operators, subject to unexpected inspection undertaken on the Commission’s request”. Trasportation: reducing urban smog. An extensive debate regarded the report aimed at promoting active rules and policies to decongest city traffic, by resorting to state-of-the-art technology along with public awareness on “sustainable” behaviour (greater use of public transportation, car sharing…), tax cuts and taxation according to polluting emissions. The document aims at encouraging old-cars scrapping with the introduction of tolls to enter city centres, where smog has reached dangerous levels. The report was a response to a “concerning” scenario. A third of overall EU energy consumption “is linked to transportation”. Reportedly, 83% of oil-based fuels are absorbed by cars, lorries and buses. Different proposals were made to counter this situation: introducing measures to stimulate low-polluting cars production in Member States; imposing higher taxes on the most polluting vehicles and subsidizing apposite research. The Assembly scuppered a bill proposed by the Green party on 130km speed limit on highways throughout Europe, aimed at increasing street safety and reducing CO2 emissions. Biogas: a “clean” resource. Community measures on environmental protection and energy preservation prompted the report by Hungary’s MEP Csaba Tabajdi. “Biogas is a crucial energy resource contributing to economic, agricultural and rural sustainable development, including environmental protection”, he declared. “It may also help in reducing EU’s energy dependence”. Biogas production from “manure, sewage, urban and animal waste can contribute to safety and purveyance competitiveness” in this field, introducing new forms of income and savings for farms. The Parliament was submitted a request to exploit biogas potential “by increasing financing and stepping up research”, provided “this entails no risk to food security”. The report proposed to introduce biogas in the next directive on renewable energies.