Parliamentary session and extraordinary EU27 summitNext week’s EU institutions’ working agenda will take place in Strasbourg and Brussels. In fact, the plenary meeting of the European Parliament will be held in the French city on March 7-10, while an extraordinary meeting of the European Council on the situation in North Africa has been called for March 11. In addition to the solemn celebrations for the centenary of Women’s Day 2011 the Assembly will discuss the priorities for the 2012 budget, the Community strategy for the Atlantic region, Turkey’s and Montenegro’s progress towards EU accession, a report on Roma’s integration in EU27, the relations with Iran, industrial policy for the coming years. MEPs will discuss the situation in the Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern regions. The president of Hungary Pál Schmitt will deliver a speech at the European Parliament. For March 11, the president of the EU Council Herman Van Rompuy, explained that due to the serious situation that followed the upheavals in Libya, debates would no longer focus on eurozone issues as previously scheduled. An ad hoc summit of EU 27 Heads of Government or State will take place instead. EU Member State leaders will address issues regarding political relations with neighbouring countries, support to populations, migrations emergency, along with the stability and future of the area . There is also growing concern as relates to energy supply. As for Libya, the EU agreed on a package imposing restrictive measures against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. The sanctions include an embargo on arms, ammunition and equipment “that could be used for the repression of protesters”, said Van Rompuy; an assets freeze; and a visa ban on Colonel Gaddafi, members of his family, and other persons involved in the violent crackdown on the civilian population. The European Council, which has given the green light to the resolution adopted on February 26 by the UN Security Council, will decide to enforce further measures on Libya and on other countries. In view of the summit, Victor Orban has written a letter to Van Rompuy mentioning the problem of the repatriation of Europeans from Libya, while he confirms that the Hungarian embassy in Tripoli will be open, thus ensuring a diplomatic presence on behalf of the EU. The next European Council will take place on March 24-25.Eurobarometer: citizens poorly informed on the EU ParliamentEU citizens continue to have faith in the European Parliament, although their understanding of the Assembly doesn’t correspond to its responsibilities and institutional role. A few days ago Eurobarometer released the findings of a survey conducted on 27 thousand EU27 citizens from the end of November through the first weeks of December 2010. Accordingly, Europeans agree that the Euro Chamber stepped up its powers after the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty. Most interviewees consider it a “democratic” and “efficient” institution, but fewer describe the institution as “dynamic” or “listening to citizens”. As compared to previous surveys, “responses overall were more polarised”, is stated in the final 37-page report. “More men than women say they are aware of European Parliament matters; people from the more affluent social classes have a better knowledge of Parliament than others”. The best-informed age group, by their own assessment, is 40-54, while – the report underlines with concern – the youngest age group feels itself least well informed. Asked about the values Parliament should defend, the survey puts protection of human rights at the top (60%), with gender equality and freedom of speech in joint second place (36%). More people than in the past gave priority to “solidarity between Member States”, which is in fourth place (35%); in the 2010 survey it 30% of respondents gave priority to the issue. Follow EU’s solidarity with poor Countries (25%) and intercultural and inter-religious dialogue (22%). Some of the questions focused on whether people have read or heard about the Parliament in the media. 59% said they had, but only 28% declared themselves to be well informed about Parliament’s activity. The poll also shows substantial variation between the different Member States “of up to 35-40% from highest to lowest”.
