Growth not just in words but in deeds

Economy and financial crisis, foreign policy, waste management, and the European dimension of sport: just some of the themes that dominated the plenary session of the European Parliament on 1-2 February. MEPs discussed the results of the European summit on 30 January together with representatives of EU Council and Commission: both the debate in the chamber and the resolution, voted by a large majority, express sharp criticisms of the governments of member states and the proposed solutions on the two fronts of tackling the sovereign debt crisis and adopting measures for growth. Summit, the doubts of MEPs. The European Parliament’s position on the summit of the 27 heads of state and of government was expressed in a resolution approved by 443 votes in favour, 124 against and 75 abstentions. It points out some positive aspects: the "fiscal compact" had taken on board some requests made by the European Parliament itself and was almost unanimously supported by member states; the summit had also endorsed a statement on growth and jobs which, in spite of some inadequacies, is aimed at shifting the focus of EU action from budgetary rigour alone to growth and development, the only way of overcoming the crisis, as was underlined in the chamber. But MEPs also made a point of reaffirming that the same result could have been achieved through the normal Community legislative procedure, avoiding the trouble – and the risk – of having to submit the new accords to national ratification. The EP, furthermore, reaffirmed its own conviction on the need to introduce project bonds, eurobonds and a tax on financial transactions. In his speech in the chamber, Joseph Daul, French MEP and leader of the EPP, expressed various doubts about the summit’s results; he further underlined the need to "invest more in research, innovation and youth training". The British Conservative MEP Martin Callanan, on the other hand, stressed the need to "work for the free market" and reaffirmed his party’s opposition to "new European taxes" such as the Tobin Tax. Not only rigour, but also measures to boost growth. The head of the Socialist and Democrat group in the EP, Hannes Swoboda, pointed out that a lot of words had been spent on the need to boost growth at the European Council, but he wondered: "where are the facts?" One positive feature, however, in the Austrian MEP’s view, was that "the problem of unemployment was at least tackled at the summit". Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian MEP and head of the Liberal-Democrat group, similarly pointed his finger at all the "fine words" pronounced at the summit, but said that no concrete actions were adopted to correspond to them. "One striking example – he said – concerns the European patent, which has been on hold for two years, because France, Germany and the UK have failed to agree on the EU seat for registration, with the result that our businesses are paying a figure eight times higher than that in force in the USA to protect their ideas and patents". Lothar Bisky, German MEP, head of the unified Left group, said that "the summit once again insisted too much on austerity, whereas what we need right now are investments in training, in the environment and in jobs". Sport: stop to violence and doping. MEPs further voted, again with a very large majority in favour, on a resolution on violence in football stadiums (the vote took place the day after the massacre at Port Said in Egypt) and efforts to root out all forms of corruption and fraud in sport, themes of extreme actuality in various EU countries. The resolution proposes the creation of a European register for public prosecutors in sport, who "would have to prove they have suitable qualifications and tax residence in EU territory and would have to be subject to a European code of conduct". The resolution further indicates measures to root out violence in stadiums, doping, fixed matches and illegal betting. It calls for harsh penalties for tax fraud linked to sport. It insists on the need for violent supporters to be identified (also through a European "black list") and banned from access to all stadiums. The national authorities ought, furthermore, to promote the proper education of young athletes and at the same time remove all the obstacles, also of a cultural or religious order, that could prevent the participation of girls and women in the practice of sport. Waste management and disposal. Another resolution of the EP tackles the question of waste management and disposal, a problem of an economic and environmental character that concerns the whole of Europe. To tackle the problem, the resolution calls for "greater investments in providing efficient waste management structures and thus creating prosperity and jobs". Voted almost unanimously, the resolution reminds the Commission of the need to "propose clearer criteria for the creation of landfill sites" and for the establishment of their minimum distances from schools, homes or hospitals "to reduce the health risks". It also recommends specific procedures – already in force in some European states or cities – to promote waste differentiation and increase the quantity of recycled waste. Furthermore member states "ought to respect EU legislation on waste management", in particular the Directive of 2008, which establishes the objectives of waste recycling and reuse and introduces the obligation of national waste management programmes.