The plenary session of the European Parliament opens today in the afternoon with a commemoration of the victims of terrorism. "Following the terrorist attacks of Madrid in March 11th 2004 writes a press release , Parliament decided to commemorate the victims of terrorism every year". About 500 students from different European schools "will be asked to draw up statements that will be read by the floor during a solemn ceremony". The assembly will keep working until Thursday 15th on different subjects, such as the "political strategy for consumers protection for the period 2007-2013", the state of the facilities for assistance to children and health care across the borders. Tomorrow the statements of the EU Council and EU Commission "will open a debate on the results of the Brussels summit of March 8th and 9th". The focus of attention are the measures to tackle climate change, the developments of the Lisbon Strategy, the transatlantic relations in the run-up to the EU-USA Summit of late April. On March 14th the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, president of the EU on duty, will take part in a debate "on the contents of the declaration that will be adopted in Berlin during the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties" that established the Community.
