EPLP Members fully support the main direction of the Maaten Report in highlighting health risks associated with tobacco. However, we believe that there are a number of technical areas which will need to be clarified following first reading in negotiation with the Commission and Council.	concession
Accordingly, I have to state for the record - for reasons I am not allowed space to expound on - that I do not believe this directive can or will address the real problems of businesses. Mainly, however, I am against this directive because it brings to the fore the foreign nature of the system in which the UK is embroiled.	concession
Consequently, many are tragically forced into receivership, through no fault of their own. This measure, however, will help allow small businesses to fight back.	concession
Mr President, I wish to begin by saying that my Group supports much of what is in Mr Turco's report and is certainly wholeheartedly behind the general thrust of the report. However, I have chosen to speak in today's debate because some of the issues discussed in the report are at the core of what must be addressed if the European institutions themselves are to lift the cloud of mismanagement and waste which hangs over them from previous times.	concession
We therefore applaud those sentiments in the Sörensen report which support our view. However, because the report also suggests changes in the structures of the voting procedure in the European institutions, and has serious resource implications, we cannot give it our overall support.	concession
I still envisage that publication of forecasts will commence towards the end of 2000, in line with the statement I made last September at the European Parliament's plenary session on the previous ECB annual report. I should like, however, to sound a note of caution.	concession
We all value economic and price stability, and the new paradigm in the United States gives us hope that such stability, including a balanced budget over the economic cycle, is consistent with growth and the steady reduction in unemployment. The report, however, does not examine the markets' lack of confidence in the euro and the huge capital outflows from Europe over the past year.	concession
The Commission is aware that so far two Member States, Italy and France, have ratified the ICC Convention. However most Member States will ratify the Convention during this year, including some already this summer such as Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.	concession
This is clear to everybody. However, the poverty dimension in what we are trying to support and promote means that more intensified small-scale production is what we are supporting.	concession
Greece did not report on the implementation of waste management legislation between 1989 and 1997. However at the end of last year Greece answered four questionnaires regarding the implementation of four waste directives.	concession
Amendment No 12, second part, because it does not add anything. The proposal already refers to reports being in a readily accessible database. Amendment No 13, second part, relating to reports of site visits being available within two months of inspection because the common position's wording "as soon as possible" is preferable. And Amendment No 14 which seeks to limit to brief data the compliance information in reports to the Commission, which is not sufficient for the Commission's purposes. However, if the proposal is to remain in the form of a recommendation, the Commission can accept in principle Amendments Nos 2, 10, second part, and 15, second part, in relation to point 9.1.	concession
This proves beyond doubt that the overarching ambition of the European Union is a single nation with its single national flag, its single national anthem, its single legal space, its single national borders and now the citizens of Europe will soon be able to breath single European air. However, after the failure of the single land policy, known as the CAP, the single sea policy, known as the CFP, we can now look forward to a similar failure of the single sky policy.	concession
Mr President, It is quite true to say that air traffic delays need to be urgently addressed. However, it is also worth noting that 33% of ATM delays recorded between January and June 1999 were mostly due to temporary capacity reductions associated not least with the Kosovo crisis.	concession
If the sanctions were intended to dislodge Saddam Hussein, this has not still been achieved after ten years. However, ten years of sanctions have caused enormous suffering and hardship for the 22 million people of Iraq.	concession
They believe that the Oslo negotiations and the various Camp David discussions would have conferred legitimacy on such a step. However, it has to be recognised that even if negotiations had progressed so far that the declaration of statehood was non-controversial, the future of Jerusalem was always going to re-ignite controversy once again.	concession
Normally I would regard this as a private matter and not my concern. However, in the programme connected with this visit the group is described as a delegation and in particular Mr Goodwill, MEP, is described as leader of the delegation.	concession
Defining the values and principles underlying public broadcasting gives us some difficulties anyway, as Member States, corporations, and broadcasters all have very different ideas of what public broadcasting constitutes. However, this should not prevent us from defining it in the digital age, because these principles are very important to us all, and, as infrastructure has developed, so content is going to develop as well.	concession
On ascending relatives, we consider that Amendment No 20 is superfluous because there is a general right in Article 9 of the proposal to apply a non-discriminatory means test to all entrants. However we are willing to look at that if it assists in saving the report.	concession
Our task is to clarify and to amend responsibly and on behalf of the PPE-DE Group I congratulate the rapporteur, Mrs Schörling, on the work she has done and the consultation she has had with us. We will however be rejecting some of her amendments, notably those that seek to extend the system to all financial plans, to defence and civil defence, to consultation beyond what is reasonable and to the general policies she has just mentioned, which become more of a wish-list than firm proposals.	concession
We will however be rejecting some of her amendments, notably those that seek to extend the system to all financial plans, to defence and civil defence, to consultation beyond what is reasonable and to the general policies she has just mentioned, which become more of a wish-list than firm proposals. However, we agree that it makes no sense to exclude projects financed wholly or partially by the European Union, especially structural funds, and we certainly agree that it makes sense to talk to neighbouring states outside the European Union.	concession
Similarly, we abstained on matters concerning ascending relatives, because, wherever possible, we wish to remove objections so as to secure a clear majority for the report and recognise that the inclusion of such relatives raises particular problems for some Members. Some of us in my group, however, would have liked us to express a more generous stance.	concession
There are, however, various practical points and issues regarding sovereignty which the UK takes very seriously and which means it is not appropriate or possible for the United Kingdom to be included at this time. However this does not lessen the commitment of our Government to the principles of the report and the underlying values inherent therein.	concession
I accept Commissioner Verheugen's explanation that he was speaking in a German context and in a personal capacity. However, as the Commissioner responsible for enlargement, he does not now have the luxury of speaking in a personal capacity.	concession
Mr President, I should like to begin by saying that all Members of this House care deeply about the environment despite the fact that the rapporteur and members of the Greens would have you believe otherwise. Environmental concerns must, however, be balanced against the needs of the aviation industry to ensure its success in the future.	concession
These would make it more difficult for suppliers, especially in the Third World, to show compliance as the method proposed by the Commission is the method most widely accepted and used. However, the Commission can accept that when available a more reliable standardised testing method could be introduced.	concession
The Commission can accept in principle an exemption for handmade oriental carpets from the example list of product categories covered by the proposed directive as the risk from such carpets is likely to be low. However, the Commission cannot accept that the exemption is only temporary.	concession
We must reject six amendments, namely Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Committee on the Environment. However, the Commission can in principle support parts of Amendment No 3.	concession
We welcome Parliament's support in this. However, the Commission can have an impact in developing a standard methodology to describe and record the extent of undeclared work and to assess its impact on the economy and on social solidarity.	concession
Results of this study will be presented in a conference at the end of the year. However, to have annual monitoring and reporting on this problem would be heavy procedurally while not adding much new.	concession
It was agreed at conciliation between the European Parliament and the fifteen Governments of the EU that this provision should now apply from 1 January 2007. However, any Member State within the EU is free to implement this specific provision of this directive earlier than this date.	concession
Mrs Ogata's and the visit of a European Parliament delegation in April this year have been instrumental to genuine progress. However, the Commission regrets that the formula for verification in the camps has not yet been agreed, despite recent expectations that an agreement would be found.	concession
Self-tuition workshops on fighting forest fires are also planned. However the Commission does not have enough resources to extend its activities beyond that.	concession
The Commission's original intention was to present a proposal for a scaffolding directive. However, because serious falls from heights do not occur only from scaffolding, the scope has been widened to include protection for workers from all manner of falls from heights.	concession
We agree with the main idea behind Amendment No 18 and the references to the securing of the decks and the prevention of unintentional movement. However, we must oppose the reference to "load-bearing surfaces" as they will cause confusion over what is meant by "deck" .	concession
I would like to join my colleagues in thanking Mrs Wallis for her tremendous effort and work on this very difficult brief and I also want to support the call by my colleague, Pat the Cope Gallagher, and my other Irish colleague, Nuala Ahern, with regard to the establishment of a centralised European Union Electronic Database on case-law, put forward by Twinkle Egan, a barrister from Ireland. However, when we look at the difficulties which have arisen with regard to this report, when we look at the disparate views - the so-called purists on behalf of the consumers or the other so-called purists on behalf of business and e-commerce - we sometimes forget that a lot of small- and medium-sized enterprises are consumers themselves, who will be trading with larger companies or larger suppliers and who deserve the same protection that I, "as an individual" or anybody else, as an individual consumer, would have.	concession
Citizens from the candidate countries in central and eastern Europe can also draw inspiration from such a charter. However, we should recall that the European Convention on Human Rights, which all Member States have signed and adopted in their national law, has now been operating for nearly 50 years and works hand in hand with the UN Declaration on Human Rights.	concession
That is a very simple request which is not connected with any specific amendment proposed this first reading. It may well determine, however, how we can vote at that stage.	concession
In this connection, I would like to quote from the White Paper on Food Safety which states "The materials which may or may not used in animal feed production, including animal by-products, need to be clearly defined." A positive list of feed materials would give the clearest response to the current lack of definition of feed materials, however, it goes on to state: "This task is complex and time-consuming.	concession
Another key issue concerns religious organisations and the possibility of using the genuine occupation requirement clause in Article 4(2). However, this provision should not give rise to discrimination on the sole grounds of disability, age or sexual orientation and we must be very clear on that.	concession
The Commission's intention is to create workable rules for companies while at the same time prohibiting instances of discrimination which are arbitrary and not objectively justified. However, I understand that this is a very sensitive issue.	concession
The code has already increased mutual understanding of Member States' policies, it has established an efficient consultation mechanism and it has encouraged dialogue on the implementation of its provisions. It is undeniable, however, that there are grounds for further strengthening of the code and its implementation, as Mr Titley has mentioned.	concession
While these institutions must have the option of appointing an internal auditor, it is sufficient to impose certain minimum audit requirements on the financial controller. It must be clear, however, that this distinction can only apply during a transitional period.	concession
The EPLP has voted for the Mann report on equal treatment in discrimination because it is firmly committed to the principle of combating unjustified discrimination and is broadly supportive of the overall objectives behind this proposal. However the EPLP has strong reservations about the following areas.	concession
However, I cannot accept Amendments Nos 1 and 2 because it is inappropriate to introduce recitals in a piece of legislation which are not matched by substantive provisions in the text. however, I shall be raising your concerns on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, which a number of you mentioned, with my colleague Mr Liikanen and I will ask him to address those concerns.	concession
Mr President, the lawful object of the Charter of Rights is to protect the legitimate rights, expectations and aspirations of the citizen against the oppressive behaviour of government, business or other citizens; and it is, of course, right that people should be thus safeguarded in respect of the European institutions and their activities. However, having said that, the crucial matter is not the existence of a Charter but the proper safeguarding of the citizen, and the means by which the citizen achieves such protection today vary from Member State to Member State.	concession
As Mr Rothley pointed out, every year there are more than 500 000 car accidents involving vehicles from different Member States. However, the current system of compensation for people involved in an accident outside their home country does not work satisfactorily.	concession
Commissioner Lamy has already had an opportunity to set out in the plenary of this House in March the view of the Commission that China's WTO accession is a trade agreement of major importance and, therefore, that it is exactly the type of agreement that would be submitted for Parliament's assent, were the Commission proposals for the IGC to be accepted. However, at this stage these are just proposals.	concession
There is undoubtedly progress. However, there is a lot yet to be achieved and there is a long way for the UK to go, and for BNFL to go to re-establish its reputation.	concession
I am sure the President-in-Office of the Council is a very nice man and is very kind to his wife and his children and his dog. However, forgive me if I am a little sceptical of the reply you have just given me.	concession
As everybody here needs to recognise, there are major limitations in relation to resources that will be available as a result of enlargement and there are implications for the financial perspective in relation to Category 5 expenditure. However, these guidelines are not just about enlargement they are about policy direction for all the institutions next year.	concession
Mr President, while I congratulate the rapporteurs on their work I fear that, as the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so it is with this Charter. The nations of Europe can be proud of their record on human rights; however, have they needed charters?	contrast
Of course with hindsight this is something which should have been considered long ago. However, the European Commission and the Joint Research Centre have listened to the comments made by the European Parliament about this matter of concern.	contrast
The deadlines are laid down in a Council regulation, which for the first time codifies state aid procedures, and since that regulation was only adopted in 1999 it is not likely to be modified in the near future. However, we are prepared and indeed willing to try to speed up certain aspects of the decision-making wherever possible, for example preparing the standard notification forms.	contrast
We cannot, and we do not, support in any way the sentiments and politics of Herr Haider and we deplore his references to the Third Reich. We also, however, deplore the fact that your Parliament should consider interfering in the policies of an elected government of any country, especially one which is part of the European Union.	contrast
It is therefore political by nature. However, the measures that may subsequently be taken must obviously comply with the general principles applicable to risk management and the guidelines for applying the precautionary principle are therefore the key element of the paper.	contrast
The evidence of the court is that that is happening now and it points to steps which can be taken now to alleviate the problem. However, as Mr Marinho has pointed out, more is necessary, but that has to wait for the IGC,	contrast
It should not be defended even by those of us who deeply deplore the Milosevic regime. That, however, is not my question.	contrast
Concerning the Cuban sea-turtle proposals, the Community should oppose the resumption of the regular annual trade in shells. We need, however, to hold a more open position on the disposal of the Cuban shell stockpiles until we know the position of the neighbouring countries to Cuba.	contrast
That is a quote from their report. However, the inspectors' report on the control and supervision of operations at the BNFL Sellafield site also stated its opinion on the deterioration in safety performance at Sellafield.	contrast
I should be pleased to come to Parliament at any time to continue this discussion. However, I do not want to give anyone false hopes about what can be achieved very quickly and with the help of Member States.	contrast
This is a matter which, strictly speaking, falls largely within the competence of my colleague, Mr Liikanen. However, having consulted with his services, I am in a position to inform you that essential safety requirements concerning computer equipment to be used privately or in the working place are prescribed by a directive relating to electrical products, the Low Voltage Directive, as well as by the Directive on Radio Equipment and Telecommunication Terminals.	contrast
And, when we recall that, like many others on all sides of this House, my and my colleagues' instincts are naturally aroused. However, the Commission has to act on the basis of values and law and not only on the basis of instinct.	contrast
They have to look at, for example, the concerns of people in relation to a special issue, and they have to judge from what is known about the scientific evidence in a certain case. However, it is true that it does not need a big majority of the scientific community to be able to use the precautionary principle.	contrast
Nobody is asking for an IGC of the Maastricht style with a hundred or more subjects being debated. However, there are six, seven, eight, nine perhaps, subjects which it would be very appropriate and useful to address.	contrast
Cultural diversity is important, and it is under threat. However, it is not under threat from Europe.	contrast
Some have said we have to accept the results of democratic elections. However, democratic elections do not make democrats of those who have threatened democracy.	contrast
There is the tragic monument of the Holocaust, the death of 6 million Jews, to those who argued the same case with respect to Germany in the 1930s. However, we should not condemn Mr Haider for ambition.	contrast
Firstly, the idea of an EU passport for management companies is to be welcomed; and the home-state approval rule is also to be welcomed. However, instead of imposing a new regime, we could have used the Investment Services Directive as the analogy for this regime.	contrast
The Commission is fully aware of the fact that the draft we have before us is not perfect or ideal. However, we must be realistic.	contrast
He gave me a serious answer. However, what about Euratom inspectors?	contrast
