Guy Verhofstadt to negotiate for European Parliament on new Treaty

European Parliament group leaders have just decided on December 15th to accept an invitation from the President of the European Council to participate in drawing up the new Treaty. They have appointed three representatives - Guy VERHOFSTADT, President of the ALDE group, Elmar Brok (EPP) and Roberto Gualtieri (S&D) as Parliament's negotiating team on the new draft Treaty which was decided upon by 26 Member States at the December EU summit.

Parliament must show way out of crisis as Council seems incapable

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Evaluating the outcome of last week's EU summit in a December 13 parliamentary debate in Strasbourg with the Presidents of the European Council and Commission, Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE group leader, concluded that it had only answered part of the problem:

Access to documents: Commission and Council must respect transparency

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On December 15th the European Parliament voted to strengthen the EU institutions' transparency by broadening citizens' right of access to EU documents. The report concerns the revision of Regulation 1049/2001 on access to documents, which falls short of EP expectations, NGOs requests and European Court of Justice jurisprudence.

2050 Energy Roadmap underplays efficiency

The European Commission's 2050 Energy Roadmap, due to be published in December, shows that renewables are a vital part of a successful and affordable decarbonisation process. But it sends out a weak message on energy efficiency according to the Liberal and Democrat group (ALDE) in the European Parliament.

EU must evaluate effectiveness of counter terrorism policies

By endorsing the report by Sophie in 't Veld (D66, Netherlands) on December 14th  on EU Counter Terrorism policy, the European Parliament calls on the Commission to draw up a complete and detailed map of all existing counter terrorism policies in Europe and to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of all the measures that have been put in place in the past decade.

EP calls for more pooling of defence policy costs

On December 14th the European Parliament adopted a report on the impact of the financial crisis on the defence sector in EU Member States.

European Parliament calls for Russia to declare recent election results null and void

ALDE has hailed as "significant " the resolution adopted during the December Strasbourg plenary in the European Parliament, clearly demanding that new elections are held in Russia. ALDE has been consistently active in pushing the European Parliament to adopt a tougher stance on the lack of democracy in Russia.

What fruit juice are you drinking ?

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On December 13th the European Parliament adopted a report on a Fruit Juices Directive which aims to improve production standards, set rules for quality and labelling of fruit juices and help consumers make healthier choices. Fruit juices sales are increasing in Europe, for example Europeans consume 300 million tons of orange juice every year, half of world consumption. But do we really know what are we drinking? Is it a real fruit juice or a juice made from concentrate or nectars?

Verhofstadt: "I am shocked by the lack of urgency to halt a massacre in Homs - we must take the same action as we did in Benghazi"

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Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Leader issued on December 14th a stark warning to the EU following the weak statement by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton on the situation in Syria. Following her remarks that the idea of creating humanitarian corridors "has been dropped", Verhofstadt stated if the EU stands idly by - Homs will become the new Srebrenica.

Single permit: towards more coherent EU legislation on legal migration

On December 13th Parliament approved measures to realise a single permit application for third country nationals to live and work in the EU without having to provide different sets of documentation for each EU Member State.

"Fresh money for SMEs: boosting venture capital and easing access to credit"

The ALDE Group welcomes the December 8 announcement by the European Commission for an Action Plan to improve finance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Decades long wait for EU patent finally over

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After nearly 40 years of stalemate, the European Union is on the brink of approving a unitary patent regime that aims to simplify costs, cut red-tape and enhance competitiveness for EU businesses.

EU Asylum: solidarity reachable only with binding measures

Following the reactions of certain Member States to the migration flows caused by the Arab Spring, which have put at stake the principle of Schengen and resulted in Member States taking uncoordinated measures to deal with this phenomenon, the Commission on December 2nd presented a new communication on enhanced intra-EU solidarity in the field of asylum.

Laundry and dishwasher detergents to become phosphate free

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The European Parliament during the December Strasbourg plenary gave final approval to a proposed regulation harmonising EU restrictions on the use of phosphorus in consumer laundry and dishwasher detergents. The regulation aims to reduce the level of phosphorus in EU waste water in order to prevent eutrophication - the overgrowth of algae in streams and lakes which can starve fish and plant life of oxygen. This is particularly a problem in sensitive areas like the Baltic Sea and Danube region.

Croatian accession is the beginning of a new future

Following the December 1st approval in the European Parliament in Brussels, Croatia is firmly on the way to EU membership. The accession treaty has been formally signed at the December summit, and Croatia is scheduled to join the European Union on 1 July 2013, after ratification by all Member States. A resolution approved alongside the formal assent for the accession, takes due note of ALDE concerns on minority rights, ICTY cooperation and judicial reform issues.

ALDE welcomes a 2012 budget that combines rigour and growth

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ALDE welcomes the positive outcome of the 2012 budgetary procedure which confirms the initial analysis that the EU budget should both comply with the rigor that affects all national budgets, and participate in investment needed for future growth, including R & D, education and training.

EU Commission right to shift R&D focus to boost competitiveness and cut red tape

European Liberals and Democrats welcome the Commission's focus on improving Europe's competitiveness and support for SMEs pursuing innovation.

EP calls for strengthening the global fight against HIV / AIDS

Marking World AIDS Day on December 1st, the European Parliament voted on a Resolution which calls for an EU response to HIV/AIDS epidemic which remains a global challenge requiring a commitment from the whole of society.

Resource efficiency - Transformation to a green economy

On Wednesday 30th November 2011, ALDE MEPs Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (D66, NL) and Catherine Bearder (LibDem, UK) organised a seminar in the European Parliament on improving resource efficiency in the context of declining availability of natural resources around the world.

European Commission Green Paper on the feasibility of introducing Stability Bonds

The Green Paper published by the European Commission on November 23rd structures the political debate in the EU on the rationale, pre-conditions and possible options of financing public debt through Stability Bonds. Such common issuance of bonds by the euro-area Member States would imply a significant deepening of Economic and Monetary Union. It would create new means through which governments finance their debt, by offering safe and liquid investment opportunities for savers and financial institutions and by setting up a euro-area wide integrated bond market that matches its US Dollar counterpart in terms of size and liquidity. The fiscal framework underlying EMU would similarly undergo a substantial change, as Stability Bonds would need to be accompanied by closer and stricter fiscal surveillance to ensure budgetary discipline. Some of the options for the design of Stability Bonds considered in the Green Paper might require a Treaty change. Regardless of any necessary time for implementation, agreement on common issuance could have an immediate impact on market expectations and thereby lower average and marginal funding costs for those Member States currently facing funding pressures.

What is the main intention and content of this Green Paper?

This Green Paper assesses the feasibility of common issuance of sovereign bonds among the Member States of the euro area. Sovereign issuance in the euro area is currently conducted by Member States on a decentralised basis, using various issuance procedures. The introduction of commonly issued Stability Bonds would mean a pooling of sovereign issuance among the Member States and the sharing of associated revenue flows and debt-servicing costs. The Green Paper does not indentify any preferred option or way forward. Instead, the documents open and structure a wide public debate on appropriate next and possibly more concrete steps in this matter.

ALDE Response to Commission's Green Paper on Stability Bonds

European stability bonds will be one of the pillars of economic union

ALDE welcomes the European Commission's November 23rd adoption of a new economic governance package including a Green Paper on 'Stability bonds' which paves the way to medium and long term economic stability and sustainable growth.
 

"The Commission is right to assert its leadership role in this area despite some Member States' reluctance. If we want to make the euro zone more resilient against future crises, we will have to continue to work further towards establishing an economic and fiscal union -  as outlined in recent ALDE proposals for a new 'Community Act'. The two legislative proposals to strengthen economic and budgetary surveillance are a step in this direction to closer convergence and integration," said ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt.

Mr Verhofstadt welcomed in particular that the Commission not only presented ambitious ideas on how to introduce Stability Bonds in the future but also that it hinted to Member States what an immediate solution to the crisis could be by elaborating on the European redemption pact proposed by the German Council of Economic Experts. "In the absence of a proposal to solve the crisis by the Council, the Commission rightly points to the redemption fund recently proposed by the German Council of Economic Experts. The Commission should now actively promote the immediate adoption of this proposal, which does not require any modification of the Treaties".

The rapporteur appointed to draft European Parliament's position on the green paper and ALDE coordinator in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee Sylvie Goulard (Modem, France) said: "We congratulate the Commission for responding to our request to swiftly launch an in-depth consultation on the introduction of Stability bonds".
 

During the negotiations and the final adoption of the economic governance package, Mrs Goulard recalled that "the Parliament has insisted on opening this debate because we are persuaded that Eurobonds can play an essential role in fostering financial stability in Europe. They can produce incentives for Member States to respect fiscal discipline and at the same time free resources to invest in growth enhancing measures. Hence they can as well be a key instrument to exit the current crisis".

"We know that Eurobonds still raise legal and political controversy, but excluding them a priori without offering an alternative is definitely not a constructive approach to tackling the crisis," she concluded.

The ELDR Party Congress November 23-25th - Palermo, Italy

The 2011 ELDR Party Congress took place from November 23 - 25th in Palermo, Italy at the kind invitation of Italia dei Valori. The EU budget was the principal theme of the Congress with parallel debates and workshops on the Arab Spring.

EU Commissioner Karel de Gucht indicated that Europe should engage with Arab Spring countries by boosting trade with the region.

De Gucht also led the tributes to Annemie Neyts MEP, who has been ELDR President for the past six years. ALDE Group President Guy Verhofstadt gave a dynamic speech on the present handling of the euro crisis by heads of states and government who are taking half measures that are not working and making this crisis worse.

The Congress closed with a speech by incoming ELDR President and former ALDE leader, Sir Graham Watson - MEP, who set out his vision for ELDR..

ALDEPAC Working Lunch Lomé, Togo - November 2011

The latest ALDEPAC working lunch was held on November 20th in Lomé, Togo during the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

Many African Members of Parliament from the Liberal family attended. We were also proud to welcome the distinguished African H.E. Oryem Henry Okello (acting Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Uganda), Cellou Dallein Diallo, (Former Prime Minister of Conakry and Honorary Co-President of ALDEPAC), African Ambassadors and others.

From the ALDE Group Louis Michel MEP (President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly), Niccolò Rinaldi MEP (ALDEPAC Co-President), Olle Schmidt MEP (ALDE ACP-EU JPA Coordinator), and Catherine Bearder MEP were present.

The main topic discussed was the next ALDEPAC Annual Conference to be held in 2012 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on "Liberal Solutions for Africa - towards a Liberal pan-African Manifesto".

ALDE and Cellou Dalein DIALLO lead dialogue between the government and the opposition in Conakry - November 2011

Ahead of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly ACP-EU which took place in Lomé, Togo, the ALDEPAC delegation composed of Louis Michel, Niccolò Rinaldi and Olle Schmidt paid a visit to the Honorary President of ALDEPAC and former Prime Minister of Guinea Conakry, Cellou Dalein Diallo.

Diallo's Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) is now the main opposition party. The parliamentary elections will take place in 2012 and Diallo is putting all efforts in trying to unite the opposition forces, including Sidya Touré and his Union of Republican Forces (UFR) (observer member of Liberal International), in a common front.

The delegation met with the Prime Minister and the National Transition Council (interim parliament), attended the UFGD party meeting, and participated at the high level dinner debate with the government and opposition parties of Guinea.

Last February the designation of Mr Diallo for the post of Honorary Co-President of ALDEPAC was among other things, a tribute to his responsible and courageous presidential campaign in 2010, and his positive attitude after the elections as he accepted the result and thus probably averted civil war, as was acknowledged by the UN Secretary General.

Corine Lepage (CAP 21, France)

Corinne Lepage was elected to the European Parliament in July 2009 and is currently Senior Vice President of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, and alternate member of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee. Since January 2010, she has also been serving as President and founder of the European Parliament Intergroup on "Seas and coastal areas."

This year, Ms. Lepage was Rapporteur on the proposal for a Directive on "the possibility for Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs within their territory", and rapporteur for the Environment Committee's opinion on the securing of offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities.

In France Ms. Lepage chairs the Green Party Cap 21.  She was deputy mayor of Cabourg (Normandy) from 1989 to 1995 and from 1997 to 2001. She also served as Minister of the Environment in France from 1995 to 1997, and first presented herself as a presidential candidate for the 2002 elections.

She is a Political Science graduate and holds a PhD in Law.  In 1969 as a lawyer, she joined the law firm founded by her husband Christian Huglo, the first firm specializing in environmental law, which is committed to local authorities as well as associations.

Corinne Lepage represents the environmental interests of the Paris Bar, and is involved in many associations: "Observatoire de vigilance et d’alerte écologique"(co-founder), Transparency International France (Administrator) and the Association of Former Environment Ministers and international Environment leaders (President). She established the "Research and Information on Genetic Engineering Committee" (CRIIGEN), which she chaired until 2010. She is also involved in projects committed to the causes of secularism and women's rights. In 2005 she signed the "call for a new feminist struggle" launched by the association "Ni putes ni soumises ". In April 2006, with Caroline Fourest and Pierre Cassen she launched the petition: "A cry against racism and fundamentalism."

Ms.Lepage has authored many books including "The Truth about Nuclear Energy" (Albin Michel, 2011) and "Public Deficits: our French heritage at risk. 5 proposals to change the game (Archipelago, 2011).

On October 4th 2011 Corinne Lepage officially declared her candidacy for the 2012 French presidential elections.

For more information, please contact:
ALDE Press Service and Inter-institutional relations unit

neil.corlett@europarl.europa.eu
willem.vandenbroucke@europarl.europa.eu