Liberals and Democrats call for pro-growth structural reform to fight unemployment

Unemployment in the EU rose to 10.3% in April 2012, as employers cut 102.000 jobs from their payrolls. Unemployment in the EU has not been this high since 2000, with governments across the EU facing the double challenge of reducing unemployment levels and fiscal deficits and public debt at the same time.

Breakthrough on energy efficiency deal

ALDE MEP Fiona Hall (UK, Liberal Democrats), who took part in the negotiations with Member States on the Energy Efficiency Directive on behalf of the Liberals and Democrats, has welcomed the deal brokered on June 13th. Commenting on the deal, she said:

"Although the text in Article 6 on the energy efficiency obligation schemes is not as strong as the Parliament wanted, it is an important achievement that for the first time ever Member States will have to have a long term strategy with policy and measures in place for dealing with the energy efficiency of their buildings."

Verhofstadt: EU leaders should be locked in a room together until they have agreed a plan to end the crisis

Addressing the plenary of the European Parliament on June 13th in Strasbourg, Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Liberal and Democrat group called for immediate action and an end to the string of speeches and statements of intent.

Better and less EU legislation to boost the Single Market's potential

The European Parliament debated and has adopted during the June Strasbourg plenary, a resolution addressed to the Member States and the European Commission on how to better implement and regulate the Single Market.

Two pack: Parliament gives formal backing to the European Redemption Fund

During the June 13th plenary session the European Parliament approved its first reading on two Regulations presented by the Commission last November to enhance the coordination and surveillance of budgetary surveillance for all euro-area Member States - also known as the 'two-pack".

Lambsdorff: "EU must close ranks at the UN to make it more effective"

The European Parliament adopted on June 13th a report by Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP, Germany) on priorities for the EU at the 67th United Nations General Assembly.

EU / Japan: ALDE deplores the timidity of Parliament and the Council to open negotiations for a free trade agreement

European Liberals and Democrats deeply regret that the European Parliament meeting in the Strasbourg plenary session on June 13th did not seize the opportunity to vote on a report on trade relations with Japan to call clearly for an opening of negotiations on a free trade agreement.

EP calls for stricter and simpler rules on food intended for vulnerable populations

The European Parliament adopted a report during the June Strasbourg plenary session on the European Commission's Regulation on “Food intended for infants and young children and food intended for special medical purposes”, drafted by ALDE MEP Fréderique Ries (MR, Belgium), which defines concrete steps towards improving safety and quality of infant formulae and baby food products in the European Union.

EP to reinforce protection from major industrial accidents

On June 14th the European Parliament will vote on the report for the revision of the EU´s Seveso Directive on controlling major industrial accidents involving dangerous substances and mixtures of chemicals which applies to around 10 000 establishments in the European Union.

Mass demonstrations in Moscow are first shoots of a Russian political Spring

In reaction to the June 12th protests in Russia which saw one hundred thousand people take to the streets to demand reforms, Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Leader says the Russian authorities should take immediate concrete steps to implement reform.

Schengen: EP must take Council to Court and halt all negotiations in JHA

On June 12th the European Parliament held an emergency debate on Schengen following the decision taken by Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on 8 June to remove from the European Parliament its co-legislative rights on the new Schengen package - despite many months of negotiations based on the Commission proposals using article 77 as the legal basis.

Mortgage must be a flexible and transparent contract tailor-made on consumers

After long negotiations the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee voted on June 7th on a first reading the report on credit agreements relating to residential property which prime goal is, according to ALDE spokesperson MEP Philippe De Backer (OpenVld, Belgium): "to better protect consumers".

European Parliament defends cost-cutting calendar vote in front of ECJ

http://alde.eu/press/press-and-release-news/press-release/article/european-parliament-defends-cost-cutting-calendar-vote-in-front-of-ecj-39108/

MEPs are defending a key parliamentary vote to merge two of their October parliamentary sessions into one week in Strasbourg to save costs at a public hearing in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

The European Parliament deepens debate on Eurobonds

Responding to the Commission Green paper on the "feasibility of the introduction of stability bonds", whose publication was obtained by the EP as part of the '6 pack' negotiations, the EP Rapporteur Sylvie Goulard (Modem, France) submitted on June 1st, her draft report that will be discussed this month in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Irish endorsement of Fiscal Treaty an important step in restoring confidence in Europe's economy

The Irish people have backed the European Stability Treaty in a nation-wide referendum held on May 31st. ALDE welcome this result underlining that the significance of an Irish "Yes" cannot be underestimated. Saying "No" would have lowered Ireland's credibility in the financial markets and have cut Ireland off from ESM funds which would have been disastrous.

Verhofstadt: Continued bickering over seat of EU Patent Court is a scandal

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe strongly deplores the blockage in the Competitiveness Council concerning the future headquarters of the European Patent Court. The location of this body, which France, Germany and the United Kingdom are fighting for, is the last obstacle to the adoption of common patent rules, awaited for over 30 years.

ACTA: ALDE makes difference in EP ACTA votes

http://alde.eu/press/press-and-release-news/press-release/article/acta-alde-makes-difference-in-ep-acta-votes-39097/

ALDE welcomes the May 31st voting results of the parliamentary committees on Civil Liberties (LIBE), Industry (ITRE) and Legal Affairs (JURI) for the rejection of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Agreement (ACTA). These are indicative votes ahead of the main vote which will take place on June 21st in the International Trade Committee (INTA), followed by the final plenary vote in July.

Free movement and greater protection in the EU for victims of crime

To ensure that victims of crime (such as rape, harassment, or human trafficking) continue to benefit from protection measures against their offender when they travel or move to another EU Member State, the European Protection Order (EPO) in the area of criminal matters was created. To complement the EPO in criminal matters and to ensure the broadest possible range of protection measures, separate legislation for civil matters was needed (EPO II). On May 30th the European Parliament voted on the negotiation mandate on EPO II to start talks with the Commission and Council.

ALDE condemns Leyla Zana's sentence

ALDE condemns the recent sentence handed down by a provincial Turkish court the preceding week to Leyla Zana, European Parliament Sakharov Prize winner and Nobel Peace Prize nominee.

Investment in third countries: Avoiding another YPF-Repsol affair

The May 30th agreement between the Council and European Parliament, through its International Trade Committee, will permit the European Commission to be more reactive in protecting the interests of European companies in third countries. This regulation facilitates transitional arrangements enabling Member States to conclude bilateral investment agreements with third countries provided that the Commission is involved, in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, which gives the Union exclusive competence in matters of direct foreign investment, as part of the common trade policy.

Syria: Diplomatic toolbox is almost empty

Reacting to the news that Western Governments have started to expel top Syrian diplomats from their countries on May 29th in reaction to the horrific massacre in the Syrian town of Houla.

Youth job opportunities must be the focus for EU growth and employment efforts

The Group of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament (ALDE) underlines that austerity measures cannot be separated from growth and efforts to create jobs in Europe. Millions of young people who finished school and want to believe in the future cannot find a job in the EU. The dignity of these young people needs to be restored by means of every available measure to avoid the creation of a lost generation.

Verhofstadt meets with Yulia Tymoshenko. "Justice cannot be delayed or denied"

On May 25th Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE group leader), together with Hans van Baalen (VVD, Netherlands) on behalf of ELDR Party, was able to visit Yulia Tymoshenko in hospital in Kharkiv in the north east of Ukraine, following meetings in the morning with Ukrainian Prime Minister, Mykola Azarov and the chief prosecutor, Viktor Pshonka.

New crisis management measures to avoid future bank bail-outs

The financial crisis highlighted that public authorities are ill-equipped to deal with ailing banks operating in today's global markets. In order to maintain essential financial services for citizens and businesses, governments have had to inject public money into banks and issue guarantees on an unprecedented scale: between October 2008 and October 2011, the European Commission approved €4.5 trillion (equivalent to 37% of EU GDP) of state aid measures to financial institutions . This averted massive banking failure and economic disruption, but has burdened taxpayers with deteriorating public finances and failed to settle the question of how to deal with large cross-border banks in trouble.

The proposals adopted on June 6th by the European Commission for EU-wide rules for bank recovery and resolution will change this. They ensure that in the future authorities will have the means to intervene decisively both before problems occur and early on in the process if they do. Furthermore, if the financial situation of a bank deteriorates beyond repair, the proposal ensures that a bank's critical functions can be rescued while the costs of restructuring and resolving failing banks fall upon the bank's owners and creditors and not on taxpayers.

President Barroso said: "The EU is fully delivering on its G20 commitments. Two weeks ahead of the summit in Los Cabos, the Commission is presenting a proposal which will help protect our taxpayers and economies from the impact of any future bank failure. This proposal is an essential step towards Banking Union in the EU and will make the banking sector more responsible. This will contribute to stability and confidence in the EU in the future, as we work to strengthen and further integrate our interdependent economies"

ALDE Reaction to Commission statement on banking: The crisis shows the need for further integration of Eurozone banking and supervision

The financial crisis which first exploded in 2008 triggered a contagious, vicious circle between the banking sector and the sovereign debt market whose negative effects weigh heavy on EU tax payers.  The June 6th response from the European Commission was a proposal on Banking Crisis Management and Resolution.

By welcoming the long-awaited publication of this proposal, MEP Wolf Klinz (FDP, Germany) ALDE spokesperson on this dossier said: "It is an important step to complete all previously agreed and ongoing regulatory changes in the banking sector along with the general principle that no taxpayers' money should be used in case of any bank failure".

"With its proposal the Commission initiates the discussion how far creditors should participate in the losses of every bank within the all-new 'bail-in' measure, but the distinction between investors holding bonds and savers holding deposits has to be clearly made in the legislative process", pointed out Mr Klinz.

"The proposal refers in many places to Deposit Guarantee Schemes (DGS)", therefore he continued "we presume that we will be able to reach a quick agreement with the Council on the DGS Directive, which was not possible earlier this year. A parallel adoption of both dossiers seems to be the natural and desirable way for the European Parliament in the next months".

"It's a pity that the Commission didn't go one step further and suggest possible changes to the banking structure in the EU. It is vital that the European Parliament take its own position on that issue and assesses how important it is to have a harmonized EU-wide approach to the measures discussed around the 'Volcker Rule' and the 'Vickers Report'.  The current crisis shows clearly that at least the Eurozone should further integrate its banking sector including direct banking supervision and rescue measures".

Note to editors:
'Volcker Rule' aims to limit risky behavior within banks. Banks that take retail deposits would not be allowed to engage in proprietary trading that is not directly related to the market making and trading they do for customers. These banks would also be prohibited from owning or sponsoring hedge funds or private equity funds. (FT lexicon)
'Vickers Report' is the outcome of an independent Commission on Banking set up to review the financial sector after the crisis:
http://bankingcommission.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ICB-Final-Report.pdf

Trade: From Patronage to Partnership (5th ALDE-CALD Summit in Brussels)

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), hosted a delegation from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) for the 5th ALDE-CALD Summit, a biennial meeting between European and Asian liberals, which was first established ten years ago. The last ALDE-CALD meeting was organised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010.

ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt, alongside CALD Chairman Sam Rainsy, LI President Hans van Baalen MEP, and ELDR President Sir Graham Watson MEP opened the 2012 CALD/ALDE summit in the European Parliament in Brussels. Focusing on “Trade: From Patronage to Partnership” the summit brought together MPs and prominent representatives from Asia and Europe, and observers from the liberal networks in Latin America (RELIAL) and in Africa (ALDEPAC). The speakers emphasised the transformation of Asia towards liberal democracy, especially the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, which are mainly led by liberal parties. Cecilia Malmström, the European Commissioner on Home and Justice Affairs addressed the summit and gave an optimistic outlook on the relations between Europe and South East Asia.

Participants included Niccolo Rinaldi, MEP, Rapporteur for the EU-Malaysia FTA and for the EU-India FTA (Safeguard Clause). Sir Graham Watson, MEP, President of the ELDR Party, delivered the closing keynote address on “Chinese and Indian Dominance in Asia?”. Among the Asian participants alongside Sam Rainsy, MP, Chairperson of CALD and Leader of the Opposition in Cambodia, were Win Htein, a newly elected MP of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy in Burma, and other Members of most Asian Countries.

Special session topics covered included:  “EU-Asia Trade Relations: Getting Through the Crisis”, “Sustainable Development Clauses in Trade Agreements: Effective Against Possible Threats to Democracy”; and “Multilateralism versus Bilateralism in International Trade”.

Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Basque Nationalist Party, Spain)

Izaskun Bilbao Barandica was born in Bermeo (Basque country) and graduated in law from the University of Deusto and also has an MBA (University of Basque Country). She speaks Basque, French and Spanish. Her family has a strong bond with the sea and the world of fisheries so it's not surprising that her first job was in the packaging sector in a fish canning factory.

When she finished her training she was the youngest person and only woman to participate in the 1987 local elections in Bermeo where she became member of the town council.  She left in 1989 to work at the department of Culture of the Basque Government as Director of services. She had the same job at the department of Home affairs from 1996-1998.

In 1998 she was elected to the Basque Parliament, where she worked during two parliamentary terms on the Agriculture and Fisheries Committees; Institutions and Home Affairs; Economic, Financial and Budgetary Affairs; and Women and Youth; Industry, Trade and Tourism; and Control of Reserved Expenditure.  In 2005 during her 8th parliamentary term she was elected President of the Basque Parliament. The most important goal during this period was promoting the participation of citizens in the Basque Parliament's activities. 

She still works towards this goal, as she has in the past during her mandate as Speaker in the Basque Parliament and as President of CALRE (European Conference of Regional Parliaments) in 2008 where she was also the leader of the working group on "electronic democracy" to promote the use of ICT and to open up representative institutions for citizens. She is now using this idea in the report on guidelines for a Trans-European transport network.

Izaskun was elected to the European Parliament in 2009. She is currently Vice chair of the delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community and a Member of the committee on Transport and Tourism. She is also a substitute in the Fisheries committee and the Women's Rights and Gender Equality committee, and is on the delegation for relations with the Mercosur countries.
 

She enjoys meeting up often with her family members and friends in her hometown of Bermeo, next to the Cantabrian Sea, so as to not forget her roots. She also likes dancing, travelling, and discovering other cultures.

http://www.izaskunbilbao.eu

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

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