Explanations of vote Bernd Posselt (DE) Mr President, I have a high opinion of you and your chairmanship, but today I must make a protest. You have given the floor to many Members, including twice to Mr Lehne and to Mr Gollnisch and Mr Fox. I also raised a point of order concerning the calendar and it is an important point. I would like to ask you to check whether Amendment 4 was unlawful. I know that we rejected the amendment, but this is a question of principle. The treaty does not refer to 12 plenary sessions per year, but to 12 monthly plenary sessions per year. The amendment tabled by Mr Fox attempted to combine the August and the September plenary sessions in one week. This is not about a September I and September II plenary session, but about an August and a September plenary session. I would really like to clarify that this is unlawful. President The fact is, Mr Posselt, that this issue has already been voted on and we cannot therefore reopen it. Nonetheless, you can rest assured that all the amendments to the calendar have been carefully considered by the Presidency. Carl Schlyter Mr President, the Commissioner informed us just before the vote about the thrombin issue. I wonder if you could ask him to provide the statistical data to justify his statement that it is economically beneficial to consumers to replace cheap meat parts and put them in beef-like products, rather than using them today in sausages and other products. I would like him to show the statistical evidence that it is economically better for consumers, because they have so far not proven that. The Commissioner also made a comparison with minced meat but we know that the hygiene standards for minced meat are not the same as for prepared meat products, so I would question if both statements by the Commissioner are correct. If he misinformed Parliament, just before the vote, that would be a serious error. I would like you to write a letter to the Commissioner to justify those statements. President We are not dealing with that item now, Mr Schlyter. We are dealing with explanations of vote. We are dealing with explanations of vote concerning the amending budget. Oral explanations of vote Hynek Fajmon (CS) I voted against the report of Vladimír Maňka setting out the EU budget for this year. At a time of economic crisis, when it is essential to reduce public expenditure, I do not agree with the European Parliament going in completely the opposite direction and sharply increasing its expenditure. I do not agree with the European Parliament taking on an additional 150 staff, nor do I agree that Members of the European Parliament should receive additional new funding for their assistants, over and above what we already receive. MEPs are to receive EUR 1 500 more per month this year under the Maňka report, on top of the additional EUR 1 500 per month under the Helga Trüpel report, which was passed yesterday. This will cost taxpayers an additional EUR 13.4 million per year. MEPs are already the subject of public criticism over the large sums of public money they receive. A further increase will meet with justified public anger throughout Europe, and I have therefore not supported this proposal. Bogusław Liberadzki (PL) In contradistinction to the previous speaker, I endorsed the amending budget. It is not an amendment which only concerns accounting. This amendment makes very good sense. How is this? Well, it comes from our new function as Parliament, as a body which has been given legislative powers. The voters expect from us, MEPs, that we will be able to revise proposals submitted by the Commission, and that we will be able to revise proposals submitted by the Council. Let us remember that each Commissioner has a team of hundreds of people working with them. We have just one or two people to support us. So it is not a saving which we are ostensibly talking about, here. It is simply a response to a new function, a new role. I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Maňka, for his superb report. Kristian Vigenin (BG) Mr President, I wish to say that I supported the reports on the organ transplantation action plan, as well as the report on organ quality and safety. However, I wish to say that there are great differences between Member States in this respect. I therefore hope that this action plan and the report on quality and safety will help Member States to standardise their criteria and that they will be used as a benchmark for the future. I am mentioning this because my country, Bulgaria, has 35 times fewer donors than Spain. The problems in this area are linked to the whole chain of actions: from providing information to citizens to the actual transplant itself and post-transplant treatment. We do not have a network of donor facilities. There is insufficient equipment available, and we do not have a reliable donor database. Bulgaria is not a member of Eurotransplant and post-transplant treatment cannot be provided either. We do not have dispensaries built for hospitals which carry out transplants. This is why I hope that this report and the decisions made by Parliament will provide some impetus and that this directive will be implemented as soon as possible. Siiri Oviir (ET) Mr President, I also voted in favour of this report, because it establishes uniform and binding requirements on quality and standards for human organs used in transplants in all the Member States, and thus guarantees the protection of donors and recipients while, at the same time, enhancing cooperation between the Member States. With this report, we have given the opportunity of a better quality of life to those people - more than 56 000 European Union residents - who are currently waiting for an organ transplant. RadvilMorkūnaitė-Mikulėnien (LT) I also voted for this important document on standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation. It really would be excellent to establish and organise a community-wide organ transplantation system that would be transparent and clean and which would ensure quality and safety at EU level. That is one of the most important objectives. 56 000 citizens are waiting for donors and this shortage of organs intended for transplantation also causes other problems, criminal activity and criminal problems. Therefore, I believe that this document will contribute to the creation of a suitable system that will ensure safe and reliable organ transplantation methods. Martin Kastler (DE) Mr President, I have voted in favour of this report and I would like to congratulate Mr Mikolášik on the excellent work he has done. I believe that today is an important day, because we have ensured that donors and recipients of organs will have consistent standards and greater safety. I hope that this will also help to simplify the cooperation between countries and, therefore, I am very pleased that we have voted in favour of this report with a large majority. Richard Howitt Mr President, I very much welcome this report and the new European rules for organ donation. If you die in another European Union country, why should your organ not be used to save life? If you need a rare match from another European country, surely these rules are sensible to implement. Although it has not been part of the debate, I would also like to put on record my personal support for an opt-out rather than an opt-in system for organ donation. Eighty per cent of European citizens say they support organ donation, yet only twelve per cent hold organ donation cards. We have to close the gap. Last year, 25 people in my East of England regional constituency died because they were on the organ donor waiting list but no donor could be found in time. At Addenbrooke's and Papworth hospitals in my constituency, we have European and worldwide expertise in lung and heart transplants. Let our surgeons do their work. Let our patients be treated. This is the gift of life. Karin Kadenbach (DE) Mr President, I can only agree with the previous speaker. I am also very grateful that this report was adopted today with a large majority. When we hear that 56 000 Europeans are currently waiting for a matching organ in order to be able to have a reasonable or a high quality of life, or even simply to survive, it is clear that we urgently need to harmonise and improve the standards and to make it possible for recipients to access organs from throughout Europe. Janusz Władysław Zemke (PL) I, too, was in favour of adopting this document, because it is certainly a step in the right direction. However, while I agree with these principles, and that we are going to be concerned about the quality of donors and organs, I want to say clearly that this is only the first step in the right direction. If we want to bring about a fundamental increase in organ donations, the Union needs a significantly broader campaign, and measures of a prophylactic and informative nature. If this is not followed by promoting donation, it seems to me we will simply stop half-way. Seán Kelly Mr President, firstly, I would like to compliment you for the manner in which you handled this difficult topic here today, for explaining with courtesy the presidency's interpretation and for sticking to your guns. If you hadn't done so, it would probably be the case that we would be still here. I'm not saying I agree with you, but I am not qualified enough to give an opinion so I took your opinion as gospel. Secondly, I think the point made by Mr Salatto is valid, that we do need to have quicker and more accessible routes in and out of Strasbourg for the benefit of Members and others. Also I would like to compliment the quaestors, including my own compatriot, Jim Higgins, and others who are working hard to get Frankfurt-Hahn designated the same as Frankfurt airport and Strasbourg, from the point of view of transportation. Finally, I would like to say, regarding the accommodation charges here in Strasbourg, it would be helpful if they were the same for the weeks that we are sitting in Parliament as the weeks when we are not sitting. All this would make Strasbourg more attractive because it is a beautiful city. I understand why we are here, and once we are here, we are very happy. Laima Liucija Andrikien Mr President, I voted in favour of the resolution on the transplantation of human organs. Many people die every day because they suffer from organ failure and because organs are unavailable. The EU can help patients waiting for organs across Europe and, as a consequence, save lives. What we need is a well-coordinated system of organ donation and transplantation. I would like to stress once again a very important point, which is a political point: namely, the principle of voluntary and paid donation for human body parts. Reports from the World Health Organisation and the Council of Europe say that in several countries in the world, people are given a great deal of money to donate an organ. There are even reports that people are deliberately killed to get their organs: for example, practitioners of Falun Gong in China. We are also aware of cases in some countries where the medical risk for the donor is high and the transplantation is often done under very bad medical conditions. So, finally, I would like to thank those who initiated the resolution we adopted today, and especially our rapporteur, Mr Mikolášik. Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (SV) Mr President, I and the other Swedish Conservatives have voted against the proposal to ban thrombin. The Commission proposal calls for clear labelling of meat that has been stuck together in this way and states that it should not be permitted in restaurants and large-scale catering establishments as it is difficult, in places like this, to provide customers with clear information. We must defuse the debate about meat glues. Thrombin is naturally present in all meat. To avoid thrombin, it would be necessary to stop eating meat completely. The Commission's experts state that thrombin is not hazardous to health, and this opinion is scientifically based. The important thing is that food is safe and that consumers are not deceived. Packaging must include accurate information about thrombin and the labelling must be clear. Why should we ban thrombin? To do so would be to open Pandora's box. Is it really the job of politicians to manage our food? Where will it end? There are no grounds here for limiting consumers' freedom and their right to freedom of choice. When it comes to scaremongering politics about food that is not dangerous or unhealthy, I say 'that is enough!' Do not resort to a ban - tighten up the rules on labelling instead. Renate Sommer (DE) Mr President, adopting the resolution banning thrombin in foodstuffs today simply means giving in to public opinion. It is pure populism. We are not fulfilling our responsibilities if we do not follow the scientific evidence. What is the evidence? What is thrombin? Thrombin is a natural enzyme. It forms part of the blood and therefore of meat. All of us have a lot of thrombin in our bodies. If we ban it as a food additive, can we continue to exist or do we have to gradually dispose of ourselves as hazardous waste? Of course, we must prevent consumers from being misled by products which look like and are designed to look like other products. We can do this by using labelling in line with the new Regulation on the labelling of foodstuffs. We will be voting on the first reading of this regulation in June. We have a number of rules that prevent misleading advertising and we also have additional labelling for special products. The Commission has proposed exactly the same solution for labelling products in which thrombin is used as a glue. I would like to point out that there is a large number of similar enzymes which are not banned and are still used. Anja Weisgerber (DE) Mr President, consumer protection is a very, very important matter for me and therefore I am against consumers being misled or deceived in any way. This is why I am fighting for better labelling of food imitations in the Regulation on the labelling of foodstuffs, for example. I am calling on the Council to follow this approach, which is also supported by the Commission. Today, we had to vote on glued meat. Glued meat is meat which is glued together and sold as a high-quality product. In my opinion, this should not be happening, in particular, when consumers are not aware of what is going on. The decision today was not an easy one for me. The Commission has proposed comprehensive labelling rules, but consumers may still be misled, because it is difficult to prove that a product contains thrombin. This means that it may be used but not indicated on the label. Therefore, I think a labelling requirement is not sufficient in this case. I have now voted in favour of the resolution and of a ban on thrombin. Krisztina Morvai (HU) Over the past eight years, the post-communist dictatorship in Hungary has systematically trodden underfoot the rights of Hungarians. Among other things, it has unlawfully disbanded or had disbanded nearly every single street demonstration. With the help of nearly 100 excellent lawyers and solicitors from the National Legal Defence Service, the majority of cases have already succeeded in obtaining legal redress before the Hungarian courts, but there have been cases, such as the now famous Bukta case, which had to be taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The European Union is now scheming to dismantle, under the guise of accession to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the smoothly functioning 'Strasbourg' system. I call upon every single Hungarian and European human rights organisation to scrutinise this process and protest against things such as the Atondo report that has been adopted today, which, as I say, undermines and dismantles the European human rights protection system. It is Hungary's historic responsibility to see that under the Hungarian Presidency, we do not speed up but rather prevent this dangerous process. RadvilMorkūnaitė-Mikulėnien (LT) This topic is actually quite sensitive and has been the cause of much debate in the European Parliament and, of course, in society at large. I still think that banning some products or additives is not a solution and perhaps we have to agree with the argument that it is the consumer who has the right to choose, having full information, what he wants to buy and what he wants to consume. On the other hand, controlling the process would be rather difficult. In this day and age, the age of public awareness, with a lot of accessible information, we have yet to formulate wordings, unambiguous of course, that are acceptable to society, so that when people buy one product or another, they can obtain appropriate information and can understand what the product's ingredients are. Therefore, I feel there need to be more consultations with society, its education and perhaps additional consultations with scientists. Martin Kastler (DE) Mr President, the citizens of Europe are right. They like honest foods and they like honest politicians. I respect public opinion of this kind. We cannot simply ignore public opinion and we cannot simply dismiss it as populism. That is not the case. We must take notice of what our citizens are saying to us. If our constituents and our citizens are of the opinion that real meat must be real meat and that it must not be made of pieces of meat glued together, then we must make sure that it is not possible for meat to be processed in this way. This is why I have voted against allowing thrombin to be used as a food glue. Karin Kadenbach (DE) Mr President, I have also voted in favour of the resolution banning the use of thrombin as a food additive, because the Commissioner's arguments did not convince me. We do not want glued meat in Europe. Even if thrombin is an enzyme which is not harmful to health, by using it to glue together scraps of meat to make one large compressed piece of meat, the risk of bacterial infections must be significantly increased. On the other hand, the decision made today was clearly for the benefit of the consumers of Europe and in opposition to the purely financial interests of the industry. Consumers who want a steak must be given a steak and not a piece of meat that has been glued together. This means that we must call on the Commission not to authorise the use of thrombin. Peter Jahr (DE) Mr President, the current debate about so-called glued ham shows that some manufacturers do not deal honestly with consumers. I would like all food to be labelled in such a way that it is not possible to mislead consumers. If this enzyme is used, consumers must be able to identify its presence. This is the basis for effective and fair consumer protection. Our job is to ensure that mature consumers have sufficient information to make decisions in their own interests. One final remark about glued ham. The discussion with consumers about whether or not they want it has not yet taken place. However, it is important that consumers at least know what they are actually eating. Siiri Oviir (ET) I welcome the action plan, and I therefore voted in favour of it. This is a step in the right direction, and in order to solve this problem, we must all work together. Measures at European Union level will help us to enhance the efforts of the Member States to ensure the quality and safety of organ donation and transplants, to deal better with problems resulting from the lack of organs and, at the same time, to make the system of transplants more effective. The action plan which has been approved will give the Member States the opportunity to use the ten priority measures set out by us as a basis for putting their national action plans together in a better way. We are obliged, within the scope of our competency, to give help towards high-level health protection across the entire European Union. Clemente Mastella (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, acceding to the European Convention undoubtedly represents progress in the process of political integration of the European Union, whose system of protection for fundamental rights is supplemented and strengthened by the integration of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in its primary law. We consider it enormously important and politically significant that Parliament has been granted the right to appoint and send a certain number of representatives to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe during the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights. Let us remember that promoting the respect of human rights is one of the fundamental values of the European Union enshrined in a founding treaty. I would also like to underscore how important the Convention and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights are in outlining a new legal and regulatory framework that lays down guiding principles in the areas of civil liberties, justice and internal affairs, above all, in light of the new forms of integration and harmonisation implemented with the enactment of the Treaty of Lisbon and the adoption of the Stockholm Programme. It will also provide an additional legal instrument which makes it possible to present a claim before the European Court of Human Rights against an action or a failure to act by a European institution or a Member State in the context of the implementation of European law. Lastly, it is significant that Article 1 of the European Convention will extend protection not only to citizens of the European Union and other persons within its territory, but also to persons who fall within its jurisdiction, even if they are outside the territory. Alfredo Antoniozzi (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I am in favour of the European Union acceding to the European Convention on Human Rights because, as clearly summed up by the Atondo report, it represents progress in the process of European integration. This means a step towards political union and a strong sign of the coherence between the Union and countries of the Council of Europe and its policy on human rights which will strengthen the credibility of Europe in non-European countries. Lastly, it represents a clear desire to harmonise the issue of human rights and fundamental freedoms at a legislative and court level. Thanks to the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Union is an international entity with its own legal personality for the first time. I hope that signing the convention is only one of the first steps towards the affirmation of the European Union as a single body at the level of major international negotiations. Bruno Gollnisch (FR) Mr President, I am somewhat more reserved on this issue than the Members who have just spoken. Indeed, on the face of it, the idea of European law being subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights is quite attractive. It was rather alarming that national laws could be, as it were, censured by that Court. However, the way in which national jurisdictions implement these laws means that European law falls outside their scope, all the more so as this European law, in my country, France, for example, takes precedence, under Article 55 of our constitution, over French domestic law. One might wonder, however, if this procedure will not result in a certain kind of overlap. Indeed, on the one hand, European law is rarely directly applicable within Member States; it first has to be transposed into domestic legislation by means of secondary legislation. On the other hand, the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg has shown itself to be keen to protect fundamental rights. It has also assimilated this legislation as arising from the adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The fear is that we could end up with rather protracted proceedings, particularly if, as some people are demanding, a preliminary question procedure is instituted. This is why we would have preferred a distinction to have been made between compliance with the rules and participation in the appeals procedure. Bruno Gollnisch (FR) Mr President, at a time when such tragic events are occurring in Thailand, we cannot fail to appreciate the need for major crimes committed against civilian populations to be referred to the courts. However, past experience is less encouraging than was indicated yesterday by several Members during the debate. At the first International Criminal Court, those who, without any military objective in mind, decided to use napalm to burn the civilian populations in the city of Dresden; those who decided to use atomic radiation to burn the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and those who decided to kill the imprisoned Polish officers by shooting them in the back of the neck were the judges, when they really should have been included among the accused. The track record of the former International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, particularly in the Milosevic and Šešelj cases, is not very satisfactory either. With regard to the creation of a trust fund, if Member States are required to make a contribution, does this mean that Europe will compensate the victims of genocides that take place outside its territory? There are hundreds of thousands, indeed millions of people who fall into that category. I fear that we are getting mixed up in something rather complicated. The idea of ultimately pursuing the defeated parties, in spite of the assurances that they are sometimes given, in order to reach a peace agreement would be to risk indefinitely prolonging conflicts; this is the basis for our reservations about this report. Laima Liucija Andrikien (LT) I voted for the resolution on the Review Conference on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court that will begin at the end of this month in Kampala, Uganda. In 1998, 138 countries agreed to set up the International Criminal Court and adopted the Rome Statute on the basis of which this court has now been operating for 7 years, since 2003. The time has come to review the Rome Statute, in particular, the so-called 'temporary provisions' on which we were unable to agree in 2002. All EU Member States have ratified the Rome Statute. However, some of our partners, like the United States, Russia and China, have not joined the International Criminal Court in its work. With its resolution today, the European Parliament again calls on these countries to ratify the Rome Statute and cooperate with the International Criminal Court. In the 21st century, people responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes should expect not only moral condemnation from the international community but legal sanctions. These crimes cannot be committed with impunity. Written explanations of vote Carlos Coelho As well as speeding up decision-making mechanisms, the Treaty of Lisbon is contributing to the fight against the democratic deficit, strengthening the roles of national parliaments and the European Parliament, and stressing the exercise of European citizenship. The introduction of the legislative petition, or the 'right to citizens' initiative', as it has been named, is of particular importance. This new device allows a group of not less than one million citizens of a significant number of Member States to request a legislative initiative from the Commission on the areas in which the Union has jurisdiction. The Treaty of Lisbon also makes clear the importance of consultations and dialogue with other institutions and bodies, with civil society, and with social partners, amongst others. I believe that Europe must be the citizens' Europe, and this can only happen if we make it more democratic and transparent. In this context, I agree that the opinions of the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions should be sought. Alfredo Pallone It must seem that I am repeating what I expressed yesterday in relation to Mr Tavares' report. However, the refugee problem is a European problem and it cannot be left to the national governments to manage, also in light of the geographic and economic differences. Therefore, I am in favour of creating a fund at a European level. The creation of such a fund must serve two purposes: it must support the refugees who arrive in our countries, frequently on our coasts, searching for help, as well as support the states which receive the greatest numbers of these desperate individuals due to their geographic location. In fact, the problem is, and must be, a European problem, and it cannot be left to the management of certain states. I hope that the fund is only the beginning of a path which approaches this entire issue from a more European perspective and in a spirit of solidarity. Elena Oana Antonescu The proposal for a directive on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products is part, along with the two proposals on the energy performance of buildings and the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency, of the Energy Efficiency Package tabled by the Commission in November 2008. We voted for it because we achieved, through the agreement signed between Parliament, the Council and Commission, the introduction of an improved labelling system. Labels will contain more energy consumption information for domestic appliances and energy-related products. In future, this labelling will also be applied to energy consuming products intended for industrial and commercial use, which was not possible until now. Last but not least, any kind of future advertising promoting the price or energy efficiency of categories of products will also have to indicate their energy class. Providing accurate, relevant and comparable information on the energy consumption of energy-related products will allow consumers in future to make correct, effective choices, thereby reducing both their energy consumption and household expenditure. John Attard-Montalto in writing. - The Maltese Government is against the Recommendation for second reading relating to labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products. The reason given is that the nationalist government disagrees with an explanation statement in the report, in particular, with the following phrase: 'Construction products with significant impact on the consumption of energy shall also be included in the priority list.' It is inconceivable that the government does not agree to this recommendation on this basis. It could have agreed with the recommendation and made it clear that it had a reservation in relation to construction products which have a significant impact on the consumption of energy. It is useless for the government to appear to be in favour of energy efficiency when the potential savings could be achieved through the labelling of some of these products given that buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption in the European Union. Zigmantas Balčytis I supported this important report. The Energy Labelling Directive has a crucial role to play in the achievement of the EU energy efficiency target of 20% by 2020. In that context, it holds a key role regarding the fight against climate change, the transition of the EU to an efficient, sustainable and competitive economy, and the strengthening of Europe's energy security. Our aim is to pave the way towards a win-win situation, both for the market and consumers, by guaranteeing every consumer access to proper information and full awareness about the impact of his or her choices. In that framework, the agreement reached on the Energy Labelling Directive brings important added value. I welcome the position fought for by the European Parliament to maintain the model of an A-G scale which, according to a survey, is the most convenient and easiest for consumers to understand. There is an obligation to include reference to the energy label in all advertisements of energy-related products, where price- or energy-related information is disclosed. Jan Březina I am pleased that the new legislation on the energy efficiency of products has finally been approved, following a lengthy tug of war between the European Parliament and the Council, and that I had the honour of being the shadow rapporteur for it on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party. The benefit is an expansion of Class A, allowing distinctions to be drawn among the constantly increasing group of energy-saving appliances while, at the same time, motivating producers to make appliances that are as energy-saving as possible. It is also important that there has been no expansion in the number of classes indicating the energy consumption of individual products, as this preserves the clarity of the whole concept. The fact that there are seven levels in total enables consumers to make effective decisions when selecting goods on the market, thereby helping to reduce energy costs through their behaviour. As far as new features are concerned, involving the obligation to indicate the energy classes of products in advertising materials, I consider it a success that this obligation has been restricted to advertisements providing information on price or information connected with energy consumption. Fortunately, the view prevailed that the regulation of advertising is acceptable only in case of need, and only to the extent necessary. Edite Estrela I voted for this recommendation because it effectively contributes to helping European consumers choose products that use less energy or which indirectly lead to less energy being used. By adopting this recommendation, the European Parliament is playing a part in moving closer to the realisation of the EU's objective of a 20% improvement in its energy efficiency by 2020. It is a balanced text that ensures a situation that is beneficial to the market and consumers. Diogo Feio This initiative, like the one that we voted on yesterday regarding the energy efficiency of buildings, is part of a legislative package on energy efficiency that was presented by the Commission in November 2008 and has been the subject of ample debate in Parliament, the Commission and the Council; agreement is now, at last, being reached on the final text. As well as having positive consequences for the environment, for the European objective of reducing emissions and for the creation of an economy that is sustainable in energy terms, this initiative also has the benefit of making consumers central to the decision. With the correct markings and labels, consumers will know exactly what they are getting, and will be able to make their choice on the basis of criteria such as energy efficiency and the lowest environmental cost. José Manuel Fernandes The directive on energy labelling guarantees that consumers will receive adequate information thanks to the compulsory inclusion of the energy label on advertising. In the context of European efforts at achieving energy efficiency and the reduction of energy consumption levels, along with combating climate change, it is vital to mobilise the public for this cause. This can only be achieved if consumers are given clear and effective information about energy consumption on products that have been bought or are for sale. In this way, all members of the European public will become involved in combating climate change. It is absolutely crucial to ensure that consumers are able to consciously make more environmentally friendly choices. As this directive now ensures, levels of energy consumption caused by products are assessed against universal criteria and parameters, which allow them to be compared in a way that can be trusted. This will also lead to an increase in confidence in technical assessment and the information content on labels. This directive therefore has an important role in consolidating the 2020 strategy and, in particular, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. Ilda Figueiredo Following this vote, products that consume energy - whether for domestic, commercial or industrial purposes - must start displaying the new energy efficiency label, in order to better inform consumers. There is provision in the directive adopted today by the European Parliament for new types of energy efficiency classification to be added, and it is also applicable to products that consume energy in an indirect way, for example, windows. Some of the details are debatable, for example, that the format of the label will be based on the a classification between A and G - like that already used for refrigerators - with the possible addition of the classifications A+, A++ and A+++: in principle, the total number of classes must be limited to seven. Nevertheless, the directive seems to have the right objective. All advertising for products related to energy or their respective prices must include a reference to the energy efficiency classification. The information provided must guide consumers towards choosing products that use less energy or indirectly lead to less energy being used. Therefore, in future, any advertising of the price or energy efficiency of refrigerators, washing machines or cookers must indicate the product's energy class. Jarosław Kalinowski Much is said about the rights of consumers to know about the food, domestic equipment or home fittings which they buy. We want to know where they come from and how they were made, and the nutritional values of food. At a time of climate change, we all want to protect the environment and prevent abnormal weather, and this is why, when choosing food and everyday products, we are guided by ecological principles. It is important, therefore, that consumers are aware of how much energy is used by their equipment, and so I think they have the right for that information to be on the labels. Putting this information on product labels also shows the high quality of the product. It can then be a tool to protect the European market from cheap imitations of equipment from outside the European Union. Jean-Luc Mélenchon I voted for this report. It acknowledges that the market is incapable of ensuring rational energy use. This is a definite concession that echoes our arguments, which I welcome. I also welcome the stated desire for top-down harmonisation of energy saving labelling. However, it is regrettable that total ecological footprint labelling for products is not proposed anywhere, when we really should implement it as quickly as possible. Nuno Melo The EU is continuing to look determinedly for the best ways of ensuring excellence in energy efficiency, so as to succeed in improving its efficiency by 20% by 2020. This new labelling is very pertinent to consumers because it allows them access to better information so that they can make fully informed choices and recognise their impact in matters concerning energy efficiency. This means raising consumers' awareness of the energy-related consequences of their choice whenever they look to buy any consumer item which has a bearing on energy efficiency. The approval of this directive is especially important in increasing this awareness. That is why I voted as I did. Andreas Mölzer If the energy consumption label is introduced, then provided that it can be easily understood, it will soon become clear whether or not it will really be accepted by consumers. Public awareness has changed in this area and consumers are paying greater attention to energy efficiency classes, in particular, in the case of electrical appliances. Of course, the public procurement process should set a good example in this respect. However, the Member States must not be told that they can only buy products with the highest performance levels which belong to the highest energy efficiency class. Particularly at a time when everyone will have to make savings, the purchase price will increasingly be the deciding factor. The choices available in the public procurement process are not specified clearly enough, which is why I have abstained. RadvilMorkūnaitė-Mikulėnien I voted for the resolution on the labelling of products using electricity and the provision of basic information for consumers. We talk about citizens' rights very often in Parliament - about the right to choose, the right to obtain accurate and correct information. In my opinion, that is particularly important in all areas of life. In this case, the question is related to the electricity used and its efficiency. People actually want to save energy, and mostly do this for two reasons, economic and environmental. Today, with advances in technology, when residents have the opportunity to choose electrical appliances according to their energy efficiency, the labelling that we agreed on will also help consumers make a conscious choice and contribute to energy saving (hence, citizens would choose more economical devices) and the preservation of the environment. I have no doubt that when Europeans see the amount of energy consumed, they will take advantage of the opportunity to choose more efficient and environmentally friendly products and equipment. Once more, I welcome the position of the European Parliament on this issue and I hope that such decisions will become a real stimulus and opportunity to realise our commitments to reduce energy consumption by 2020. Alfredo Pallone The recast of the Energy Labelling Directive has the objective of extending the scope of labelling information to include all products that impact on energy consumption, and not just household appliances. The directive is part of the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan and it also envisages initiatives for incentives and public tenders. It will establish the fulcrum of an integrated and sustainable policy from an environmental standpoint. One of the most controversial points concerns which type of scale to use in order to avoid causing consumer confusion: it was decided to maintain the A-G closed scale layout after the European Parliament adopted a resolution in this regard. Energy efficiency ratings will also be displayed on all advertising containing information on energy consumption or which relates to product prices. For the reasons I have explained, I agree with the stance taken by Mrs Podimata and I support the report. Aldo Patriciello The Energy Labelling Directive has a crucial role to play in the achievement of the EU energy efficiency target of 20% by 2020. It provides an important added value for both the market and consumers. In essence, the mandatory mention of the energy label in advertisements will put an end to misinformation of end users, giving them all the information they need to make fully informed choices. At the same time, due to Parliament's strong insistence, the introduction of an open scale layout was avoided, and maintaining the model of an A-G scale, which has a well proven value for consumers so far, was guaranteed. Moreover, the addition of a general review clause allows for a thorough re-examination in the light of technical evolution and consumer understanding of the label no later than 2014. This is one more safeguard that the consumer friendly scale as decided so far will remain unchanged at least until the review takes place. I therefore repeat with conviction that I fully support the directive. Rovana Plumb I voted for this report since, by including all energy-related products, the amendment to the Energy Labelling Directive will help achieve a EUR 4 million reduction in the transposition costs for each implementation measure updated and produced from scratch (if regulations/decisions are going to be used instead of directives). It will also produce additional reductions amounting to approximately 78 Mt of CO2 emissions. In future, energy efficiency labelling will also be applied to energy consuming products intended for industrial and commercial use, such as cold storage rooms, retail display cabinets, industrial cooking appliances, vending machines (selling sandwiches, snacks, coffee, etc.), industrial motors, energy-related products, including construction products which do not consume energy but 'have a significant direct or indirect impact' on energy saving, such as windows and door frames. One important factor in ensuring the proper application of this directive is guaranteeing every citizen access to correct information and making consumers aware of the impact of the choices they make. Providing accurate, relevant and comparable information on the specific energy consumption of energy-related products will help end users make a decision based on energy-saving potential in order to reduce energy bills in the long term. Teresa Riera Madurell I have voted in favour of the Podimata report because I believe that Parliament and especially the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D) have managed to make extremely important advances with respect to a crucial directive in order to achieve the energy efficiency goal that we have set ourselves. Not only have we managed to maintain the A-G scale, which is known and accepted by European consumers, but we have also ensured that it is now obligatory to refer to the energy label of the domestic appliance as long as information on the price appears in its promotional or advertising material. Another noteworthy aspect introduced by Parliament is the obligation on the Commission to draw up a priority list of products related to energy, including some building products that are liable to be subject to measures in the future. Lastly, given the leadership role that must be taken by the public sector, I feel it is essential for administrations to acquire products that belong to the highest energy efficiency class in public tenders. Sophie Auconie Mr Maňka's report proposes several amendments to the European Parliament's 2010 budget. I voted for this report and, in particular, for its provisions that follow on from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009. These include the EUR 1 500 per month increase in Members' assistance expenses. This increase is designed to enable Members to meet their new responsibilities arising from the Treaty of Lisbon, which considerably extends the scope of Parliament, thereby increasing its influence on EU decision making. Parliament needs to increase its expertise in legislative issues in order to match the Commission and the Member States. We represent European citizens and we need appropriate resources if we wish to defend their interests. I therefore supported this report. Göran Färm I believe that those committees that will have a heavier workload as a result of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon need to be reinforced. This justifies an increase in the number of staff for Parliament's and the groups' secretariats in these committees. However, I do not share the view that we MEPs need more staff. I would have liked to have seen Parliament's resources being enhanced first and foremost by means of redistribution and measures to improve efficiency, so that the total budget is not increased. In my capacity as group leader for the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament in the Committee on Budgets, I also took this line in the negotiations with Parliament's Presidency. In the end, we reached a compromise to the effect that the proposal will now be partly funded through savings of EUR 4.4 million. I still believe that further savings should have been included in the proposal but, as I played an active role in the negotiations, I have chosen to support the compromise achieved. Bogusław Liberadzki The entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon will probably cause a significant rise in Parliament's workload. In particular, this will lead to more extensive use of the ordinary legislative procedure, which will affect around 95% of legislation passed. Additional budgetary and human resources will allow Parliament to fulfil its new role as colegislator on an equal footing with the Council. Mairead McGuinness in writing. - I supported the Maňka Report on the European Parliament amending budget while conscious of the sensitivity of increasing budgets at a time when citizens are being asked to take pay cuts and jobs are being lost. The work in the European Parliament has undoubtedly increased because of the Treaty of Lisbon. I intend to use the additional assistance allowance to provide opportunities to young students who are applying in large numbers to my office for work. This will provide them with remuneration for their work and valuable work experience, which I hope will assist them in their future careers. However, I believe that the Parliament needs to review our entire working methods and staffing with a view to improving our effectiveness and efficiency. Nuno Melo The Treaty of Lisbon has given Parliament new responsibilities. This situation means additional administrative work, with the result that Members need qualified staff to act as advisors. This new situation leads to two problems: increased costs arising from the need for more assistants, and additional space required in order for them to carry out their duties in good working conditions. This situation leads to increased costs. That is difficult to explain during this time of crisis, but if Parliament's work is to be excellent, it needs to
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