<Commission>{PETI}Committee on Petitions</Commission>
PETI_PV(2011)197_1
MINUTES
Meeting of 23 May 2011, from 15.00 to 18.30,
and 24 May 2011, from 9.00 to 12.30.
BRUSSELS
The meeting opened at 15.05 on Monday, 23 May 2011, with the Chair, Erminia Mazzoni, in the chair.
1. Adoption of draft agenda (PE 464.953)
The agenda was adopted.
2. Approval of minutes of meeting of 13 and 14 April 2011
The minutes were approved.
3. Chair’s announcements
Victor Boştinaru was unable to attend the meeting for health reasons and would therefore be replaced at the coordinators' meeting by Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez. The European Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, would attend the meeting in the afternoon to present his 2010 annual report. The Chair also stated that petitioners would be present for items 6, 16 and 17.
4. Other business
There was no other business.
5. Presentation by the European Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, of his 2010 annual report
After being welcomed by the Chair, Nikiforos Diamandouros gave a detailed presentation about his work over the previous year and quoted statistics which showed that there was increasing awareness of his role across the EU. While his opinions were not binding, they exerted considerable influence on the institutions in question. As regards the Member State origin of complaints, the majority came from Germany, Spain, Poland and Belgium. Other countries, such as Luxembourg, submitted a high number of complaints relative to population size. He added that it was essential to develop an administrative culture of service among EU citizens, whilst also strengthening dialogue with complainants and national ombudsmen and launching a web-based interactive guide. He also answered questions from the following committee members: Iliana Malinova Iotova, Margrete Auken, Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo, Mariya Nedelcheva, Tatjana Ždanoka, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska and the Chair. Jens Nymand-Christensen (Commission representative) also commented on the report.
6. Petition No 1772/2009 by Helena Maijala (Finnish), on behalf of Pro Hanhikivi, on the projected construction of a nuclear power station by Fennovoima, at Hanhikivi
Speakers: the Chair, Hanna Maaret Halmeenpää (representative of the petitioner), Helena Annikki Maijala (petitioner), Juhani Hyvärinen (head of the Fennovoima nuclear power station), J.-F. Brakeland (Commission representative), Margrete Auken and Philippe Boulland.
Decision: consideration of the petition would remain open pending further information from the petitioner and the head of the Fennovoima nuclear power station.
Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo chaired the meeting from 17.05 onwards as the committee Chair, Erminia Mazzoni, had to leave.
7. Petition 0332/2010 by Eloi Nolla Subirats (Spanish), on behalf of ‘Ecologists in Action’, on the location of a temporary central nuclear waste storage facility
Speakers: the Chair, J.-F. Brakeland (Commission representative), Margrete Auken, Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez and Philippe Boulland.
Decision: petition to be closed.
8. Petition 1702/2008 by Christian Goralczyk (German) on the radio and television licences agency of the German television stations and its failure to enforce data protection rules
Speakers: the Chair and Angelika Koman (Commission representative).
Decision: petition to be closed upon receipt of written confirmation that action would be taken on the issue by the Commission.
9. Petition 0720/2008 by C. R. (French), on alleged discrimination in connection with a request for inclusion on the population register and electoral roll in Forio on the Italian island of Ischia
Speakers: the Chair, Daniel Woehl (Commission representative) and Philippe Boulland.
Decision: the petition would remain open and a letter would be sent to the local authorities.
10. Petition 0725/2010 by Marco Noto (Italian) on canned fish labels
Speakers: the Chair, Xavier Guillou (Commission representative), Guido Milana (Fisheries Committee) and Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez.
Decision: consideration of the petition would remain open pending further information from the Commission. A joint oral question with the Committee on Fisheries could be submitted to the Commission if the PECH Committee agreed to the suggestion.
11. Coordinators' meeting (in camera from 17.30 to 18.30)
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The meeting opened at 17.45 with the Chair, Erminia Mazzoni, in the chair.
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12. Coordinators’ decisions:
1. Agreed to table an oral question to the Commission regarding 0901/2008 on the 'Freedom of Non-Association' for small companies in Sweden. The draft text was circulated and approved.
2. Agreed to the proposal concerning the organisation of the debate on the Ley de Costas, as put forward by the Chair.
3. Decided to establish a small working group to update the committee's position on 'Jugendamt' petitions and noted the dossier prepared by the secretariat.
4. Agreed to the proposed timetable for a short visit to Berlin, focussing in particular on the 'Jugendamt' petitions (as approved by the Conference of Presidents/Bureau), with the departure planned for the evening of 29 June 2011. Meetings to be organised with Bundestag and ministry officials for Thursday, 30 June 2011; noted preparatory talks carried out by the secretariat on the matter. (Participants: Philippe Boulland (EPP), Chrysoula Paliadeli (S&D), Edward McMillan-Scott (ALDE).)
5. Noted the preliminary draft programme for the fact-finding visit to Bulgaria, from 29 June 2011 to 2 July 2011. (Participants: Erminia Mazzoni (Chair, EPP), Victor Boştinaru (S&D), Margrete Auken (Greens/EFA).)
6. Approved a draft letter to President Buzek/Conference of Presidents concerning the role of the PETI Committee in the organisation of hearings related to the ECI, and the proposal to amend Annex VII of the Rules of Procedure accordingly.
7. Approved the Commission proposal to co-organise a hearing on the 'Application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the petitions process', as contained in the 2010 Report on the Application of the Charter (page 7). Date set: Thursday, 6 October 2011, Room 3C50. The possibility of involving LIBE was also addressed.
8. Approved a draft letter prepared for Chrysoula Paliadeli in response to a request by the FEMM Committee and a questionnaire on gender equality.
9. Approved the draft agenda for the next meeting of the Committee, to be held on 14 and 15 June 2011, subject to the possible addition (in either June or July 2011) of two agenda items relating to Poland.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
The meeting opened at 9.10 with the Chair, Erminia Mazzoni, in the chair.
13. Opinion on the mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities (INI/2010/2272) EMPL
Rapporteur: CHICHESTER (ECR)
- consideration of amendments
- adoption of draft opinion
Speakers: the Chair, Giles Chichester, Silvio Grieco (Commission representative) and Rainer Wieland.
The report was adopted unanimously (22 members), with 16 amendments adopted, 10 rejected and one withdrawn by the author.
14. Opinion on the communication regarding the 27th annual report on monitoring the application of EU law (2009) (COM (2010)0538)
(2011/2027(INI))
Rapporteur: AUKEN (Greens/EFA)
- consideration of amendments
- adoption of draft opinion
Speakers: the Chair, Margrete Auken, Martin Kroeger and Tamas Barsi (Commission representatives).
The report was adopted unanimously (22 members), with 8 amendments adopted and 9 rejected.
15. Annual report on the activity of the Committee on Petitions 2010 (2010/2295(INI))
(deadline AM: 15.00 on 26 May 2011/adoption: 14 June 2011)
Rapporteur: MEYER (GUE/NGL)
- consideration of draft report
Speakers: the Chair, Peter Jahr, Victor Boştinaru, Angelika Werthmann, Margrete Auken, William Floyd (Commission representative) and Willy Meyer.
Peter Jahr commented on certain aspects of the draft report and referred to earlier petitions awaiting a judgment in Community courts. He called on the Commission to make every possible effort to reduce the time taken to reply to petitions. Victor Boştinaru drew attention in particular to the time taken by the Commission to reply to petitions on environmental issues, the sometimes difficult relations with Member States, and respect for the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Margrete Auken also stressed the importance of transparency.
Voting on the draft report would take place at the next meeting in June 2011.
16. Petition 0475/2010 by Alberto Paz Viñas (Spanish), concerning the transfer of his pension rights
and
Petition 1326/2010 by Cipriano Ricardo Lustres Martínez (Spanish), on behalf of the Long Hope Association, on the situation of Spanish seamen who worked as crew members on vessels flying the Norwegian flag
Speakers: the Chair, Cipriano Ricardo Lustres Martínez (petitioner), Prodromos Mavridis (Commission representative), Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Francisco José Millán Mon, Peter Jahr, Willy Meyer, Victor Boştinaru and Margrete Auken.
Decision: consideration of the petition would remain open. The Commission would be asked to open discussions with Norway and Spain on the conclusion of a bilateral agreement and to raise the issue in the course of interinstitutional dialogue. A decision was also made to write to the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the Norwegian authorities.
17. Petition 0174/2008 by Jose Ortega (Spanish), on the alleged abusive application of the Spanish law of the coasts in relation to property rights
and
Petition 0303/2008 by Rosa Garcia Pose (Spanish), bearing 55 signatures, on the loss of the signatories' homes as a result of coastal zone protection measures in the province of La Coruña
and
Petition 0867/2008 by Karin Koberling (German), on alleged abusive application of the law of the coast by the Spanish authorities
and
Petition 1271/2008 by Rudolf Schneiders (German) on possible enforcement of the ‘Ley de Costa’ in Spain
and
Petition 1448/2008 by Ursula Czelusta (German), on surveying activities on the Spanish coast and the possible compulsory purchase of her home in Spain
and
Petition 1485/2008 by Alan Hazelhurst (British), on illegal application of the Spanish Law of the Coast (Ley de Costas)
and
Petition 1691/2008 by Oscar Maniaga Izquierdo (Spanish), on expropriation of his house in Alicante, Spain, under the Spanish Coastal Law
and
Petition 1871/2008 by the Celorio Residents' Association concerning urban development projects in Celorio, Asturias, Spain
and
Petition 0103/2009 by Margarita García Jaime (Spanish) concerning the ‘Ley de Costas’ (Coastal Law) in Spain
and
Petition 0119/2009 by Jan Van Stuyvesant (Dutch), on behalf of the Vera Playa Property Owners Association, Almeria, Spain, on the situation arising from the 'Ley de Costas' (Coastal Law) in Spain
and
Petition 0274/2009 by Tomás González Díaz (Spanish), on behalf of the Las Calas residents’ association, on the demolition under the ‘Ley de Costas’ (coastal law) of the village of Cho-Vito situated on the coast of Tenerife in Candelaria (Spain)
and
Petition 0278/2009 by Gregorio Amo López (Spanish), on the Coastal Law in Asturias, Spain
and
Petition 0279/2009 by Timoteo Giménez Domingo (Spanish), on the impact of the Coastal Law in Spain
and
Petition 0296/2009 by Ingeborg Hoffman (German), on behalf of the Empuriabrava Association of Property Owners (APE), on the loss or limitation of property rights following the application of the Spanish Coastal Law to the Costa Brava
and
Petition 0298/2009 by Wolfgang Ludwigs (German), on the Spanish Coastal Law
and
Petition 0389/2009, by M. L. (German), concerning the loss of his property in Spain under the Spanish Coastal Law
and
Petition 0606/2009 by Paula Llaneza Alcada (Spanish), bearing 2 signatures, on the implications of the Spanish Coastal Law (‘Ley de Costas’) with regard to her properties
and
Petition 0611/2009 by Maria Jesús de Motta Martínez (Spanish), on the implications of the ‘Ley de Costas’ coastal law with regard to her property
and
Petition 0618/2009 by María Luisa Domínguez Ibáñez (Spanish), on the implications of the ‘Ley de Costas’ (Coastal Law) with regard to her property
and
Petition 0626/2009 by Nordhild Köhler (German), concerning implementation of the Spanish Coastal Law (Ley de Costas) on Formentera
and
Petition 0666/2009 by Carmen Ramos Badia (Spanish), on the implications of the Spanish Coastal Law (‘Ley de Costas’) with regard to her property
and
Petition 0667/2009 by Jon Iturribarria de Castro (Spanish), on the implications of the Spanish Coastal Law (‘Ley de Costas’) with regard to his property, a tide mill built in 1683
and
Petition 0676/2009 by Jorge Comin Giner (Spanish) on the implications of the Coastal Law ‘Ley de Costas’ for his home
and
Petition 0708/2009 by Pedro López Rodríguez (Spanish) concerning the Coastal Law (Ley de Costas)
and
Petition 0881/2009 by Pilar Embeita Olasagasti (Spanish), on behalf of Asociación DARACA, on the retroactive, arbitrary and abusive implementation of the Coastal Law in the municipality of Pielagos
and
Petition 1344/2009 by José Manuel Dolón García (Spanish), on the impact of the Coastal Law regarding works being carried out on the Torrevieja promenade
and
Petition 1346/2009 by José María Martínez de Haro (Spanish), on boundary demarcation in Garrucha, Almería, under the Coastal Law
and
Petition 1499/2009 by Mercedes Bronchal Pascual and Antonio Maestre Azcon (Spanish) concerning the effect on their homes of the 'coastal law'
and
Petition 1523/2009 by Konrad Ringler (German), on non-compliance by the Spanish national and regional authorities with the recommendation of the Auken Report
and
Petition 1573/2009 by Aurelio Pretel Marín (Spanish), on the Coastal Law
and
Petition 1625/2009 by Heribert Hofmann (German), on a project to develop a pleasure port at Santa Margarita on the Rio Grao
and
Petition 1691/2009 by Dolores Monferrer Guardiola (Spanish), bearing 40 signatures, on the demolition of homes in the Puig district (Valencia) under the terms of the Coastal Law
and
Petition 0220/2010 by Nicole Amsellem (French) concerning the Spanish Coastal Law
and
Petition 0255/2010 by María Teresa Alonso Barrero (Spanish), on behalf of the ‘Proprietarios de Primera Línea Sol naciente’, on the Coastal Law
and
Petition 0270/2010 by Francisco Javier Martínez del Cerro Poole (Spanish), on the Coastal Law and its effect on aquaculture and saltworks in the Bay of Cádiz
and
Petition 0341/2010 by José Pérez Deniz (Spanish), on behalf of the ‘Asociación para la defensa del centro comercial de la Playa del Inglés’, on the Coastal Law in Gran Canaria
and
Petition 0395/2010 by Ramona Chouza Chouza (Spanish), on the Coastal Law in Biscay
and
Petition 0461/2010 by Heiko Schmitz (German), on expropriation of landowners in Empuriabrava
and
Petition 0493/2010 by Juan José Agost Pérez (Spanish), on behalf of the Residents’ Association of the Torre la Sal coastal area on the impact of the Coastal Law on Cabanes in Valencia