Written Declarations
I have collected a clutch of Written Declarations, the European Parliament equivalent to Early Day Motions in the House of Commons. A written declaration is a political statement and policy wish list rolled into one. It is a shorter version of an Own Initiative Report which is the closest thing in the European Parliament to developing a political idea into the form of a legislative proposal. Except it cannot do that because the sole power of initiating legislation rests firmly with the European Commission. Written declarations are for individual members of the Parliament to make whereas own initiative reports are made by committees of the Parliament.

Policy Position
I receive a steady flow of requests to sign one or another written declaration tackling a wide range of topics. It can be difficult to decide whether to sign or not and I have taken a personal policy position to not sign any at all partly because making a choice can be invidious but mainly because I find the pressure tactics used by the protagonists of written declarations to be intrusive, annoying and therefore counter-productive. It is just easer to say I won’t sign any of them than engage in a debate over why I signed one but not the other.

Gesture Politics
I haven’t adopted this position just because I want an easier life (I wish!) but also because I feel this type of gesture politics is rather empty and ineffective. I pursue issues that I am persuaded are worth my doing so and I believe I have more impact if I raise something directly with the European Commission than if I take the easier route of signing a written declaration. Even so I find I have some open and robust discussions with groups who sincerely take a different view and are bent on pressing their case as is their right. Mine is to beg to differ.

Animal Welfare
Let me tell you about some of these written declarations to give a flavour of the sort of issue that pops up. Written declaration 0026/2011 on dog population management in the EU notes that animals are sentient beings and that both the EU and Member States must pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals. It then calls on Member States to adopt comprehensive dog population management strategies that include measures such as sterilisation of owned and stray animals, dog control laws and the promotion of responsible pet ownership. It wants mandatory identification and registration of every dog. I can imagine mixed feelings about this not to mention the costs involved.

Palestine State
Next is written declaration 0027/2011 on recognition by the EU of the Palestine State. This notes that the Palestinian State is recognized by over 100 states around the world and calls on the Council (of the EU) to take an active role in ensuring recognition of the Palestinian State by the EU.  It
 

calls on the EU and its Member States to repeat its call, and its support, for the conclusion of negotiations aimed at creating two states
according to the 1967 borders. Serious stuff but most people know just how difficult to achieve this objective has proved.

Feed the World
Written declaration 0028/2011 is on food waste. It notes that in most EU Member States food waste comprises up to 30% of produced food and the volume wasted would suffice to solve the problem of world hunger. I recall as a child being told to finish my food and think of the starving masses elsewhere who were not as fortunate so this is not exactly a new idea. I can remember rationing as well when we were all allegedly healthier (and not obese) but I can’t see people queuing up to go back to those days. Anyway this written declaration wants action taken against waste such as giving charities edible food which cannot be sold, such as educational promotions and reforming the CAP to contribute to a more efficient and sustainable food supply chain. Not lacking in ambition then!

EU Army
The last one I offer you is written declaration 0031/2011 on the establishment of a common EU army. It calls on the Council and Member States to step up their efforts to look into an appropriate way of establishing closer ties with a view to establishing a common EU army by 2050. Pigs might fly!

Going nowhere?
None of these written declarations were co-signed by any Britsh MEPs. For a written declaration to go anywhere other than the shelf it must attract the signatures of an absolute majority of MEPs or more than 369. If it passes that mark within the time limit the written declaration is forwarded to the Commission which can do what it likes about it, including nothing.

Polledo Report
Finally I should mention the Garrigo Polledo report from the SURE Committee which had a one year mandate to define the European Parliament priorities for the post 2013 multiannual financial framework. This was an Initiative report. It called for a raft of things we oppose including six new taxes with the revenue predicated for the EU budget, the abolition of national rebates, an increase in the GNI (gross national income) ceiling on the budget and a cessation of any annual surplus in the budget being returned to the Member States. We voted against but I am sorry to say it was passed by a large majority.
 

07/06/2011

Caroline Van Weede,
Gregg Svingen

Cable Europe

Data Protection proposals