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South West First
In 2009, I was re-elected
for the fourth time as Member of the European Parliament for
South West England and Gibraltar. From 1994-1999, I was MEP
for the Devon and East Plymouth constituency. In 1999 I was
elected as MEP for the South West Region and in 2004,
elected as MEP for South West England and Gibraltar. We
serve 5 year fixed terms.
Political Alliance and Responsibility
As a Conservative MEP I am
a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group
(ECR). Previously, UK Conservative MEPs were allied with the
largest political group, the European People's Party -
European Democrats (EPP-ED), until the 2009 term began when
we established the new group, the ECR. At home, as one of
the three Conservative MEPs in the South West, I look after
Devon and Cornwall under our arrangement for providing
constituency cover as the first point of contact for
correspondence on a geographical county by county basis.
Trains and Boats and Planes
For eleven months of the
year, I must travel almost every week to Brussels or
Strasbourg, attending Committee meetings and European
Parliament Sessions. Nowadays I travel by train, Eurostar
and TGV. At the end of the week back home, I travel within
the South West Region to meet individuals or visit
businesses and organisations who seek my help and advice. |
Sketches by Peter M J Lightfoot
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Meetings and Casework
In Brussels and Strasbourg,
I attend meetings of Parliamentary Committees,
Interparliamentary Delegations, Conservative MEPs, our
Political Group and special interest forums. I also see a
wide range business and individual visitors. I spend a
considerable amount of time on the telephone, in meetings or
writing letters, working to solve the problems of my
constituents.
Working for Constituents
In addition to
dealing with correspondence about issues and individual
cases, meeting everyone who wishes to see me in person and
doing the on-line communication mentioned above, I organise
group visits to Brussels for Conservative party members and
interest groups such as the Women's' Institute, the NFU,
schools, colleges, chambers of commerce and small business
organisations. From time to time I offer work experience in
my Brussels office to young people from the South West and
Gibraltar.
Keeping Online
It is important
that I keep my South West and Gibraltar Constituents
informed about my efforts on their behalf in the European
Parliament. In addition to responding to correspondence and
emails from individual constituents, I communicate with
South West business, social and political groups through a
regular newsletter. I also use my website, in addition to
letters and statements to the press and media, to inform the
electorate of my activities and views on European and
national issues.
Committee Scope
My main Parliamentary
Committee is Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). We deal
with matters such as telecommunications regulation, the EU
Framework Programme of Research, innovation in science and
industry and energy related issues such as liberalisation of
markets, security of supply, and renewable and sustainable
energy technologies. In my capacity as Committee Chairman
(2004-7), I played a key role in bringing about the
regulation on capping mobile roaming charges.
My other Committee
is Petitions (PETI). Within this Committee we deal with
petitions and complaints that have been officially submitted
by individuals and organisations from across the EU. For
example, during my time on the Committee I have discussed
petitions submitted by environmental groups against large
factories who are not complying with EU environmental
regulations and requested that the Commission hold a
thorough investigation. Or smaller petitions by individuals
who have complaints against tax authorities who are not
paying back refunds in time.
Temporary Committees
I am currently
participating in the Interinstitutional Working Group on
European Agencies, which groups together representatives
from the European Commission, Council and Parliament in
order to review the system of establishing and regulating
European Agencies. I was also a member of the Temporary
Committee on Maritime Safety (2003), the Financial
Perspectives for 2007-2013 (2005-6) and the Temporary
Committee for Climate Change (2007-9).
Positions of Influence
In July 2004 I was elected Chairman of
the ITRE Committee, a post which I held until February 2007.
Now my special responsibility within ITRE is as Co-ordinator
for all ECR Group MEPs sitting on the Committee from 2009. A
Co-ordinator combines the roles of whip, leader and
spokesman. Previous to that, I was twice elected by EPP-ED
MEPs from all Member States during 1999-2004 and again from
2007-9 after my time as Chairman.
I am also ECR Co-ordinator for my other Committee, PETI.
Listening for Britain
My position as Committee
Co-ordinator includes meeting the representatives of British
companies and trade associations, particularly when new EU
legislation affecting their business is being considered.
Legislating for Success
I have personally been
responsible for four important Reports within the ITRE
Committee since 1999. The Directive on Units of Measurement
1999 extended the period for allowing dual marking in
imperial and metric units until end 2009. Getting the
proposal adopted at first reading was a legislative first
after the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty. Next was the Green Paper on
Security of Supply of Energy in Europe, of great important
for our future energy needs. Then the Measuring Instruments
Directive replaced ten previous directives establishing
common standards. I secured the adoption of the Directive on
Security of Electricity Supply and Infrastructure Investment
in Europe, also at first reading. Most recently I was
rapporteur for ACER, the Agency for Co-operation of Energy
Regulators and I drafted a successful Opinion on
Guaranteeing Impact Assessments. I am currently working on
amending the regulation establishing the European Network
Information and Security Agency as rapporteur.
Intergroups and Forums
I am involved in a number
of intergroups or interest groups covering specific issues
on a cross-party basis. I have been President of the
European Energy Forum since 2004 (Vice-President 1995-2004)
and was First Vice-President of the Ciel & Espace Intergroup
(aerospace) from 2001-2004. I was an MEP member of the Board
of Managing Council of EURIM 2000-4 (the European
Information Society Group, based in London).
Never Forget Old Friends
I am keen to strengthen
ties between the Commonwealth and the European Union. As
Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for
Relations with Australia and New Zealand, I met
regularly with visiting parliamentarians from both countries
to discuss important international, social, political and
economic issues of mutual interest. Also, I have
participated in visits of the delegation to Canberra and
Wellington. Since 2009, I have become a full member of
the Delegation for South African and the Pan-African
Parliament which is a new learning curve for me.
Conservative Dialogue with Business
I was Chairman of
Conservative Enterprise Europe (1999-2004) which
co-ordinates those colleagues on committees that deal with
commercial, industrial and business issues and I was
founding Chairman of Enterprise First Europe 2000-4, the
vehicle for maintaining a dialogue between British business,
industry and trade organisations' representatives in
Brussels and Conservative MEPs. I was an Industry and
Parliament Trust Fellow with Unilever 1994-96. And was an
IPT graduate fellow with ConocoPhillips
Publications
I have produced pamphlets
for young people (European Youth Experience - EYE),
small businesses (SESAME - Supporting Every Small and
Medium-sized Enterprise - or opening doors for small
business by providing information and sources of advice) and
on climate change and energy (Sustainable Secure Energy
and In Praise of Nuclear Energy).
Miscellaneous
I did the Armed Forces Parliamentary
Scheme (AFPS) with the Royal Navy from 2005-6 and am now
doing a postgraduate year. I am a Trustee of the Sir Francis
Chichester Trust for giving young people from disadvantaged
backgrounds in Devon a bursary to go on Outward Bound
courses. I participate in the Royal Society pairing
scientists with MEPs scheme. I played a key role in the
project to renovate and refit Gipsy Moth IV and sail her
around the world 2005-7 to give young people a life changing
experience and commemorate the 40th Anniversary of my father
completing his solo circumnavigation in May 1967. I
participated in the 2007 South West coastal walk fundraising
for the RNLI, Macmillan Cancer Support and Wooden Spoon
promoted by the Western Morning News.
March 2011 |
