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This March we have two plenary sessions in Strasbourg. Below is a brief summary of what went on in the first session.
European Economic Recovery Plan
In Strasbourg I voted in favour of the Economic Recovery Plan which will provide the fiscal stimulus needed, delivering 15% of the community budget. The top priority of the Recovery Plan is to stimulate the economy and competitiveness of the European Union in order to safeguard citizens' opportunities and security, and to avoid increased unemployment. The Recovery Plan is an initiative to reverse the economic decline by enabling financial markets to function properly again, facilitate investments, and improve opportunities for growth and jobs while strengthening the EU economy and labour market and improving the framework conditions for growth and the creation of jobs.
Cars in Europe must be safer
Parliament decided that cars and roads must be made safer by bringing in new technologies. These include tyre pressure monitoring systems, wet-grip requirements and lane departure warning systems. These safety features are already available in more expensive cars, but safety in cars should not be something available to the few who can afford it. This regulation means that cars will be fitted with important safety features as standard in the future. The requirements for tyres will mean that CO2 emissions are reduced and should also reduce the fuel bills for car users in Scotland.
Charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain roads
This plenary a report by a Socialist colleague was voted through with a significant majority. The report will make the payment for damage to roads through heavy use much fairer using a system where the vehicles which cause the most damage pays more, often referred to as “polluter pays”. Tolls will be charged for local noise pollution, local air pollution in addition to damages to the roads.
Other Business
EU Must stop destroying life-saving drugs in Transit
In Strasbourg I and four other MEPs on the international trade committee sent a letter to European Voice newspaper and Trade Commissioner Ashton calling for the law around generic medicines to be made clearer. Medicines that were bound for Brazil from India are currently being seized and destroyed at their stop over in the EU because the guidelines about counterfeit and generic medicines are unclear. The medicines which are used to treat over 300 000 Brazillians against heart attacks, strokes, altzheimer's, Parkindson's and psychosis are vital to many Brazilians' wellbeing, provided by Médicines Sans Frontièrs. I hope this issue is resolved soon and the transport of perfectly legal medicine around the world can continue with the help of MSF.
Oral Question concerning Seizure of Generic Medicines in the Netherlands
I also asked a question to the Commission about the seizure of generic medicines in the Netherlands: "What steps will the Council take to ensure that the supply of generic medicines to developing countries is not thwarted by similar seizures in future?" Follow the link below to see the answer provided: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=CRE&reference=20090312&secondRef=ANN-01&language=EN&detail=H-2009-0109&query=QUESTION
Motherwell College
It’s always an enjoyable experience to welcome Scots to the European Parliament and let them see first-hand how important decisions which affect their lives are made. On this occasion I was hosting a group of 25 students from Motherwell College. The students posed lots of imaginative questions and after a briefing session to find out more about Parliament’s work in Strasbourg they paid a visit to the hemicycle where we debate and vote.
Commission statements on Accession negotiations with Croatia, Turkey and FYR Macedonia
The commission made statements about the state negotiations for enlargement are in after 2008. In order to join the European Union countries have to meet a set of criteria to come in line with the rest of the EU. The Commission said significant progress has been made, but that none of the candidate countries are able to join at this stage. I fully support EU enlargement because of the significant economic and social advantages it presents for new and existing members.
Celebration of International Women’s Day
Simone VEIL, Former President of the European spoke to Parliament about the progress which is being made to enable women to achieve equality in Europe. This year International Women’s day was celebrated on 8th March with a range of events in the UK and across Europe. In the European Parliament elections on June 4th the Scottish Labour party has an equal number of male and female candidates. You can find out more about the other candidates at http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/eurocandidates. | 
