David Martin, MEP

Strasbourg Round-up Nov. 2010

Welcome to my Strasbourg Roundup. This is a very brief update to let you know what happened at the November plenary session of the European Parliament.

Information on prescription medicine
The Parliament voted on draft legislation on information for patients this week. In response to a proposal by the European Commission, the Parliament demanded better access to high quality information on prescription medicines for EU citizens. It is crucial that patients have access to full information about the medicines they are prescribed, particularly when so much unverified information is available online. However, the Parliament also demanded a stricter interpretation of the rules banning prescription medicine advertising. I am very pleased that advertising in print media as well as on the radio and television is banned under the Parliament's draft legislation, to avoid any commercial promotion of prescription medicine. Doctors and other health professionals must also declare any interests or links they have to pharmaceutical companies when speaking publicly on medicines. These are fantastic regulations to ensure that healthcare in Europe prioritises patients' needs and rights to information over pharmaceutical advertising, and I am very pleased that the Socialists and Democrats Group in the Parliament (of which Labour MEPs are a member) fought so hard to secure them against strong opposition from the European Commission and the pharmaceutical industry.

Trade and climate change
The Parliament approved a number of reports on international trade this month. As we prepare for the climate change negotiations in Cancún, I was pleased that the Parliament has once again given a strong signal of its commitment to tackling climate change, and in particular how trade policy can contribute to this. I especially support measures to reform the WTO and to prevent the European Investment Bank granting loans to projects which have a negative impact on the environment. I also strongly support a financial transaction tax to help tackle climate change, and I would welcome an end to agricultural export subsidies.

Social, environmental and human rights standards in trade agreements
I contributed to this report on the issue of human rights, and I was very pleased to see Parliament vote strongly in favour of its provisions to strengthen social, environmental and human rights standards in the trade agreements the EU signs. Trade policy is not simply about maximum economic advantage. Trade is a key policy through which the EU must fight climate change, contribute to a sustainable environment, promote our social model and support human rights and democratic values. Current provisions for the protection of human, environmental and social rights must be enforced as well as strengthened through our trade agreements - trade preferences should not be granted to countries which do not uphold these standards, and free trade agreements should not be signed without strong provisions for the implementation and monitoring of these standards. Trade is a crucial part of our global strategy to promote a fairer, safer and healthy planet, and this must be reflected in the trade deals we agree.

Mutual recognition for same-sex unions
I voted in favour of a report calling on the European Commission to bring forward policy proposals on legislation to ensure that all civil documents, including evidence of civil partnerships and same-sex marriages, are recognised throughout the EU. Currently same-sex couples are not guaranteed to be given the same legal recognition in ever Member State, and I and my colleagues in the Socialist and Democrat group have argued strongly that all civil partnerships and unions but be recognised throughout the EU, and all couples must be given the same rights. I was disappointed that the conservative groups in the Parliament voted against this proposal, but it had enough support from the progressive groups to be adopted, and I look forward to the Commission's proposal.