Jean campaigning with other Green MEPs against the Software Directive
BRUSSELS/STRASBOURG
Strasbourg
Jean participated in the Green Group Press Conference on the proposed Services Directive. The Greens will be tabling a set of strong amendments to Parliament's Report in order to reflect the sort of Europe that people want - a Europe with high quality services and protection of labour standards.
As Co-Author of the Written Declaration on Endometriosis, Jean spent time in Strasbourg highlighting the cause and urging other MEPs to sign up. A total of 266 MEPs signed before the Declaration deadline and so a considerable amount of awareness has been raised on this a debilitating disease which affects an estimated 14 million females in the European Union.
Jean and the other Group Employment Co-ordinators met with Vladimir Spidla the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs to discuss working time developments. Jean met with Commissioner Spidla again later in the month in an exchange of views on the legislative and work programme of the Commission for 2005 and 2006.
Brussels
Human Rights
Jean attended the NANSEN Refugee Awards and UNHCR Reception which turned out to be both a colourful and an emotional occasion. This year's winner was Marguerite Barankitse Burundian humanitarian worker and founder of Maison Shalom. Marguerite has helped over 10,000 children affected by the civil war in Burundi and other regional conflicts.
This year's Pedro Arrupe Award Ceremony was held in the European Parliament. Jean attended this refugee event which aims to promote understanding and tolerance among young people.
Employment and Social Affairs
At the Dublin Foundation Working Lunch entitled ‘Restructuring and managing change – competitiveness versus job losses. What is the EU agenda?', Jean discussed the related policy challenges and the roadmap proposed by the European Commission in its recent communication.
The Green Group Lisbon Club discussed strategies for tackling issues such as working time and the social aspect of employment under the UK Presidency. Jean gave an overview of the situation in the UK pointing out the fact that inequality remains largely unchanged despite Labour having seven years to reverse the trend. She also highlighted the amount of personal debt, which could lead to economic instability.
Civil Liberties
Representing the LIBE Committee, Jean was a keynote speaker at the Conference 'Implementing the Hague Programme' held by the Centre for European Policy Studies.
Legislative
Jean submitted a Priority Written Question to the Commission on Air Quality in London, asking the Commission what it would do about pollution levels that continually exceed European standards.
A Written Question was also submitted on the detention of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. Jean requests that the Commission put pressure on the Turkish Government to ensure his prison conditions and trial are fair.
Meetings
Jean's meetings this week included Ian Forsyth, Head of EQUAL in the UK, James Bridge from Age Concern and several employment delegates from the Hungarian National Assembly.
Jean also met with Peter Craske the new European Campaigns Manager at the RSPCA. Jean has been working closely this month with Animals Asia in support of their Moon Bears campaign. See her website for further details on how you can help.
Jean was interviewed by ABC News for a US television broadcast about George Bush and climate change. She spoke to Radio 4 reflecting on Blair's speech to the Parliament and was reported in the Scotsman on working time. The Independent quoted Jean in their article on voting reform, as did the Globe and Mail on the Future of Europe. Jean was sited in Pensions Management and FENews.co.uk highlighted her attendance as the special guest at The Spirit of Fairbridge event. Jean and Caroline met with Representatives from the BBC and then later in the month held a meeting with journalists from the main UK papers ahead of the British Presidency. EPolitix interviewed Jean following her nomination by the NGO Community as the MEP to deliver most on JHA issues.
Human Rights
Jean issued a strong statement of support to a European Human Rights conference on Bangladesh, held in London. The conference focused on human rights, extremism, intolerance and violence.
As a board member of the Dalit Solidarity Network, Jean participated in the organisation's AGM. Jean is a member of the European Parliament's SAARC delegation, which covers India.
One of the team of lawyers for the incarcerated Kurdish political leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was in London this month. Jean met with her to discuss recent developments concerning Ocalan's re-trial in Turkey.
Civil Liberties / Social Inclusion
Jean met with a representative of the SIMBA Woolwich project to discuss preparations for a major international women's conference, to be held in London in early 2006. They also discussed the ongoing work of the Make Poverty History Campaign.
Jean participated in the Inmates Conference, which focused on a Goldsmiths College scheme encouraging students to visit and support prisoners.
Jean was interviewed by a group of young people as part of the Spirit of Fairbridge, floating youth project at St Katherine's Dock, whilst supporting the UK wide project which works with young people at risk of exclusion.
Jean represented the Green Party at a major public event on Electoral Reform organised by the Independent and the Electoral Reform Society. She shared the panel with Robin Cook and Simon Hughes, and called for the current system to be replaced by a proportional electoral system, which would be more fair in giving representation to smaller established parties like the Greens and could increase public participation in elections.
Jean gave the closing keynote address at the London Multicultural Environment Fair in Brent, as part of London Sustainability Weeks.
The Power Inquiry is 'an independent inquiry into Britain's democracy' focusing on addressing the decline in public participation in politics in the UK. Jean was interviewed for the inquiry.
New Politics Network held a seminar 'Do we need fellow travellers?' at Compass's Conference. Jean spoke at the seminar and participated in a question and answer panel discussion alongside other elected politicians.
Refugee Week activities
As well as marking Refugee Week with a number of events in the European Parliament, Jean issued a strong public statement calling for the protection, and not persecution, of asylum seekers. She also called for action on climate change, making the connection with the need to addresses the very real issue of environmental refugees – people forced to leave their homes because climate change and other, often connected, forms of environmental destruction have undermined their livelihoods.
Jean's report on refugees and the environment highlights and investigates these issues in more detail. It can be found in the Briefings/Reports section of this website.
Jean had a morning meeting at City Hall with Lee Jasper, the London Mayor's adviser on race issues. The meeting focused on asylum and immigration issues in London and the EU.
Jean met with the Oasis Women's Group in Croydon to discuss some local refugee concerns. Some follow-up meetings regarding particular asylum cases are being arranged.
Employment and Social Affairs
In early June the Economic and Social Research Council held a major conference at the London School of Economics, critically assessing the EU's 'Lisbon Agenda'. Jean gave a presentation at the event, focusing on social inclusion as well as the environment.
Jean was a guest at a dinner event for Small Businesses in Waltham Forest.
Jean attended the Carers UK 'Juggling work with care' reception event at the House of Commons as she was involved in developing the EU's 'EQUAL' project. The event launched the second phase of this project. Jean continues to be a strong advocate for carers' rights and the need for caring work to be recognised and valued and for better support to be given to carers.
Environment
On World Environment Day, Jean gave a speech at Camden Green Fair and also participated in a Kurdish Womens Festival in North London.
Concerns have been expressed to Jean about the historic contaminations at Barking Reach in East London. As a result, Jean hosted a meeting with local activists and the London Assembly Green Group to consider the issues in more detail. Jean is writing to the Environment Agency for more information.
A representative from Jean's office participated in the Parliamentary Group for Justice for Road Traffic Victims on her behalf. The meeting, held at the House of Commons, focused on the Government's road traffic offences consultation, with reference to the Road Safety Bill, currently passing through the UK Parliament.
Constituents' Concerns
Particular issues of concern raised by constituents include calls for an end to EU refunds for the export - beyond the EU - of live cattle. Because of the UK's presidency of the EU, Jean has written to the UK Secretary of State for the Environment, Margaret Beckett, on the issue and is calling for an end to the export refunds and the export trade. Jean has supported the campaign of Compassion in World Farming and the written declaration.
Another major concern for constituents is the proposed Software Patents Directive. Jean, and the Green Group as a whole, oppose this directive and will continue to work against it. Because of the sheer number of emails on this issue, a response from Jean Lambert will be put up on the home page of her website following the vote.
Jean has continued to make representations to the Home Office on UK asylum policy and individual asylum, detention and parole cases.
Jean's Comment on Current Affairs - Blair's Speech to MEPs
Blair likes celebrity, he courts the media. It brings results - his polished performance before the supposedly critical European Parliament was well received (particularly from the right).
Always aware of his audience, Blair certainly delivered some well chosen headlines. He used the words that the public wanted to hear. He showed a vision - but there was nothing new in the content. He talked about a social Europe but many of his options weren't EU but Member State competencies - an indication that the Constitution boundaries on social Europe were too narrow? Perhaps not.
A man famous for targets gave only half a sentence on the supposed Presidency priority of climate change. He talks a lot about political leadership did he show it here?
Well seasoned politicians in the UK have learned that what Blair doesn't say is often a better indication of where his priorities lie. His 'modern' EU (a buzz word we will no doubt hear repeated) is so forward thinking that the poverty and pay gaps in the UK remain alarmingly wide - is this the social Europe we want?
Blair's package for Europe might be well wrapped but I won't be surprised if it fails to deliver.