

EUCommission v.President Sefcovic to EuroFora: 2014 Election Candidates to make EU choices on Autumn

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- The vice-President of EU Commission, responsible for Inter-Institutional relations and administtration, Maros Sefcovic, speaking to "EuroFora" on the forthcoming crucial EU Elections which are scheduled in less than a year time now, on May 2014, urged all Candidates for New MEPs, throughout all 27 EU Member Countries, in view of EU Political Parties' decision to choose and declare from the outset, for the 1st time in History, whom they want for New President of EU Commission (for the New Period of 2014-2019), to try to choose themselves the "European Political Family" in which they want to be integrated or associated, normaly before the End of the 2013 Autumn.
Sefcovic topically spoke on that issue to "EuroFora" at the conclusion of a special meeting of EU Parliament's Constitutional affairs Committee, chaired by Italian ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Maro Casini, initially focused on the 2014 European Elections, including the parliament's Future Composition, as well as the outcome and the perspectives after the conclusion of the present legislature (2009-2014), during which he had also a long discussion with EU's Rapporteur on the European Political Parties, experienced MEP and former Minister Marieta Gianakou, Head of the Delegation from Greece, the country which is due to chair the EU at the final sprint of political campaigns for the May 2014 EU Parliament Elections (Jan.-June 2014).

Questioned by "EuroFora" on various Polls in several key EU Countries, which reportedly warn about current risks for more or less Anti-EU and/or extreme or outsider Parties to eventually gain momentum, as things stand Today, while also the 1999-2004 sudden uprise of unprecedented Majority Abstentions, slightly decelerated on 2009, might continue futher, even on 2014, unless something important happens before May next year, Sefcovic pointed mainly at what is expected to be the most important Innovation at the forthcoming 2014 EU Elections, i.e. the practical Need and the political chance to hold really European, and no more only National debates, in the quest of European Solutions needed by EU Citzens, who can choose by voting as they wish.
- "I think that this is the Major Topic of Discussions (inside the EU)", Sefcovic agreed with "EuroFora", i.e. "how can we (EU) actually increase the Interest of Electors in coming to the Voting Booth, and, then, of course, how to bring the European Topics in the Agenda, because, in the Past, it was only focused on National issues", so that People used to vote according to their perception of this or that national government, without having a European overview of the main topical issues.
- Therefore, "I hope that we (EU) will be able to convince the European Voters that this is very Important for them : They have (on May 2014) to send the EU Parliament (that they believe it's best in order) to work for European Solutions, because, as we have seen during the Crisis, in a Globalized World, these (EU's) these are the only forces which would help us get out of the (Global) Crisis", he stressed.
- In this regard, "I think that there is a lot to communicate wisely, important, and to get the People to Vote, and explain how important this (2014) vote is for the new (2014-2019) EU Parliament", EU Commission's vice-President competent for inter-Institutional questions concluded optimistically on this key point.
+ Sefcovic didn't deny "EuroFora"s more suggestion that such a result might be better obtained if EU Institutions found ways to make their Communication policy vis a vis EU Citizens "more Spicy", particularly by inventing how to , allow People to express their feelings on issues which really interest them, f.ex. by giving them a chance to be heard before the most important EU Decisions which will affect their lives are to be taken, (according to our co-Founder's main 1997-2007 idea).
- "Yes", he started to reply Positively in this regard, but went on to underline, once again, the fact that, by doing so, ipso facto, at the same time, "what would be very important is to bring also the European Topics to the Debates : I.e. to show also that, look, if you want f.ex. Employment, or Growth in most of the Countries which are under (Economic/Financial Recovery) Programs, which are absolutely in Need of the EU suppport, what will happen if we don't have (adequate) European Solutions ?", Sefcovic wondered.
- For that purpose, we (EU) should "make it very Practical for the (EU) Citizens", i.e. "explain them what we (EU) do, and bring them to the Voting booth" in order to choose the representatives that they prefer.

=> - That's why, in ToNight's (Monday, 10 June 2013) EU Commission-Parliament Debate inside the Constitutional affairs Committee, "what was the Most Important was that EU Parliament and EU Commission want to really make Sure that the European Political Parties will clearly say who they want as President of the Future (2014-2019)EU Commission, and the National Political Parties should make it very clear to which Family of the EU Political Parties they belong", he stressed.
Questioned by "EuroFora" on the "Best Timing" for such parallel, almost coordinated moves, which are due to take place for the 1st Time in EU's History, vice-President Sefcovic observed that the relevant "Communication was already out by he EU Commission and EU Parliament", so that, "I think that all this wil Start to be very practical in the Late Autumn" of 2013, he estimated.
***
(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, complete Final Version might be published asap).
***
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An "Eugenic" loophole Amendment, which might expose to Dangers reminiscent of "3rd Reich's" notorious Genetic Abuses, hidden at the last minute inside an otherwise Good, larger Health policy Package scheduled to be voted on Thursday, was strongly denounced by a coalition of MEPs from various Political Groups and Countries, in a Press Conference held this afternoon at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
Mainly calling to "Select Human Embryos", via "Genetic Counselling" and "pre-implantation" Techniques including "Genetic Tests", in order to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", it might open ways to Dangerous Practices in Future, they denounced in substance.
But they also made it clear that a much larger Report inside which this Controversial Amendment "No 15" was added in dubious circumstances, officialy destinated to struggle against "Rare Diseases", and drafted by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, was otherwise "an Excellent Report", aiming at a "completely Uncontroversial target" of Health policy on which "all MEPs and Experts are united, believing that Europe should act" to protect People's Health (See "EuroFora"'s earlier News).
The controversy came at a particularly delicate moment for the EU in relation to Citizens, at the eve of June 2009 EU Elections, and shortly before Ireland re-votes for "Lisbon Treaty"..
- Denouncing risks of "an Eugenic demand, very similar to what we had during the 3rd Reich in Germany, but now coming from some Scientisists themselves", German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Dr. Peter Liese stressed that critical MEPs were against "Eugenic" engineering with "Selection of Human Embryos", and anything which might ultimately lead up to to a "Selection of Human Race". It doesn't help to "eradicate" Human Lives, he added.
Several Experts and NGOs expressed "Deep Concern", as f;ex. DR M.C. Cornel of the "European Society of Human Genetics", which stressed, on this occasion, that "the importance of Non-Directiveness in Reproductive issues is a Central characteristic of Human Genetics, after the Atrocities committed in the name of Genetics in the first half or the 20th Century".
- "This is completely Unacceptable", stressed Italian Liberal MEP Vittorio Prodi, on the Controversial Amendment, also because pushes to "eliminate early Human Life", as he noted.
- "This opens a Dangerous Road, rather a Motorway", denounced Danish MEP Mrs Margrette Auken, from the "Greens", observing that various similar attempts were made in the Past "not only in Germany, but also in several other Countries, "even at the 1970ies", "f.ex. on forced Sterilisation of Roma" People, and other criticisable situations f.ex. in the UK, in Sweden, etc. as she said.
+ Other NGOs, as f.ex. "LebenHilfe" from Berlin, added that, among various other Risks, could also be that, by exploiting the pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics and the Selection of "healthy" Embryos, some may "propagate" several "Eugenic" aims, starting f.ex. by pushing to eradicate Human Livies which might "Cost too much" to preserve, ultimately exposing to dangers reminiscent of the "3rd Reich"'s atrocious abuses.
In consequence, ChristianDemocrats/EPP and "Green" MEPs "decided by Majority to vote against" this Controversial Amendment, anounced to Journalists the 5 MEPs who participated in the Press Conference, representing a wide spectrum, from Liberals to "Greens" and ChristianDemocrats, and from Hungary, Italy, Germany and Danemark up to Ireland (Gay Mitchell), etc.
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Hungarian ChristianDemocrat MEP Laszlo Surjan said "that it was "Suddenly, at the End of the Procedure" in Committee, that "appeared this (Controversial) Amendment, which has nothing to do" with the main purpose of the Report, on which all agreed.
He denounced an "Unhonest" move, and called to "avoid this kind of unacceptable situations". Nobody should "Select People", Surjan stressed.
- "We (MEPs) had No Chance to Discuss" this last-minute Amendment earlier added at a Committee's level, said German MEP Peter Liese
Speaking to "EuroFora", Dr. Liese, the Spokesman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, said that MEPs didn't oppose other references of the Report f.ex. on "Genetic Tests", because they were "no proposals" to impose them, while, on the contrary, there was "a Problem" if anyone attempted to "impose" f.ex. this or that Genetic Technique and "Genetic Counselling", etc. to the People on human reproduction.
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The precise Text :
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Controversial parts of Amendment No 15 ask mainly "to lead finally to the Eradication" of "Hereditary" "rare diseases", "through Genetic Counselling .., and ..pre-Implantation Selection of healthy Embryos".
But EU Rapporteur Professor Trakatellis, said to "EuroFora" that fears should be alleviated by Guarantees that all this should be done only "where appropriate", when it's "not contrary to existing National Law", and "always on a Voluntary basis", according to other Parts of the Amendment.
He stressed that the main aim was to allow "a free and informed choice of persons involved", without imposing them anything : - "It's not an obligatory, but advisary" text, he said.
To make that point clear, he was ready, in agreement with many MEPs, to eventually drop at least that part of the controversial Amendment which initially called for "efforts to ..lead finally to the Eradication of those rare diseases" "which are Hereditary".
But, until late Wednesday evening, reportedly together with many other MEPs, he stood by all the rest of the controversial Amendment, (fex. on the "Genetic Counselling" and the "pre-implantation Selection of healthy Embryos"), so that critical MEPs, going from ChristianDemocrats as Dr. Liese, to "Greens" or "Ind/Dem", observed to "EuroFora" that "this was not enough" to close the dangerous loophole.
Particularly since, as Professor Trakatellis noted himself, "this is already allowed to the U.K.", and "other National Legislations would probably follow, sooner or later" in a similar direction. As for a general call to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", this "should happen, at any case, in practice, de facto", to protect public Health.
On the contrary, "our goal should be to help patients suffering from rare diseases, not to eradicate the patients. In case of genetic disease risk, the decision should not be guided by scenarios" made by politicians. "Perents who may decide to accept a child, even if handicapped or with genetic disease, must be respected and supported with solidarity", critical MEPs stated.
- "Any Pressure" to "a patient or couple (who "should be able to make an informed choice consistent with their own values"),"from health Professionals, Public Health Policies or Governemental Institutions, or Society at large, should be avoided", stresses the "European Society for Human Genetics".
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Each MEP's vote will be registered !
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The Socialist Group requested a "Split vote" on the Amendment 15, first without, and afterwards with the words "lead finally to the Eradication" etc.
But the first "split vote" leaves intact all the other parts of the Controversial Amendment, (i.e. "Genetic Counselling", "Selection of healthy Embryos", etc).
That's why, 3 Groups of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, "Greens/EFA", and "Ind/Dem", have asked for "Roll Call Votes", on everything regarding the Controversial Amendment No 15, and on the final outcome of the resulting Report as amended, which will register all the individual positions to be taken by each MEP.
Something which will obviously make each MEP think twice before voting for one or another choice, to be sure that he/she will make the right choice in front of EU Citizens, particularly at these pre-Election times...
Crucial Votes were scheduled between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. local Strasbourg time, in the middle of a long series of various other Reports, and after a long Public Debate on the larger Health policy package, from 9 to 11.50 am.
The specific Report inside which was hidden the controversial Amendment is due to be debated between 11 and 12 am.
So that more last-minute Surprises may not be excluded a priori...
Particularly at the present Historic moment, when even the Institutional Future of the EU depends on the result of a second Referendum on "Lisbon Treaty", later this year, in ...Ireland, a mainly Catholic country, where People are particularly sensitive in such kind of socio-cultural and values issues...