EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: MEPS DIVIDED OVER THE RESULTS OF THE STOCKHOLM SUMMIT.

The atmosphere at the public debate pointed to a warming of personal relations between Council President Goran Persson and the European Parliament's right wing, compared with his fist appearance before the Parliament's January session (see European Report No 2561 for further details). EPP President Hans Gert Pottering thanked the Swedish Prime Minister for is presence and his pledge to return before Parliament following the Gothenburg Summit in June. In his speech, besides calling for recognition of the Balkans as the overriding common foreign and security policy priority, Mr Pottering denounced the blocking alliance which he claims exists between France and Germany for deferring the liberalisation of the energy sector.Drawing a parallel with the decision by US President George Bush to reject the Kyoto Protocol, a decision he claimed was dictated by the oil company interests that had funded his election campaign, Socialist Group President Enrique Baron Crespo warned against the risks of forced liberalisation and of economic power falling uncontrolled within the hands of just a few individuals. Mr Baron Crespo also denounced America's unilateral vision and called on the European Union to defend its position in transatlantic relations. This criticism of America's behaviour was taken up by all the political groups. Other concerns were also expressed. Bertel Haarder (ELDR, Denmark) recalled the importance of the common agricultural policy in the context of enlargement negotiations, whilst Pierre Jonckheer (Greens/EFA, Belgium) called for increased investment in education, training and transport public services and for more rational use of energy. EUL/NGL President, Francis Wurtz, scandalised by the restructuring plans announced by Danone and Marks & Spencer, called for a new standing body attached to the Parliament's Employment Committee that would monitor the behaviour of big business.Economic and social issues.After rejecting the joint EPP/ELDR motion by 167 votes to 247 with 37 abstentions, and the PES/Greens/EUL/NGL proposal by 216 votes to 217 with 23 abstentions, the European Parliament...