Wednesday in Plenary: Climate change, working time, Sakharov Prize

MEPs backed new Europe-wide legislative package on climate change that fixes targets for the reduction of European greenhouse gas emissions Wednesday. They also voted to end opt-outs to EU limits on working time. At midday the Parliament's 20th Sakharov Prize was awarded to Chinese dissident Hu Jia, in absentia.

Global warming and working time
 
Following negotiations between EU leaders over the previous weekend, MEPs backed the climate package, which constitutes the EU's response to the challenge of global warming. 
 
By 2020, EU countries aim to achieve a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency and a 20% share for renewables in the EU energy mix.
 
The vote on working time pitched MEPs against many EU governments, as the Parliament wants all exceptions to the 48 hours working time ended within three years.  Now the issue will have to be hammered out between ministers and MEPs. Read more below.
 
Sakharov Prize 2008
 
At the award of the Parliament's annual human rights prize, President Hans-Gert Pöttering said Chinese cyber dissident Hu Jia “was nominated as the representative of the silenced voices of China and Tibet, but today we will hear that voice.”
 
Imprisoned Hu Jia could not attend the ceremony. However, his wife Zeng Jinyan, who is under house arrest with their young daughter, gave an emotional video message to the Parliament, giving news from her husband, thanking them for their support and expressing hope for a “more open and democratic China”.
 
Respect of fundamental rights in the EU
 
On Wednesday afternoon MEPs discussed human rights. A report by Italian MEP Giusto Catania's (GUE/NGL) points to many violations of fundamental rights in the world, for example serious discrimination against minorities and threats to privacy, and gives recommendations for improvement. A previous report on this issue was rejected by parliament in 2004.
 
Mr Catania said, “We are rightly concerned about Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib or China, but there must be consistency between our internal and external policies. We also need to pay scrutiny to human rights in the EU.”.
 
There will be a vote on the report in January.