TELEVISION WITHOUT FRONTIERS
The 1 million British citizens who work in or retire to other European countries should soon be able to watch UK television without breaking the law. And people with impaired sight or hearing could receive enhanced presentation of their television programmes.
The European Parliament has accepted a report which will overturn current EU laws on television broadcasting.
Viewers watching television programmes by satellite from other countries are sometimes technically breaking the law because satellite companies deal with copyright holders such as football leagues or film distributors on a strict country by country basis. This means they can broadcast in national or linguistic markets only, although viewers with satellite access from other countries can tune in if they can surreptitiously get hold of the requisite card.
The report also calls on the European Commission to address access to television for disabled people by promoting more subtitling, signing and audio description.
EU citizens have the freedom to move, travel, work and settle anywhere in the European Union. It is a nonsense therefore that they are prevented by a carve-up of the satellite footprint by restrictive copyright agreements from legally viewing programmes from home and in their mother tongue.
But this move is not just about ensuring that Coronation Street and East Enders are beamed out to every corner of Europe.
Pluralism and cultural diversity in broadcasting are important to safeguard democracy and in fostering mutual understanding between the people of the EU's member states. This is a move to help us maintain and improve upon that diversity.
It is also a further step in making a true European single market which is really relevant to its citizens.

LEARNING LESSONS FROM A TRAGIC SUMMER
Was this incredibly hot summer due to global warming? The scientists are still debating the issue but meanwhile we should take a warning from it.
MEPs have expressed their deepest sympathy for the families of the several thousand people who died as a result of the heatwave and with the inhabitants of the areas devastated by forest fires.
The Parliament has also saluted the dedication of the full-time and voluntary firefighters and members of the public who fought the fires.
As well as granting aid to the stricken areas, we have called for a reforestation policy to rehabilitate the local rural landscapes.
It is clear that an efficient policy to prevent future forest fires is urgently needed and this is being put in train.
Every effort must be made, also, to bring to justice the individuals responsible for deliberately setting some of the fires.
Most important of all, the effects of energy consumption and climate change need to be addressed more stringently than ever and stricter targets should be set for reducing damaging emissions.
We are agreed that, to accelerate this, priority must be given to energy efficient transport and to renewable energy and energy conservation programmes, while allowing for economic advance. Sustainable development must be the catchwords.
Many of my continental colleagues now wish they had come to Scotland for their summer holidays. Perhaps next year!

ENABLING THE DISABLED
MEPs want major input into a new UN Treaty on Human Rights to ensure disabled people are given equality of treatment across member states.
We are calling for their rights to be recognised and enforced so that the anomalies are ironed out in benefits systems.
For example, disabled people who move to another country often lose their entitlement to certain benefits and assistance for a period.
And people who leave their job in one country to return to their home in another for family reasons can forfeit their right to unemployment benefit.
Surely the governments of neighbouring EU countries can get together to rationalise their benefits systems and prevent these administrative injustices.

SUPPORT FOR THE GAELIC
Around 40 million people in the EU are estimated to use a regional or minority language regularly, such as Scots Gaelic, in addition to the official language of their country.
The European Parliament has been keen to support the usage of such minority languages, but there is a fly in the ointment in the shape of the Court of Justice.
The European Commission has been unable to use funds voted by the European Parliament to support these minority languages because the Court ruled in 1998 that there was no legal basis for the policy.
Not to be thwarted however, the Parliament is now calling for a change to the new proposed EU constitution which will refer to the promotion of regional and minority languages as an expression of cultural diversity. Slàinte mhòr!
ends

John Purvis is a member of the Committee on Industry, External Trade Research and Energy and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. He can be contacted by e-mail at jpurvis@europarl.eu.int or visit his website on www.scottishtorymeps.org.uk.

Press Contact: Frances Donald Tel 01592 643200