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Strasbourg Diary By John Purvis, MEP
May 2004
FEAR VERSUS FREEDOM
How would you feel about the information
you supply to an airline when you buy a ticket
being handed over to a foreign government? That
was the issue confronting MEPs when a plan, which
will allow airlines to give information about
transatlantic passengers to US authorities for
terrorist detection, was voted upon in Strasbourg
recently. We had to weigh the need to detect terrorists
against concerns about interfering with civil
rights. After much heart-searching, I voted with
a large minority for the information to be passed
on, so long as it was kept to essential details
and the period for which data could be retained
was limited. I arrived at this hard decision because
of the need to make it as difficult as possible
for terrorists to terrorise us, even if some of
our freedoms as individuals are squeezed. The
majority, however, voted to take the issue to
the European Court of Justice for it to decide
if this move would breach European data protection
laws. So there is no clear-cut decision as yet.
TAKING THE CREDIT
Your faithful watch-dog has been looking
out for consumers and businesses, so that borrowers
can shop around before committing themselves to
credit agreements. Everyone in the EU will be
given the same basic information when they are
borrowing money, if proposed legislation becomes
law. An overwhelming majority of MEPs, myself
included, agreed that loans, overdrafts, hire-purchase
and financial leases should come with certain
basic information. We believe the annual percentage
rate of interest (APR), the agreed duration of
the loan, the number and amount of monthly payments
and the total cost of the loan should be made
clearly available. A European Commission plan,
which would have restricted national governments
from introducing stricter standards, was rejected.
This was because MEPs decided that countries like
Britain would have to rescind some of their laws
to the detriment of the consumer. For example,
under current UK law, if someone buys a car or
microwave on credit, and it turns out to be faulty,
both the supplier and the creditor are jointly
liable. Under the Commission's original proposal,
consumers would have had to pursue the supplier
first. The new framework, if enacted as amended
by the parliament, will allow consumers and businesses
to benefit from a market that offers the widest
possible access and choice in choosing credit,
with a considerable and reasonable level of protection
for both.
EU ENLARGEMENT
Although EU Enlargement Day on May 1 celebrated
membership by ten new member states, some media
coverage made its benefits seem remote to Scotland.
There were scare stories about Scotland and the
UK being swamped by people from Eastern Europe
taking advantage of our liberal social services.
Illegal immigration is a problem for the UK, certainly,
but that is a separate issue. When enlargement
is discussed, the fact is often played down that
it works both ways. For Scots, it means another
ten countries this year and a further two in 2007
in which the free movement of people, goods and
services is possible. That means ease of visiting,
working in and trading with the new countries,
thus opening up a market of 450 million people.
Opportunities for Scots and for Scottish business
have never been greater. And, after all, isn't
the closure of the Cold War, which dominated our
lives for near 50 years, something to celebrate?
A VOTE OF THANKS
This will be my last Strasbourg Diary of the current
European Parliamentary session and I would like
to thank my readers, the constituents who have
contacted me and the newspapers which have carried
this column throughout the past five years. I
hope I have given some insight into how Scots
are represented in the EU - and brought Brussels
and Strasbourg sufficiently close to Scotland
to encourage readers to vote on June 10 in the
European elections.
Note to Editors: 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
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