In a vote on Tuesday in the European Parliament, Conservative MEPs successfully headed off a new tax which would have hit vintage car owners in the wallet and possibly drive many amateur enthusiasts off the road.
The Commission proposed to scrap all car registration taxes and instead impose a regime of annual road taxes for vehicles, including vintage cars, partly based on CO2 emissions. Conservatives oppose any measure that penalises owners of classic and vintage cars and proposed an amendment to exempt these and an amendment which was accepted by Parliament.
Conservatives Economic and Monetary Affairs Spokesman in the European Parliament Jonathan Evans MEP said:
"Vintage cars are part of our heritage. The EU must treat the cars of yesterday and the enthusiasts who preserve them with common sense.
"I believe Britain's thousands of classic car drivers should continue to benefit from their exemption from road taxes and we have fought for their right to drive."
Conservatives champion patients rights
Conservatives this week championed patients' rights to travel for treatment across the EU. Backing EU Commissioner Markos Kyprianou's call for Member States to open up their health markets, Conservatives Health Spokesman in the European Parliament John Bowis said:
"We very much welcome the Commission's proposal for with Member States to resolve uncertainties on Patients Mobility rights. It is time to bite the bullet and recognise that health is a cross-border issue. We as parliamentarians must decide policy in this area and not leave it to the lawyers.
In the first ever major debate on mental health in the European Parliament, Mr Bowis said:
"Mental Health is the fastest growing health burden according to the WHO and the World Bank. 1 in 4 of us suffer some form of mental health illness during our lifetime. 58,000 EU citizens commit suicide each year and over 500,000 make the attempt.
"I seek more humane treatment and care with patients having a greater say in their own care and provision of services."
(On Wednesday, the European Parliament overwhelmingly supported John Bowis's own-initiative report on mental health).
Conservatives persuade MEPs to accept the need for Social Model reform
The European Parliament this week finally accepted that the European Social Model which has caused stagnation and unemployment in Europe's key economies needs fundamental reform.
Parliament debated the need to modernise and reform the European Social Model in light of demographic change and globalisation.
Conservative Employment and Social Affairs Spokesman Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP, whose reform campaign was agreed by the Parliament, said:
"The key to our success today has been the need for reform. The prize has been formal recognition for the very first time by the majority of MEPs that the European Social Model does indeed need to be reformed.
"This is a real achievement, led by the UK Conservatives. The challenge now is for us to work together to make this happen."
Blair defeated on key employment policy by the European court
The latest ruling from the European Court of Justice that UK guidelines on working time contravene the EU Working Time Directive confirms that the Directive itself is in urgent need of revision.
Conservatives Employment and Social Affairs Spokesman in the European Parliament Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP said:
"A review of this Directive is very much on the EU agenda, but is currently stalled in the European Council because of lack of agreement on the way forward. On Wednesday in the European Parliament, I formally asked the Finnish Council Presidency whether they were aware of the recent FT Harris poll which said that the majority of workers in five large EU countries wished to decide for themselves how long they worked because they wanted more flexibility not less. As the response was that they had not seen this important research, I have forwarded the details on to them today.
"Wednesday marked a milestone in the Parliament when a majority of MEPs voted for modernisation and reform of the European Social Model. The Council needs to get the same message, and ensure that the reform agenda applies to the restrictive Directives of yesterday, and makes them fit for purpose in the world of today."
RESULTS OF THE VOTES:
Daul - Specific agricultural measures for the smaller Aegean islands
Spokesman: Neil Parish MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Gargani - Specific measures to encourage silkworm rearing
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Gargani - Exemptions from taxes of imports of small consignments of goods of a non-commercial character from third countries
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Daul - A levy in the milk and milk products sector
Spokesman: Neil Parish MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Blokland - Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals
Spokesman: John Bowis MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Stubb - Special Report on interpretation expenditure
Spokesman: James Elles MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
De Grandes Pascual - Funding to deal with pollution caused by ships
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Gröner - Fight against violence (Daphne) (2007-2013)
Spokesman: Timothy Kirkhope MEP
Adopted - Conservatives abstained
Riis-Jørgensen - Passenger car related taxes
Spokesman: Jonathan Evans MEP
Adopted - Conservatives abstained
Fraga Estévez - Fisheries Agreement between the EC and the Republic of Seychelles
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Capoulas Santos - Fisheries Agreement between the EC and the Union of Comoros
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Ilves - Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Albania
Spokesman: Charles Tannock MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
De Rossa/Silva Peneda - A European Social Model for the future
Spokesman: Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP
Adopted - Conservatives abstained
John Bowis - Mental health
Spokesman: John Bowis MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Morillon - Simplifying and improving the Common Fisheries Policy 2006-2008
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Wallis - Accession of the EC to the Hague Conference on Private International Law
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Belder - EU-China Relations
Spokesman: Charles Tannock MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Fraga Estévez - Report on eco-labelling schemes for fisheries products
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Motion for a resolution on Middle East
Spokesman: Charles Tannock MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Motion for a resolution on forest fires and floods
Spokesman: Den Dover MEP
Adopted - Conservatives abstained
Motion for a resolution on the suspension of Doha Development Agenda
Spokesman: Robert Sturdy MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Motion for a resolution on counterfeiting of medicines
Spokesman: John Bowis MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Motion for a resolution on European contract law
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Motion for a resolution on involvement of the European Parliament in the work of the Hague Conference
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
In't Veld - Report on the agreement with the USA on the use of Passenger Name Record Data (PNR)
Spokesman: Timothy Kirkhope MEP
Adopted - Conservatives against
PARTY WATCH - where different from Conservatives in recorded final votes:
LABOUR
(+)Gröner - Fight against violence (Daphne) (2007-2013) (A6-0193/2006)
(+)De Rossa/Silva Peneda - A European social model for the future (A6-0238/2006)
(0)Belder - EU-China relations (A6-0257/2006)
(+)Joint Motion for a resolution - Forest fires and floods (RC6-0460/2006)
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
(+)Gröner - Fight against violence (Daphne) (2007-2013) (A6-0193/2006)
