Fireworks explode overhead, Mozart blares from speakers as a spectacular light show dances across the facade of the medieval cathedral. The streets are full of broken glass; people shout at each other, light flares and climb lampposts while dancing and waving flags. France has made it to the World Cup final but on Wednesday night in Strasbourg it felt more like a revolution than a celebration. Five miles away, on the other side of the Rhine, a nation was distraught. Unlike some English people I know (or the French who seized the opportunity to revolt and re-enact storming the Bastille) the Germans I watched their game with were upset but didn't define their nations' worth by that of their football team.
Meanwhile in the Parliament I had a meeting with Peter Mandelson, in charge of EU Trade, to discuss my report on trade with relations between the EU and Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. This led into a debate on the seeming collapse of the Doha Round in the World Trade Organisation. It is a great shame that these negotiations appear to be going down the tubes. While I understand the criticisms made of the way they have been conducted the breakdown in the WTO can only harm worldwide cooperation in trade, which I don't believe is in Britain's, or anyone else's, interests.
News of the ongoing scandal with Strasbourg City Council which now appears to have overcharged the Parliament by €100 million more than was first thought made me want to light a firework and run screaming through the streets of Strasbourg. €100 million!!!! And paying for me, and everyone else, to come here costs €250 million a year!!! It is a disgrace and I hope that this overcharging business will sort it out once and for all because it's just not good enough. If you haven't already please sign up to www.oneseat.eu, 779,738 people already have.
Just when you thought last year's UK Presidency of the EU was a total wash out it turns out our Government did do something. They agreed to spend 1.5 million pounds on translation of EU documents into Gaelic. Who agrees to this stuff? Does anyone actually think it is a good idea? Why would documents that are only ever of occasional interest in English be more intriguing if they were in Gaelic?
It wasn't all waste and bad news though. We voted through a report on taxing aviation emissions. While there were problems with the report it will operate on a polluter pays principle which is sensible. It is ridiculous that the only fuel which isn't taxed these days is the stuff which is most damaging to the environment because it is up in the stratosphere. Whether or not this proposal will help will depend entirely on how it is implemented. Recent legislation threatened to put an end to recreational canal boating because of new charges. British Conservatives managed to stop this law from applying to non-commercial boats, so for those embarking on canal boat summer holidays enjoy!
