Round up of first March Strasbourg Session

During the first parliamentary session in March MEPs discussed the economic crisis and passed wide-ranging legislation in the field of maritime safety. This should ensure that disastrous oil slicks like that from the “Erika” in 1999 along the coast of Brittany, are avoided in future. The European Day of Terrorism was marked by condemnation of fresh acts of violence in Europe and a moment's silence for the victims.

The European Union's 2010 budget was also on the agenda as MEPs identified the economic downturn, climate change, energy policy, illegal immigration and crime as key concerns.
 
On Tuesday, MEPs approved laws to update and strengthen rules concerning harmful industrial emissions, targeting mainly the more than 50,000 industrial plants across Europe.
 
The EU aspirations of Croatia, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were also discussed. Organised crime in Croatia and the failure to open negotiations with FYROM are concerns.
 
Finally, to mark 50 years since a doomed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule the House adopted a resolution calling on Beijing to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama.