The questions asked to the MEPs

During these weeks of contests, 4 to 5 MEPs have answered each week five questions.

By clicking on the week, you will get to the questions and the running MEPs of the week. By clicking on the question, you will get to the answers fo the MEPs and the comments left by Europeans.

First week:

• What does "European Social Model" mean for you?
• Which principles should apply to the sending or turning back of "illegal" immigrants?
• Do you support the idea of a European Army? What for? Should it substitute national armies?
• Which EU budget line would you increase? Which one would you cut down?
• Should the EU continue with import quotas and restrictions to cheap Chinese products?

Second week:

• Last week Chirac left the Council meeting because someone did not speak French. Do you think that is OK?
• Recently the idea of the creation of a new agency for the observation of fundamental human rights at the EU-level was proposed. Do we need such an agency?  Which social policy areas should be dealt by the EU?Read and comment on the answers?
• Which social policy areas should be dealt by the EU?Read and comment on the answers?
• So far the budget of the EU is mainly financed by national contributions. Should the EU instead fund its budget by a direct EU tax?
• Should the EU put stronger pressure on Putin to stop his support to Belarus-Europe's last dictatorship?

Third week:

• The German president Koehler suggested to hold a European Council in Shanghai to make EU more visible in the world. Do you think it is a good idea? 
• Now that it has been agreed to have common European driving license, would you be in favour of creating a European ID?
• In light of the ongoing energy crisis with Russia and other energy suppliers, what are your proposals to make the EU less dependant on foreign energy supplies? Do you think that going back to nuclear power is a solution?
• What is the impact of religion or faith-based movements in nowadays Europe? Do they influence the policy-making?
• Commissioner in charge of Internal Market and Services, Charles McCreevy, will present in the EP the new proposal on EU services' directive. Why does the EU need to liberalize the EU services sector at all? Which expectations do you have for the new proposal?

Fourth week:

• For fear of undermining its economy, Tony Blair admitted that UK will not reach the 20 percent reduction of gas emission by 2010 as signed in the Kyoto protocol agreement. Which price do you think is worth paying to respect the environment?
• The European Union has threatened the Palestinian Government to suspend the yearly aid of 500 millions Euro if they don't renounce to violence, recognize the state of Israel and respect of the Israelo-palestiniens agreements. What do you think of this measure?

• Should the EU introduce a common regulation on the corporate taxes?

• Does co-existence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and natural product work? Or should GMOs be banned altogether?

• For the coming elections in Congo, the European force is going to deploy around 500 soldiers in Kinshasa and 800 in the neighboring countries. The possibility of a military intervention is limited to support the UN force. Remembering other civil war cases and peace keeping mission hold by the UN or western countries, do you believe this kind of military presence is sufficient in the actual Congo crisis? 

Fifth week:

• The EC has launched the Plan D -for debate, dialog, democracy...-. How do you evaluate what has been done so far to increase the debate with the citizens and civil society at European level? How would you set up this dialog with the European citizens?
• Should European citizens be allowed to vote in their country of residence (instead of original country) in EP elections, or to cast their vote to an MEP from other EU country than their own?
• Who should govern internet? Should it remain free from charge and monitoring? Could using internet be taxed globally?
• How would you make EU foreign policy more effective?
• What should be the position of the EU in case of escalation in the Tibetan-Chinese conflict?
  

Sixth week:

• We are now 4 years before 2010, date when -according to the Lisbon objectives- the EU should be the most competitive knowledge based economic area in the world. Do you think the Lisbon goals are at reach? If not, what is keeping the EU away from these goals?

•  Far right parties and populist parties are getting more and more popular among Europeans. Do you believe that the European Union has any part of responsibility for this increase?

•  In your opinion which will be the short-term effects of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania for the EU?

•  How would you make European Elections more popular and increase the voter turnout?

• After criticisms regarding the lack of efforts made by the EU concerning the Doha agreement, Peter Mandelson, trade commissioner for the European Union, blames the US for blocking the trade negotiations. Do you believe this is enough of an argument to justify EU's low profile in the negotiations?

 

Final Week:

• Do you think having the president of the European Commission elected via European-wide elections would bring the European citizens closer to the European project? Could you tell us who would be your candidate for such a position?

• The Commission's deadline to Serbia for handing over suspected war criminal General Ratko Mladic to The Hague expired on 30th of April. Do you believe that canceling the next round of talks with Serbia about its future accession is a strong enough measure? 

• After the rejection of the constitution it looks like the time for “deepening” –advancing in political integration- is on hold. Do you think it is sustainable to keep on “widening” –enlargement- without having a democratic, transparent and well-functioning institutional framework? 

• As an MEP, how do you balance the interests of your political group, your national party and country? Which one plays more influence on your decisions?Compare with the answers of the other finalists and comment! 

• The European Union –together with member states- is the biggest Humanitarian Aid supplier in the world. However, we are still far from reaching the Millennium goals when it comes to halving the proportion of people living with less than a dollar a day. What is your proposal to make the Millennium Goals a reality? Is humanitarian aid enough?