Jean's Work

Seminar "Russia in the XXth Century: Constants and Variables" sponsored by Jean Lambert MEP and Bart Staes MEP
Brussels, European Parliament 18/06/02
Copyright EP

 


Jean's work in the European Parliament

Jean spends on average three weeks of each month working in Brussels and the fourth week in Strasbourg. The Committee and political group meetings in Brussels and the Parliamentary meetings in Strasbourg normally last from Monday to Thursday, these are the core days that Jean spends in Brussels but she tends to split her time between doing Parliamentary and constituency activities. Jean often spends time meeting constituents and attending public events in London on Fridays and at the weekends. Because Jean works on similar issues in Parliament and in the constituency, like sustainability, immigration and asylum and social inclusion, there is a lot of continuity between her Brussels and London work.

In the Parliament, Jean is a full member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, a substitute member of the Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs (Civil Liberties) Committee and a substitute member of the Human Rights Committee. For more information on how the Committees work, see The European Parliament section. She is also a member of two Parliamentary Delegations, one to South Asia and the other to Japan. Her delegation and intergroup activities are described below.

Jean is a Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance political Group in the European Parliament. This Group is made up of Green and Regionalist MEPs from around Europe and has 42 Members. Being Vice-President means that she is involved in helping steer the political direction and priorities of the Group. For more information on Political Groups and their importance, see the European Parliament section on Political Groups.

Jean's Committees and other Groups

Employment and Social Affairs Committee


Out of all her Parliamentary Committees, Jean spends the most time working on this one. Issues covered here include:

  • Flexible employment and working time
  • The coordination of social security systems and free movement in Europe
  • Pensions
  • Economic and social aspects of sustainable development
  • Equal opportunities for disabled people
  • Anti-discrimination in employment
  • Social Inclusion
  • Workers' Rights
  • The employment angles of immigration policy
  • Services

For information on her work on these issues see the Employment and Social Affairs page and the Anti-Discrimination and Social Inclusion page and her Report on Flexible Working

Civil Liberties Committee


Jean is a 'substitute' member on this Committee and is the Green Party specialist on asylum and immigration. Consequently she was chosen as Parliament's Rapporteur (author) on the Report dealing with "the managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and the enhancement of the protection capacity of the regions of origin - ‘Improving access to durable solutions’ (COM(2004)0410)" and the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament ‘A more efficient common European asylum system: the single procedure as the next step’ (COM(2004)0503 – 2004/2121 (INI)).

She has been particularly active in the following areas:

  • Anti-racism
  • Human trafficking
  • European Arrest Warrant
  • European minorities including the Roma
  • Gay and lesbian rights

Immigration and Asylum and Data Protection and Civil Liberties issues.

Sub-Committee on Human Rights

This body is a branch of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Importantly it can act as a platform for NGOs and deal with those human rights violations that take place outside the borders of the European Union.

Some topics include:

  • "Together against the death penalty"
  • Human Rights in Tunisia
  • EU Guidelines for Human Rights Defenders
  • Atrocities on Hungarian minorities

Intergroups

Intergroups are cross-party groups of MEPs who get together to discuss pressing problems, produce position papers and organise events around the theme of the Intergroup.

Jean is a co-President of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Ageing, which focuses on issues related to older people.

The objectives of the Intergroup on Ageing:

  • To provide a forum for discussion and concerted action by MEPs with specific interests in EU issues relevant to older people (including pensions, age discrimination, employment for older workers, and older people's health)
  • To provide regular opportunities for an exchange of views on EU policies, and establish long-term working relationships
  • To raise awareness about ageing issues on the European scene and to support a positive approach to ageing within the European Parliament and other institutions
  • To help bring the EU closer to its older citizens by proposing measures to address their concerns and meet their expectations of an EU working for them

She is Vice-President of the Anti-Racism Intergroup

The objectives of the Intergroup on Anti-racism and Diversity:

  • The main aim is to keep the fight against racism and respect for minority rights at the top of the European Union Policy agenda
  • To serve as a platform where MEPs, NGOs and other stakeholders can work together and actively contribute to improve the EU actions to promote quality, irrespective of racial or ethnic origin
  • To promote racial and cultural diversity in actions and programmes of the European Union

Jean is also a member of the following Intergroups, here is a little information about each one:

Intergroup on Disability

The objectives of the Intergroup on Disability:

  • To discuss issues of concern to disabled people, disability groups and the EU institutions
  • To take follow-up action on priorities for disabled people, such as in putting Parliamentary questions to the Commission, tabling amendments to Parliaments reports on EU policy and programmes of interest and concern to disabled people
  • To ensure strong dialogue between the MEPs active on the Intergroup and the representative disability NGOs based at European, national and local level

Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian rights

The objectives of the Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian rights:

  • To ensure the European Parliament does everything in its power to combat discrimination of lesbian, gay and bisexual people
  • To promote equality
  • To combat discrimination in the provision of goods and services
  • To combat the social exclusion of gays, lesbians and bisexuals
  • To promote the mutual recognition of family diversity

Intergroup on Urban issues

The objectives of the Intergroup on Urban issues:

  • To address issues of improving infrastructure and stimulating investment
  • To support economic and social restructuring
  • To promote the role of culture
  • To resolve the problems of social exclusion
  • To improve co-operation between cities and their respective regions

Other intergroups include the Trade Union Intergroup and the intergroup on Animal Welfare

Delegations

Jean is a member of two Delegations which meet on a regular basis with national representatives. Pressing issues are discussed, particularly with a view to improving relations with the EU and vice versa. For a fuller understanding delegates often carry out fact finding missions to their delegation country.

Here, Jean is particularly interested in issues relevant to caste discrimination as well as those affecting the Sikh Community. Jean visited the region in March 2005 following the devastation of the Tsunami.

Return to top