MEPs looked into banning dangerous substances in electrical goods. The EU is hoping to get everyone online by 2020 with it's digital agenda. MEP Carl Schlyter talks about a report into pharmaceuticals grip on health.

The News - Toxic waste - Internet access - Pharmaceuticals

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15193688/N001-100603-EN1.srt

Beware of dangerous substances  in mobile phones or computers:

progressive removal of toxic substances  found inside is under the spotlight.

Finding a job is not easy if you’re  young in the middle of a crisis.

MEPs are worried by the multiplying  number of unpaid internships.

The internet to save  the EU from economic stasis?

Yes, says the EU.  The new digital agenda is up for debate.

Since 2005 recycling  mobile phones and computers

by progressively  removing toxic substances.

MEPs will soon vote on it in the plenary.  Hugues Wajnsztok reports.

Every year this plant treats tonnes  of electrical and electronic goods:

fridges, washing machines  and computers.

Care is taken since  they may contain substances

harmful to both humans  and the environment.

Some of these electrical goods  contain toxic substances,

An EU law from 2003 progressively  eradicates dangerous substances

such as heavy metals,  from the manufacturing process.

They hope to evaluate the toxicity  of certain substances,

which was confirmed  in the EP committee.

This is the time to take  a real step forward on this.

That’s why I’m so pleased  we got this annex in the report

which lists those substances  which could cause problems,

which should be looked at  as a matter of priority.

All electrical or electronic goods  will be included in the new directive

except for military and  large industrial instruments.

so that the entrepreneurs would not  be harmed by this new directive.

During the voting in  the Environment Committee

we rejected attempts  to add any new substance.

It's urgent, as estimates say that by 2020

the EU will produce 12.3 million tonnes  of electrical waste,

The new European law  should be adopted in July.

Young people's access to the job market  is one of the EU's biggest challenges.

If they're not jobless,  they're interns and are rarely paid.

Jim Gibbons met with an intern  to find out more.

5.5 million EU citizens under 25 are  out of work – more than one in five.

The worst is to come  with the economic crisis.

I know it’s difficult  for many companies in these times,

but we have a shared responsibility  for educating tomorrow’s workforce.

Ms Turunen’s report wants no young  person jobless for more than 6 months,

with incentives for firms  and a quality standard for internships.

But there are many obstacles  with internships often being unpaid,

It’s slightly unfair because  it can exclude many people,

not because of their intellect  or their knowledge or their understanding

but they’re excluded purely  because of their financial means.

But it can be a route  into a well-paid job.

This man had just completed  his first day as an intern with an NGO

creating an urban farm  in a run-down area.

He, too thinks governments  and the EU could do more.

I think there should be more  synergetic activity

between a top-down  and bottom-up approach.

A European Parliament statute insists  that interns at least receive an allowance,

which is often a step up  for those involved.

Actually I have so far done  three internships,

and I must say all three  were without any salary.

making sure all firms treat  their interns as trainees

rather than free labour  could prove difficult.

And to conclude, youth training and  employment will be on the agenda

of the next meeting of heads of state  in Brussels, June 17-18.

Who should look after information  given to sick people?

A legislative project was  under discussion in the EP,

and debates are getting heated.  Jim Gibbons met MEP Carl Schlyter.

Carl Schlyter,  vice-chair of Environment Committee.

This report seeks to shift  the Commission's focus

away from pharmaceuticals industry's  right to inform

Exactly and the Commission is  from the wrong background.

Now we have to ensure  there are no loopholes

regarding advertising of prescription  drugs to the general public.

That must stop, but how to achieve that?

Now there are many new hidden  channels for communication

which we have to block or  there will be disease mongering etc.

The project is being held up in the Council

In a sense, it's pointless  as it will never pass the Council.

The Council is worried if patients  ask too many questions

about the alternatives, it's not only drugs,  non-drug treatment is also useful.

Patients have the right to this information.

I propose that the only information  companies can communicate

is what is in the leaflet you get  when you buy a medicine.

Then you don't need authorisation  procedures, etc...

We would also like to oblige  governments to have internet pages

and other certified, neutral  and correct information

When they ask for info,  they can access it.

one of the problems is that  with too much information

they will opt for the most  expensive treatment.

It's true, but if the industry  doesn't provide info