Preventing deaths on EU roads - MEPs propose ways of improving road safety. Consumer rights and economic governance are among the hot topics of this week's plenary.

The News: Road safety - Brussels mini plenary

Halving the number of deaths  on European roads by 2020:

we have the Parliament's  recommendations.

We also take a look at the major issues  on the agenda of the mini plenary session

And the rest of today's news  in brief and in pictures.

Michaël Jonniaux is the director  of the Belgian Federal Highway Police.

He and his 1,100 staff  cover 2,200km of tarmac.

Despite the drop in fatal road accidents,

much remains to be done  to prevent these tragedies.

In the past it was alcohol,  now it’s also drugs.

Secondly, excessive  and inappropriate speed.

Thirdly, the non-use of safety equipment.  Cars are increasingly better equipped,

but if the equipment is not used,  that causes problems.

In 2009, 35,000 people  lost their lives on European roads.

The EU’s goal is to halve  the number of deaths in 10 years.

prevention and sanctions  are the pillars of this policy.

First of all the enforcement of existing  laws, so that they’re respected by all.

Then we need to coordinate new actions,  so that countries don’t do just anything.

And concerning alcohol, we have to  reduce the accidents caused by alcohol.

In certain EU states one in four  fatal accidents is due to alcohol intake.

Some MEPs are calling for  zero tolerance.

What we would like to see is  an alcohol limitation

especially for newly qualified  and professional drivers.

The States just need to be persuaded  that these are the right measures.

In the midst of the Greek political crisis,  will the MEPs and States be able to agree

A plenary vote is foreseen for Thursday,  just before the European Council.

There’s the question of the automaticity  of the sanctions process

as part of the Stability and Growth Pact

and the issue of symmetry  in macroeconomic surveillance:

will we look at both  the countries with a surplus

and those with,  for example, a trade deficit?

On Wednesday, MEPs will also tackle the  future of the Common Agricultural Policy

It’s an important issue given that the CAP  represents 40% of the EU budget.

We'd like to have a more transparent  Common Agricultural Policy,

with less bureaucracy. The CAP should  maintain the same level of the budget,

because new Member States  will come in.

Better protection for European consumers  especially when they shop online.

After months of negotiations  with the States,

MEPs will vote Thursday for harmonising  consumer rights within the EU.

Consumers should be aware  of all the costs of the purchase.

and it will be really positive  for the consumers

and for creating more trust  in this sector of the market.

During this session the MEPs should also  support the appointment of Mario Draghi

For more information,  visit the EuroparlTV site.

In the midst of the Greek crisis, the future  of the eurozone is played out this week.

Among the hot issues: ministers  and MEPs must find a compromise

on the EU's new economic governance  by Thursday.

At stake are stricter rules  and quicker sanctions

against the eurozone’s poor performers.

The EU is ready to tighten its sanctions,  if the situation in Syria worsens.

On Monday, Europe's foreign ministers  took Bashar al-Assad at his word.

The Syrian President called for  national dialogue to resolve the impasse.

Since March, 1,300 people  have already died in Syria

following the bloody repression  that has hit the country.

90% of Europeans say they’re very  concerned about environmental issues,

according to the latest  Eurobarometer survey.

The vast majority of those surveyed call  for practical solutions at European level.

to indentify consumer products  which respect the environment.