ArleneMccarthy

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Political Memory: Arlene McCARTHY, MEP

General Data

• Born on 10 October 1960, Belfast (Northern Ireland)
• Country: United Kingdom
• Political Group: Socialist Group in the European Parliament (PSE)
  Party: Labour Party

Contact

• Parlement européen
  Bâtiment Altiero Spinelli 13G205
  60, rue Wiertz, 1047 Bruxelles
  Tel.: +32 2 28 45 501/+32 2 28 47 501
  Fax: +32 2 28 49 501
• Parlement européen
  Bâtiment Louise Weiss T06015
  1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman - CS 91024, 67070 Strasbourg Cedex
  Tel.: +33 3 88 175 501/+33 3 88 177 501
  Fax: +33 3 88 179 501

• Email: arlene.mccarthy(at)europarl.europa.eu
• Page on European Parliament website: www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert/alphaOrder/view.do?language=EN&id=2173
• Site web: www.arlenemccarthy.labour.co.uk

Functions in European Parliament

• Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (Chairwoman)
• Conference of Committee Chairmen (Member)
• Delegation for relations with the United States (Member)
• Committee on Legal Affairs (Substitute)
• Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia (Substitute)
• BA (Hons.) (1983). Studied at the Polytechnic of the South Bank, London, the Department of Political Science, Stuttgart University and the Faculty of Law, University of Clermont-Ferrand. Guest Research Fellow at the Institute for Transatlantic Foreign and Security Policy, Free University of Berlin (1986-1988). Ph.D. studies (University of Manchester). Worked with the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (1989-1992) and with Mr Ford, former Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party (1990-1992). Lecturer in politics, Institute for International Politics and Regional Studies, Free University of Berlin (1991-1992). Principal European Liaison Officer, Kirklees Metropolitan Council (until 1994). (Curriculum vitae)
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1994). (Curriculum vitae)
• Author of 'European Regional Development Strategies: Responses of Two Northern Regions', Local Government Policy Making, Vol.20, No 5, May 1994. Joint editor of 'Changing States' (1996) and author of chapter 'A Europe of the Regions: Building Economic and Social Cohesion in Britain and Europe'. (Curriculum vitae)

Curriculum Vitae

• BA (Hons.) (1983)
• Studied at the Polytechnic of the South Bank, London, the Department of Political Science, Stuttgart University and the Faculty of Law, University of Clermont-Ferrand
• Guest Research Fellow at the Institute for Transatlantic Foreign and Security Policy, Free University of Berlin (1986-1988)
• Ph.D
• Studies (University of Manchester)
• Worked with the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (1989-1992) and with Mr Ford, former Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party (1990-1992)
• Lecturer in politics, Institute for International Politics and Regional Studies, Free University of Berlin (1991-1992)
• Principal European Liaison Officer, Kirklees Metropolitan Council (until 1994)
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1994)
• Author of 'European Regional Development Strategies: Responses of Two Northern Regions', Local Government Policy Making, Vol.20, No 5, May 1994
• Joint editor of 'Changing States' (1996) and author of chapter 'A Europe of the Regions: Building Economic and Social Cohesion in Britain and Europe'

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Votes

• 10/04/2008 - Rapport Bono on cultural industries in Europe 7/20
• 12/10/2006 - Resolutions on European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) 4/20
• 24/09/2003 - Directive on patentability of "computer-implemented inventions" (software patents) 6/20

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Opinions

Sources

• Written questions at European Parliament
• Proposals for a resolution at European Parliament
• Reports at European Parliament
• Opinions at European Parliament
• Speeches in plenary at European Parliament
• Written declarations in European Parliament
• Wikipedia
• Google

Positions

Thanks to improve this part with opinions from Arlene McCARTHY about Squaring the Net concerned issues (see page Help:Political_Memory to know how to do it).

• 12/07/2008 Reply to campaign concerning vote on IMCO & ITRE of Telecoms package

Dear Vicky, thank you for your further email on this, Rachel has passed to me as Arlene's Parliamentary Assistant in her Brussels office - very nice to meet you, albeit electronically. You colleague raises the reference to cooperation to be encouraged in each Member State. The aim here is to encourage all those with a legitimate interest in online activity to work together to ensure users have open access to the internet and lawful content, respecting the rights of all involved. It supports dialogue to achieve this without prescribing a particular course of action. Any results of such cooperation would have to respect the legislation in place in the EU and in Member States in this field. On that point the proposed Directive also includes additional measures to strengthen protection of people's data privacy in legislation. As mentioned, the one problem on this front relates to an amendment by Conservative MEP Syed Kamall which did introduce problematic ambiguity and potential weaknesses in this protection regime. This was certainly a cause of legitimate concern to some campaigners. The Labour group (the PES) opposed this amendment in the Parliament and all groups have agreed to amend or withdraw it completely before the proposal is voted into legislation. This amendment also undoubtedly increased the concerns of those organisations who are opposed to the French plans to introduce a "graduated response" or "three strikes" policy in dealing with infringers of intellectual property rights. However, as the Rapporteur (the lead MEP responsible for drafting the Parliament's view) for the proposal, Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour, made clear in the Parliament, the package put forward in no way constitutes such a policy nor even gives support to Member States wishing to move in such a Direction. It does however strengthen the data protection framework to prevent abuses by companies or third parties of individuals' data. The Rapporteur strongly voiced his condemnation of media commentary that caused concern amongst many people by inaccurately portraying the aims of MEPs in the great majority of amendments which were adopted with overwhelming support from across the political spectrum of the Parliament. I am sure however that all Members of the Parliament remain very open to constructive dialogue both to correct any continuing misapprehensions there are and most importantly to take on any further improvements that may be necessary to the text and to ensure it best protects the rights of all concerned. Of course as stated they will certainly tackle the problematic amendment referred to earlier. Please thank your colleague for the concerns he raises which I will ensure are put to Arlene's full attention. I would be happy to discuss further if you have any points of particular concern, with best wishes, Alex

Alex Stringer, Parliamentary Assistant to Arlene McCarthy MEP