Translation of "Glory-of-the-snow " (English → French) :

It is, of course, difficult to predict a volcanic eruption and, even more so, the formation of a volcanic ash cloud – more difficult, of course, than predicting a snow episode. However, the crisis caused by this cloud highlights all the shortcomings and deficiencies of air traffic management in the Union as well as the weakness and absence of a number of management tools.

In particular, the Commission should be empowered to establish the specific procedures, tests and requirements for the type-approval of motor vehicles, components and separate technical units; to define more precisely the characteristics a tyre must fulfil to be defined as ‘special use tyre’, ‘off-road professional tyre’, ‘reinforced tyre’, ‘extra load tyre’, ‘snow tyre’, ‘T-type temporary-use spare tyre’ or ‘traction tyre’; to set out specific safety requirements for vehicles intended for the transport of dangerous goods by road within or between Member States; to exempt certain vehicles or classes of vehicles of categories M, M, N and N from the obligation to install advanced emergency braking systems and/or lane departure warning syst ...[+++]ems; to amend the limit values on rolling resistance and rolling noise for tyres as a result of changes in test procedures without lowering the level of protection of the environment; to establish rules on the procedure for the determination of noise levels of tyres; to shorten the sell-off period for tyres not complying with the requirements set out in this Regulation and its implementing measures; and to amend Annex IV to include the Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE Regulations) which are mandatory under Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997 with a view to accession by the European Community to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions .

I am not seeking the Presidency of the Eurogroup at minister of finance level for my own pleasure and glory, which is hardly inexhaustible; I am doing so out of a sense of duty. If others think that they can do a better job of these tasks, then let them do so, but they should apply the same intensity to them in the years to come as they give the impression of wanting to do at the present time.

Will the Commission say whether after the latest revelations it intends to take steps to have the marbles returned to their original site, so that the Parthenon of the Acropolis of Athens – a unique part of man's cultural heritage – can be restored to its former glory, in line with the declaration signed by a majority of the Members of the European Parliament and the laws governing the return of stolen works of art?

Will the Commission say whether after the latest revelations it intends to take steps to have the marbles returned to their original site, so that the Parthenon of the Acropolis of Athens - a unique part of man's cultural heritage - can be restored to its former glory, in line with the declaration signed by a majority of the Members of the European Parliament and the laws governing the return of stolen works of art?

And it is in this climate where some nationalistic politicians see their window of opportunity and start chanting the glories of a past that never was and the promises of a triumphant future that will never be.