The torrential rain that fell on the island of Madeira caused chaos and extreme material damage, with landslides, collapsed bridges, closed highways, and houses and cars swept away by the floods.

25. Notes also the criticisms raised by the Committee on Petitions following its fact-finding visit to the Loiret, in France, in 2007, and in particular requests the French authorities to act decisively to ensure compliance with EU directives which risk being infringed should certain planned projects for the construction of bridges over the River Loire be allowed to go ahead, bearing in mind that the Loire Valley is not only protected under the terms of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive but is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe's last remaining wild river systems;

25. Notes also the criticisms raised by the Committee on Petitions following its fact-finding visit to the Loiret, in France, in 2007, and in particular requests the French authorities to act decisively to ensure compliance with EU directives which risk being infringed should certain planned projects for the construction of bridges over the River Loire be allowed to go ahead, bearing in mind that the Loire Valley is not only protected under the terms of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive but is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe's last remaining wild river systems;

It is my belief that there are two things that have to be dealt with together. On the one hand, the enlargement of the European Union and of NATO means that bridges have to be built to Russia, that important country, but Europe's history means that the European Union must also show itself to be the protector of small countries and that, in any arrangements reached in connection with the Kaliningrad question, the status and sovereignty of small countries must be taken into account if we want to become a credible Union.

But this has caused difficulties, because the problem with the Canary Islands, as with the other outermost regions – the Azores, Madeira and the French overseas departments – is that they are a long way from European territory, divided into small island areas, with very small markets, with enormous transport problems and, furthermore, with problems due, for example, to over-population, very irregular rain patterns and poor soil, which hinder the development of normal activities.

In order to describe each size, the dry matter content, previously indicated only for ‘Pont-l’Évêque’ and petit‘Pont-l’Évêque’, is now specified also for the sizes grand‘Pont-l’Évêque’ and demi‘Pont-l’Évêque’.