Early finish and travel delays!!

9.00 Arrive in the Parliament. I have to go back to the UK today as I have a conference to speak at tomorrow morning in London. So I have my suitcase with me, which feels very odd!

9.30 Votes in ECON. Only four of our seven there – where are they?? Seems we have clash of voting with other committees again. The Chair tries to take the votes very quickly and trips herself up. We have 9 pages of votes on broad Economic Guidelines, 6 on the EIB Annual Report and 35 pages on Prudential Assessment Acquisition. I reckon that there are up to 20 votes per page, but as some fall when compromises are passed we may only have to vote on 5 to 10 per page.

After votes we talk about Economic Relations with Russia so I bring up the TRIPS and WTO concerns, which is agreed by the Rapporteur and EPP shadow (and Olle Scmidt our shadow).

12.30 Working Lunch on the Investment Funds White Paper. I leave a little before the end at 2.00 in order to get the 3.00 Eurostar. En route to the station my driver ever so slightly nudges another car. So he has to stop and the other driver seems to insist he wants to make a claim. My driver a little concerned about what he is meant to do with me but we are right by a Metro Station so I jump out. It seems another driver would be sent to the first with crash paperwork to complete.

Anyway, I get to Gare du Midi and first of all the train is delayed, and then cancelled. Then all the Investment Fund speakers whom I ran out on earlier arrive at Gare du Midi for the next Eurostar, which is also delayed. I chat to some very nice people travelling to Ashford and tell them how we are campaigning to try and maintain the Brussels - Ashford service. On the train I write my speeches for tomorrow.

Miranda emails to say that her work is all going wrong as my weekend engagements this week and next are cancelled, so not a good day for the Bowles Office. Tomorrow is all day in London and Friday I will be able to work on the Zingaretti Report on criminal sanctions on IP and do the usual radio interviews.