This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and Vice President David Sassoli welcome the Euro-Mediterranean Assembly decision to establish its permanent seat in Rome. “We need to work together to re-launch the Euro-Mediterranean Assembly for it to play a key role in […]Euro-Mediterranean Assembly fixes its permanent seat in Rome
July 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and Vice President David Sassoli welcome the Euro-Mediterranean Assembly decision to establish its permanent seat in Rome. “We need to work together to re-launch the Euro-Mediterranean Assembly for it to play a key role in […]Employment and Social Developments in Europe: 2018 review confirms positive trends but highlights challenges, in particular linked to automation and digitalisation
July 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Today, the Commission has published the 2018 edition of its yearly Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review. This year’s edition confirms the ongoing positive labour market trends as well as an improving social situation. The numbers of people in employment reached new […]NATO summit, Brussels, 11-12/07/2018
July 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This story is brought to you in association with the European Union Council The NATO summit was an opportunity to follow up on EU-NATO cooperation. The EU and NATO signed a new joint declaration just ahead of the summit on 10 July 2018. The NATO summit was also an occasion to take stock of progress […]Statement by the Brexit Steering Group on UK government White paper
July 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Statement by the Brexit Steering Group on the Chequers Statement of 6 July 2018 and on the White Paper released by the UK Government The European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group (BSG), chaired by Guy Verhofstadt, met today and had an extensive exchange of views […]Consumer product quality: MEPs take aim at dual standards
July 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. If a firm sells a product EU-wide, but with compositions that differ between countries, it must not label and brand it in a seemingly identical way, as this may mislead consumers, say MEPs. Many tests and surveys done in several EU member states, mainly […]European Parliament and Eurovision sign partnership for European Elections
July 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The deal also includes the organisation of a debate between the lead candidates to become President of the European Commission. The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Parliament and the EBU establishes a partnership for cooperation on media coverage of the campaign for the […]MEPs back measures to reconcile career and private life
July 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Employment Committee MEPs today approved paternity leave, non-transferable parental leave and measures to boost women’s chances in the labour market. The draft rules set minimum requirements for member states, in a bid to boost women’s representation in the workplace and strengthen the role of […]Subsidiarity and Proportionality: Task Force presents recommendations on a new way of working to President Juncker
July 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today the Task Force on Subsidiarity, Proportionality and ‘Doing Less, More Efficiently’, chaired by First Vice-President Timmermans, handed over its final report to Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The report responds to three questions put forward by the President when creating the Task Force in […]Commission supports normalisation in Greece through activation of post-programme framework
July 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission has adopted a decision to activate the enhanced surveillance framework for Greece to support the implementation of agreed reforms following the successful conclusion of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) stability support programme. On 20 August, Greece will conclude its ESM stability […]MEPs propose measures to combat mobbing and sexual harassment
July 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Sexual harassment victims should be helped to report cases and perpetrators should face sanctions, say Women’s Rights MEPs in a draft report adopted on Tuesday. In the context of the public debate prompted by the Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo campaign, which helped to […]Clamp down on illegal trade in pets, urge Public Health Committee MEPs
July 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Measures to help EU countries tackle illegal trade in pets, often by cross-border criminal networks, were proposed by Public Health Committee MEPs on Tuesday. Identifying and registering cats and dogs is a crucial and necessary step in combating their illegal breeding and trade, often […]Cybersecurity Act: build trust in digital technologies
July 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. A new certification framework for connected devices, together with a stronger role for the EU Cybersecurity Agency, were backed by Industry Committee MEPs on Tuesday. The EU cybersecurity scheme will certify that an ICT product, process or service has no known vulnerabilities at the […]Austrian Presidency priorities discussed in committees
July 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The priorities of the Austrian Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by ministers, in a series of meetings. Austria is holding the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2018. Hearings take place between 9 and […]Quicker freezing and confiscation of criminal assets in the EU
July 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.New rules to speed up the freezing and confiscation of criminal assets across the EU were adopted by the Civil Liberties committee on Tuesday. This legislation, already informally agreed between Parliament and Council negotiators on 14 June, should make it quicker and simpler for EU […]Parliament backs a modernised EU electoral law
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The European Parliament endorsed new measures to modernise the European electoral law last Wednesday. The purpose of the updated electoral law is to boost EU citizens’ participation in the European elections and enhance the European character of the procedure. The new measures were endorsed […]
Angola’s President João Lourenço calls for stronger EU-Africa cooperation
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The President of Angola, João Lourenço, addressed MEPs in a formal sitting last Wednesday. EU-Angola relations and cooperation, development, migration and promoting stability, growth and jobs on the African continent were among the issues addressed during Mr João Lourenço’s first official visit to the […]Polish PM chooses to focus on economy, amid questions on rule of law in Poland
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki debated the future of Europe with MEPs and EU Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, last Wednesday. “Poland was one of the first countries to give voting rights to women, and we are deeply rooted in the rule of law. […]MEPs back EU partnership agreement with Armenia
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs gave their consent to the EU-Armenia comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement last Wednesday, paving the way for deeper cooperation in different sectors. The negotiations on the new EU-Armenia comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement (CEPA) were launched in 2015 and concluded in 2017. The agreement […]
MEPs list conditions for new EU-Azerbaijan deal
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Ensuring that core EU values and rights are respected is one of the conditions for deepening EU-Azerbaijan relations, said MEPs last Wednesday. Parliament’s recommendation to negotiators working on the EU-Azerbaijan Comprehensive Agreement, passed by 564 votes to 69, with 47 abstentions, calls on the […]MEPs react to breaches of human rights in Moldova, Burundi and Somalia
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs condemn the lack of respect for human rights and the rule of law in Moldova, Burundi and Somalia, in resolutions voted last Thursday. Moldova: MEPs appeal for the respect of rule of law and democracy MEPs condemn the decision of the Supreme […]Data exchanges: Strengthening Europol cooperation with non-EU countries
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs stress need for personal data safeguards ahead of talks with eight non-EU countries to strengthen cooperation with Europol. The aim of strengthening cooperation is to prevent and combat terrorism and organized crime, and to better address migration-related challenges such as the facilitation of […]
Venezuela: Parliament calls for urgent EU help for people fleeing the country
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs urged Venezuela to allow in humanitarian aid, and the EU to release more funds to help Venezuelans fleeing the country, in a vote last Thursday. The European Parliament is shocked and alarmed by the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has led to many […]Giving humanitarian help to migrants should not be a crime, according to the EP
July 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The EU should ensure that helping migrants for humanitarian reasons is not punishable as a crime, the European Parliament stated on Thursday. In a non-legislative resolution, MEPs highlight concerns that EU laws on help to irregular migrants are having “unintended consequences” for citizens that […]Parliament approves €500 million for schooling of refugee children in Turkey
July 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs said yes to continuing to pay the salaries of over 5,000 teachers, who so far have provided education to over 300,000 refugee children in Turkey. A draft amending budget was approved by Parliament on Wednesday to cover the first payment – €500 million, […]
EU budget for 2019: do more for the young, SMEs and the climate, urge MEPs
July 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Next year’s EU budget should focus on young people, say MEPs, in a resolution voted on Thursday. Other priorities are growth, security, fighting climate change and migration. The resolution, which sets out principles for MEPs to follow in 2019 budget negotiations with the Council, […]Reinforcing EU border security: Visa-exempt travelers will be pre-screened
July 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment
The European Parliament Plenary session, debated and voted today (5/7/2018) (European Union Audiovisual Services photo taken 09/11/2017). This story is brought to you in association with the European Union (a European Parliament decision and release) Travelers posing a security risk will be refused entry into the EU Application will include questions on criminal record and […]
EU prolongs economic sanctions on Russia by six months
July 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This story is brought to you in association with the European Union Council Today, 5 July 2018, the Council prolonged economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 January 2019. This decision follows an update from President Macron and Chancellor Merkel to the European Council of 28-29 June 2018 on the state of […]Third Facebook-Cambridge Analytica hearing: data breach prevention and cures
July 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs discussed how to prevent repeats of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal with a Facebook representative and three EU Commissioners on Monday evening. At the third Facebook-Cambridge Analytica hearing, Richard Allan, Vice-President of Policy Solutions at Facebook, answered MEPs’ questions about how Facebook intends to […]EU job-search aid worth €9.9 million for 1,858 former Air France workers
July 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Former Air France workers will receive EU aid worth €9,894,483 to help them to re-integrate into the labour market, following a plenary vote on Tuesday. Air France made 1,858 workers redundant due to “serious economic disruption”, including a decline in the EU’s international market […]Statement by the Brexit Steering Group on UK paper on EU citizens in the UK
July 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Statement by the Brexit Steering Group on the proposed “EU settlement scheme: Statement of Intent”, published on 21 June. Responding to the release of the UK’s policy paper “EU Settlement Scheme statement of intent” policy paper, which describes how EU citizens and their families […]First-ever EU defence industry fund to finance joint development of capabilities
July 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. For the first time, MEPs endorsed the setting up of a programme devoted to boosting innovation in European defence industry including cyber security on Tuesday. With a €500 million budget for 2019-2020, the new European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) will help fund the […]Austria’s EU Presidency: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz aims to “build bridges”
July 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Borders, migration, the MFF, and enlargement were key issues in a debate with Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on the EU work programme for the rest of 2018. During its six-month presidency in the Council, the Austrian government intends primarily to promote stronger protection […]Celebrating the Customs Union: the world’s largest trading bloc turns 50
July 3, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The EU’s Customs Union celebrates its 50th anniversary on July 1, one of the greatest achievements of the European Union. Borne out of the landmark post-war agreements that paved the way for European integration, the Customs Union opened for business in 1968. By abolishing […]
