This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The better access to foreign markets negotiated by the EU benefits European companies, workers and consumers. According to the second annual report about the implementation of trade agreements issued today, these agreements – covering nearly 70 markets all over the world – are proving […]EU trade agreements deliver on growth and jobs, support sustainable development
November 1, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The better access to foreign markets negotiated by the EU benefits European companies, workers and consumers. According to the second annual report about the implementation of trade agreements issued today, these agreements – covering nearly 70 markets all over the world – are proving […]Commission launches new tool to support digital teaching and learning in schools
October 26, 2018 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today unveiled a new tool to help all schools in the EU, as well as in Russia, Georgia and Serbia, to assess how they use digital technology for teaching and learning. In the EU, SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by […]MEPs back plans to halt spread of drug resistance from animals to humans
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Plans to limit the use of antibiotics on farms, in order to keep food free from resistant bacteria, were adopted by Parliament on Thursday. Veterinary medicines must not under any circumstances serve to improve the performance or compensate for poor animal husbandry, says the […]Facebook-Cambridge Analytica: MEPs demand action to protect citizens’ privacy
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. As follow-up action to the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, MEPs call for a full audit on Facebook and new measures against election meddling. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs urge Facebook to allow EU bodies to carry out a full audit to assess data […]Food supply chain: A step closer to ending unfair trading
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Parliament approved on Thursday its negotiating mandate for a new EU law to do away with unfair trading in the food supply chain. The Parliament’s negotiating team has now received a green light to start negotiating with the Council’s Austrian Presidency on the final […]Parliament demands ban on neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups in the EU
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Parliament is concerned by the increasing normalisation of fascism, racism and xenophobia and calls on EU member states to ban neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups. In a resolution passed with 355 votes to 90 and 39 abstentions, MEPs denounce that the lack of serious action […]Reform of road use charges to spur cleaner transport and ensure fairness
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU countries imposing time-based road use charges will need to switch to distance-based ones for trucks and buses from 2023, and vans from end of 2027, under draft rules adopted today. The draft rules aim to help meet EU emission reduction targets for the […]MEPs demand end to EU arms exports to Saudi Arabia
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the European Parliament calls on EU countries to unite and impose an EU-wide arms embargo on Saudi Arabia. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs condemn in the strongest possible terms the torture and killing of Saudi […]Oleg Sentsov awarded the 2018 Sakharov Prize
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov has been awarded this year’s European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani announced the laureate in the Strasbourg chamber at noon on Thursday, following an earlier decision by the Conference of Presidents (President […]LIFE Programme: Member States to benefit from quarter of a billion euros of investments in environment, nature and climate action
October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved an investment package of €243 million from the EU budget for projects under the LIFE programme supporting nature, the environment and quality of life in Europe’s transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon future. The EU funding under the […]Strengthening security through an EU-wide information system
October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The improved Schengen Information System will contribute to the EU’s fight against terrorism, cross-border crime and irregular migration. MEPs adopted on Wednesday three draft regulations that will update the Schengen Information System (SIS), the most widely used information system for security and border management […]EU Budget 2019: focus on the young, on migration and innovation
October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs set the overall EU Budget for 2019 at €166.34 billion for commitments and €149.3 billion in payments. Negotiations with the Council take place in November. In their budgetary resolution, MEPs reaffirm their priorities: “sustainable growth, innovation, competitiveness, security, tackling root causes of refugees […]Erasmus+: an expected budget of €3 billion to be invested in young Europeans and to help create European Universities in 2019
October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. For 2019, funds available for Erasmus+ are expected to increase by €300 million or 10% compared to 2018. Today, the Commission published its 2019 call for proposals for the Erasmus+ programme. From an expected budget of €3 billion for next year, €30 million has been […]Plastic Oceans: MEPs back EU ban on throwaway plastics by 2021
October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks or cotton buds, will be banned in the EU under plans adopted on Wednesday. These products, which make up over 70% of marine litter, will be banned from the EU market from 2021, under […]Drinking water: new plans to improve tap water quality and cut plastic litter
October 24, 2018 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs backed plans on Tuesday to improve consumers’ trust in drinking water from the tap, which is much cheaper and cleaner for the environment compared to bottled water. The legislation tightens the maximum limits for certain pollutants such as lead (to be reduced by […]Commission Work Programme 2019: Delivering on promises and preparing for the future
October 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission today presented its Work Programme for 2019, setting out three main priorities for the year ahead: reaching swift agreement on the legislative proposals already presented to deliver on its ten political priorities; adopting a limited number of new initiatives to address […]European Commission requests that Italy presents a revised draft budgetary plan for 2019
October 24, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has identified in the draft budgetary plan submitted by Italy for 2019 a particularly serious non-compliance with the fiscal recommendation addressed to Italy by the Council on 13 July 2018. In line with the relevant rules, the Commission has adopted an […]Portugal: €4.66 million in aid for 1,460 dismissed workers and jobless young
October 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Following the dismissal of 1,161 textile workers in three regions, the most disadvantaged among them should receive EU aid worth €4,655,883 to help find new jobs. The measures, co-financed by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), would provide the 730 workers facing the greatest […]Schengen: new rules for temporary checks at national borders
October 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Internal border checks within the Schengen area would be limited to a maximum of one year, instead of the current two-year period, the Civil Liberties Committee agreed. The Schengen Borders Code currently under revision allows member states to temporarily carry out checks at internal […]Main results of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) – 18-19/10/2018
October 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Council. Main results President Donald Tusk chaired the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit on 18-19 October 2018 in Brussels. The summit brought together leaders of 51 European and Asian countries, EU representatives, and the Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 12th […]Environment Committee MEPs push for cleaner trucks and electric buses
October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Environment MEPs backed plans for lorries and buses to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions on Thursday. Environment MEPs proposed a higher target (35%) than the European Commission (30%) for new lorries to reduce EU emissions by 2030, with an intermediate target of 20% by 2025. […]Gig economy: Employment Committee MEPs want to boost workers’ rights
October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. New rules on minimum rights for workers in on-demand, voucher-based or platform employment, such as Uber or Deliveroo, were approved by the Employment Committee. Employment Committee MEPs said on Thursday that a person, who for a certain period perform services for and under the […]Brexit effect: Public opinion survey shows that EU is more appreciated than ever
October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The latest EU public opinion survey, conducted in September 2018, reveals a clear and growing appreciation for EU membership, reaching a record high of 68%. The latest Eurobarometer survey, measuring public attitudes to the EU across member states, highlights that more people than ever […]Commission presents EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements for signature and conclusion
October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission today adopted the EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements, paving the way for their signature and conclusion. Through this adoption, the Commission is demonstrating its commitment to putting these agreements in place as soon as possible. The trade agreement will eliminate […]Main results of European Council of 18/10/2018
October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Council. The European Council on 18 October focused on migration and internal security. It was followed by the Euro Summit in an inclusive format. On 17 October, EU27 leaders met in the European Council (Art.50) to discuss Brexit. Brexit At the European Council (Art. 50) working dinner on […]Security: better access to data for border control and migration management
October 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. New measures to improve data exchange between EU information systems for border, security and migration management were backed by the Civil Liberties Committee. The measures, adopted by Civil Liberties MEPs on Monday, would facilitate the tasks of border guards, migration officers, police officers and […]Deal on protecting workers from exposure to harmful substances
October 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. A deal on new EU rules to better protect workers from exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic substances was struck by Employment Committee MEPs and the Council. 12 million workers in the EU potentially exposed to diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEE) will now be better […]A new bioeconomy strategy for a sustainable Europe
October 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today the Commission has put forward an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy that serves Europe’s society, environment and economy. As announced by President Juncker and First Vice-President Timmermans in their letter of intent accompanying President Juncker‘s 2018 State of the […]The future of international election observation missions
October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. “Our citizens gain from living in a world with more democracies and fewer authoritarian regimes” said President Tajani at a high-level conference on electoral observation. “The first mission was carried out in 1994 in Belarus. To date, there have been 209 electoral observations conducted […]Facebook: MEPs demand a full audit by EU bodies to assess data protection
October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU bodies should be allowed to fully audit Facebook to assess data protection and security of users’ personal data, said Civil Liberties MEPs on Wednesday. MEPs take note of the privacy improvements undertaken by Facebook after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, but recall that the […]Plastic Oceans: MEPs back EU ban on polluting throwaway plastics by 2021
October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery or cotton buds, making up over 70% of marine litter, will be banned under plans backed in the Environment Committee. Single-use plastic products such as cutlery, cotton bud sticks, plates, straws, beverage stirrers and balloon sticks will […]Humanitarian visas to avoid refugees’ deaths
October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU countries should be able to issue humanitarian visas at embassies and consulates abroad, so people seeking protection can access Europe without risking their life. With 39 votes to 10, the Civil Liberties Committee agreed on Wednesday to ask the European Commission to table, […]A Europe that Protects: Commission calls for decisive action on security priorities
October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission is reporting on the progress made towards an effective and genuine Security Union, calling on the European Parliament and the Council to finalise their work on priority security initiatives as a matter of urgency. To maintain the positive momentum set […]
