“Join forces and fight femicide,” was the headline declaration at the launch of International Women’s Day in the European Parliament. Led by the Greens / EFA Group, with the support of civil society groups ALOP, CIFCA, Oidhaco, Groupo Sur and the Heinrich Boell Foundation, the day was dedicated to finding solutions to end femicide in Europe […]
Foreign Affairs
MEPs May Withhold TTIP Consent If NSA Snooping Continues
The European Parliament should withhold its consent to an EU-US trade deal unless it fully respects EU citizens’ data privacy, says an inquiry report on US National Security Agency (NSA) and EU member states surveillance of EU citizens, approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday. It adds that data protection rules should be excluded […]
EU Firms Get Boost For Third Country Contract Bids
Plans for a tool to allow EU countries to prevent non-EU firms from bidding for public procurement contracts worth €5 million or more unless their home countries reciprocate by allowing EU firms to do likewise were approved by Parliament on Wednesday. The proposed tool, which could be used only with European Commission approval, should strengthen […]
Consistent EU Foreign Policy Demanded On International Day of Human Rights
On International Human Rights’ Day, civil society networks Alop, Cifca, Grupo Sur, Oidhaco and Protection International urged the European Union to make respect for human rights the guiding principle in its trade relations with Latin America. The European Parliament ratified trade agreements with Colombia, Peru and Central America in December 2012. This caused deep […]
Ashton Celebrates Chanukah, The Festival Of Light
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy participated in the “EuroChanukah 4 Peace 2013” event. Organised by the European Jewish Community Centre (EJCC) to celebrate the eight-day Jewish festival of Chanukah – which means “festival of lights” – it aimed to illustrate the message that “a small light can […]
“Trust Me, I’ve Changed…” TTIP’s ‘Promises, Promises’
The EU and the US need to find ways to restore their mutual trust so as to enable them to build a joint economic area under the Transatlantic Partnership agreement (TTIP), said Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee chair Elmar Brok (EPP, DE), opening Tuesday’s debate with the US Senate’s European Affairs Sub-Committee chair Chris Murphy and […]
MEPs Supporting Colombian ‘Mujeres por la Paz’ Peace March
More than 15 MEPs from the European Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the Greens European Free Alliance and the European United Left have sent a letter of support for a march organized by the Women for Peace network ‘Mujeres por la Paz’ . The peace movement aims to ensure that neither the Colombian Government nor rebel movement […]
MEPs’ Human Chain Jostled By Police. Group Declares “17,306 Dead Trying To Enter ‘Fortress Europe’”
Migrants; a protest, an aggressive police response. A familiar combination? Not when the Strasbourg police forcefully corralled Members of the European Parliament, protesting right outside the Parliament, and using the public demonstration to call attention to civil liberties issues. Excessive police action did not deter a group of 15 organisations launching an appeal to citizens, […]
EU-China Summit, “Two Major Forces For Peace, Markets, Human Progress”
China and the EU are two major forces in maintaining world peace, two important markets to promote common development and two civilizations to advance the cause of human progress, said Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China at the commencement of the 16th China-EU Summit, in Beijing. In a meeting with European Council President Herman […]
It’s Democracy, Dam It Brazil!
Amazon deforestation increased by 28% between August 2012 and July 2013. Brazil’s Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, said the government is trying to reverse this “crime” – much like the ruling party has tried to reverse charges against politicians and businessmen convicted in the nation’s biggest corruption trial. Jose Dirceu, Chief of Staff to former President, […]