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 […]
EU Cyber War Capabilities, Ashton Must Clarify Says Schaake
Dutch Member of European Parliament Marietje Schaake (ALDE/D66) has called on EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to provide clarification on the European Union’s developing offensive capabilities in cyber defence. “It looks like Ashton is aiming for European offensive capabilities to counter threats against critical European ICT infrastructure.” “While cooperation in conventional defence is lagging […]
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, […]
40% Of EU’s Non-Exec Directors Must Be Women
Companies listed on stock exchanges in the EU would have to bring in transparent recruitment procedures so that by 2020, at least 40% of their non-executive directors are women, under a draft EU directive voted by Parliament on Wednesday. MEPs propose that companies which fail to introduce such procedures should face penalties. In 2013, only […]
A Greener And More Pleasant Land? New CAP Policy Trots To Market
A deal with the Council on five legislative acts reforming EU farm policy was endorsed by Parliament on Wednesday. The post-2013 Common agricultural policy (CAP) will put more emphasis on environmental protection, ensure fairer distribution of EU funds and help farmers to cope better with market challenges. “The first ever reform of the EU farm […]
€325bn Boost For Europe’s Regions
Key rules and regulations for implementing EU cohesion policy in 2014-2020 were endorsed by Parliament on Wednesday. In a compromise deal struck with the Council after more than a year of tough negotiations, MEPs secured substantial funding for EU regions to invest in their development projects, on terms fairer to them. They also pruned back […]
“We Decide Where We Work” – Treaty Change Needed Say MEPs
The European Parliament should have the right to decide where and when it meets, says a resolution adopted on Wednesday. Parliament undertakes to initiate an EU treaty revision procedure to propose the changes needed to allow Parliament itself, rather than EU member states by a unanimous vote, to decide on the location of its seat […]
Costa Gets Creative. New Artist Mobility Loan Package Approved
The new “Creative Europe” programme will promote the mobility of European artists and works, and help audiovisual professionals to adapt to the digital age, for the next seven years. On Tuesday Parliament passed a draft law putting in place a loan guarantee mechanism to help micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises in the cultural and creative […]
Europe’s Budget, All Wrapped Up. Now, Just The Card To Sign…
After months of complex negotiations, Parliament gave its blessing to the EU’s long-term budget for 2014-2020 on Tuesday. All the conditions set out in its July resolution – which followed a political agreement at the highest levels between Parliament, the Irish Presidency and the Commission were met. The overall budget for the next seven years […]