On International Women’s Day and one year after the murder – still unpunished – of the Honduran defender Berta Cáceres, the European network of NGOs ‘Grupo Sur’, based in Brussels, called on the #EU to consider as a priority, a guarantee for the safety, life and work of Latin American human rights defenders within the framework […]
Parliament Mobilises for Guatemala Human Rights Defenders
The European Parliament in Strasbourg has approved an urgent resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Guatemala. Deputies expressed their concerns and acknowledged the work carried out by human rights defenders, urging the Guatemalan government to adopt measures aimed at protecting HRDs from assaults and dangers they are confronting regularly. The figures are […]
Big Green Light for Paris Climate Agreement
The UNFCCC Paris Agreement on fighting climate change, the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal, will come into force next month, having met the necessary conditions much earlier than predicted, as the European Parliament agreed to its ratification by the European Union in a historic vote on Tuesday. The EU will join the US, […]
Ionian Islands Gets €1.65m in EU Earthquake Aid
Parliament approved €1,651,834 in EU Solidarity Fund aid on Tuesday to help Greece to repair damage caused by an earthquake that hit the Ionian Islands region, and in particular Lefkada, northern parts of Ithaki and Kefalonia, on 17 November 2015. The earthquake measured 6.1 on the Richter scale. Two people lost their lives, eight were […]
MEPs Tighten EU Export Ban on “Torture Goods”
Revised EU rules to prevent trade in goods and services that may contribute to torture or execution were approved by MEPs on Tuesday. In negotiations with member states on previous drafts, the European Parliament inserted a ban on the marketing and transit of equipment used for cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of people in third […]
Check Commission’s Revolving Doors Says Parliament
The code of conduct for European Commissioners needs to be thoroughly tightened up, in order to prevent conflicts of interest for Commission members, and to help restore the faith of European citizens in today’s political institutions. This was the key message agreed by most MEPs during Tuesday evening’s debate with EU economic affairs Commissioner Pierre […]
Parliament’s Headaches… EU-Russia, CETA, TTIP, Migration
Ongoing talks on trade deals such as TTIP and CETA, future EU-Russia relations and latest developments regarding relocation of migrants to achieve a fair distribution in all EU member states will top the agenda of the 20-21 October meeting of heads of states or governments in Brussels. In a debate with Slovak Secretary of State […]
MEPs Demand Calais Solutions for Locals and Migrants
The situation in and around the port town of Calais is untenable for everyone: migrants and asylum seekers living in the informal camps, truck drivers crossing to the British Isles and the local population, said MEPs in a plenary debate on Tuesday. Most urged the EU Commission, France and the UK to work together to […]
Sweden and Finland, €9.3m Aid for Redundant Workers
Parliament gave its green light on Tuesday to EU aid worth €5.3 million to help find new jobs for 1,441 workers made redundant by Microsoft and its suppliers in Finland and almost €4 million for 918 workers made redundant by Ericsson in Sweden. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid had been approved by the […]
Ticket to Ride. A Free Interrail Pass at 18
The idea of giving young Europeans a free Interrail pass for their 18th birthdays, to enable them to explore and know Europe better, will be debated with transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc on Tuesday at 18.30.