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 […]
Greek Presidency Gets Rough Start Over Economic Fears
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras presented his country’s priorities for its six months at the helm of the EU to MEPs. The presidency, which started on 1 January, will focus on boosting growth and jobs, the banking union and an immigration policy based on more solidarity. Mr Samaras said there was a clear need for […]
Groote’s New CO2 Emissions Targets Agreed
An informal agreement on new rules to achieve the 2020 CO2 emission target of 95g/km for new cars was reached by EP and member state negotiators on Tuesday afternoon. The file had to be reopened after EU ministers failed to endorse a previous informal deal on it with Parliament. During the negotiations, the European Parliament […]
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 […]
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 […]
Parliament Approves €840K For Unemployed Valencia Construction Workers
Parliament approved €840,000 in European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGAF) aid on Tuesday to help 300 redundant building workers in Valencia (Spain) to back into the labour market. The aid was approved by 603 votes, with 71 against and 17 abstentions. Some 630 workers were made redundant by Valencian manufacturers of non-metallic mineral products (such as […]
Brutal Reality of Colombian Peace Negotiations Unveiled To Deputies
Women are the first to suffer the brutality of war and are largely ignored during peace negotiations. “This state of affairs must change,” said Nahla Valji, New York office of UN Women. Valji was speaking at the European Parliament at a debate on the inclusion of women within the current Colombian peace talks. Valji said: […]
Claude Moraes, Facing Facts. Surveillance Delegation In Washington
“We will have the opportunity to discuss directly with US counterparts the alleged surveillance activities of US authorities and any impact they have in terms of EU citizens fundamental right to privacy,” said Claude Moraes, head of a European Parliament civil liberties committee delegation to Washington. The delegation is in Washington from 28 to 30 October […]
“We are the richest continent. We can do more” – Schulz On Migration Solidarity
“Lampedusa has become a symbol of a European migration policy,” European Parliament President Martin Schulz told EU leaders at the October European Council, in Brussels. “It should also become a turning point for that migration policy”, he added, calling for greater support of the Mediterranean countries, which receive most irregular migrants trying to enter the […]