Today the European Commission published the results of the 2016 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). The findings show that Member States have made progress in areas such as connectivity and digital skills, as well as in public services, since the publication of the Commission’s Digital Single Market Strategy last year. While […]
Zahradil Celebrates Vietnamese New Year With EU-Vietnam Friendship Group
Vietnamese New Year (Tết) is the most important holiday in the Vietnamese culture, and is celebrated by millions of Vietnamese all around the world. Tet´s celebration is the longest holiday which may last up to one week. On this occasion, H.E. Ambassador Vuong Thua Phong hosted a reception for the Members of the EU-Vietnam Friendship […]
Cameron’s “Deal” And The Growing Brexit Threat
The “deal” struck between David Cameron and his 27 fellow EU leaders is largely irrelevant to the UK’s Brexit debate and the outcome of the June 23 referendum writes Giles Merrit, Secretary General of Friends of Europe. The increasingly tense arguments within Britain are emotional and about local British politics rather than about the rational case […]
Financial Stability A Precondition For Social Welfare, Says Balz
Unstable economies lead to social problems, said leading EPP Group MEPs in today’s joint debate on the 2016 European Semester which took place in the European Parliament’s plenary session. “This European Semester report introduces new social indicators that allow the monitoring of any imbalances in Member States that will undermine growth and job creation. This […]
EU-Tunisia Trade Agreement Important Step
Member of the European Parliament, Marietje Schaake (ALDE/D66), has underlined the importance of the start of negotiations on a trade agreement between the European Union and Tunisia. Today, the European Parliament debated the issue and tomorrow a resolution on the topic will be voted. Schaake stated: “Tunisia is the only country in a successful transition […]
British Deal Resurrected Spirit of Thatcher, Says Zimmer
During a debate at the European Parliament Plenary session in Brussels, GUE/NGL President Gabi Zimmer questioned the priorities agreed upon at so-called ‘Brexit talks’, she said, “The result of an internal Conservative Party squabble took the EU so far that an essential pillar, the social pillar has been gravely damaged. We are on the route […]
Roberto Gualtieri “We will keep our word and implement the EU-UK deal”
At today’s Plenary debate about the conclusions of the European Council, Mr Roberto Gualtieri, one of the European Parliament’s chief negotiators – or sherpa’s – in the informal talks on the settlement regarding the future position of the UK in the European Union, said: “All 28 Member states unanimously agreed to the outcome of the negotiations. […]
“Deals with Iran and Turkey overshadow human rights,” says Schaake
Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union discussed the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East with the Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament today. Member of the European Parliament Marietje Schaake (D66/ALDE) criticized the lack of attention for human rights by the EU, particularly in the context of the […]
UNHCR Concerned By Refugee Border Build-Up
UNHCR is concerned by recent restrictive practices adopted in a number of European countries that are placing additional undue hardships on refugees and asylum-seekers across Europe, creating chaos at several border points, and putting particular pressure on Greece as it struggles to deal with larger numbers of people in need of accommodation and services. On […]
Confront Europe’s Fear of the New. Make Room for Digital Innovation.
Before starting work in the European Parliament, I never thought about whether Estonia was somehow more advanced in digital issues than the rest of Europe, writes Kaja Kallas, MEP (ALDE, EE). To be honest, I never even thought about the digital solutions that I was using daily because I was so used to them. The […]