European Parliament

The European Parliament is the only directly-elected EU body. Members of the Parliament represent you, the citizen.

Posts

May 24, 04:30 AM
During the May plenary in Strasbourg MEPs backed plans for an EU bank supervisory system and called on governments to step up their efforts to clamp down on tax evasion. They also approved EU–wide civil law protection for victims of stalking and gender violence and tougher safety rules for offshore drilling. Read on to find out more about the session's highlights.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 23, 08:13 AM
MEPs urged member states to start EU accession negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia before July in a resolution on the country's 2012 progress report on Thursday 23 May. However, in another resolution they expressed regret that Bosnia and Herzegovina was still far from meeting the necessary conditions for a prospective membership and that it was falling behind other countries in the region.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 23, 05:37 AM
Legal measures to protect the victims of stalking, harassment and gender-based violence will be extended to the whole of the EU, thanks to new rules approved by MEPs on 22 May. This is necessary as currently legal measures issued in one country often fail to protect victims in another country, especially women and children escaping domestic violence. We talked to Antonio López-Istúriz White and Antonyia Parvanova, the two MEPs responsible for steering the legislation through Parliament.

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May 22, 10:58 AM
Quick and tangible results are needed on tax fraud and youth employment to restore people's trust in the EU, EP president Martin Schulz warned EU leaders at the opening of the European Council in Brussels on 22 May. He pointed out that public support for the EU had never been as weak as today. Mr Schulz also reminded leaders that the EU was founded in a spirit of solidarity and that it was now time to show "de facto solidarity" with young people struggling to find work.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 10:15 AM
MEPs approved on 21 May stricter safety standards for offshore oil and gas operations. The aim is to reduce the risk of major accidents and limit the consequences if such accidents do take place. The new rules will set minimum European standards for offshore oil and gas safety, regulating licensing, emergency plans and the decommissioning of platforms. Ivo Belet, a Belgian member of the EPP group, was responsible for steering the legislation through Parliament.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 08:38 AM
Concrete actions and not words are urgently needed to fight tax evasion and upgrade the EU's energy infrastructure, representatives from the EP's political groups said during a debate on Tuesday 21 May. They spoke out ahead of Wednesday's European Council, however many group leaders were sceptical about how committed EU leaders were to tackling taxation and energy issues.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 08:29 AM
In this age of internet, smartphones and social media, it is very easy to share and search for personal information. Maybe too easy. Your loan application could be rejected because you live in the wrong neighbourhood, photos you publish online may come back to haunt you and supposedly free websites earn their keep by selling and using your personal data. The EU is now working to overhaul its data protection rules to help people stay in control of their private information.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 07:38 AM
Deposits under €100,000 should not be used to prop up failing banks, according to a report adopted by the economic committee on 20 May. Instead, shareholders should bear the losses, followed by bondholders and only as a last resort large depositors. The report is a reaction to a proposal by the European Commission on how to support struggling banks, which also sets out strict rules for using tax payers' money.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 20, 11:56 AM
A few clicks suffice to find out everything about you online: where you live, where you work, even what you like to do on a night out. You might be surprised to learn what your online information is used for and by whom. New EU rules aim to protect your personal data better. This Wednesday you have the chance to discuss it directly with Jan Philipp Albrecht from 10.30 CET. The German Green MEP is in charge of steering the proposal through Parliament. Find out what it is all about.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 20, 11:28 AM
Nearly 25,000 people from France, Germany and other countries flocked to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Sunday when it opened its doors to the public in honour of Europe Day earlier this month. Visitors were treated to exhibitions, music performances, information stands and debates with MEPs. These were organised by the political groups and the Parliament, as well as the European Central Bank, the European Ombudsman, the Court of Auditors and local associations.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 20, 06:47 AM
The EP's position on the upcoming negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU and the US will be finalised during the May plenary. MEPs will also vote on resolutions to strengthen media freedom, reports on the progress made by Bosnia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards joining the EU as well as the dates for the 2014 European elections. They will also urge EU governments to step up the fight against tax evasion ahead of the EU summit on Wednesday dedicated to this issue.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 17, 10:51 AM
Creating new EU legislation can get complicated but a new interactive application on the EP website aims to make it easier to understand. The application takes you through the ordinary legislative procedure step by step. Under the procedure proposals are adopted jointly by the European Parliament and national governments sitting in the Council of the European Union and it is used for the vast majority of legislation. Try our new application to become an expert within minutes.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 17, 10:50 AM
Take the opportunity to see where MEPs take their decisions every month when the European Parliament opens its doors to the public in Strasbourg, France, on Sunday 19 May. The day will be packed with activities for all ages and it will be a chance to find out more about how the EP works and how it affects people's lives every day. The open day is held to mark Europe Day, which is celebrated every year on 9 May. This year it is dedicated to you as 2013 is the European Year of Citizens.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 17, 08:00 AM
MEPs will urge member states to step up the fight against tax fraud and tax evasion during the plenary session in Strasbourg from 20-23 May. They will also debate proposals on banking supervision in the EU, adopt a position on the upcoming negotiations for a free trade agreement with the US as well as vote on two draft resolutions concerning media freedom and improved media education. In addition Parliament will adopt a position on dates for next year's European elections.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 17, 03:06 AM
People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered (LGBT) continue to experience widespread discrimination and harassment, according to the largest survey ever conducted among the LGBT community in Europe. Nearly half (47%) of LGBT people said they had personally felt discriminated against or harassed on the grounds of sexual orientation in the past year, while one in four (26%) had been attacked or threatened with violence in the last five years. Find out the facts in our infographic.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 16, 09:54 AM
It was dedicated to you and now it is in Brussels for you to see. The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the EU last year is on display at Parliament's visitors centre until 6 October. Inaugurating the exhibition, EP president Martin Schulz said: "Understand what kind of precious gift it is for all of us to live in the EU in an era of peace on a continent that was too long, too often, a continent of war, of hate, of racism, of xenophobia, of anti-Semitism."

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 16, 06:15 AM
The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate and the violence threatens to spread to neighbouring countries. MEPs will debate what can be done for the millions of refugees during next week's plenary session on 22 May. We spoke to Elmar Brok, a German member of the EPP group who is the chair of the foreign affairs committee, about the risks facing the region.

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May 16, 03:33 AM
Mali's acting president Dioncounda Traoré will visit the EP on 16 May to discuss the military situation in his country and the elections scheduled for July 2013. The meeting is organised by Parliament's foreign affairs and development committees and the security and defence subcommittee and can be followed live on our website.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 15, 06:38 AM
Strengthening air passenger rights, increasing the capacity of Europe's airports and the quality of their services, introducing more competition to EU's rail sector, as well as new rules for pilots' flying hours will keep MEPs busy for the rest of their term or even longer. Find out more about Parliament's work concerning travel–related issues in this feature.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 15, 06:10 AM
The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize might have been awarded to the EU, but EP president Martin Schulz made very clear who the honour really belonged to: "This Nobel Peace Prize is for all EU citizens." He duly accepted the prize during the official ceremony in Oslo on behalf of everyone in the EU. You now have to chance to see your prize up close in Parlamentarium, the Parliament's visitors centre in Brussels, where the medal will be displayed until 6 October.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

Posts

May 23, 11:39 AM

Plenary sessions : Parliament passed three separate resolutions on Thursday, calling for measures leading to the abolition of the death penalty in India and to human rights reforms in Rwanda, and expressing concerns about the situation of hunger striking prisoners in Guantanamo.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 23, 08:52 AM

Plenary sessions : Following the recent fires and building collapse at factories in Bangladesh, MEPs called on Thursday for justice for victims and EU action to prevent similar events in future. They want the Commission to promote responsible business conduct among EU companies operating abroad and ensure strict compliance with all legal obligations in the areas of human rights, labour and the environment.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 23, 07:11 AM

Plenary sessions : MEPs call for respect for human rights and humanitarian law in Syria and support a political solution to the conflict, in a resolution voted on Thursday, while emphasizing that the two tracks should be kept separate.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 23, 06:56 AM
Plenary sessions : Parliament must be kept on board in talks with the US on what could become the world's largest free trade area, it warns in a resolution voted on Thursday. MEPs strongly favour starting the talks, but also state their expectations, e.g. as regards opening up access to the US procurement market and safeguarding the EU's cultural and audiovisual services market. This resolution is Parliament's input to the EU negotiating mandate.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 23, 06:34 AM

Plenary sessions : New legislation on the "non-commercial transport" of pets, already informally agreed with EU ministers, was approved by Parliament on Thursday. Taking pets abroad will be easier, but pet health requirements will be stricter. Online information for pet owners will also be made clearer.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 23, 06:29 AM
Plenary sessions : Parliament gave a lukewarm response to the Commission's next steps for economic and monetary union. Its resolution says full implementation of the governance rules already set up must take precedence over new proposals. It also says the Commission has not embedded enough democratic control into the new ideas and that tools are needed to help reforms and address social concerns.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 22, 06:32 AM

Plenary sessions : Victims of stalking, harassment or gender-based violence who are granted protection in one member state will get equivalent protection if they move or travel to another, without having to go through time-consuming formalities, thanks to a new law passed by Parliament on Wednesday. These civil law rules complement the European Protection Order, which already provides similar protection under criminal law.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 22, 06:28 AM
Plenary sessions : Draft laws setting up a single EU bank supervisory system were approved in a plenary vote on Wednesday. The European Central Bank will supervise the Eurozone's largest banks directly and have a say in supervising other banks. However, Parliament will give its final seal of approval only later, to allow time for parallel talks with the ECB on detailed accountability arrangements.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 12:36 PM
Plenary sessions : MEPs on Tuesday broadly welcomed the package of rules setting up a single EU bank supervisor but also pointed out that important steps had yet to be taken to ensure the supervisor's accountability before the deal could be fully ratified by the house. Whilst acknowledging that the system may not be perfect, many members stressed that it was a step towards truly addressing the causes of the crisis.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 11:31 AM

Plenary sessions : MEPs will quiz Commission vice-president Olli Rehn on his plans to present further legislation on economic and monetary union in a debate on Wednesday morning, starting at 9.30.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 21, 11:20 AM

Plenary sessions : The need for a better integrated system at EU level to promote renewable energy, the possibility of adopting a mandatory target for 2030 and the desirability of incentives to invest were highlighted in a non-legislative resolution voted by Parliament on Tuesday.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 21, 07:21 AM
Plenary sessions : EU member states should join forces to halve the €1 trillion uncollected "tax gap" by 2020, says Parliament in a resolution voted on Tuesday. MEPs want governments to agree measures to clamp down on tax havens, close avoidance loopholes and combat aggressive tax planning. Other ways in which EU countries could benefit by better coordinating their tax systems are set out in a separate resolution, also voted on Tuesday, on the annual tax report.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 07:17 AM
Plenary sessions : The economic crisis and the challenges of an ageing population have revealed the vulnerability of both funded and public pension schemes, MEPs say in a resolution passed on Tuesday. They ask EU member states to introduce or maintain diversified pension schemes and highlight the role of public pensions in ensuring decent living standards for all, urging the member states to safeguard them.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 07:13 AM
Plenary sessions : Changes in EU member states' media laws that make it easier for governments to interfere in the media should be monitored every year at EU level, says a resolution voted by Parliament on Tuesday. To safeguard media freedom and pluralism, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive should be revised and journalists' working conditions improved, it adds.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 07:07 AM

Plenary sessions : Parliament gave its green light on Tuesday to the new directive on the safety of offshore oil and gas operations. The new rules will require oil and gas firms to prove their ability to cover potential liabilities deriving from their operations and to submit major hazard reports and emergency response plans before operations can start.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 21, 07:02 AM

Taxpayers and savers must be the last people called upon to bail out banks, says Parliament's negotiating position, approved by the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Monday, on draft rules on saving struggling banks. The text rules out using deposits below €100,000 and says that even deposits above €100,000 should be the last to be called in. The committee voted against using deposit guarantee funds for resolution actions and also set out strict conditions for using taxpayer's money.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 21, 07:02 AM
Plenary sessions : The 2014 European Parliament elections should be held from 22 to 25 May, instead of 5-8 June, according to a draft decision endorsed by the full House on Tuesday. Bringing the elections forward would give the new Parliament more time to prepare for the election of the European Commission President in July 2014.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 21, 05:56 AM

The social affairs committee voted on Monday to reject the one billion euro cut to the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived proposed by the European Commission, and called for support for the EU's neediest citizens be kept at the 2007-2013 level of. 3.5 billion euros.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 20, 01:33 PM
Plenary sessions : President Schulz announced the six eligible candidates for the post of European Ombudsman, condemned Lega Nord MEP Mario Borghezio's radio remarks about Italy's Minister for Integration Cécile Kyenge Kashetu, and voiced support for Chinese human rights activist Cheng Guangcheng, in his opening address.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP
May 20, 11:54 AM

Plenary sessions : Parliament is expected to call on member states to take urgent action to step up the fight against tax havens and improve tax collection in a debate starting at 8.30 on Tuesday morning ahead of the European Council on Wednesday. MEPs will set out their priorities for the summit, which is also expected to discuss progress towards a real EU monetary union and better investment in energy infrastructure.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 17, 04:30 AM

Plenary session, Strasbourg

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May 17, 04:14 AM

General : The EU cannot tolerate shameless discrimination of millions of its citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, Civil Liberties Committee MEPs said on Friday, the International Day against Homophobia. EU member states must stop blocking the proposed anti-discrimination directive, they added.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 16, 01:02 PM

Parliament wants a timely remedy for the 2013 budget shortfalls and is ready to intensify negotiations on the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF). These were the key conclusions of this morning's European Parliament Budgets Committee meeting.
Committee on Budgets

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 16, 10:10 AM

MEPs welcomed the results of the Mali donors conference but insisted on respect for the rule of law and human rights during their discussion on Thursday with the acting president, Dioncounda Traoré. Members of the security and defence, foreign affairs and development committees also stressed the need to establish genuine democracy and decentralisation.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Development
Subcommittee on Security and Defence

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 15, 06:16 AM

Specifications for a new generation of digital tachographs for trucks and buses were agreed informally by Irish presidency and Parliament negotiators on Tuesday. Innovations include devices that can read on-board recording devices from a distance, will make it easier to enforce driving and rest times.
Committee on Transport and Tourism

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May 14, 04:50 AM

On 24 January 2013 the Internal Market Committee adopted its position on draft rules setting out minimum EU requirements for the award by public authorities of "concession" contracts to procure works or services from private suppliers. These contracts are typically high-value, complex and long-term. These Q&A deal with certain aspects of the committee text, on which informal negotiations are now under way with the Council headed by the Irish Presidency and the European Commission.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 08, 11:44 AM

A provisional deal on updated watercraft rules to make them safer and greener was struck by MEPs and Irish EU presidency negotiators on Wednesday. It also scraps the misleading names of boat design categories in order to give consumers clearer information.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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May 08, 10:21 AM

Committee and political group meetings

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May 08, 09:11 AM

"It is a bit simplistic to speak about an Islamic winter after the Arab Spring. The ongoing constitutional processes show that we are on the right path but we cannot yet take the victory of democracy for granted," said foreign affairs committee chair Elmar Brok (EPP, DE) on Tuesday at a conference on democratic transition in the EU's southern neighbourhood.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

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May 08, 07:14 AM

The confusion and delay that surrounded decisions on the Cyprus assistance plan were not only due to Cypriot intransigence. Rather, they reveal a need to radically rethink Eurogroup and Troika working methods, argued Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs in Wednesday's debate with Commissioner Olli Rehn and ECB Executive Board member Jorg Asmussen.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

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May 08, 06:20 AM

The need to agree on how to separate track from train operators and to balance growth, quality of service and working conditions were the main points raised by transport and tourism MEPs and experts at a hearing on the 4th railway package on Tuesday. Uniform rules on safety certification and interoperability will be key to creating a single EU rail area, MEPs agreed.
Committee on Transport and Tourism

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May 08, 04:26 AM

Draft rules to make it easier for national authorities to freeze and confiscate criminals' assets across the EU were beefed up by the Civil Liberties Committee on Tuesday. However, MEPs also sought to safeguard the right to a fair trial. They also called upon member states to use confiscated assets to fight crime and for social projects. The draft law, which must still be negotiated with national governments, is part of a broader EU strategy to fight fraud and corruption.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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May 08, 04:18 AM

The EU should take the lead in ensuring the protection of journalists, said foreign affairs MEPs in a vote on Tuesday. The independent press, a watchdog for democracy, is suffering increasing harassment, with journalists being persecuted and imprisoned, they warn, stressing the need to combat impunity for threats and attacks against journalists.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

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May 07, 12:16 PM

Pressure to reveal how the Cyprus financial plans were hatched would continue, the chair of Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee, said on Tuesday when she closed a debate with Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem that left various MEPs less than fully satisfied on the quality of the answers provided.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

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May 07, 11:27 AM

To reduce the CO2 emissions of new light commercial vehicles sold in the EU to 147g/km by 2020, from 203g today, innovation should be encouraged by giving "super-credit" weightings to each maker's cleaner vehicles. Longer-term CO2 reduction targets should also be set, and environmental performance testing methods should be made more realistic, said the Environment Committee on Tuesday. The top speed of vans should be electronically limited to 120km/h, it added.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

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May 07, 11:19 AM

Anyone convicted of a serious crime or corruption should be barred from tendering for public contracts or standing for election in the EU for at least five years, says the Special Committee on Organised Crime in a resolution voted on Tuesday. Mafia membership should be made a crime throughout the EU, and EU-wide rules drawn up on how to use confiscated mafia assets for social purposes, it adds.
Special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering

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May 07, 08:41 AM

General : Europe on Track, a Spanish youth media project, was awarded first prize at the 2013 Charlemagne Youth Prize ceremony on 7 May in Aachen University. The second prize went to the photo contest Discover Europe from Poland and the third to the Youth exchange project "The Story of my Life" from Estonia. The Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded annually to projects that foster a shared sense of European identity and integration among young people.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 07, 04:29 AM

General : The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the President of the European Commission met in Brussels on 6 May to discuss budgetary matters. They agreed on key points on the Draft Amending Budget 2013, which paves the way for negotiations to start on the Multiannual Financial Framework. The details of the framework for the negotiations are set out below.

Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP

May 06, 12:32 PM

"Soft power alone is no power at all," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told foreign affairs, security and defence MEPs and national MPs on Monday. Speaking in favour of "holding the line on defence spending" in Europe, he said Europeans must also "have the political will to use" the right capabilities. MEPs called for more cooperation between the EU and NATO in times of austerity.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

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