European Union

Football is Germany's national sport and enjoys loyal fans. But some of them see an urgent need for reform. Now, armed with a declaration and many signatures, a supporters group has concrete demands, among them stricter requirements for climate protection. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive sets a 90% separate collection target for plastic beverage bottles by 2029. Policymakers are debating whether deposit return schemes (DRS) can be the solution to achieve this target.

Nearly 16 months after its federal elections, Belgian political leaders broke the deadlock on forming a new government on Wednesday (30 September), with the King expected to name caretaker finance minister Alexander De Croo as the new prime minister.

The 2030 Agenda was adopted 5 years ago by national leaders. Discover the progress made by European local and regional governments and their associations in localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in PLATFORMA & CEMR latest publication https://bit.ly/3k1dj0E

Polish MEP Sylwia Spurek of the Socialists & Democrats group in the European Parliament on Wednesday announced that she will defect to the Green party. Spurek becomes the first Polish member of the Green group. Spurek said she wanted to act in accordance with her values of human rights, animal rights, and combatting climate change.

DRAFT REPORT on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Michael Gahler

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

In the context of the exponential growth of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the President of the European Parliament has announced a number of measures to contain the spread of epidemic and to safeguard Parliament's core activities.

On 2 July 2020, the Conference of Presidents adopted the revised EP Calendar 2020.

The current precautionary measures adopted by the EP to contain the spread of COVID-19 do not affect work on legislative priorities. Core activities are reduced, but maintained to ensure that the institution's legislative, budgetary, scrutiny functions are maintained.

Following these decisions, the next SEDE meeting is scheduled to take place on 15 October 2020 (online).

Recent press releases:

- Security and Defence Subcommittee: MEPs to discuss the Strategic Compass - 28 September 2020
- Report on PESCO: No member state can protect itself alone - 22 September 2020
...

For further press releases please see in the SEDE press room.

New EP calendar 2020
SEDE meetings' calendar 2020
Press release: Security and Defence Subcommittee: MEPs to discuss the Strategic Compass - 28 September 2020
Press release: Report on PESCO: No member state can protect itself alone - 22 September 2020
Press release: Sahel, West Africa and the Horn of Africa: a new EU approach is necessary - 16 September 2020
Press release: MEPs to discuss new defence related priorities - 7 September 2020
Press release: Defence Subcommittee MEPs will meet new head of the European Defence Agency - 16 July 2020
Press release: MEPs debate defence priorities with Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer - 14 July 2020
Press release: MEPs adopt a report on the implementation of EU arms export rules - 13 July 2020
Press release: European defence: Exchange with the French Minister of Armed Forces - 2 July 2020
Press release: The era of naive Europe is over, says Commissioner Breton - 25 June 2020
Press release: Call for a renewed relationship with the African continent based on solidarity and respect - 24 June 2020
Press release: EU must guarantee security to its citizens, warns Defence Subcommittee Chair - 26 May 2020
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The local elections in Romania have been marred by accusations of fraud in the capital city Bucharest, while authorities are slowly reacting to the charges. Clotilde Armand (USR-PLUS), an MEP who is running to become mayor of the 1st District...

The so-called “balanced approach” under which Armenia and Azerbaijan take equal blame for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has only perpetuated and protracted the antagonism, writes Farid Shafiyev.

Medical authorities and governments around the world should not only embrace one or more of the approved COVID-19 vaccines but must also be ready for the logistics of delivery, which includes a gigantic cold chain, possibly for temperatures as low...

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about how UK MPs voted in favour of the controversial Internal Market Bill, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš not reacting to Hungarian PM Orban calling for Czech EU Commissioner Vera Jourova to resign, and so much more.

“KFOR’s presence is of great importance as a deterrent force against Serbia’s use of conventional and non-conventional forces in Kosovo,” said Major General Michele Risi, commander of KFOR  (Kosovo Force, NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo), during the “Balkan Perspectives...

The European Commission launched a new industry alliance on Tuesday (30 September) aimed at strengthening the EU’s “strategic autonomy” on raw materials like rare earths, which are considered key for the bloc’s green and digital transitions.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama paid an unofficial and unannounced visit to Montenegro, daily Vijesti has learned. In the city Tuzi, close to Lake Skadar and the Albanian border, Rama met with Niko Djelosaj, the leader of the Albanian List...

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denied allegations yesterday (29 September) that weapons made in Serbia had been used in the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The president admitted, however, that both sides were using ammunition produced in Serbia. “There are...

The agreements reached in Brussels during the dialogue with Pristina, such as the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities, would have to be implemented, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The president did admit, however, that these agreements were, understandably,...

Due to technical glitches, the Hrvatski Telekom (HT, majority-owned by Deutsche Telekom AG) telecommunications provider experienced technical problems from 10:30 to 16:30 yesterday with its landline and mobile phone networks, which prevented access to the 112 emergency line. Even during...

The Coalition Council met on Tuesday (29 September) to discuss the division of ministries and the functioning of the government after the reconstruction. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was attended, among others, by PiS party leader Jarosław Kaczyński...

The average number of unemployed people in Hungary from June to August 2020 was 214,000, while the unemployment rate stood at 4.6% during the same period, according to data published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH). Compared to same period...

The World Trade Organisation has authorised the European Union to impose tariffs on US goods worth $4 billion to retaliate against subsidies for American planemaker Boeing Co, people familiar with the matter said.