European Union

In cooperation with President Juncker and High Representative Mogherini, I have decided to appoint Ambassador Pierre Vimont as my personal envoy to lead preparations for the Valletta Conference between EU and African countries, called for by the special European Council of last April. His role will in particular be to ensure coherence in the EU's preparatory process in order to tackle the causes of illegal migration and combat the smuggling and trafficking of human beings.  

Ambassador Vimont is a former secretary general of the European External Action Service and former Permanent Representative to the EU.

 

 

Today’s economic governance rules for the euro area are not working as well as they should. This is because they are too complex, lack ownership and are not consistently enforced, say Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday. This draft text, which assesses the record of the economic governance architecture so far and recommends improvements, will become Parliament’s input to the 25 June European Council.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Today’s economic governance rules for the euro area are not working as well as they should. This is because they are too complex, lack ownership and are not consistently enforced, say Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday. This draft text, which assesses the record of the economic governance architecture so far and recommends improvements, will become Parliament’s input to the 25 June European Council.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Forthcoming proposals to reform EU copyright law for the digital era and EU digital single market must protect Europe’s cultural diversity and citizens’ access to it, whilst striking a fair balance between the rights and interests of rightholders and users, say Legal Affairs Committee MEPs in a non-legislative resolution voted on Tuesday.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Forthcoming proposals to reform EU copyright law for the digital era and EU digital single market must protect Europe’s cultural diversity and citizens’ access to it, whilst striking a fair balance between the rights and interests of rightholders and users, say Legal Affairs Committee MEPs in a non-legislative resolution voted on Tuesday.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Europe is an important market for drugs, supported by both domestic production and drugs trafficked from elsewhere, according to the 2015 report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The report will be discussed by the civil liberties and justice committee and EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz on Wednesday 17 June from 9.00 CET. Watch it live online and check out our infographic and article for the report's main findings on drug use in Europe.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Europe is an important market for drugs, supported by both domestic production and drugs trafficked from elsewhere, according to the 2015 report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The report will be discussed by the civil liberties and justice committee and EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz on Wednesday 17 June from 9.00 CET. Watch it live online and check out our infographic and article for the report's main findings on drug use in Europe.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Place: European Convention Centre (KIRCHBERG building), Luxembourg
Time: Meeting starts at 9.30 on 18 June and at 10.00 on 19 June

 All times are approximate and subject to change

All items are in public session, except for certain items under any other business

Thursday, 18 June (09.30) - Employment and Social Policy  

08.15

Doorstep by Uldis Augulis, Minister for Welfare

09.30

Adoption of the agenda
Adoption of non-legislative A Items
Adoption of legislative A Items

09:45

European Semester 2015: Contribution to the European Council (Brussels, 25-26 June 2015)

12.00

Proposal for a Council decision on the employment guidelines of the  member states 

12.10

Youth employment

12.30   

Closing the gender gap in pensions - Council conclusions

Proposal for a directive on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges and related measures 

Proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation

13.00

AOB

13.15

Press conference

followed by Working lunch - Equality between women and men: strategic orientations up to 2020 

Friday, 19 June (10.00)  -  Health and Consumer Affairs

ttbc

Doorstep by Guntis Belēvičs, Minister for Health of Latvia

10.10

Medical and in-vitro diagnostic devices

12.00

AOB

13.00

Press conference

On 16 June 2015, the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Council General Secretariat and the ECI Campaign gathered the opinions of stakeholders and the wider public in a conference on "The European Citizens' Initiative and the Promise of Participatory Democracy". The aim of the conference was to take stock of the three years since the creation of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), and to give impetus to discussions on how to make the instrument more efficient and user friendly.

Opening the conference, the Latvian Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica set out the situation: "The past three years have shown that the European Citizens' Initiative is part and parcel of the EU's democratic structures. However the experience of stakeholders and the recent report from the Commission have clearly highlighted that there are still issues which need to be addressed quickly if the ECI is to continue to be seen as a viable instrument". 

"The European Citizens' Initiative is a real force for mobilising and inspiring public opinion. Six million people have demonstrated this through their signatures", said Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica. 

Kalniņa-Lukaševica underlined the importance which Latvia attaches to participatory democracy, having one of the most innovative and successful e-petition platforms in Europe, ManaBalss.lv. 

The ECI is the world's first tool of transnational, participatory and digital democracy. Nevertheless, none of the three initiatives, which secured the required one million signatures, have resulted in a legislative proposal, raising a number of questions. 

The conference was the first public debate on the ECI in the Council, bringing together those from the institutions, stakeholders, and the wider public with the twin aim of reviewing the role of participatory democracy in the EU and refining a set of joint recommendations for improving the instrument. 

The discussions at the conference highlighted that some progress can be achieved through immediate action, without legislative changes, by means of raising public awareness about the initiative and its procedures. Another suggestion is to provide greater assistance to the organisers of initiatives.

More political impetus and possible legislative changes are needed to address the structural problems, such as the too tight deadlines for collecting signatures. Measures should also be taken in simplifying or digitalising the signature collection procedures. The conference conclusions will be published on 18 June ECI campaign website.

AMENDMENTS 20 - 72 - Draft opinion Trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP