European Parliament (News)

Plenary sessions : When it comes to budget talks, the stakes are high, but the terminology can be baffling. On Wednesday 26 October MEPs vote on Parliament's position regarding the EU's 2017 budget and the revision of the long-term budget, while in the afternoon the EU Court of Auditors presents its assessment of the 2015 budget. All of this is important, but it can be challenging to decode the terms used. Read our brief glossary to make sense of it all.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs want an EU work programme in line with genuine concerns and expectations of the Europeans. In their debate with Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans on Tuesday, they focused on the social dimensions of EU policies, investment, trade, migration and security.

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Plenary sessions : Parliament debated both the mid-term revision of the EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020 and the EU budget for 2017 with budgets Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday afternoon. For the 2017 budget debate, MEPs were joined by Slovakia’s state secretary for finance Ivan Lesay, representing the Council Presidency.

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Plenary sessions : To end the current “crisis-driven” approach to perceived breaches of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in EU member states, the EU Commission should set up a binding EU mechanism to monitor and report annually on their records in these fields, say MEPs in a resolution passed on Tuesday. This mechanism should include objective benchmarks and lay down a gradual approach to remedying breaches, they add.

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Plenary sessions : Clear rules requiring EU firms to respect human rights in all their global operations must be laid down and enforced, urge MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday. Clauses on corporate liability for human rights violations should be included in EU trade and investment agreements, they add. MEPs also advocate creating a certified “abuse-free” product label at EU level.

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Plenary sessions : The EU strategy for liquefied natural gas (LNG) must make energy supplies more secure, cut carbon emissions and deliver affordable prices say MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday. Parliament calls on the EU Commission to aim to reduce the EU’s dependency on gas in the long term by using it more efficiently and gradually phasing out fossil fuel subsidies.

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Plenary sessions : EU fisheries rules should be applied uniformly to all EU fishermen, so that they are treated fairly, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday. Inspection procedures, e.g. for net mesh sizes and catches, should be standardized, as should penalties for infringements, it says. Introducing an EU “core curriculum” for training all fisheries inspectors, and using compatible real-time communication technologies EU wide, would also help improve fairness, it adds.

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Plenary sessions : The Commission should review its legislation against corruption and organised crime to better equip Member States in their fight against criminal organisations operating in the EU, say MEPs in a non-legislative resolution passed on Tuesday. MEPs call for initiatives such as EU-wide rules to seize assets from criminal organisations to re-use for social purposes and protection of whistle-blowers.

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Plenary sessions : Plans to prolong a 10% increase in the EU contribution towards regional and social project costs in Greece until 30 June of the year after its economic adjustment programme ends were approved by Parliament on Tuesday. MEPs also approved a special provision whereby the EU would pay up to 85% of project costs in Cyprus until the current regional and social policy programming period ends in 2020.

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General : When Jean-Claude Juncker became president of the European Commission in 2014, he told the European Parliament he would focus on making progress on growth, employment, investment and the digital economy. As Parliament is keen to ensure these promises are kept, it has developed a digital tool to follow progress on the 10 priorities chosen by Juncker. The Legislative Train Schedule shows the current status of each piece of proposed legislation as well as its development.

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General : The UK's decision to leave the Union will already affect the EU's budget for next year. "There has already been an unforeseeable situation and now we have to deal with this problem," said Jens Geier, the MEP who will negotiate on behalf of the Parliament regarding the bulk of the EU's budget for 2017. MEPs will vote on Parliament's position in plenary on 26 October. We talked to the German S&D member about how Brexit is affecting the budget and the upcoming negotiations with the Council

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General : “Acting to stop the bloodshed in Syria should be the number one priority on your list,” European Parliament President Martin Schulz told EU leaders on 20 October at the start of a two-day EU summit. “The European Parliament calls for consequences and accountability for those guilty of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he added. In addition to EU-RUssia relations, the Council summit is also dedicated to trade issues, migration and Brexit.

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General : EU-Russia relations have long been difficult but following Moscow’s recent involvement in the bombing of Aleppo they have deteriorated even further. Tonight at the European Council heads of EU states discuss the EU's strategy towards Russia. MEPs have strongly condemned Russia’s role in Syria and called for a "critical reassessment" of EU relations with the country. Read on for an overview of Parliament's position.

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The inquiry committee into emission measurements in the car industry (EMIS) continued its work on Thursday morning by hearing Alexander Dobrindt, the German Federal Minister of Transport and Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s State Minister for the Economy, Labour and Transport.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

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General : EU countries are considering signing the free trade agreement with Canada this month, but the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) is far from the only deal the EU is working on. Various deals are being negotiated all over the globe, but they can only enter into force if the European Parliament approves them. Read on for an overview of negotiations in progress and a discussion of how it works.

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General : More than 20 million people living today around the world have been trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour and other activities across the world, generating a profit of €117 billion a year. It is also a very lucrative crime in Europe. On the occasion of the EU's Anti-Trafficking Day on 18 October, check out the facts in our infographic and discover what the EU and Parliament have been doing to tackle human trafficking.

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The inquiry committee into emission measurements in the car industry (EMIS) continued its work on Monday afternoon by hearing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Chief Technical Officer Harald Wester, who was quizzed mainly on possible “defeat devices” in Fiat diesel engines and gap between emission values in laboratory testing and real driving conditions.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

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General : The migrant situation in Calais and the creation of a European Defence Union will be debated by committees this week, while the inquiry into how car emissions are measured continues. In addition President Martin Schulz will address the European Council, where migration, trade and EU-Russia relations are on the agenda.

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General : Young European could be receiving a free InterRail pass to discover Europe by rail once they turn 18.The proposal received a warm welcome in the Parliament, but what is InterRail exactly? Check out our infographic for some basic facts about the pass and rail travel in Europe.

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Environment MEPs advocate a full and immediate EU-wide ban on ivory and rhinoceros horn trade, and call for common sanctions at EU level against wildlife trafficking, in a resolution voted on Thursday. Wildlife trafficking is worth an estimated €20 billion annually. It has grown in recent years, becoming one of the biggest and most profitable forms of organised cross-border crime.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

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