European Parliament (News)

Plenary sessions : Parliament condemns recent crimes and widespread discrimination against albinos in Malawi, ongoing restrictions of fundamental democratic rights in Bahrain and practices that discriminate against Myanmar’s Muslim minority, in particular the Rohingya, in three resolutions voted on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plans to strengthen the EU’s visa suspension mechanism, which enables it to temporarily reintroduce visa requirements for third-country nationals in the event of sudden surges in irregular immigration, unfounded asylum applications or a failure to cooperate with the EU on “readmissions” (i.e. returns), were amended and approved by Civil Liberties Committee MEPs on Thursday. MEPs widened the range of grounds upon which a visa waiver may be suspended.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The future EU common list of safe countries of origin, which should help member states to process certain asylum applications faster and more consistently, should replace today’s national lists after a three-year transition period, Civil Liberties Committee MEPs agreed on Thursday. The EU Commission will assess which countries should be included, removed or temporarily suspended from the list.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Whistle-blowers leaking information in the public interest play a crucial role in upholding democracies, and must therefore be better protected from prosecution, reprisals and threats. This was the key message voiced by many MEPs in Wednesday evening’s debate with Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Ivan Korčok from the Slovak Presidency of the Council on how to improve legal safeguards for people revealing illegal or unethical activities in the public or private sectors.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : What's involved in reinforcing the EU's external borders? On Wednesday 6 July MEPs approved plans to set up an EU border control system aiming to secure the EU’s external borders and to restore the functioning of the Schengen area. Our Facebook followers had the chance to ask all about it during our live interview with Parliament's lead negotiator Artis Pabriks, a Latvian member of the EPP group. Read on to find out what he had to say and watch the interview.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The EU must come together and deliver tangible results, with clear benefits for its citizens, to regain their confidence and fight growing populism and nationalism across the continent, agreed Slovak Prime Minister Róbert Fico and most MEPs in Wednesday morning’s debate on the priorities of the incoming Slovak Presidency in the EU Council of Ministers.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : A new, tougher, A to G scale showing the energy efficiency of household appliances should be introduced, to keep pace with technological progress, said MEPs voting on an EU Commission proposal on Wednesday. Most appliances on the market now meet the “class A” requirements first set in 2010, so ever more pluses (A+, A++, A+++) are being added, note MEPs, who argue that setting tougher requirements will create incentives to improve energy efficiency still further.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Parliament set out its recommendations for the European Commission's 2017 Work Programme in a non-legislative resolution voted on Wednesday. Before the vote, MEPs debated EU priorities with Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. The need to reflect on what direction the EU should take in the aftermath of the UK’s EU membership referendum was the leitmotiv of this debate.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs are to debate a new EU “global strategy”, setting out the EU’s core interests and principles in the world, with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday at 15.00. This debate will be followed by another on new Middle East peace process initiatives and a third on the EU’s engagement with China for the next five years.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Parliament’s recommendations for making corporate taxation fairer and clearer were voted on Wednesday. MEPs call for an EU register of beneficial owners of companies, a tax havens blacklist, sanctions against non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, action against abuse of “patent box” regimes, a code of conduct for banks and tax advisors, tax good governance rules in EU trade agreements, a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) and a withholding tax on profits leaving the EU.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The EU needs to update its long-term spending plan to cope with unforeseen crises such as mass migration, terrorism and youth unemployment, says the Budgets Committee in a resolution voted on Wednesday. The text is intended as an input to the forthcoming EU Commission’s proposal to revise the EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2014-2020. The update should also tackle the recurring backlog of overdue EU payments, and look beyond 2020, add MEPs.
Committee on Budgets

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The choice made by the British people in the EU referendum needs to be implemented "as soon as possible” with Parliament’s full involvement, European Parliament president Martin Schulz said on 28 June at the EU summit in Brussels following the UK referendum. “A spell of prolonged uncertainty would be in no-one’s interest," he said, adding that the EU itself should also reform.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Opening the extraordinary session, European Parliament President Martin Schulz noted that this was the first time that a plenary session had been convened at such short notice, but also that the UK citizens’ decision to leave the EU was equally unprecedented. He warmly welcomed Lord Hill and thanked him for his work in the EU Commission and deciding to step down, having campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU. His statement was followed by standing ovations from both MEPs and Commissioners.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The UK must respect the wish of a majority of its citizens, entirely, fully and as soon as possible, by officially withdrawing from the EU before any new relationship arrangements can be made, says the European Parliament in a resolution voted after an extraordinary plenary debate on Tuesday. MEPs also stress the urgent need for reforms to ensure that the EU lives up to its citizens’ expectations.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels on Tuesday 28 June for MEPs to discuss and vote on a resolution assessing the outcome of the UK referendum and its consequences for the European Union. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council representatives also took part

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The UK referendum and its consequences are discussed during an extradition plenary session in Brussels on Tuesday 27 June. In addition the financial repercussions of the refugee and migrant crisis are discussed at a joint committee meeting, while political groups are also preparing for next week's full plenary session in Strasbourg.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : EP President Martin Schulz, European Council President Donald Tusk and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte met Friday morning in Brussels at the invitation of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. They discussed the outcome of the United Kingdom referendum and made the following joint statement:

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : European Parliament President Martin Schulz and EP political group leaders made statements to the press on 24 June following an extraordinary meeting of Parliament's Conference of Presidents (EP President and political group leaders) on the outcome of the UK's EU membership referendum on 23 June.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : To follow up the UK’s EU membership referendum, Parliament's Conference of Presidents (EP President and political group leaders) decided on Friday morning, to convene an extraordinary plenary session for 28 June at 10:00. During this session, MEPs will vote a resolution analysing the outcome and ways forward. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council representatives will take part.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : Extraordinary Plenary session live in Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP