European Parliament (News)

Plenary sessions : The EU Commission proposal for an EU anti-tax avoidance directive was welcomed by Parliament in a resolution voted on Wednesday. MEPs nonetheless advocated stricter limits on deductions for interest payments and tougher rules on foreign income. They also called for more transparency for trust funds and foundations, common rules for “patent box” tax reductions on intellectual property earnings, and an EU blacklist of tax havens and sanctions against uncooperative jurisdictions.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : A WTO deal struck by the EU and 24 countries, including Japan, China, and the USA, to stop charging custom duties on trade in 201 different high-demand information technology products, such as video game consoles, medical imaging machines and touch screens, was backed by MEPs on Wednesday. The EU has signed the deal, but now has Parliament’s green light for it to enter into force.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The European Parliament agreed to set up an inquiry committee into the “Panama Papers” revelations, of detailed information on offshore companies and their ultimate beneficiaries, in a vote on Wednesday. The committee is to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application by the EU Commission or member states of EU laws on money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion. It will have 65 members and twelve months to present its report.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : One year on from its launch, MEPs voiced sharply divided verdicts on the progress of the €315 billion investment plan for Europe, or "Juncker plan", in Wednesday's debate with EU Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen. While the EPP and S&D broadly welcomed the work of the "European Fund for Strategic Investment" (EFSI) and the Commission's announcement that it proposes to extend the lifetime of the plan, MEPs from smaller groups were sceptical about its achievements to date.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The new European Commission proposals for a review of the “blue card” scheme for highly-skilled workers from third countries, which should simplify their admission and improve their living conditions, and for an action plan to promote successful integration of migrants within the EU, were debated on in plenary session on Tuesday with Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs debated on Wednesday morning whether the EU's €315 billion investment plan to fuel Europe's economic recovery by mobilising public and private investment was delivering. According to the European Commission, the first year of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has been promising, but MEPs had mixed reactions. Read more about the plan and the plenary debate.

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Plenary sessions : A majority of MEPs welcomed plans to step up cooperation with third countries, particularly in Africa, by increasing public and private investment there to support economic and social development and curb migration flows. But many MEPs also warned against replicating the EU deal with Turkey in Tuesday’s debate with EU Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who presented a proposal for a new “partnership framework with third countries”.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The influx of irregular migrants continues to pose a challenge to Europe. According to Frontex 13,800 people had to be rescued in the central Mediterranean in the last week of May alone. The EU is working on different ways to manage migration better. The European Commission presented a new plan to address the root causes of migration in plenary on 7 June, which was debated by MEPs. Read on for an overview of upcoming initiatives.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : From conducting search and rescue operations to monitoring sea borders and the state of agricultural crops, it has all been made easier thanks to data from satellites. Europe's space initiatives are helping to create new opportunities for European companies as well as making it easier to protect people. On Tuesday MEPs discuss ways to make better use of these programmes. Read our glossary of terms related to the EU's space policy ahead of the debate.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs urge the EU Commission to put forward proposals against unfair trading practices in the food supply chain, so as to ensure fair earnings for farmers and a wide choice for consumers, in a resolution voted on Tuesday. The aim should be to ensure fair and transparent trade relations among food producers, suppliers and distributors. Fair trading should in turn help to prevent overproduction and food waste, they add.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Tax avoidance by companies cost EU countries €160-190 billion in lost revenue a year. MEPs will discuss new measures to fight the most common practices on Tuesday 7 June and vote on them the following day. Read more about the legislation and check our infographic that shows corporate tax rates and respective tax income by member state.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The 31st plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) will take place in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, in Southern Africa, from June 13 to 15 2016. The session will be opened formally by its Co-Presidents Louis Michel for the European Parliament, and Netty Baldeh (Gambia) for the ACP.

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General : The European Parliament has honoured 50 people and organisations from 26 EU countries with this year's Citizen's Prize for their contribution to European cooperation and the promotion of common values. The jury, headed by Parliament Vice-President Sylvie Guillaume, selected the 2016 laureates after a consultation of the 79 proposals that made it through to the national juries.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The influx of irregular migrants continues to pose a challenge to Europe. According to Frontex 13,800 people had to be rescued in the central Mediterranean over the last week alone. The EU is working on different ways to manage migration better. On Monday 30 May Parliament's civil liberties committee approved proposals concerning migration and cooperation with other countries, paving the way for a better management of the EU's borders. Read on for an overview of what is being proposed.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The European Parliament Conference of Presidents, uniting the EP president and political group leaders, agreed on Thursday 2 June on a mandate for an inquiry committee to look into the so-called Panama Papers, which revealed detailed information on off-shore companies and their ultimate beneficiaries.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The 4th railway package, tabled by the European Commission in January 2013, aims to improve the competitiveness of the rail sector and quality of rail services by removing administrative costs, introducing more competition in domestic passenger services and ensuring a level playing field for operators.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

New EU data protection legislation aims to create a uniform set of rules across the EU fit for the digital era, improve certainty as to the law and boost trust in the digital single market for citizens and businesses alike. Clear and affirmative consent to data processing, the right to be forgotten and tough fines for firms breaking the rules are some of the new features.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Talks on a Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), with countries representing 70% of world trade in services, should deliver international rules and more opportunities for EU firms to supply services such as transport and telecoms in third countries. But "nothing should prevent EU, national and local authorities from maintaining, improving and applying their laws", notably on labour, social protection and data protection, say MEPs’ recommendations to EU negotiators, voted on 3 February 2016.

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The provisional deal reached by Parliament and Council negotiators on 2 December 2015 on an EU directive regulating the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime was endorsed by the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee on 10 December 2015 by 38 votes to 19, with 2 abstentions.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The 30th plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly took place in Brussels from 7 to 9 December 2015. The session was opened formally by its Co-Presidents Louis Michel for the European Parliament and Fitz A. Jackson (Jamaica) for the ACP.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP