European Union

General : A deal struck by MEPs and Council of Ministers negotiators in the small hours of Thursday morning means the architecture of the Juncker plan to unlock €315 billion public and private investments in the real economy in 2015-2017 can now be put to a European Parliament vote on 24 June and the investment programme can kick off in the summer.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : A deal struck by MEPs and Council of Ministers negotiators in the small hours of Thursday morning means the architecture of the Juncker plan to unlock €315 billion public and private investments in the real economy in 2015-2017 can now be put to a European Parliament vote on 24 June and the investment programme can kick off in the summer.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Several major Western news organisations have been hit by politically motivated cyber-attacks over the past few years, mostly in retaliation for their critical coverage of events, countries or movements such as the Syrian regime or Islamic State. MEPs discussed on 27 May how the EU could help to counter such attacks. Check out our timeline to learn more about the attacks and read on to find out how the EU could help.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Several major Western news organisations have been hit by politically motivated cyber-attacks over the past few years, mostly in retaliation for their critical coverage of events, countries or movements such as the Syrian regime or Islamic State. MEPs discussed on 27 May how the EU could help to counter such attacks. Check out our timeline to learn more about the attacks and read on to find out how the EU could help.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Europe should focus on saving lives when dealing with migration, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a speech at the European Parliament on 27 May. During the plenary session he called attention to the 1,800 people who drowned while crossing the Mediterranean this year: “Europe has an important role to play and a collective responsibility to act. Saving lives should be the priority.” He also discussed sustainable development and preventing violent extremism.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Europe should focus on saving lives when dealing with migration, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a speech at the European Parliament on 27 May. During the plenary session he called attention to the 1,800 people who drowned while crossing the Mediterranean this year: “Europe has an important role to play and a collective responsibility to act. Saving lives should be the priority.” He also discussed sustainable development and preventing violent extremism.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

AMENDMENTS 335 - 663 - Draft report on the review of the European Neighbourhood policy
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid, will meet the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Human Rights and Security and Defence subcommittees on Thursday at 9.00. This will be his first visit to the European Parliament since he became Prime Minister in February this year.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid, will meet the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Human Rights and Security and Defence subcommittees on Thursday at 9.00. This will be his first visit to the European Parliament since he became Prime Minister in February this year.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid, will meet the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Human Rights and Security and Defence subcommittees on Thursday at 9.00. This will be his first visit to the European Parliament since he became Prime Minister in February this year.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Healthy eating habits start young, so the EU and its member states should do and spend more to encourage kids to eat healthy and local foods, Parliament said on Wednesday. To ensure that they get healthy eating lessons, as well as school milk, fruit, and vegetables from EU schemes, Parliament amended draft rules and approved a mandate for MEPs to negotiate their final form with EU member states.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : Healthy eating habits start young, so the EU and its member states should do and spend more to encourage kids to eat healthy and local foods, Parliament said on Wednesday. To ensure that they get healthy eating lessons, as well as school milk, fruit, and vegetables from EU schemes, Parliament amended draft rules and approved a mandate for MEPs to negotiate their final form with EU member states.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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EU-Tunisia relationship emphasises close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernisation, and migration issues, under the European Neighbourhood Policy. Tunisia and the EU are bound by the legally binding treaty in the form of an Association agreement.

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In my previous post I analyzed the first ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), “S.A.S v. France”, concerning the full-face veil. The ECtHR introduced the principle “living together” as a legitimate aim to ban the burqa and niqab in France, on the basis that wearing the full-face veil hinders communication among individuals. I thought that ruling was dangerously opening the door to prohibit the full-face veil in other countries. Last Friday, the Dutch cabinet approved a proposal for a partial ban on face-covering Islamic veils on public transport and in public areas such as schools and hospitals.

The recent legitimate aim, “living together”, introduced by the ECtHR at “S.A.S v. France”, seems to justify a general prohibition of the Islamic full-face veil. However, I believe that these types of generalized prohibitions, apart from dangerously opening the door to prohibiting the full-face veil in other countries, will not eradicate a tradition with strong cultural and religious roots among Muslim women. Hidden under the disguise of a general prohibition is not only a fear of discrimination, but an apprehension to pluralism at its deepest core, which makes uncovering the veil a more comfortable option for westerners. This hesitation to what is foreign is that what must be altered, to learn to value and appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of that which is different. It is only when foreign ideas are viewed with acceptance and respect under a universal vision, that integration and mutual tolerance will thrive, steering far away from prejudice and inequality.[1] In fact, a general ban implies shunning that which opposes one’s views, with the idea that the foreigner should adopt the traditions of the host country. Therefore, instead of restricting such a manifestation of religion, efforts should shift toward a more inclusive approach to strengthen dialogue between states and the Muslim organizations. Such an approach would encourage communication and understanding of wearing the full-face veil throughout Europe, promoting values of respect, acceptance, and coexistence in a social, plural, and democratic state.

This blog post is based on the research I conducted for my Master Thesis at Erasmus University Rotterdam, which led to the publication “Pertinence of a General Prohibition of the Burqa and Niqab in Spain: A Human Rights Perspective” in the Yearbook on Humanitarian Action and Human Rights.

[1] See Dogru v. France, §62. See also S.A.S. v. France, §128

The post Dutch Partial Ban on Islamic Veil in Public Spaces appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

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The annual spring meeting of the donor coordination group for the Palestine Territories takes place on 13 April in Brussels.

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