European Union

The energy performance of buildings directive will lower energy bills, reduce Europe's energy dependence and stimulate economic growth, writes Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe.

The revision of the energy performance of buildings directive will make it a key tool to decarbonise the EU's building stock while enabling citizens to afford mass-scale renovations, writes MEP Seán Kelly.

The French Senate on Saturday night (11 March) adopted President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform plan in the wake of a seventh day of demonstrations that were not as large as authorities had expected.

The Monthly Highlights publication provides an overview, at a glance, of the on-going work of the policy departments, including a selection of the latest and forthcoming publications, and a list of future events.
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged rugby shirts at the Elysée palace on Friday (10 March), it was in sharp contrast in tone to years of acrimony between London and Paris.

President Joe Biden and top EU official Ursula von der Leyen announced progress in defusing a transatlantic trade dispute Friday (10 March) and renewed their commitment to back Ukraine against Russia.

The risk of unmet medical needs increases as certain medical examinations and treatments can be accessed only in the biggest hospitals, resulting in late diagnosis and worsening chronic conditions for those living in rural and remote areas across Europe.

On 6-9 March, a delegation of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee attended the UN Commission on the Status of Women and held meetings in Washington, D.C. on women’s rights.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 6-9 March, a delegation of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee attended the UN Commission on the Status of Women and held meetings in Washington, D.C. on women’s rights.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Members of the AFET Committee will meet on :

• 22 March - 9.00-11.30 and 14.30-18-30
• 23 March - 10.00-13.00

in room József Antall (2Q2) to discuss the following items:

Votes:

• The implementation of civilian CSDP and other EU civilian security assistance - Alviina Alametsä (Verts/ALE)
• Implementation of "passerelle" clauses in the EU Treaties - Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE)

Debates:

• Debriefing on the AFET mission to Indonesia and Vietnam (20-24 February 2023)
• Exchange of views with Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan
• Exchange of views with Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative/Vice-President: One year after the adoption of the strategic compass
• Hearing on the situation in the Taiwan strait
• Presentation of the European Endowment for Democracy 2022 Annual Report
• Presentation of the Study on 'Afghanistan: Lessons learnt from 20 years of supporting democracy, development and security'
• Consideration of draft reports on Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Uzbekistan
  

AFET-SEDE-DROI meetings 2023
Meeting documents
Webstreaming
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The European Commission is preparing a reform of EU electricity market rules, aiming to address price volatility caused by the gas crisis and adapt the power market to an energy system increasingly dominated by renewables.

The EU Commission is preparing to table a reform of EU electricity market rules next week, aiming to introduce more stability through long-term contracts and a renewed focus on demand reduction measures, according to a leaked draft seen by EURACTIV.

International law is sacred unless it applies to migration. That appears to be the message from Europe’s political leaders. Following Thursday’s EU immigration ministers meeting, the bloc’s Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson opined that the UK’s new ‘small boats’ legislation,...

After the Romanian press on Thursday (9 March) reported a big price increase of the compulsory third-party liability car insurance, politicians clashed, while the biggest insurer on the market, a Bulgarian company, said the crisis was artificial.

In Lithuania, Denmark, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Romania, the design of national tax systems leads to an 'inactivity trap' among second-payers (mostly women) above 40 percent.

Germany’s Greens are caught between a rock candy and a hard place. They took over the agriculture ministry with the declared ambition to make diets healthier – but many in the country will fight (sweet) tooth and nail for their...

Moscow on Friday (10 March) accused foreign countries of fomenting days of mass protests in Georgia, likening them to an attempted coup designed to sow tension on Russia's borders.

EU lawmakers seem closer to an agreement on the most significant overhaul of EU’s fisheries monitoring rules in a decade despite the Commission's opposition to relaxing rules on misreporting fish catches.

OPINION on guidelines for the 2024 budget – Section III
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Carina Ohlsson

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

A new Council text on the revised Product Liability Directive, seen by EURACTIV, puts software more firmly under the scope, clarifies the concept of manufacturers’ control and seeks to limit national fragmentation. The Swedish presidency of the EU Council of...