European Parliament (News)

Plenary sessions : Small investors need better information about the possible risks and fees for investment products they might buy, say MEPs. They voted on Thursday, by 561 votes to 9 with 75 abstentions, to delay the introduction of a key explanatory document supplied by investment providers to consumers, while the EU Commission comes up with better proposals.

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General : UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has warned MEPs that Aleppo's besieged eastern part could be obliterated by Christmas. After six years of war, the suffering of civilians in Syria continues unabated and in recent days more than 50,000 people have fled eastern areas of Syria’s second city as government forces advance. In an interview following his meeting yesterday with Parliament’s foreign affairs and development committees, the UN envoy spoke of the need for a political solution.

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General : It's a common problem on holiday: you are unable to watch your favourite TV show because the online subscription service you have at home won't work abroad due to copyright restrictions. This could soon change. On 29 November Parliament's legal affairs committee backed a proposal to give consumers the right to use their online subscriptions to films and other digital content when they temporarily stay in another EU country. Watch the video to find out more.

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Plenary sessions : President Schulz announced that two motions for resolutions, seeking a European Court of Justice opinion on the compatibility with the Treaties of the EU-US deal on protecting personal data exchanged for law enforcement purposes, will be put to the vote on Thursday, immediately before the vote on the recommendation drafted by Jan Philipp Albrecht.

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Plenary sessions : The EU-US “Umbrella Agreement” on the protection of personal data exchanged for law enforcement purposes will be debated on Wednesday evening at around 18.00. It aims to ensure high, binding data protection standards for data exchanged by police and law enforcement authorities for the cross-border prevention, tracking and prosecution of criminal offences, including terrorism.

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Small investors need to be much better informed about possible risks and fees related to investment products they might buy, say MEPs. On Thursday they agreed to delay implementation of new rules under which investment companies have to provide a consumer-friendly document to guide prospective investors of “packaged retail and insurance-based investment products” (Priips).

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An EU scheme offering EU member states technical help with structural reforms needed to boost growth and jobs was backed by the Regional Development Committee on Tuesday.
Committee on Regional Development

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New rules to enable EU citizens subscribing to services that give access to online music, games, films or sporting events, to enjoy this content while abroad in another EU country were approved by the Legal Affairs Committee in a vote on Tuesday.
Committee on Legal Affairs

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Caps on the wholesale prices that telecoms operators charge each other for using their networks to carry cross-border “roaming” calls were agreed by industry MEPs on Tuesday. This brings the abolition of roaming charges for consumers a step closer.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

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General : More than 10 years after EU-Turkey accession talks started, MEPs adopted a resolution on 24 November calling for the negotiations to be suspended until the Turkish government ended its disproportionate and repressive response to July's failed coup. Ankara replied by threatening to let thousands of migrants pass through to Europe. Greek EPP member Manolis Kefalogiannis, head of Parliament’s delegation to Turkey, commented: “We are entering a new phase in EU-Turkey relations”.

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General : With both committee meetings and a plenary session taking place, members have a busy week in store for them in Brussels. In plenary, MEPs are expected to seal the deal with member states on the EU budget for 2017, as well as vote on an agreement with the United States about protecting personal data transferred for law enforcement purposes. Rules on ensuring access to online content for people travelling abroad and a cap on wholesale roaming charges are to be put to a vote in committees.

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General : The world continues to be a dangerous place for women: one in three women in Europe has experienced violence, while 55% of women been sexually harassed in the past 12 months. To raise awareness the Parliament buildings in Brussels will be lit up in orange tonight in honour of today being the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This week MEPs called on the EU to adhere to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

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Plenary sessions : The EU should freeze accession negotiations with Turkey in light of the country's vast crackdown that followed the failed July coup, said MEPs in a resolution adopted this week. Also during this week's plenary session MEPs called on EU countries to step up cooperation on defence. On Wednesday Parliament awarded its annual Lux Film Prize to dark comedy Toni Erdmann by German director Maren Ade.

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Committee EMPL / INTA - meeting 29/11/2016 (AM)
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

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Plenary sessions : Tackling all sources of conflict of interest is crucial to ensure the credibility of political decision-making, say MEPs in a resolution on EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly’s work in 2015, voted on Thursday. Parliament also reiterated its worries about former EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso’s appointment as non-executive chairman of Goldman Sachs International, and called on the Ombudsman to initiate a strategic inquiry into the Commission’s handling of this case.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs say that Belarus’ progress in upholding democratic values is “insufficient” in a resolution voted on Thursday. They note that Belarus is taking new political prisoners, harassing the opposition, using capital punishment, and failing to address safety concerns about its first nuclear power plant, being built in Ostrovets.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs want a temporary freeze on EU accession talks with Turkey. In a resolution voted on Thursday, they say Turkey should nonetheless remain “anchored” to the EU. They also pledge to review their position when the "disproportionate repressive measures" under the state of emergency in Turkey are lifted.

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Plenary sessions : The security in and around Europe is deteriorating, while there are concerns over the incoming USA administration's commitment to backing Europeans' security through Nato. This week MEPs approve several measures to facilitate cooperation on defence and security within the EU. They also reiterated calls for EU countries to devote 2% of their gross domestic product to spending on defence. Find out more by watching our video.

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Plenary sessions : 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.

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Plenary sessions : All parties to the conflict in Syria should ensure humanitarian aid access throughout the country and cease bombing civilians, urge MEPs. Those responsible for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law should "sooner or later" face justice, they add in a resolution voted on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP