European Parliament

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.

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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.

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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.

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Plenary sessions : The EU needs to update its long-term financing plan to cope with new priorities and challenges such as mass migration, internal security and youth unemployment, said MEPs in a resolution voted on Wednesday. The text sets out political recommendations for the EU Commission’s forthcoming 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.

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Plenary sessions : Plans to set up an EU border control system, bringing together the EU’s Frontex border agency and national border management authorities, were endorsed by MEPs on Wednesday. Under these plans, national authorities will still manage their borders on a day-to-day basis but, if their EU external borders are under pressure, they will be able to seek help from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (EBCG), to rapidly deploy pooled border guard teams to those borders.

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Plenary sessions : EU member states should use a €1.349 billion EU budget refund for 2015 to honour their pledges to contribute to two EU trust funds set up to tackle the refugee crisis, urge MEPs in a resolution voted on Wednesday. Parliament approved a Commission proposal to amend the EU’s 2016 budget in order to include a positive balance from 2015. This balance is to be refunded in the form of a reduction in member states’ contributions.

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Plenary sessions : Firms supplying essential services, e.g. for energy, transport, banking and health, or digital ones, such as search engines and cloud services, will have to improve their ability to withstand cyber-attacks under the first EU-wide rules on cybersecurity, approved by MEPs on Wednesday.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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Plenary, committee and political group meetings, Brussels

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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:

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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.

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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.

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General : Extraordinary Plenary session live in Brussels

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A new standard European travel document to speed the return of non-EU nationals staying "irregularly" in EU member states without valid passports or identity cards was informally agreed by MEPs and EU ministers on Thursday evening. A key goal during the talks has been to increase third countries’ acceptance of the document through improved technical details. To enter into force, this informal deal needs to be formally endorsed by the full Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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