European Parliament

Plenary sessions : An EU deal with San Marino, which will make it harder for EU citizens to hide cash from the tax man in bank accounts there, was endorsed by Parliament in a vote on Thursday. Under the deal, the EU and San Marino will automatically exchange information on the bank accounts of each other's residents, starting in 2017.

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Plenary sessions : The European Parliament made the case on Thursday for EU-wide data sharing on the registration of cats and dogs to tackle the illegal trade in pets that are often badly bred and at risk of spreading diseases. Trafficking of pets, including wild and exotic animals, is increasingly linked to organised crime and poses a public health risk, say MEPs.

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Plenary sessions : Parliament's economic, social and single market priorities for 2016 were adopted on Thursday in three separate resolutions. MEPs gave their input to the upcoming March economic summit, focusing on the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact, its social aspects and how to further exploit the economic potential of the single market.

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Plenary sessions : A law to revamp the European Employment Services (EURES) network with an EU-wide database of job seekers and vacancies was approved by Parliament on Thursday. The aim is to help fight unemployment by better matching labour market supply and demand. Updated rules, already agreed with the Council, will also pay more attention to cross-border regions and young people.

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Plenary sessions : Leaders of the main political groups in Parliament welcomed a fair EU-UK deal as an offer to the British people to remain in the EU. But it's an "in or out" vote some said, not another phase in the negotiations. During the plenary debate on the outcome of the recent EU summit with European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, many UK MEPs voiced arguments for and against EU membership.

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Plenary sessions : Welcoming the President of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz pointed out that Lebanon, with its four million inhabitants, is hosting one million Syrian refugees. This deserves the “greatest recognition and greatest thanks”, particularly in light of the debate on refugees in the EU, Schulz said at the opening of the February II plenary session, adding that the European Parliament will assist the country in any way.

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Despite high unemployment in many parts of Europe, few Europeans look for work in another EU country. This is partly because of the difficulty of finding a job abroad. The European network of Employment Services (Eures) was launched in 1993 to help with this. On 25 February MEPs approved a proposal to strengthen the Eures network. Watch the video to find out what services Eures can offer.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

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EU and NATO coordination has started to tackle the refugee crisis and will be further deepened, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told MEPs and national MPs in the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Security and Defence

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Parliament's women's rights committee adopted a report on Thursday calling on the European Commission to encourage EU countries to take initiatives to protect the rights of domestic workers and care staff in the EU. "If we regulate this profession, we will be able to reduce trafficking and the abuse of women," said report author Kostadinka Kuneva, a Greek member of the GUE group. MEPs will vote on the report during the April plenary. Read our interview with her to find out more.
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

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Plenary and committee meetings, Brussels

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General : The UK and the other EU countries would be better off staying together, Martin Schulz told heads of state and government at the start of a European Council on 18-19 February dedicated to migration and the UK’s demands of a reform of its EU membership. The EP President said: “In the globalised 21st century we need the UK more than ever and we are convinced that the UK will be better off as part of the European Union.”

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With Europe experiencing the largest influx of migrants since World War II, one of the major challenges is how to integrate them into the labour markets. Not only would a job help migrants to provide for themselves, but also to integrate more easily. Parliament's employment committee discussed the opportunities and challenges with experts on Thursday 18 February. Read on to find out what they and MEPs had to say.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

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Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem will strive to strengthen the EU Banking Union, despite recent calls to loosen regulation in response to bank share volatility in in global markets, he told the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Thursday. "There should be no doubt of the European Union's determination to apply these rules", he said in his capacity as Eurogroup President and chair of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN).
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

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The Zika virus has hit the headlines all over the world as people fear it could be linked to microcephaly in babies, which causes them be born with abnormally small heads. On Wednesday Parliament’s public health committee discussed the issue with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO). After the hearing we talked to Dr Roberto Bertollini, WHO’s chief scientist and EU representative, who assured that Zika was a "mild disease" that we were ready to deal with.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

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To fight the growing resistance of bacteria to today’s antibiotics, the use of existing antimicrobial drugs should be restricted, and new ones should be developed, said Environment and Public Health Committee MEPs on Wednesday. In a vote on draft plans to update an EU law on veterinary medicines, they advocate banning collective and preventive antibiotic treatment of animals, and back measures to stimulate research into new medicines.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

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The nuclear agreement with Iran marked the end of a long period of sanctions and gave a new impetus to Iran-EU relations. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif appeared before Parliament's foreign affairs committee to discuss the future of EU-Iran relations as well as the situation in the Middle East. “Iran is open to work with Europe to reduce the concerns and tensions in the region,” he said, but added: “We both need to gain each other’s trust."
Committee on Foreign Affairs

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After the nuclear deal with Iran there is room to develop EU-Iran relations, but not at the expense of human rights, said Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs in Tuesday’s debate with Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Ways to end violence in Syria and Yemen, and Iran's relations with Saudi Arabia were also among the topics discussed.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

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General : In the case of a deal on a reform of the UK’s EU membership, Parliament will do its utmost to support it, but the result is not guaranteed, warned EP President Martin Schulz. He spoke out after UK Prime Minister David Cameron discussed Parliament’s position with leading MEPs on Tuesday. The visit came ahead of Thursday’s European Council summit when heads of state will try to come to an agreement. Schulz will attend to present Parliament’s position.

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General : How much money should a country devote to its health and pension systems? Although this is of course for national parliaments to decide every year, their decisions have to be in line with the country's budgetary commitments taken at the EU level. On 16 February, MEPs and their national counterparts will debate ways to increase the democratic accountability of how the EU coordinates the economic policies of member states.

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