European Parliament

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, will on Thursday 14 May receive the International Charlemagne Prize. The prize is awarded every year to recognise work in the service of European unification. The ceremony in Aachen will be attended by eight heads of states as well as many former laureates such as Pat Cox and Jean-Claude Juncker. French president François Hollande and King Abdullah II of Jordan will pay tribute to Schulz with a speech.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : EP President Martin Schulz will be awarded the 57th International Charlemagne Prize at a ceremony on Thursday 14 May in Aachen. The prize goes to Mr Schulz for his work to promote democracy, not least by making the European Parliament more visible, audible and understandable, and for his role in the "Spitzenkandidaten" process ahead of the 2014 European elections.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

How should the EU interact with its neighbours to the east? Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili shared his views when he joined the foreign affairs committee on 11 May to discuss the Eastern Partnership ahead of the summit in Riga on 21-22 May. We spoke to him afterwards to ask how the partnership is working out for his country and how the EU should deal with Russia.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : @RealTimeWW1, a Twitter project about the First World War, has been awarded first prize at the 2015 European Charlemagne Youth Prize ceremony, organised by the European Parliament and the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation on 12 May. Second prize goes to the Fronterras-European (border) line project and the third prize jointly to Austrian, Cypriot and Spanish participants. The prize is awarded every year to projects fostering a European identity and integration among young people.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : The internet has made it easier to book holidays online, however it has also added some difficulties. On 5 May the Parliament and the Council agreed a deal to update the current rules to give online buyers of such packages the same protection as those buying from traditional travel agents. We talked to German EPP member Birgit Collin-Langen, responsible for steering the new rules through Parliament, about the difference the legislation will make.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

As a return to "business as usual" with Russia is now out of the question, the EU should earmark specific funding to counter its propaganda and infiltration of EU politics and support independence movements there, say Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs in a resolution voted on Monday. EU countries should refrain from doing bilateral deals with Russia and step up their own collective efforts to withstand it, whilst retaining a return to cooperation with Russia as a long-term goal, they add.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Turkey must do more to fight corruption and enforce respect for media freedom, free expression and judicial independence, said Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs on Monday. In a resolution on the progress of reform in Turkey in 2014, MEPs also urge the EU to back Turkey’s efforts to build solid, democratic institutions and ensure respect for fundamental freedoms, human rights and the rule of law. Finally, it advocates stepping up EU/Turkey foreign policy cooperation.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

"Whistleblowers should receive protection when they reveal behaviour that goes against the public interest and not only when they reveal illegal activities. There should also be more openness about tax rulings and similar arrangements and countries which defraud other countries should be sanctioned", suggested Richard Brooks of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in a hearing with Parliament's Special Tax Rulings Committee on Monday.
Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : To celebrate Europe Day, the European Parliament opened its doors to the public on 2 May in Strasbourg and on 9 May in Brussels and Luxembourg. In addition local EU offices in Europe and all over the world organised a variety of activities and events for all ages. More than 40,000 people visited the Parliament's events in all three cities.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Parliament President Martin Schulz and the EU’s foreign chief Federica Mogherini opened the EU Pavilion at the World Expo in Milan. To mark Europe Day on 9 May, they also exchanged views on the EU with more than 1,000 citizens, during which Schulz made the case for an active Europe: “The world needs an active and engaging Europe.”

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Should animal testing be banned? The Stop Vivisection citizens' initiative aims to repeal the European directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and ask the European Commission to present a new proposal that does away with animal experimentation. The Parliament is holding a hearing on Monday 11 May, during which MEPs will debate the issue with experts and the initiative's organisers. Watch the discussion live online from 15.00 CET.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Tax rulings, EU-Russia relations, Turkey’s reform progress, boosting free trade with the US, empowering women in Africa and the current situation in Georgia are all on the Parliament's agenda when MEPs gather this week in Brussels. Political groups will also prepare for the plenary session in Strasbourg on 18-21 May. Meanwhile Parliament President Martin Schulz will be awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Dr Denis Mukwege will join the Development Committee to debate how empowering women in Africa can foster the overall development of societies and why addressing health and human security is a prerequisite for progress in developing countries. Dr Mukwege was awarded the Sakharov Prize 2014 for his work for the victims of sexual violence in Eastern Congo's Kivu provinces.
Committee on Development

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Martin Schulz paid tribute to young people during a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau: "You have brought hope into this dark place that together we can and will fight the return of anti-Semitism and racism, intolerance, and ultra-nationalism every step of the way." The Parliament President was talking to them as part of the ”Train 1,000 to Auschwitz” commemorative event on 8 May, bringing together 1,000 young people from all over Europe who took a train journey from Brussels to Krakow.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Political group and committee meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Celebrate Europe Day on 9 May by visiting the European Parliament in Brussels! As part of the Festival of Europe, the Parliament will organise quizzes, exhibitions, a debate with MEPs, mini-conferences and a film screening. Since 2015 is the European Year for Development, this year’s celebration of Europe is focused on what the EU does to reduce poverty in the developing world and many activities will be centred on development cooperation.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : The negotiations on a free-trade deal with the US continue to attract attention, especially a clause detailing how to resolve disputes between foreign investors and countries. The international trade committee organised a meeting on 6 May to discuss the issue with Cecilia Malmström, the commissioner responsible for foreign trade. To find out what they discussed, read our summary on Storify.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

A draft law empowering shareholders to vote on directors’ remuneration, so as to ensure proper transparency and tie their pay more closely to their performance, was backed by Legal Affairs Committee MEPs on Thursday. Some large companies should also be required to disclose, country by country, information on tax rulings, taxes paid and public subsidies received, adds the committee.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

"Even though there is some truth in them, France is the victim of clichés", French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs in an “economic dialogue” meeting at the European Parliament on Thursday morning. Despite what is often said and written, “France is reforming, but reforms require careful negotiation and have to be phased in gently so as to last and avoid social conflict", he added.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP