European Union

The EU's financial aid provided to the 'frontline' countries neighbouring Ukraine has been controversial, with the €100 million support package funded with Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) money to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia extensively criticised by all sides.

The control of the EU’s food traditions should remain firmly in the hands of the EU executive, according to the European Parliament, which adopted its position on overhauling the EU’s food quality scheme on Thursday (1 June).

One year after EU governments backed Ukraine’s status as a candidate to join the bloc, Kira Rudik, a senior lawmaker in Kyiv, says that the country is on track for EU accession - but it needs political support from the bloc as much as ever.

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton reiterated his support for nuclear, calling it a promising sector and a means to decarbonise the EU, as French MPs questioned him on the EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act on Thursday (1 June).

In a sign that world geopolitics is shifting before our eyes, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said ahead of the ongoing summit of the BRICS states that the global order needs a rebalancing away from the Western powers, asserting the BRICS' wish to provide the necessary counterweight. 

Any further restrictions on auto emissions need to be imposed carefully and only after serious deliberation, with concern shown for both manufacturers and consumers.

Written by Clare Ferguson and Katarzyna Sochacka.

Among the key moments of the May II plenary session were debates on breaches of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary and frozen EU funds, and on the threat to democracy and the rule of law in Poland, in particular through the creation of an investigative committee. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, made a statement on the 10-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. Another debate addressed the social and economic costs of climate change in light of the floods in Emilia Romagna, Marche and Tuscany and the urgent need for European solidarity. Members also considered an own-initiative report on sexual harassment in the EU. Finally, in a formal sitting, Parliament heard an address by Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia.

Corporate sustainability due diligence

Members debated the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) report on harmonising corporate sustainability due diligence across Member States, which demands amendments to the Commission’s proposal. These include broadening the scope of companies subject to the directive, as well as the definition of ‘value chain’, introducing remediation for those affected by unfair corporate practices, and linking the variable remuneration of directors of large companies (1 000+ employees) to the implementation of climate change transition plans. The text adopted sets Parliament’s position for trilogue negotiations with the Council.

Act in support of ammunition production

Responding to Ukraine’s request for EU assistance, Members voted on the proposal to assist the defence industry to increase ammunition production capacity, and address ammunition shortages and supply-chain bottlenecks (to avoid leaving EU countries without the means for their own defence). The proposal aims at helping the defence industry to ramp up production, including the creation of a fund that would provide financial assistance to EU ammunition producers. Negotiations with the Council on the proposed act in support of ammunition production are to be fast-tracked, aiming to adopt the act by the end of July 2023.

Geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products

Members debated a report from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) on the proposed regulation consolidating elements of the geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products into a single system. The committee’s report simplifies the GI registration procedure, and reduces the role of the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in comparison to a much criticised element of the proposal. Members’ vote has set Parliament’s mandate for interinstitutional negotiations.

Foreign interference in EU democracy

With evidence of increasing external interference in EU affairs – ranging from social media disinformation campaigns, to corruption of officials, and the weaponisation of energy, food supplies and migrants – Members debated foreign interference in democratic processes and election integrity, and voted on the report of the second Special Committee on Foreign Interference (ING2) on external attempts to influence elections and democratic processes in the EU. The recommendations address resilience-building, cybersecurity, interference during electoral processes, covert funding of political activities by foreign actors, the EU’s coordinated strategy on interference, and the development of a defence of democracy package.

Opening of trilogue negotiations

Two decisions to enter into interinstitutional negotiations from the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) committee were announced: on the proposal for a directive on assets recovery and confiscation and on the proposal for a regulation on automated data exchange for police cooperation (Prüm II).

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘Plenary round-up – May II 2023‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Head of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Pascal Canfin,  wants to hold a hearing with agrochemical giants Bayer and Syngenta after researchers accused them of withholding information on the brain toxicity risk of pesticides. 

The Spanish government has officially requested to postpone the presentation of its upcoming EU presidency priorities in the European Parliament's plenary chamber until September.

A group of pro-Ukrainian forces said on Friday (2 June) they were fighting Russian troops on the outskirts of a village just inside Russia's western border, a day after Moscow said it had repelled three cross-border attacks.

The Spanish government has requested the postponement of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s speech to present the country's EU Council presidency at the European Parliament, originally scheduled for 13 July, to the September plenary session. 

In Cluj-Napoca, Romania, both young and senior citizens can take part in participatory budgeting processes implemented by the municipality and local organisations. These processes allow residents to propose and vote initiatives which are then funded through the local budget. To...

Written by Jaan Soone (1st edition).

Road safety has improved significantly in the EU, with the number of road fatalities falling by more than 60 % in the last 20 years. However, improvements in road safety have fallen short of the EU goals of decreasing the number of road deaths by 50 % between 2001 and 2010, and by an additional 50 % between 2011 and 2020.

Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road safety-related traffic offences – the Cross-border Enforcement (CBE) Directive – is one of the pillars of the policy framework to improve road safety in the EU. It aims to help improve road safety by tackling the relative impunity of non-resident drivers. The revision, announced in the European Commission’s sustainable and smart mobility strategy in 2020, seeks to address key shortcomings in existing rules. According to Commission estimates, 40 % of cross-border offences were committed with impunity, either because the offender was not identified or because the payment was not enforced.

The Commission tabled its proposal to revise the CBE Directive as part of the road safety package on 1 March 2023. In the European Parliament, the file was assigned to the Committee on Transport and Tourism, with Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Poland) as rapporteur.

Versions

• June 2023: Cross-border exchange of information on road safety-related traffic offences (1st edition)

Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road safety-related traffic offences Committee responsible:Transport and Tourism (TRAN)COM(2023) 126
1.3.2023Rapporteur:Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Poland)2023/0052(COD)Shadow rapporteurs:Benoît Lutgen (EPP, Belgium)
Bogusław Liberadzki (S&D, Poland)
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Renew Europe, Spain)
Ciarán Cuffe (Greens/EFA, Ireland)
Elena Kountoura (The Left, Greece)Ordinary legislative
procedure (COD)
(Parliament and Council
on equal footing – formerly
‘co-decision’)

Next steps expected: Publication of draft report

Welcome to EURACTIV’s Tech Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU

The European Parliament adopted its recommendations for the EU's response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on Thursday (1 June), calling for national strategies and boosting innovation. 

Presentation of the European Parliament’s Spring Eurobarometer data on public opinion towards the EU and the 2024 elections.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Presentation of the European Parliament’s Spring Eurobarometer data on public opinion towards the EU and the 2024 elections.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

France's military budget will rise by 40 percent, Denmark increased its defence budget this week, and the EU Parliament plans to invest 500 million euros to boost munitions production. Back in March 2022 Germany announced an additional 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr in response to Russia's war against Ukraine. Europe's press takes stock of the rearmament trend.