European Union

Council and Parliaments agree on a directive on contracts for the supply of digital content and services and on a directive on contracts the sales of goods.

European Union, EP

The first item on the agenda for this week’s part-session is a formal sitting on Wednesday to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In remembering the fate of the millions of Europeans who suffered between 1933 and 1945, Parliament has made its position clear that racism and xenophobia are not opinions but crimes. The worrying recent rise in anti-Semitism in Europe adds to the difficult social conditions under which Holocaust survivors live, many of whom suffer physical and psychological consequences of the persecution. To alleviate this situation, the EU has decided on a common approach to protect Jewish communities in Europe.

A statement by the European Commission on combatting the climate of hatred and physical violence against democratically elected mandate holders is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, and Members will also debate a report calling to block sites when the domain name is defamatory or racist later on Wednesday evening. The trilogue agreement on new rules on the .eu top level domain (TLD), to be debated on Wednesday, ensures greater promotion of EU data protection rules and values in the proposed revamping of the rules on domain names, as well as encouraging best practice and reorganising the management of domain names in the EU.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, the Council and Commission will make statements on the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary. Parliament has made several resolutions on the risks of serious breaches of the EU’s founding principles by the Hungarian state. A proposal currently under consideration seeks to allow for sanctions measures with regard to EU funding.

Parliament will then debate a Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) report on the 2017 annual report on the protection of EU financial interests, and the fight against fraud. The European Commission prepares the annual report, based on information provided by the Member States’ authorities, who manage the actual expenditure. While the CONT committee acknowledges that irregularities decreased during the period, the amount of money involved actually increased. The report stresses the uneven geographical distribution of fraud, and decries the low average recovery rate.

In the latest, and one of the last, of the current series, a debate will be held with the Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Sipilä, on the Future of Europe on Thursday morning. Perhaps the Prime Minister will touch upon some of the burning issues for the next few years: such as an EU at 27 Member States, trade issues and other geopolitical changes, as well as security, the environment, or the challenges of the digital transformation.

Finally, on Thursday lunchtime, Members will vote on a report on the European Commission proposal to change the way EU overseas countries and territories are funded. Parliament’s Development Committee is proposing to increase the budget for the non-UK linked overseas territories plus Greenland to €669 million, and to include these territories in EU regional dialogues with their immediate neighbours. The measures also seek to reinforce environmental and human rights considerations, as well as the territories’ competitiveness.

Visit the European Parliament homepage on Future of Europe

With only four months to go until the European elections, the EU commission is upping the pressure on US internet giants to do more on combatting disinformation.

Plenary session and committees, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Across the UK and the rest of Europe, citizens let out a collective groan when UK Prime Minister Theresa May said she wants to reopen the Brexit deal. But there was at least a glimmer of hope among the fudge.

Despite new projects such as Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream, the transit of gas via Ukraine will continue, and the modalities need to be agreed, writes Danila Bochkarev.

European lawmakers are locked in a dispute over a landmark climate plan that is meant to drag the EU into compliance with the Paris Agreement, as parliamentary committees tussle over who should take the lead.

The new president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, is a worthy member of the small group of women in the club of world heads of state and government, writes Clare Moody.

British prime minister Theresa May told MPs Tuesday she will seek to re-open negotiations with the EU over the Northern Ireland backstop, designed to prevent border checks on the island of Ireland. May said during a parliamentary debate on Brexit strategy that she would return to Brussels to get a "significant and legally-binding change". The EU has earlier said it will not re-open the legal text agreed with London.

German Environment Minister Schulze has called the coal commission's outcome "very good," while the AfD party said Germany is digging its own grave by phasing out coal. France is also watching events in Berlin. Can the European energy transition succeed? EURACTIV Germany reports.

In a symbolic gesture, the Greek government will most probably be the first country to ratify North Macedonia’s NATO accession protocol, as it aims to do it by 8 February, sources close to the issue told EURACTIV.com.

The volume of solar panels and electric cars connected to the grid is still manageable for now. But massive new load expected from electric vehicles in the coming years will require stepping up network digitalisation, warns Serge Colle.

The new system to settle disputes between states and private investors included in the EU-Canada trade agreement is compatible with EU law, the EU Court’s advocate general concluded on Tuesday (29 January), dismissing previous concerns.

Tens of thousands of young Europeans have taken up the cause of climate protection in recent weeks. Inspired by the 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg protests have been staged in Belgium, France, Germany and other European states. The fact that some pupils have made a point of protesting during school hours earns them applause from not a few journalists.

The US and the radical Islamist Taliban have agreed on a framework for a peace accord for Afghanistan. According to Washington the deal includes a promise by the Taliban not to allow international terrorists to hide in the country as well as plans for a speedy US troop withdrawal. Commentators turn their attention to the latter aspect in particular.