European Union

After proposing a new candidate for the post of economy and finance minister, the protest Five Star Movement and the right-wing Lega Nord have paved the way for a joint government under law professor Giuseppe Conte. Commentators doubt whether the new government can work.

After a man on leave from prison shot two policewomen and a man in downtown Liège, Belgium is discussing whether the prison leave system should be abolished. The presumed attacker is thought to have been radicalised by Islamists in prison. Commentators call for more resocialisation measures - including prison leave.

In a spectacular operation the Ukrainian Security Service SBU has by its own account thwarted a murder attempt against Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko. Ukrainian authorities reported on Tuesday that Babchenko had been killed, then on Wednesday it emerged that the Ukraine-based Putin critic was alive. Europe's commentators ask whether anyone can be trusted anymore after this hoax.

A solution is emerging in the 27-year-old dispute between Athens and Skopje over the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). According to media reports the country could soon bear the name "Republic of North Macedonia" if its population agrees to this in a referendum slated for the autumn. Within the country opinions on the proposed compromise differ widely, however.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, a joint extraordinary meeting of the 3 committees (Foreign Affairs, Development and Human Rights) will take place on Monday 4 June from 15.30- 18.30 in meeting room JAN 6Q2.
No less than 20 former Laureates will gather for a two day event in the European Parliament. The three Committees will host them for a debate in the presence of UN Deputy High commissioner for human rights Ms Kate Gilmore, the EU Special representative Mr Stavros Lambrinidis and many other distinguished guests.
Further information
Draft programme
List of Sakharov laureates participating in the conference
Watch the conference live
Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

The next AFET meetings are scheduled to take place on:

Wednesday, 20 June 2018, 09:00-12:30 and 15:30-18:30, room JAN 2Q2
Wednesday, 20 June 2018, 14:30-15:30, jointly with the LIBE and DEVE Committees, room PHS 3C50
Thursday, 21 June 2018, 09:00-12:30, room JAN 2Q2

Further information
Information for visitors
Draft agendas
Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Solemn undertaking before the Court of Justice of the European Union of four new Members of the European Court of Auditors

Valcheva
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
The notion of ‘rights of access’ includes the rights of access of grandparents to their grandchildren

Wegener
Environment and consumers
The right to compensation for long delays of flights applies to connecting flights to third States with stopovers outside the EU

Hassan
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
When a person travels to a Member State after making a request for international protection in another Member State, the first Member State cannot decide to transfer that person to the second Member State before that second State has agreed to the request to take that person back