European Union

An internal Defence Ministry report reveals more details about an unfolding scandal at a Baden-Württemberg barracks involving "sadistic rituals". The internal report seen by Spiegel and DPA describes a female soldier being forced by her trainers to pole dance and also separately being touched in intimate areas.

The report comes from the woman’s account of an incident last year at the Pfullendorf barracks, which has been the centre of scandal in recent weeks. The woman said that she was forced to undergo some kind of recruitment test where she had to dance against a pole in a common room. She also said that throughout the training sessions, trainees were made to strip naked, and women were touched by trainers, not wearing any gloves, in intimate areas. The trainers then did a ‘smell test’ in front of the whole group. The trainers also had trainees sign a consent form, and took pictures which they said were for training purposes.

Internal research also found that the dancing pole had been installed and used regularly while soldiers were drinking. The report also noted that investigators had largely confirmed the woman’s account. Seven soldiers have been suspended amid an ongoing investigation into grievous bodily harm against trainees, as well as false imprisonment, and sexual assault. The investigation reportedly dates back to last October when a female lieutenant reported incidents directly to the Defence Ministry. The lieutenant described how she saw unbelievable scenes of recruits being forced to strip naked in front of their comrades, with trainers filming.

She also reported that trainers had forced the recruits to do exercises that served no purpose other than sexual ones, such as reviewing how to insert medical devices into the anuses of male and female recruits, which was also recorded.
In the US Army Female army members allegedly pressured into prostitution.

Source

Tag: German ArmyPfullendorf

Plenary sessions : Negotiated for nearly five years and four months, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada is now ready for the final vote by the European Parliament. After MEPs backed it on Wednesday 15 February, the agreement could already provisionally apply from April. In 2015 EU-Canada trade accounted for more than €60 billion and Ceta is expected to boost this by 20%. Read on and watch our video to find out more about the difference the trade deal could make.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Negotiated for nearly five years and four months, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada is now ready for the final vote by the European Parliament. After MEPs backed it on Wednesday 15 February, the agreement could already provisionally apply from April. In 2015 EU-Canada trade accounted for more than €60 billion and Ceta is expected to boost this by 20%. Read on and watch our video to find out more about the difference the trade deal could make.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness was elected first Vice President of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday January 18th.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Six months after the EU membership referendum in the UK and much uncertainty remains about the shape that the future relationship between the two. One of the biggest questions are now being asked about the type of trade deal the UK will reach with the EU post-Brexit.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Greece and its debt problem are back on the EU’s agenda. A team of EU officials and representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are expected to return to Athens to evaluate whether the country has implemented the latest reforms agreed under the current bailout, a necessary step for further international support. MEPs discussed the situation during a debate on Tuesday 14 February and called for urgent action to help improve the situation.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Greece and its debt problem are back on the EU’s agenda. A team of EU officials and representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are expected to return to Athens to evaluate whether the country has implemented the latest reforms agreed under the current bailout, a necessary step for further international support. MEPs discussed the situation during a debate on Tuesday 14 February and called for urgent action to help improve the situation.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Place:        Europa building, Brussels
Chair(s):    Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment of Malta

All times are approximate and subject to change

+/- 09.15
Doorstep by Minister Bartolo

+/- 10.00
Beginning of Council meeting (Roundtable)

Adoption of the agenda
Adoption of A Items (legislative and non-legislative)

Adoption of conclusions:
-  Investing in Europe's youth with particular regard to the European Solidarity Corps
-  Inclusion in diversity to achieve a high quality education for all

+/- 10.45
The contribution of education and training to social cohesion and the fostering of common European values in the context of the European Semester 2017 (public session)

Other business
-  Conference of Ministers of Education entitled "Securing democracy through education" (Nicosia, 22 - 23 March 2017)

+/- 13.00
Working lunch on Improving and modernising education

+/- 12.45
Press conference (live streaming)

On 14 February 2017, representatives of the Council and the European Parliament reached agreement on a programme to promote the involvement of consumers in policymaking in financial services. 

Grants will be provided to two NGOs - Finance Watch and Better Finance - to support activities that encourage the involvement of consumers and other end-users in policymaking. The programme will also contribute to the information of consumers about issues at stake in regulation of the financial sector. 

"As much as regulators, consumers are well placed to judge the suitability of a financial product or service and can contribute actively to policymaking", said Edward Scicluna, Maltese minister for finance and president of the Council. "This EU-wide support programme is meant to strengthen this consumer participation." 

The new programme follows on from a 2011 pilot project that set out to restore consumer confidence in the financial sector following the 2007-08 financial crisis. 

It will be established for the period running from its entry into force until 31 December 2020 with a financial envelope of €6 million. 

Financial services consumers cover a range of users including individual savers, retail investors, insurance holders, pension fund participants and borrowers. 

Next steps

The agreement will be submitted to EU ambassadors in the coming days for approval on behalf of the Council. The Parliament and the Council will then be called on to adopt the proposed regulation without further discussion.

Plenary sessions : Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen gave a passionate speech in favour of the EU at the European Parliament and said the challenges facing Europe could only be tackled together. Van der Bellen was addressing MEPs in Strasbourg on 14 February as part of his first official foreign trip. During the speech he said: “The European idea is great. It is unique. It is worth all the effort."

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen gave a passionate speech in favour of the EU at the European Parliament and said the challenges facing Europe could only be tackled together. Van der Bellen was addressing MEPs in Strasbourg on 14 February as part of his first official foreign trip. During the speech he said: “The European idea is great. It is unique. It is worth all the effort."

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : EU job search aid worth €1,818,750 for 800 former retail workers in the Netherlands was approved in plenary in a vote on Tuesday. The workers were made redundant by six retail trade companies which recently went bankrupt in the Drenthe and Overijssel provinces. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid still needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers on 17 February.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : EU job search aid worth €1,818,750 for 800 former retail workers in the Netherlands was approved in plenary in a vote on Tuesday. The workers were made redundant by six retail trade companies which recently went bankrupt in the Drenthe and Overijssel provinces. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid still needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers on 17 February.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : The worsening plight of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian rebels broke the ceasefire and began shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka last week, will be debated by MEPs on Tuesday afternoon with Ian Borg, Maltese Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency, representing EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. This will be followed by another debate on the situation in the West Bank, including settlements.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : The worsening plight of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian rebels broke the ceasefire and began shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka last week, will be debated by MEPs on Tuesday afternoon with Ian Borg, Maltese Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency, representing EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. This will be followed by another debate on the situation in the West Bank, including settlements.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : An “effective and comprehensive European whistle-blower protection programme” should be proposed “immediately” by the EU Commission, urges Parliament in a resolution voted on Tuesday. MEPs deplore the Commission’s failure, so far, to deliver any legislative proposals to establish a minimum level of protection for whistle-blowers who help protect the EU budget against fraud

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : An “effective and comprehensive European whistle-blower protection programme” should be proposed “immediately” by the EU Commission, urges Parliament in a resolution voted on Tuesday. MEPs deplore the Commission’s failure, so far, to deliver any legislative proposals to establish a minimum level of protection for whistle-blowers who help protect the EU budget against fraud

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 206 - Draft report Report on the 2016 Commission Report on Montenegro
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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