European Union

Defence cooperation in the EU is now more dependent on political will than on legal considerations, say the Foreign Affairs and Constitutional Affairs committees in a joint resolution passed on Thursday.
Subcommittee on Security and Defence
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Defence cooperation in the EU is now more dependent on political will than on legal considerations, say the Foreign Affairs and Constitutional Affairs committees in a joint resolution passed on Thursday.
Subcommittee on Security and Defence
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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Something is stirring in Luxembourg. In the space of a few months, the European Court of Justice could turn the EU’s refugee policy on its head, fundamentally reshape the way Muslims are treated in Europe and set the parameters for any post-Brexit trade deal. Through this handful of cases, the court will demonstrate its extraordinary and growing influence.

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Together, the EU and the USA have the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world, roughly 31% of the world trade and over 49% of the world GDP. In keeping with the evolving political and legal personality of the EU, there is active cooperation across a host of sectors: cooperation in justice and home affairs, energy and energy security, environment, science & technology, education & training. On 14 June 2013, the Council of the European Union adopted negotiating directives  for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US.

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EU job search aid worth €1,818,750 for 800 former retail workers in the Netherlands was approved by the Budgets Committee in a vote on Thursday. The workers were made redundant by six retail trade companies which recently went bankrupt in the Drenthe and Overijssel regions. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid still needs to be approved by Parliament as a whole, on 14 February and by the Council of Ministers, on 17 February.
Committee on Budgets

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

EU job search aid worth €1,818,750 for 800 former retail workers in the Netherlands was approved by the Budgets Committee in a vote on Thursday. The workers were made redundant by six retail trade companies which recently went bankrupt in the Drenthe and Overijssel regions. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid still needs to be approved by Parliament as a whole, on 14 February and by the Council of Ministers, on 17 February.
Committee on Budgets

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

An EU scheme offering member states technical help – such as expertise, studies, and working visits - with structural reforms needed to boost growth and jobs was informally agreed upon by MEPs and Council negotiators on Wednesday. The €142.8 million Structural Reform Support Programme would run until 2020. The deal still needs to be endorsed by Parliament as a whole.
Committee on Regional Development

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

An EU scheme offering member states technical help – such as expertise, studies, and working visits - with structural reforms needed to boost growth and jobs was informally agreed upon by MEPs and Council negotiators on Wednesday. The €142.8 million Structural Reform Support Programme would run until 2020. The deal still needs to be endorsed by Parliament as a whole.
Committee on Regional Development

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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EU Naval Operation Sophia against human smugglers in the Mediterranean, previously EUNAVFOR Med. The operation is aimed at disrupting the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Mediterranean and to prevent the further loss of life at sea. It is part of a wider EU comprehensive approach to migration, tackling both the symptoms and root causes such as conflict, poverty, climate change and persecution.

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The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk received the letter of credentials of the following Ambassador:

H.E. Mr Faruk KAYMAKCI, Head of the Mission of the Republic of Turkey to the European Union

On 8 February 2017, the presidency reached provisional agreement with representatives of the European Parliament on a programme to help member states implement structural reforms.

The programme will be established for the period running from its entry into force until 31 December 2020 with a financial envelope of €142.8 million.

“This is a programme that will support governments in improving their economic and governance structures. It is another step forward to better equip member states in implementing important reforms which ultimately will be beneficial to European citizens.”

Ian Borg, Maltese parliamentary secretary for the EU presidency 2017 and EU funds

The agreement will be submitted to the Permanent Representatives Committee in the coming days for approval. The Parliament and the Council will then be called on to adopt the proposed regulation at first reading.

Civil Liberties Committee MEPs will question Council and Commission representatives on Thursday about the decision once again to prolong internal border checks in place in five countries in the Schengen passport-free area for another three months, until mid-May.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Civil Liberties Committee MEPs will question Council and Commission representatives on Thursday about the decision once again to prolong internal border checks in place in five countries in the Schengen passport-free area for another three months, until mid-May.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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In October 2012, the European Commission published a Feasibility Study  for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between the European Union and Kosovo. Soon after, the two parties started negotiating the agreement. The designation of Kosovo is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

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On 9 February 2017 Council and European Parliament representatives reached a provisional agreement on a decision establishing a European Year of Cultural Heritage (2018). 

Cultural heritage encompasses resources from the past in a variety of forms and aspects. These include monuments, sites, traditions, transmitted knowledge and expressions of human creativity, as well as collections conserved and managed by museums, libraries and archives.

The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness of European history and values and to strengthen a sense of European identity. At the same time, it draws attention to the opportunities offered by our cultural heritage, but also to the challenges it faces, such as the impact of the digital shift, environmental and physical pressure on heritage sites, and the illicit trafficking of cultural objects.

The main objectives of this European Year are: 

• to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and social cohesion;
• to highlight the economic contribution of cultural heritage to the cultural and creative sectors, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and to local and regional development
• to emphasise the role of cultural heritage in EU external relations, including conflict prevention, post-conflict reconciliation and rebuilding destroyed cultural heritage

The European Year will have a dedicated financial envelope of EUR 8 million.

Representatives of the European Parliament will be able to participate as observers in the meetings of national coordinators convened by the Commission for the running of the European Year. 

As Europeans we have a particularly rich cultural heritage born of our long shared history. I welcome the opportunity to celebrate that heritage and to take pride in all that makes up our common European identity.

Dr. Owen Bonnici, the Maltese Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Next steps 

Coreper will be invited to endorse the agreement at a forthcoming meeting. The Chairman of Coreper will then send a letter to the Chairperson of the European Parliament's CULT committee. 

That letter will indicate that, if the Parliament adopts at its plenary session the compromise text as approved by the Coreper, the Council will adopt the text in first reading without amendments. 

This should enable the new legislation to enter into force soon enough to allow the Commission and member states sufficient time for the necessary preparations. 

Background 

The idea of a European Year of Cultural Heritage was raised for the first time in 2014 when the Council referred to it in its conclusions on the participatory governance of cultural heritage. The idea received strong support from the European Parliament, the Commission presenting its proposal for a European Year of Cultural Heritage in August 2016. 

The Council adopted a general approach on the proposal on 22 November 2016.

The European Parliament's Culture and Education Committee (CULT Committee) report on the decision was voted at its meeting on 8 November 2016. A first trilogue took place on 9 December.

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Senior officials meet to discuss the progress made in the implemenation of the Valletta Joint Action Plan.  The European Union is strengthening the mainstreaming of migration within its Official Development Assistance for Africa. The meeting takes place on 8-9 February in Valletta, Malta.

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General : Robots were the guests of honour at today's press seminar on creating rules and laws to regulate their use. MEPs will vote on a report on this during next week's plenary. Report author Mady Delvaux, a Luxembourg member of the S&D group, also took the time to answers questions about it by followers of our Facebook page yesterday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : Robots were the guests of honour at today's press seminar on creating rules and laws to regulate their use. MEPs will vote on a report on this during next week's plenary. Report author Mady Delvaux, a Luxembourg member of the S&D group, also took the time to answers questions about it by followers of our Facebook page yesterday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

On 6 February, the Subcommittee exchanged views with Ivanna Klympush-Tsindsadze, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, on the deterioration of the security situation in the East of Ukraine, in particular around Avdiivka.
Further information
for further information: Article on EU-Russia relations: a key strategic challenge
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will take place on Thursday 9 March 2017, 9:00-12:30 in Brussels.

Organisations or interest groups who wish to apply for access to the European Parliament will find the relevant information below.

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