European Union

Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Committee rejected as “misleading” and flawed, proposals aimed at providing greater protection to consumers buying packaged financial products, and unanimously voted to send the proposals back to the European Commission for revision.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The trade deal between Canada and the EU is the latest trade agreement to attract controversy. Negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) have been concluded, but it willstill need to be approved by the European Parliament, the Council and the national parliaments. On 31 August the international trade committee discussed the agreement and afterwards we talked to Latvian EPP member Artis Pabriks, who is responsible for steering the agreement through Parliament.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The trade deal between Canada and the EU is the latest trade agreement to attract controversy. Negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) have been concluded, but it willstill need to be approved by the European Parliament, the Council and the national parliaments. On 31 August the international trade committee discussed the agreement and afterwards we talked to Latvian EPP member Artis Pabriks, who is responsible for steering the agreement through Parliament.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Good afternoon.

Allow me first of all to thank Prime Minister Bettel for his hospitality here in Luxembourg today. I really appreciate our close and good cooperation; just like I did during the excellent Luxembourg EU presidency only one year ago. 

The agenda for our talks today is of course our meeting at 27 in Bratislava on the 16th of September. We need to discuss what Brexit means politically for the European Union. We need to talk about ourselves, the European Union, that sooner or later will be left by the UK. 

The only way to succeed in Bratislava is to be frank and not to avoid even the most controversial and difficult topics. It is my deep conviction that our priority should be to take back full control in the field of internal security, and on our external borders. It is not an accident that this issue, together with migration, was at the forefront of the referendum campaign in the UK. But the sense of insecurity and destabilisation, in many aspects, including the economic one, is present also on the European continent. 

I am now in the process of consulting all the leaders of the EU member states. I share with them my strong belief that the key issue is still irregular migration. Together, we have made much progress since the biggest migratory wave towards Europe started last year. Just to give an example: the total number of irregular migrants arriving to Greece from Turkey in the last four months is the same as in a single day in October last year, when the crisis reached its peak. This shows that our collective action is working. Obviously, we still have much work to do. But our aim must be clear: Never again should we allow the chaos of 2015 to repeat in Europe. 

Another key problem is terrorism. We must strengthen our co-operation in the areas of internal and external security, especially in light of the recent terrorist attacks on European soil. National security is and will remain a national responsibility. But there is more we can do at the European level to help member states fight terrorists. 

In the course of the consultations I have conducted so far, my interlocutors also paid attention to the big and growing fear of globalisation, and the feeling of uncertainty about our economic future. The feeling of people that globalisation only benefits the elites. We must help people to restore faith in the fact that the EU should serve them, guarantee their protection and share their emotions. All too often today, the European elites seem to be detached from reality. 

In Bratislava, we need to come up with a common diagnosis of the European Union after the vote in the UK. We will not solve all the EU's problems overnight, but what we need to do there is to establish common objectives. This will allow us to rebuild a sense of political unity in the months to come, also ahead of our meeting in Rome in March 2017, 60 years after the founding of our community. We need that sense of political unity much more today, with the world around Europe bringing more threats than opportunities, than we did in the sunny days. 

And one last point. It is not our intention to talk about the UK in Bratislava or our negotiation strategy vis-à-vis the UK. Our position is crystal clear: there will be no negotiations without notification. This principle is enshrined in our treaties. And it is there for a reason: to protect the interests of the members of the Union that want to stay together, not the one which decides to leave. Therefore, we shall not give up on this principle.

Thank you.

The priorities of the Slovak Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Slovak ministers at a series of meetings taking place in July, August and September.
Committee on Development
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on Fisheries
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The priorities of the Slovak Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Slovak ministers at a series of meetings taking place in July, August and September.
Committee on Development
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on Fisheries
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The priorities of the Slovak Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Slovak ministers at a series of meetings taking place in July, August and September.
Committee on Development
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on Fisheries
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

will take place on Monday 5 September, 15:00-18:30 in room Paul-Henri Spaak 5B001 in Brussels. Please note that item 4 and 6 have been swapped (item 4: draft report by Mr Pascu on the implementation of the CSDP, item 6: draft report by Mr Paet on the European Defence Union.)

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

Further information
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TTIP is in a sorry state.

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OPINION on the future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Javier Couso Permuy

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

REPORT on corporate liability for serious human rights abuses in third countries
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Ignazio Corrao

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REPORT on the EU relations with Tunisia in the current regional context
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Fabio Massimo Castaldo

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REPORT on human rights and migration in third countries
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Marie-Christine Vergiat

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The inquiry committee on Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) heard Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for enterprise and industry 2004-2010, on how the current legislation on car emissions was drafted during his tenure. MEPs also heard Peter Lakin, vice president of Faurecia, on emission control technologies.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The inquiry committee on Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) heard Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for enterprise and industry 2004-2010, on how the current legislation on car emissions was drafted during his tenure. MEPs also heard Peter Lakin, vice president of Faurecia, on emission control technologies.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

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It is the least welcome fiscal boost in history. By demanding that Apple hands over €13bn to Ireland, Brussels has metaphorically bundled the Irish government into an alley, while forcibly shoving €50 notes into its pocket.

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General : The EU's budget for next year will be decided over the coming months. Starting this week parliamentary committees adopt their opinion on the budget, while the budgets committee discusses the Council's position on Wednesday 31 August. The committee will then draft a recommendation to MEPs, which will be put to a plenary vote at the end of October. Check out our infographic for all the steps of the budgetary procedure.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : The EU's budget for next year will be decided over the coming months. Starting this week parliamentary committees adopt their opinion on the budget, while the budgets committee discusses the Council's position on Wednesday 31 August. The committee will then draft a recommendation to MEPs, which will be put to a plenary vote at the end of October. Check out our infographic for all the steps of the budgetary procedure.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP