European Parliament

General : The international trade committee votes on 24 January on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement or Ceta, but this free trade agreement with Canada is far from the only deal the EU is working on. Various deals are currently being negotiated right across the globe, but they can only enter into force if the European Parliament approves them. Read on for an overview of the negotiations in progress and an explanation of how the process works.

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General : This week members of Parliament’s international trade committee vote on whether to approve Ceta, the EU-Canada trade deal. The environment committee votes on measures on waste reduction and recycling. Newly-elected Parliament President Antonio Tajani opens an event on Wednesday marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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Committee meetings, Brussels

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Plenary sessions : Antonio Tajani was elected as the president for the second half of the parliamentary term during this week's plenary session while MEPs also chose 14 new vice-presidents. In addition they called for emergency aid to help refugees cope with freezing temperatures and told the European Commission to redraw its lists of countries at risk of money laundering as it was too limited. Read about this and more in our article.

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Plenary sessions : Workers' rights are increasingly coming under pressure due to developments such as global competition and the digital revolution. The European Commission is working on plans to improve the situation. On 19 January MEPs adopted a report stating that workers in new type of jobs should be covered by labour laws. We talked to report author Maria João Rodrigues, a Portuguese member of the S&D group, on how to create fair and functioning labour markets and welfare systems.

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Plenary sessions : The newly elected President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani expressed Parliament's solidarity with the victims and their families of a number of recent earthquakes in Italy and the avalanche which engulfed a hotel on Wednesday.

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Plenary sessions : All workers should have their basic rights guaranteed, whatever their form of employment and contract, said MEPs approving their recommendations on Thursday for the forthcoming proposal on the “European Pillar of Social Rights”.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs have voted to return to the EU Commission its blacklist of countries deemed to be at risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. The list is too limited, and should be expanded, e.g. to include territories that facilitate tax crimes, they said before voting the resolution on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : Following the election of the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, the plenary approved the appointment of members to Parliament’s 22 standing committees on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : Parliament condemns growing intolerance towards ethnic, religious and sexual minorities in Indonesia, attacks against peacekeepers in Central African Republic and breaches of human rights in Burundi, in three resolutions voted on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs elected Antonio Tajani as Parliament president on 17 January and on 18 January voted for who they wanted as vice-presidents and quaestors for the second half of the parliamentary term. Check out our infographic to find out who was chosen for Parliament's key posts.

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Plenary sessions : EU and national authorities should provide emergency aid to help migrants and refugees to cope with freezing temperatures and snow in several parts of Europe, MEPs urged on Wednesday. They also called on EU governments to keep their promises to transfer thousands of asylum-seekers, particularly from Greece, to other countries.

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Plenary sessions : Brexit, EU relations with the US and Russia, migration, economic and social progress, and the defence union were the key political challenges for 2017 debated by MEPs, Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Council President Donald Tusk on Wednesday. Mr Tusk briefed MEPs on the outcome of the December 2016 meeting of EU heads of state or government.

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Plenary sessions : Following the election of the President, MEPs elected 14 Vice-Presidents in two ballots on Wednesday. To be elected, candidates needed to win an absolute majority of valid votes cast. The new Vice-Presidents come from six different political groups. Members also elected five Quaestors, by acclamation.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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Plenary sessions : MEPs discussed the priorities of the Maltese Council Presidency with Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will assess political challenges in 2017 with Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Council President Donald Tusk in a debate, on Wednesday at 15.00, on the outcome of the European Council meeting of 15 December 2016.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will debate the priorities of the incoming Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a plenary debate chaired by Parliament’s new President Antonio Tajani.

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Plenary sessions : Antonio Tajani (EPP, IT) won Parliament’s presidential election with 351 votes in a final face-off with Gianni Pittella (S&D, IT), who secured 282 votes.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs elect on Tuesday 17 January Parliament's new president to replace Martin Schulz who is stepping down after five years. Seven candidates have put themselves forward for the post so far ahead of the first ballot on Tuesday morning. In case the president is not elected during the first ballot, nominations can still be added or withdrawn before each subsequent round of voting. Follow the candidates' speeches and the votes live on our website and on social media.

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