European Parliament

Plenary sessions : MEPs urge the European Commission to take concrete steps to address the permanent handicaps that EU islands face and make full use of their potential, in a resolution voted on Thursday. The text also stresses the unique difficulties that southern insular regions face due to the increased migration flows and asks that special tax regimes should continue.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs urge the international community to take urgent action to counter the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh, in a resolution voted on Thursday. The text wraps up a 20 January debate with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in which many MEPs called for measures to protect all religious and minority groups against ISIS attacks.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Economic disintegration and violence in Libya are worsening its fragility and enabling extremist organisations to flourish there, warned MEPs in Wednesday’s debate with Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders, representing the EU foreign policy chief. Spillovers from Libya’s conflicts are also destabilising the Sahel region, they add. In a resolution voted on Thursday, MEPs urge the EU and international community to be ready to support Libyans’ efforts to implement the Libyan Political Agreement.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Parliament condemns the unprecedented levels of human rights abuses perpetrated against Crimean Tatars, calls on the Bahrain to grant Mohammed Ramadan a royal pardon or to commute his death sentence, and for the immediate safe release of the five missing book publishers in Hong Kong, in three resolutions voted on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The start of EU accession negotiations with Serbia and the progress made in normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo was welcomed by MEPs in two resolutions passed on Thursday. They also stressed that these relations would be helped if all EU member states were to recognise Kosovo.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs debated the issue of sexual harassment and violence against women in public spaces on Wednesday evening, with Commissioner Corina Crețu. Everything possible must be done to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice, regardless of their culture or origin, they insisted.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The European Commission must table a communication on a new strategy for gender equality and women’s rights 2016-2020 as soon as possible and deliver on its political commitments, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Wednesday. The communication should address gender equality issues which is in line with the international agenda, they add.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The ongoing talks on a Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), among countries representing 70% of world trade in services, should deliver a deal that eases EU firms' access to international markets but does not force EU, national and local authorities to open up public services to competition, or otherwise restrict their right to regulate in public interest, say MEPs in recommendations approved on Wednesday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : A move to veto a plan to temporarily raise NOx emission limits for diesel cars was rejected by MEPs on Wednesday, after the EU Commission promised a review clause and tabled a long-term legislative proposal to revamp the EU car approval regime.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Talks on a Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), with countries representing 70% of world trade in services, should deliver international rules and more opportunities for EU firms to supply services such as transport and telecoms in third countries. But "nothing should prevent EU, national and local authorities from maintaining, improving and applying their laws", notably on labour, social protection and data protection, say MEPs’ recommendations to EU negotiators, voted on 3 February 2016.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The EU Commission should not authorize the use of glyphosate-tolerant GM soybeans in food and feed, said Parliament on Wednesday. MEPs note that glyphosate, a herbicide, is classified as “probably carcinogenic” by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and that GMOs are being authorized in the EU without the support of member states.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : What will the UK’s future in Europe be like? The day after European Council President Donald Tusk proposed a settlement in response to UK demands for reforms, MEPs discussed the issue as part of a debate on the EU summit on 18-19 February, which will be dedicated to the talks as well as the migration crisis. Most MEPs stressed that the UK staying in the EU would be better for both the country itself as well as for the other member states, but questioned some of the requested reforms.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Social benefits for migrant workers in the UK, honesty versus populism and how to ensure respect for different countries' views on EU integration were the key issues raised by Parliament's political group leaders in Wednesday’s debate, with a view to the UK’s forthcoming EU membership referendum. The debate is Parliament's input to the 18-19 February EU summit, which will also focus on migration.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The EU needs to overcome its paralysing fears and divisions and to manage migration and refugee flows effectively, said many MEPs in Tuesday's plenary debate with the Dutch Presidency and the Commission. Protecting the EU's external borders effectively is vital to safeguard the Schengen passport-free area, they observed. Some also called for zero tolerance of racist and violent attacks against migrants and refugees.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Undeclared work represents a major problem in Europe, which accounted for 18.4% of the EU's gross domestic product in 2012. Not only do governments miss out on revenue, but workers are also less protected. On 2 February MEPs approved a proposal to establish a European platform to tackle the issue. How will it work? Watch our interview with report author Georgi Pirinski, a Bulgarian member of the S&D group, to find out more.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves called on the European Union to act decisively regarding the migration crisis during a speech in plenary. "Let us now gather our wits and strengths," he told MEPs. "Leave behind the indecision, finger pointing and ducking of responsibility. We will handle this migration crisis if we show the resolve of our forebears."

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs approved on 3 February Parliament's position on the Trade in Services International Agreement (TiSA), which is currently being negotiated by the EU and 22 World Trade Organisation partners. Read on for more on the agreement and check out our infographic explaining TiSA.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Parliament endorsed draft EU legislation establishing a “European platform” to enhance cooperation in combatting undeclared work in a vote on Tuesday. The platform would enhance cooperation among EU member states' labour ministries, trade unions and employers' associations about how best to tackle a problem that is damaging the EU economy and distorting the labour market. The undeclared economy accounts for 18% of EU GDP.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Corporate tax avoidance costs EU countries €50-70 billion in lost revenue a year, according to the European Commission. On 2 February it discussed with MEPs how it plans to make corporate taxation fairer and more efficient. The Lux Leaks scandal showed that EU countries sometimes court multinationals with advantageous tax schemes. Parliament has set up two special committees to investigate and called on the Commission to introduce legislation to restrain these practices.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP