European Union

Many buildings across Brussels are glowing orange this Thursday (25 November) to kick off the international #OrangeTheWorld campaign, led by UN Women.

The fourth European Citizens’ Panel, focusing on the EU’s role and place in the world, and on migration issues, will meet online on 26-28 November.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The fourth European Citizens’ Panel, focusing on the EU’s role and place in the world, and on migration issues, will meet online on 26-28 November.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The coalition agreement of Germany's Social Democrats, Greens and the liberal FDP puts a special emphasis on measures to guarantee the participation of side-lined and vulnerable groups and to fight racism on all fronts.

You can watch and find out about the best strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of the Irish transport sector, with panellists from Brazil, Ireland and Sweden.

Democratic governments around the world have decided that these data protection regulatory regimes are here to stay. Societies must now ensure that these laws lead to meaningful improvements on the ground.

The European Parliament is lighting its building in Brussels in orange on 25 November to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The European Parliament is lighting its building in Brussels in orange on 25 November to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Can you imagine such a tempting offer: A shopping excursion to Istanbul, leaving from North Macedonia by bus, spending three nights in a four-star hotel at the Bosporus and back, total cost €79? With an option for a 5-star hotel, bringing it to €85??

On Thursday, Parliament adopted three resolutions assessing human rights violations committed by the Wagner Group, atrocities in Somalia and the situation in Cameroon.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On Thursday, Parliament adopted three resolutions assessing human rights violations committed by the Wagner Group, atrocities in Somalia and the situation in Cameroon.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

France will not go into lockdown or under curfew and will speed up its vaccination campaign to slow the increase of COVID-19 cases amid a European fourth wave. EURACTIV France reports.

European Union residents will need to have COVID-19 vaccine booster jabs if they want to travel to another country in the bloc next summer free of tests or quarantines, the European Commission proposed on Thursday (25 November).

Businesses from Central and Eastern Europe are ready to embark on the journey to climate neutrality. If Central and Eastern European governments don’t want their economies to fall behind, they need to start helping their corporate leaders to go green. The EU’s ’Fit for 55’ package is an opportunity to do so, argues Rebekka Popp.

A draft EU directive, due for publication on 14 December, introduces minimum energy performance standards for existing buildings undergoing major renovation works as part of a renewed push to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050.

The European Commission launched a proposal to regulate political advertising, introducing transparency obligations for marketers and strict limits to the use of sensitive personal information. The proposal was published on Thursday (25 November) to protect the electoral process and democratic...

Written by Marie Lecerf.

Both the EU and its Member States have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and use its definition of disability as a common reference at EU level. Bearing in mind that there is no other harmonised definition of disability in the EU, and that there is a wide variety of statistical surveys in terms of questions asked and population surveyed, a complete statistical assessment of disability in the EU does not yet exist. However, the annual Eurostat statistics on income and living conditions survey reveals that, in Europe, the prevalence of disability is higher among female, older and less educated respondents. Furthermore, studies show that the coronavirus pandemic has affected people with disabilities disproportionately more than others.

The EU combats all forms of discrimination alongside and in support of its Member States. To improve the situation of disabled people, it has introduced a series of initiatives, programmes and strategies over a number of decades. The European Parliament has been highly active in the bid to end all forms of discrimination against disabled people since the start of the 1980s.

In 1997, Article 13 of the European Community Treaty, introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, (now Article 19 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU) on the human right not to suffer from discrimination on the grounds, in particular, of disability, paved the way for a genuine disability policy. The first step in this regard was the adoption of a 2001-2006 action programme to combat discrimination. Later, the 2010-2020 European disability strategy sought to enable disabled people to exercise their rights and participate fully in society and the economy. A new 2021-2030 strategy, incorporating the lessons learned from its predecessor, seeks to ensure that all persons with disabilities in the EU, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation enjoy their human rights; have equal access to participation in society and the economy; are able to decide where, how and with whom they live; move freely in the EU regardless of their support needs and, no longer experience discrimination.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Understanding EU policies for persons with disabilities‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

MEPs demand a legislative proposal from the Commission for a European social security pass before the end of 2022, to reduce the administrative burden on mobile workers.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

MEPs demand a legislative proposal from the Commission for a European social security pass before the end of 2022, to reduce the administrative burden on mobile workers.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Proposals to ease legal labour migration to Europe are needed by the end of January 2022, to overcome the challenge of an ageing population and of skills shortages.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP