European Union

Two German MPs are calling on the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against their home country for exporting depleted uranium to Russia, possibly in violation of EU law. EURACTIV Germany reports.

After a lengthy captivity by Islamist insurgents, freed Malian politician Soumaila Cisse, French aid worker Sophie Petronin and two Italians arrived in Bamako on Thursday aboard a Malian military transport plane, Reuters reports. French president Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter that with this the last French hostage in the world was freed.

Belgium's ambassador to the EU noted, during Brexit talks in Brussels Wednesday, that British king Charles II had granted 50 Flemish fishermen from Bruges "eternal rights" to use British fishing waters 350 years ago in 1666, The Guardian reports. The ambassador said it to make the point Belgian-British relations had long roots. Charles II had sheltered in Belgium after a civil war in the UK.

MEPs are requesting additional, new funding of €39bn for 15 EU programs. The German presidency argues that budget ceilings, agreed by EU leaders at a marathon summit in July, will be impossible to change without a new leaders' meeting.

The German EU presidency is striving to sort a political agreement on the migration and asylum pact before the end of the year. In reality, it means two months when factoring Christmas holidays.

A group of 86 MEPs wrote on Thursday to the European Commission urging a ban on all cages for farmed animals, highlighting that over 300 million farmed animals in Europe spend all, or a significant part, of their lives in such captivity. They said many EU countries have introduced national laws going beyond EU standards, while calling on the commission to create a level playing-field for farmers.

Two Belgian regional governments, the Brussels regional government and the government of the region of Wallonia have gone into quarantine after a minister in each tested positive for Covid-19. The minister-president of the Brussels region, Rudi Vervoort, announced on Thursday that he had also tested positive. On Wednesday the Brussels government decided to close all bars for at least one month as corona numbers are rising in the Belgian capital.

A Madrid court on Thursday struck down a government order imposing a partial lockdown on the city and nine surrounding towns, Reuters reported. The court sided with regional government chief Isabel Diaz Ayuso, who had opposed the order, saying it would ravage the region's economy. The court said the restrictions are an "interference by public authorities in citizens' fundamental rights without the legal mandate to support it."

A Paris appeals court on Thursday upheld an order for Google to negotiate with media groups in a dispute over revenues from online news, AFP reported. The ruling came as the US internet giant said it was close to a deal on compensating French media groups for news shown in Google search. Google has so far refused to comply with new EU rules giving more copyright protection to media firms.

Germany recorded more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, with health minister Jens Spahn calling the latest numbers "alarming", according to DPA newswire. Top health officials warned of a second wave that could be more severe than the one in the spring. The numbers showed 4,058 new infections, compared to 2,828 on Wednesday.

A crossparty group of British MPs urged the government to consider removing Huawei from the country's 5G networks as soon as 2025 saying there is "clear evidence of collusion" between Huawei and the Chinese state.

According to the World Health Organisation, poor mental health claims the lives of 140,000 people per year by suicide in the European region. Their lives could be saved if mental health care and support were properly funded.

While the leaders of Greece's Golden Dawn facing lengthy jail terms, the atmosphere remains tense in Athens and some other parts of Greece. Depending on the exact sentencing, further clashes between anarchist-leftists and remnants of the extreme-right may ensue.

Buildings use more energy than anything else in the EU. Our building stock is simply not energy efficient.  Despite some national efforts, we are still struggling to drive renovation up to the level needed to make a difference in the fight against climate change.

President Michel met with Taoiseach Martin in Dublin to express the European Union's full solidarity with Ireland in the Brexit negotiations. They also discuss the preparation of the October European Council meeting.

Parliament regrets the “significant deterioration” of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Parliament regrets the “significant deterioration” of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Eritrea, Nicaragua and Saudi Arabia.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Eritrea, Nicaragua and Saudi Arabia.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

With youth unemployment on the rise in the EU, MEPs want member states to take stronger action to counter the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on young people.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP