European Union

According to a survey conducted by pollster Levada, 53 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds in Russia want to emigrate. That's a record figure for the last ten years: in 2014, only 22 percent of the age group expressed this wish. What is behind this desire to leave: the economic situation, the political regime - or entirely different reasons?

The EU must act swiftly to help EU farmers unduly affected by newly imposed US tariffs worth €6.8 billion, says Parliament on Thursday.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The EU must act swiftly to help EU farmers unduly affected by newly imposed US tariffs worth €6.8 billion, says Parliament on Thursday.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

EU should commit to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the UN Conference, says Parliament.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

EU should commit to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the UN Conference, says Parliament.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

MEPs have approved a resolution that calls on member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention, a legal instrument for preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. As of November 2018, all EU member states have signed the convention, but this international treaty remains blocked in the EU council by Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom.

The European Union (EU) has nine outermost territories shared between France, Spain and Portugal. Although geographically distant, these overseas territories are an essential part of the EU.

To end violence against women, MEPs call on the EU to accede to and all member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

To end violence against women, MEPs call on the EU to accede to and all member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

MEPs on Thursday demanded new "free, inclusive and transparent" elections as soon as possible in Bolivia, after the president Evo Morales resigned under pressure from post-electorion protests and the military forces. MEPs reminded interim president Jeanine Áñez that she is obliged to quickly call new presidential elections, pointing out that this is "the only way out of the current crisis".

Outgoing EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will have access to some of the executive's resources for five years after leaving office, a commission spokeswoman said Thursday. Juncker can have an office provided by the commission, access to non-confidential information, such as figures and latest policy developments, and press articles. Juncker will also have access to a commission driver if he is called to perform as former commission chief.

After the opening by the Head of Agency and keynote speeches by European Commission Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and the Chairman of the EU Military Committee, General Claudio Graziano, attendees of EDA’s 2019 Annual Conference witnessed a lively and inspiring high-level strategic debate on the future of European defence featuring three Defence Ministers: François Bausch of Luxembourg, João Gomes Cravinho of Portugal, and Thomas Starlinger of Austria.

Moderated by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, the debate showed a common understanding on the fact that all EU Member States' armed forces have a lot to gain from enhanced defence cooperation and a more coherent and integrated capability planning and development framework in Europe, both in terms of efficiency (cost savings) and interoperability. "We lack efficiency and could be much more effective and save money if we worked closer together", said Minister Bausch.

All the required tools for moving into that direction are now in place with the revised Capability Development Plan (CDP), the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the European Defence Fund (EDF), "but the crucial task laying ahead of us now is to create a smooth and efficient workflow among them", including with the European Commission's new DG on Defence Industry & Space, "and to implement and use them in the right way", said Minister Starlinger. Three aspects are particularly important in this respect, the Austrian Defence Minister added: first, that Member States remain in the driving seat when it comes to prioritisation of the defence capabilities needed; second, that we don't reinvent the wheel and, instead, use the tools, processes and assets we have already in place; and third, that we ensure there is coherence among the various EU defence initiatives and the actors driving them.

Portuguese Minister Gomes Cravinho thought that the successful setting up of CARD, PESCO and the EDF showed that the EU was "on the right track" at a technical level.On the political level, however, more needs to be done to move towards a more common defence policy in Europe, he stressed. The need for progress on the political level, especially with a view to shaping a common defence policy, was highlighted by all participants. Things are moving into the right direction with the new EU tools which show that, in the capability domain, "we are going from a national, industrial driven process to a multilateral, European approach", said Minister Starlinger.

The three Ministers also agreed that EU defence cooperation was in no way directed against NATO,"which will remain the cornerstone of our collective defence" as Minister Bausch put it, but that, on the contrary, a stronger European defence will also strengthen NATO. "NATO's efficiency will also rely on how successfully EU countries can strengthen their respective defences", said the Luxembourg Minister.

Asked what the most urgent next steps would be in order to move the Europe of Defence forward, the three Ministers agreed once more: it is the need to develop a common defence policy in Europe which goes beyond purely national interests, "because no country alone can face the new challenges ahead of us". 
 

More information:

• Welcome speech by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq
• Speech by Michel Barnier (European Commission Chief Negotiator)
• Speech by General Claudio Graziano, Chairman of EU Military Committee

To return to stability, Bolivia needs to hold new “free, inclusive and transparent” elections as soon as possible, MEPs said on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

To return to stability, Bolivia needs to hold new “free, inclusive and transparent” elections as soon as possible, MEPs said on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European economy is one of the biggest in the world. We tend to forget that we have more than 500 million consumers and an economy worth 15.9 trillion euros, meaning more than China and almost as much as the...

In an interview with EURACTIV, Michaela Pichler, secretary-general of the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC), spoke about the importance of whole grains, but also about the lack of industry standards, labelling and promotion of whole grain foods.

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Haiti, Algeria and Cuba.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Haiti, Algeria and Cuba.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP