Democracy, freedom and the rule of law in Hungary were the focus of a Civil Liberties Committee hearing on Thursday with representatives of the Hungarian media, civil society and government. Some MEPs called for a "fundamental rights check" to on whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, while others suggested awaiting the outcome of the European Commission's dialogue with the Hungarian government.

Funding for the next Daphne programme to protect women and children against violence must be kept comparable to that of previous ones, says a resolution passed on Thursday.

Managing waste properly is expensive, but if done efficiently it can attract investment and create jobs, says a resolution adopted by Parliament on Thursday. The text addresses issues raised by citizens in the Petitions Committee to do with the enforcement of EU laws on waste management.

Non-EU skilled employees working for multinational companies should be easier transfer from a branch outside the EU to a division or subsidiary within the EU thanks to a draft law endorsed by the Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday. MEPs also amended the draft to make it easier to move transferred workers between EU Member States and entitle their relatives to work in the host country, too.

Concerns as to whether the laws implementing Hungary's new constitution are compatible with EU rules and values were raised by Civil Liberties Committee MEPs in a debate on Wednesday. Some MEPs proposed a "fundamental rights check" to determine whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, while others favoured awaiting the European Commission's analysis of the laws, due on 17 January, before judging "a decision taken by a sovereign country".

Parliament strongly condemns the murder of Rafig Tagi in Azerbaijan and expresses its concern over the safety of Samir Sadagatoglu, in a resolution adopted on Thursday. In two further resolutions, MEPs express their deep concern about the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and urge the Tunisian authorities to guarantee Zacharia Bouguira the right to a judicial process conducted in accordance with international standards.

Vankeusolosuhteiden hälyttävän tilanteen korjaamiseksi tarvitaan pikaisia toimia EU:n alueella, todetaan parlamentin torstaina hyväksymässä päätöslauselmassa. Parlamentti vaatii vankien perusoikeuksien turvaamista sekä vapaudenmenetystä koskevia yhteisten vähimmäisnormien soveltamista kaikissa jäsenvaltioissa.

MEPs voted to increase accessibility to the public of documents held by EU institutions, when they amended draft legislation on Thursday to enhance transparency, accountability, and democracy in the EU.

Euroopan parlamentin puhemies Jerzy Buzek luovutti keskiviikkona vuoden 2011 Saharov-ihmisoikeuspalkinnon viidelle arabikevään edustajalle. Palkinnonjakotilaisuus järjestettiin parlamentin täysistunnon yhteydessä Strasbourgissa. "Tällä palkinnolla Euroopan parlamentti tunnustaa kovan työn, jota arabimaailmassa on tehty ihmisarvon, vapauden ja poliittisen muutoksen puolesta", Buzek sanoi.

Post 9/11 counter-terrorism measures taken in Europe should be properly assessed with regard to their cost, effectiveness, democratic scrutiny and impact on civil liberties, says a resolution passed in plenary session on Wednesday.