Parliament debated three separate resolutions on Thursday, calling for measures to enhance freedom of expression in Vietnam and to protect human rights in Kazakhstan and expressing concerns about the situation of hunger striking prisoners in Guantanamo. The first two resolutions were adopted and the vote on the third was postponed.

Plans to clean up the scrapping of old ships and ensure the materials are recycled in EU-approved facilities worldwide were backed by Parliament on Thursday. The plenary did not endorse an Environment Committee proposal for a recycling fund financed by a levy, but it did call on the European Commission to propose plans for an incentive-based system before the end of 2015.

Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo can make faster progress towards joining the EU by concentrating on good neighbourly relations and reforms, MEPs said in three separate resolutions approved by a show of hands on Thursday. Reforms in these countries must focus on fighting corruption and organised crime, enforcing the rule of law, ensuring the independence of the judiciary and media and protecting other fundamental freedoms, they added.

Ceturtdien Parlaments apstiprināja vienotus noteikumus par to, kā ES dalībvalstīm vākt un apkopot datus par ES iedzīvotāju skaitu. Pamatoti ES mēroga dati ir vajadzīgi, lai aprēķinātu balsu sadalījumu balsojumos ar kvalificētu vairākumu Padomē, kā arī valstu tiesības pretendēt uz noteiktu ES finansējumu.

Ukrainas un Moldovas žurnālistiem, pilsoniskās sabiedrības pārstāvjiem, nevalstiskajām organizācijām un jauniešiem turpmāk būs daudz vieglāk saņemt īslaicīgas uzturēšanās vīzas ceļojumiem uz ES. To paredz nolīgumi, ko Eiropas Parlaments apstiprināja ceturtdienas balsojumos.

Renewed mutual engagement is needed to maintain constructive relations in EU-Turkey relations in the context of the negotiation process, MEPs said on Thursday. In a resolution on the 2012 progress report on Turkey, they call for opening of negotiations on the judiciary, fundamental rights, and home affairs and praise recent talks which might help settle the Kurdish issue.

Croatia is on track to become the EU's 28th member state on 1 July, MEPs said on Thursday in their last resolution before it is scheduled to join. They highlighted the strength of Croatia's democracy, social market economy and capacity to fulfil its membership obligations and called on the last two member states that still have to approve Croatia's accession to do so without delay.

Debatēs, kas sāksies ceturtdien, plkst. 9.00 (pēc Briseles laika), Parlaments un Komisija izvērtēs pagājušajā gadā uzsākto Eiropas Savienības pilsoņu iniciatīvu, kas kopš 2012. gada aprīļa ļauj ES pilsoņiem iesniegt Eiropas Komisijai lūgumrakstus par jaunu likumu ierosināšanu.

The European Central Bank should do more to ensure that its cheap loans to banks were being passed on to the real economy and the ECB itself must become more transparent and accountable in line with its growing role in the Eurozone crisis says a resolution adopted by MEPs on Wednesday. On Tuesday MEPs discussed the work of the ECB with its President Mario Draghi.

Parliament refused to approve the Council of Ministers' 2011 accounts in a vote on Wednesday, citing a lack of cooperation. Other EU institutions and agencies were granted budget management discharges (approval) for 2011. Parliament also recommended moving the EU Police College from the UK to the Netherlands.