The Foreign Affairs committee called on the Council on Thursday to appoint a high-level envoy with an international reputation, tasked with raising the EU's human rights profile worldwide, to the new post of EU Special Representative for Human Rights created in line with the EP's repeated demands.

All actions aimed at suppressing the freedom of expression and assembly in Azerbaijan should stop immediately, says a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday. Azerbaijan's hosting of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in its capital Baku on 26 May should be an opportunity for it to show its commitment to democracy and human rights, it adds. In a separate resolution, also passed on Thursday, Parliament calls on China to stop deporting North Korean refugees back to North Korea.

MEPs criticize the recent decision of the High Court of Ukraine to postpone its ruling on the appeal by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko against her seven-year prison sentence, in a resolution adopted on Thursday. They warn against delaying the legal proceedings, condemn the use of force against her by prison guards and remind Ukraine of its obligation to examine any complaints of cruel treatment.

Emergency financial assistance from the EU for cash-strapped neighbours must depend on respect for human rights and democracy, said Parliament on Thursday. MEPs also oppose plans to cut Parliament out of future decisions on granting this aid.

De Europese Commissie moet de bestaande EU-wetgeving verbeteren om de loonkloof tussen mannen en vrouwen te dichten, met bijvoorbeeld strengere sancties voor werkgevers. Dat staat in een wetsvoorstel, dat de Europarlementsleden donderdag hebben aangenomen. De tekst merkt op dat vrouwen in de EU gemiddeld nog steeds 16,4% minder verdienen dan mannen, en dat de loonkloof in sommige lidstaten zelfs breder is geworden.

Parliament has called on the Swiss government to revoke a "discriminatory and unlawful" decision to reimpose quotas on long-term residence permits for Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Slovene, Slovak, Czech and Hungarian citizens, in a resolution adopted by MEPs on Thursday.

De EU moet veel efficiënter met grondstoffen omgaan. Dat is van groot belang voor toekomstige economische groei en bescherming van het milieu, zo stelt een resolutie die donderdag in het Europees Parlement met een overweldigende meerderheid is aangenomen. Waardevolle materialen moeten worden hergebruikt in plaats van te worden verbrand of gedumpt en verkwisting van grondstoffen moet via een belasting worden beboet, vindt het EP.

Devising a "European Investment Plan" to create new jobs, reallocating EU structural funds to projects to create them for young people, and introducing a "European Youth Guarantee" to ensure that they are not without jobs for more than four months, are among the proposals set out by MEPs in a resolution, adopted Thursday, on measures to tackle youth unemployment.

EU Member states should set an example in fighting homophobia, says Parliament in a resolution adopted by a clear majority on Thursday. MEPs condemn homophobic laws and violence in European countries, and call on EU member states to consider giving access to cohabitation, registered partnerships or marriage to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

This press kit is a compilation of recent press releases, prepared for the informal European Council on 23 May, setting out the European Parliament's work and positions regarding growth and jobs .