Europaparlamentets presstjänst

Parlamentet kräver snabbare reaktioner och mer samordning i euro-länderna

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Kommissionen och rådet bör använda dagens svårigheter i euro-länderna för att ta fram mer bindande ekonomisk samordning. De bör också reagera snabbare i framtiden för att undvika spänningar på finansmarknaderna. Det var två krav som lyftes fram av de ledamöter som idag debatterade dagens ansträngda ekonomiska situation.

Källa : © Europaparlamentet

Parlamentet godkände nästa EU-kommission

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:19:00 GMT

Strasbourg: Europaparlamentet valde idag den nya kommissionen med 488 ja-röster, 137 nej-röster och 72 nedlagda röster. Valet skedde genom en enda omröstning om hela kommissionärsuppsättningen, som består av en kommissionär från vart och ett av EU:s 27 medlemsländer.

Källa : © Europaparlamentet

Spanish ministers outline Council Presidency priorities

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:55:00 GMT

Spanish government ministers this week continued outlining the priorities for their country's presidency of the EU Council to a range of European Parliament committees. MEPs took the opportunity to question the ministers as they embarked upon their six-month spell in office.

Source : © European Parliament

Mer makt till parlamentet i nytt avtal med kommissionen

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:19:00 GMT

Mer tyngd åt parlamentets lagförslag, rätt till samma behandling som ministerrådet och ökat inflytande i internationella förhandlingar. Parlamentets inflytande stärks på flera sätt i det kommande ramavtalet mellan kommissionen och parlamentet - ett avtal som speglar den ändrade maktbalansen EU-institutionerna emellan, sedan Lissabonfördraget trädde i kraft. På tisdagen uttryckte både parlamentet och EU-kommissionens ordförande José Manuel Barroso sitt stöd för första delen av avtalet.

Källa : © Europaparlamentet

Plenarsessionens öppnande

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:44:00 GMT

Talman Jerzy Buzek inledde veckans plenarsammanträde med att kommentera morgondagens omröstning om EU-kommissionen, det ukrainska presidentvalet och med att meddela att en tidigare parlamentsanställd omkom i jordbävningen i Haiti.

Källa : © Europaparlamentet

MEPs in Kyiv: Ukraine's election meets most international commitments

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:55:00 GMT

A delegation of eight MEPs confirmed on Monday that both rounds of presidential election in Ukraine met most of the country's international commitments. They were in Ukraine from 5 to 8 February to observe the second round of Ukrainian presidential elections on 7 February.

Source : © European Parliament

The Week Ahead 8-14 February 2010

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:58:00 GMT

Plenary Session – Strasbourg

Source : © European Parliament

SWIFT: Parliament to vote on interim accord

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:39:00 GMT

Next Thursday in Strasbourg MEPs will have the final say on the provisional nine-month agreement signed by EU government ministers on the transfer of bank data to the United States for counter-terrorism purposes. A rejection by MEPs would render the agreement legally void. Parliament will be exercising for the first time a new power conferred upon it by the Lisbon Treaty.

Source : © European Parliament

Micro-finance Facility: deal with Council Presidency on sources of funding

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:23:00 GMT

The EU Micro-finance Facility for business start-ups will be funded partly by its "Progress" employment and social solidarity programme and partly by unallocated margins in the EU budget, says a compromise agreement reached by MEPs and the Spanish Presidency on Thursday evening.

Source : © European Parliament

The Week Ahead 8-14 February 2010

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:59:00 GMT

Plenary Session – Strasbourg

Source : © European Parliament

Sessionsinfo 8-11 februari 2010, Strasbourg

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:38:00 GMT

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Conference of Presidents gives go-ahead for vote on Commission

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:38:00 GMT

The Conference of Presidents, comprising the EP President and the political group leaders, considered on Thursday the results of the complete set of hearings of the Commissioners-designate. The EP leaders confirmed that the vote on the new Commission will take place on Tuesday 9 February at 1.30pm in Strasbourg.

Source : © European Parliament

SWIFT: Civil Liberties Committee recommends rejecting the agreement

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:21:00 GMT

Parliament should withhold its consent to the EU's interim agreement on banking data transfers to the USA via the SWIFT network, the Civil Liberties Committee recommended today. The deal will be put to a plenary vote in Strasbourg on Thursday 11 February. Withholding Parliament's consent would render the agreement legally void - in effect, a rejection.

Source : © European Parliament

Hearing of Kristalina Georgieva - Co-operation, Aid and Crisis Response

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:40:00 GMT

The EU's crisis response to the tragedy in Haiti, establishing an EU civil protection mechanism and co-ordinating various portfolios within the Commission were among the issues raised by MEPs at the hearing of the Bulgarian Commissioner-designate for International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva.

Source : © European Parliament

EP negotiators strike first deal with Commission on future relations

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:18:00 GMT

Equal treatment of the Parliament and Council by the Commission, strengthening the position of Parliament's legislative initiative requests, agreement on measures to improve the accountability of the executive and enhancing Parliament's role in international negotiations were some of the key principles established by Parliament's negotiators in discussions with the European Commission.

Source : © European Parliament

Framework Agreement between the Parliament and Commission

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:49:00 GMT

Relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission have been governed by a Framework Agreement since 1990. This agreement is updated every five years. As the current agreement was concluded in 2005, another update is now under way.

Source : © European Parliament

Support small firms while tackling the crisis, say MEPs and experts

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:03:00 GMT

Small firms have been hard hit by the economic crisis, and so must be given incentives and support, including easier access to credit, help with innovation, tax breaks and less red tape, MEPs on Parliament's Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis (CRIS), and experts agreed at a workshop on Monday.

Source : © European Parliament

Buzek expresses consternation at detention of Sakharov Prize Winner Oleg Orlov

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:39:00 GMT

EP President Jerzy Buzek has expressed his consternation at the detention of 2009 Sakharov Prize Winner Oleg Orlov and 100 others in Moscow. He said: "I call on the Russian authorities to cease this heavy-handed treatment of peaceful demonstrators."

Source : © European Parliament

The Week Ahead 1-7 February 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:30:00 GMT

Committee meetings and political groups week – Brussels

Source : © European Parliament

The Week Ahead 1-7 February 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:10:00 GMT

Committee meetings and political groups week – Brussels

Source : © European Parliament

Social impact of the crisis: sweeping reforms needed

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:20:00 GMT

"If 'well-digested intellectually', the economic crisis can perhaps create opportunities for re-launching the market integration process in Europe", President of Milan's Bocconi University and former EU Commissioner Mario Monti told the Special Committee on Financial, Economic and Social Crisis at a public hearing on Thursday.

Source : © European Parliament

Gender equality: new mentality needed for a better society

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:51:00 GMT

A new mentality and public intervention are required, not only to change the very serious situation of women, but to improve society, said MEP Ms Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL, PT), at a public hearing on "Towards a new EU strategy for gender equality" held by the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee on Thursday.

Source : © European Parliament

The appointment of the Commission College

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:15:00 GMT

The mandate of the Barroso I European Commission ended 31 October 2009. Since then, it has continued as a "caretaker" Commission which must only fulfil its public service duty without making any new political or legislative initiatives. The European Parliament's role has been to monitor the Commission to make sure it acts in principle only as a caretaker.

Source : © European Parliament

Reducing red tape for smaller companies

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:14:00 GMT

Micro-companies could be exempted from having to draw up annual accounts under an amendment to EU accounting rules approved by the Legal Affairs Committee on Thursday. However, these exemptions would have to be granted by EU Member States, and the companies would still have to keep records of their business transactions and financial situation. Parliament is to vote on the amendment in February.

Source : © European Parliament

MEPs debate NATO's future role with Madeleine Albright

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:18:00 GMT

EU-NATO co-operation, the new international security environment, NATO's relations with Russia and "open door" policy, and the importance of winning public support when redefining NATO's role in the 21st century, were among the issues discussed by MEPs on Wednesday with Madeleine K. Albright and Jeroen van der Veer, Chair and Vice Chair of NATO's Strategic Concept Expert Group.

Source : © European Parliament

Supervisory package of the financial system: MEPs quiz the experts

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:47:00 GMT

During a public hearing on the financial supervisory package, MEPs of the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee discussed the current state of play and the future options regarding the EU's nascent supervisory bodies with leading experts, among whom Jacques de LAROSIÈRE, chairman of the high-level group on financial supervision.

Source : © European Parliament

MEPs set out fisheries policy reform priorities

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:16:00 GMT

More responsibility for fishermen, rules favouring good fishing practice and adjusting fisheries management models to complement and improve the traditional quota system should be among the key aims of common fisheries policy reform, say MEPs in an own-initiative report approved by the Fisheries Committee on Wednesday.

Source : © European Parliament

Body scanners : MEPs not yet convinced, await impact analysis

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:16:00 GMT

Joined-up information sharing is the first step towards preventing terrorists from boarding planes, reiterated Civil Liberties Committee MEPs in a debate with EU Counter-terrorism Co-ordinator Gilles de Kerkhove on Wednesday. The European Commission is to publish an impact evaluation on body scanners in the coming weeks, as requested by Parliament in October 2008. Aviation security measures, including body scanners, were also debated in the Transport Committee on Wednesday.

Source : © European Parliament

Climate change: agriculture can help slow global warming

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:38:00 GMT

Agriculture can help to slow climate change, but should be ready to adapt to the impact of global warming, said Agriculture Committee MEPs and scientists at a public hearing on Wednesday.

Source : © European Parliament

Preventing needle-stick injuries in the health sector

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:24:00 GMT

The Employment and Social Affairs Committee today backed an agreement between European social partners to help prevent needle-stick injuries in the hospital sector, one of the most common and serious risks for health workers across the EU.

Source : © European Parliament

SWIFT interim agreement: Civil liberties Committee to vote on 4 February

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:08:00 GMT

Just as Civil Liberties Committee MEPs were getting set to vote on the EU-USA interim agreement on personal bank data transfers via the SWIFT network, the European Commission announced that a second report on SWIFT, by former counter-terrorism judge Jean-Louis Bruguière, would be published on the same day - 4 February. MEPs criticized the timing, and disputed the Commission's claim that there would be a "security gap" if the agreement were rejected.

Source : © European Parliament

EU membership candidates: keep on reforming to stay on track

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:29:00 GMT

Parliament gives a positive overall assessment of last year's efforts by Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to qualify for EU membership, but also underlines that Turkey has made only limited progress towards meeting the "Copenhagen" EU eligibility criteria, in resolutions approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

Source : © European Parliament

Late payments in commercial transactions: public authorities in the spotlight

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:03:00 GMT

Late payments by public authorities, which in some Member States are said to be among the worst culprits, create difficulties for small and medium-sized firms. But this does not justify imposing heavier sanctions on public sector late payers than private ones, argued many MEPs and national MEPs on Tuesday.

Source : © European Parliament

Gender equality means more than an end to violence

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

Combating violence against women is necessary, but not sufficient, to achieve gender equality, says an own-initiative report on EU gender equality in 2009, adopted by the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee on Monday. Paternity leave also needs to be tackled EU-wide, and linked to maternity leave so as to protect women better in the labour market, it adds.

Source : © European Parliament

Security situation in Afghanistan

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:43:00 GMT

Civilian infrastructure, EU-NATO coordination, US goals, increasing Afghan responsibilities and the trade in drugs: all these issues were discussed on Monday at the EP's Security and Defence Subcommittee ahead of the international conference on Afghanistan to be held in London on 28 January.

Source : © European Parliament

Commissioner De Gucht briefs MEPs on Haiti

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:33:00 GMT

After his visit to Haiti last week, Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Karel De Gucht briefed MEPs on rescue and reconstruction efforts after the recent earthquake. MEPs quizzed him about the EU's visibility on the ground, the medium and long-term challenges of the reconstruction process and the possibility of establishing an EU rapid reaction capacity.

Source : © European Parliament

Polish art exhibition opens in the European Parliament

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:24:00 GMT

An exhibition of the Polish works of art most recently acquired by the European Parliament was opened Monday in its Brussels premises under the auspices of Lidia Geringer de Oedenberg, Quaestor with responsibility for artistic events and Chair of Parliament's Art Committee. EP President Jerzy Buzek and artist Anna Baumgart attended the event.

Source : © European Parliament

Conf. of Presidents receives positive assessment of 25 Commissioners-designate

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:15:00 GMT

At its meeting on Thursday, the Conference of Presidents discussed the Commission hearings process so far. EP President Jerzy Buzek announced that he had received all 25 assessment letters from the EP committees.

Source : © European Parliament

MEPs ask Commission to steer sustainable strategy for the Danube

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:15:00 GMT

Linking six Member States over its 3,000 km course, the Danube River has seen a long history of co-operation projects but a comprehensive EU strategy is still lacking. Following the example of the Baltic Sea Strategy, MEPs want the Commission to promote co-operation around the Danube region with the aim of developing environmentally-friendly transport connections and energy infrastructures, as well as stimulating economic and social growth.

Source : © European Parliament

Human rights: China, Philippines and attacks on religious minorities

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:15:00 GMT

Three human rights resolutions - on recent attacks on religious minorities in Egypt and in Malaysia, on the case of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo and human rights violations in China more generally, and on the situation in the Philippines - were approved by Parliament on Thursday.

Source : © European Parliament