Cuardaigh

Several EU directives dealing with equality require EU Member States to establish equality bodies with a focus on assisting victims of discrimination and preventing and fighting discrimination on the grounds listed under the directives. However, their rules are general and have no precise definition of these bodies' duties and manner of operation, thus leading to disparities among the Member States' bodies. Additionally, the work of some Member States' bodies has been hampered by lack of resources ...

Violence directed against a woman because she is a woman, or that affects women disproportionately ('gender-based violence against women') is a violation of fundamental rights, and a major obstacle to gender equality in all EU Member States. Despite increased attention, national legislation does not offer equal protection for women against all forms of gender-based violence across the EU, and there are significant gaps in the measures adopted at EU level. On 8 March 2022, the European Commission ...

Common foreign and security policy (CFSP) has a particular status in the EU legal framework, part of which is the unanimity rule within the Council. This report analyses decision-making rules in CFSP from a 'cost of non-Europe' perspective. It identifies CFSP challenges and the extent to which they could be attributed to unanimity. This allows us to identify the current 'cost of unanimity'. The report also analyses possible alternatives to unanimity decision-making in CFSP, such as a switch to qualified ...

Several EU directives dealing with equality require EU Member States to establish equality bodies with a focus on assisting victims of discrimination and preventing and fighting discrimination on the grounds listed under the directives. However, their rules are too general and have no precise definition of these bodies' duties and manner of operation, thus leading to disparities among the Member States' bodies. Additionally, the work of some Member States' bodies has been hampered by lack of resources ...

On 27 June 2023, the Legal Affairs Committee adopted its report on the proposal for a directive concerning the protection of journalists and human rights defenders from abusive cross-border civil proceedings, often referred to as SLAPPs. The Committee supports the proposal, and has put forward a number of amendments to strengthen it. Tabled for debate during the July plenary session, the report as adopted then will form the basis for trilogue negotiations with the Council, which adopted its general ...

On 27 June 2023, the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) adopted its report on the proposal for a directive concerning the protection of journalists and human rights defenders from abusive civil proceedings. The Commission's proposal of 27 April 2022 came in response to a legislative initiative of Parliament. The JURI committee supports the proposal, and has put forward a number of amendments seeking to strengthen it. Once approved in plenary, the report will form the basis for trilogue negotiations with ...

In December 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal to review Directive 2011/36/EU to strengthen the rules on combating trafficking in human beings and to better protect victims. Despite some progress achieved in recent years, it is estimated that over 7 000 people become victims of human trafficking in the EU on an annual basis, although the figure could be much higher because many victims remain undetected. Human trafficking is not only a serious and borderless crime, but also a lucrative ...

Following revelations that several EU governments used the Pegasus spyware software against journalists, politicians, officials and other public figures, the European Parliament set up a Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA). Parliament is set to hold a debate on PEGA's findings and vote on a recommendation to the Council and Commission during the June 2023 session.

Companies can play a key role in building a sustainable economy and society. At the same time, their global value chains can pose risks to human rights and the environment. A growing number of EU companies have taken initiatives to deploy due diligence processes, often using existing voluntary international standards on responsible business conduct. Some Member States have meanwhile started developing their own legal frameworks on corporate due diligence. To avoid fragmentation, and give businesses ...