Following debate in the EP Foreign Affairs Committee this afternoon, the Picula Report was adopted and its key recommendations agreed. These include the requirement for the EU to ensure that its enlargement methodology supports reforms and sustains fully-fledged membership as the final goal for accession countries. The report was adopted with 58 votes for, 7 against…
Parliament approved €3.08 billion in EU aid on Friday including more tests, help for doctors and nurses to care for the sick. The EU funds should directly support healthcare systems in EU member states in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The initiative should allow the EU to buy urgent medical supplies, such as masks…
European Parliament Leaders issued the following statement this morning. “The pandemic knows no borders. Our defences against the virus are only as strong as those of the weakest countries.” “We, in our capacity as the Chairs of Parliament’s bodies responsible for EU foreign policy and action, fully support all the efforts of the EU institutions…
To prevent shortages or delays in getting key medical devices on the market, Parliament has decided to postpone the application of the Medical Devices Regulation. Parliament adopted the Commission proposal last Friday, by urgent procedure with 693 votes to 1 and 2 abstentions, allowing the application of the MDR to be postponed by one year…
In what the EU calls an unprecedented repatriation effort, the EU has managed to bring home over half a million of its citizens who were affected by coronavirus travel restrictions across the world. At the beginning of the outbreak, around 600,000 EU citizens declared themselves stranded outside the EU. Most of them in the Asia-Pacific…
Austria has shut down its last coal-fired plant in Mellach (Styria) thereby ending its energy generation from coal. This makes Austria the eighth coal-free EU member state. The Mellach 246 MW coal plant was commissioned in 1986 and provided the city of Graz with heat. It has closed after this winter’s heating season. “The end of…
By Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social CommitteeStrong support to the European Commission and the European Parliament: EUCO cannot fail! Ahead of the Heads of state and government Council meeting next week and in the light of the solid package of measures proposed on 9 April by the Eurogroup to support the…
The following is the full text of the speech of Ursula von der Leyen to the European Parliament last week. There are no words that can do justice to Europe’s pain or to all those suffering across the world. We think and we pray for all of the families in mourning. And we promise to…
MEPs are expected to adopt a report in the run-up to the 2020 Balkan summit that is scheduled for this spring in Zagreb. The report lists recommendations on the EU’s approach towards Balkan countries aspiring to join the European Union. They will vote on the text prepared by the rapporteur Tonino Picula (S&D, HR) that largely…
The European Commission has published guidelines to support Member States in their waste management in these difficult times of coronavirus. The continuity in providing those services also during the coronavirus crisis is crucial for our health, for the environment, and for the economy. Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: “In this unprecedented crisis, we…
