Election Reform in Europe

The European Economic and Social Committee says it is “unacceptable and contrary to EU fundamental values” that, due to legal and technical barriers still in place across Europe, not a single EU country is able to guarantee that elections are fully accessible to all The EESC is now calling on the European Parliament, the Council of the EU…

EMA organises public meeting on COVID-19 vaccines

The EMA will organise a public meeting on 11 December 2020 to inform European citizens about the EU regulatory processes for the approval of COVID-19 vaccines and the Agency’s role in their development, evaluation, approval and safety monitoring. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global crisis, with devastating health, social and economic impact. Safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19…

Climate Targets

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has presented its trend report on climate and energy targets in Europe.  Jutta Paulus, Green member of the Environment Committee and deputy member of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, said one positive aspect is that already in 2019, emissions were lowered by four percent compared to the previous year….

Emirates Best Airline 2020

Emirates has been recognised as the Best Airline for 2020 at The Sun Travel Awards, and the Best Long-Haul Airline at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards. Following an unprecedented year for travel, hundreds of thousands of votes were cast by readers looking to celebrate the best in the industry. Emirates’ range of world-class…

Diplomatic Immunity?

Hungarian MEP József Szàjer (59) has resigned after attending a sex party in Brussels. He was apprehended by the Brussels police after shinning down a drainpipe to escape from the party, at which the participants had flagrantly violated Belgium’s lockdown measures. There were about twenty persons present, two of whom claimed diplomatic immunity. Immunity from…

Protecting Women’s Rights

MEPs have condemned the setback to women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Poland and stress the EU’s legal obligation to uphold and protect them. In a resolution adopted with 455 votes to 145 and 71 abstentions, Parliament says that the ruling of 22 October by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal to make abortion illegal in cases involving…

EU Hydrogen Strategy

At the webinar organised by the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN), EESC members point out that the contribution of civil society will be fundamental for the future of the EU’s hydrogen strategy. Developing a renewable hydrogen ecosystem is a key priority for achieving the European Green Deal, but the social…

New Industrial Strategy

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the new Industrial Strategy. It calls for the new industrial strategy – planned for publication in March next year – to be in line with the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 and to create the conditions for an innovative, inclusive, resilient, digitalised society. In the context…

The Future of European Citizenship

On 1-2 December a new generation of over 200 hundred activists, scholars and policymakers will be gathering online to debate the current state and future of EU citizenship, by responding to 6 panels: What is the Current State and Outlook for European Citizenship? How to Strengthen the Enforcement of European Rights, Values and the Rule of Law? Putting European…

European Tax Observatory

There will be a European Tax Observatory headed by the renowned progressive tax economist Gabriel Zucman. This will implement an idea of the European Greens, which they launched in October 2019 together with Social Democrats and Liberals in the European Parliament.  German Greens MEP Sven Giegold told this website,”That is great news. Because just like…