In her annual address on the State of the Union to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on 15 September the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need to better protect journalists, media outlets’ independence and the public right to information. President von der Leyen outlined her vision for the…
The EU institutions have been urged to act urgently in the case of Pakistan’s alleged continued human rights abuses. A coalition of respected human rights NGOs, coming together under the umbrella of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), delivered a letter to the EU’s High Representative Josep Borrell, calling for the suspension of Pakistan’s GSP+ status, which…
The S&D Group has welcomed the news that the Commission will propose a law to fight gender violence before the end of the year. Ahead of an important vote tomorrow, S&D MEPs are urging all political groups to support effective EU action to end gender based violence once and for all. In a debate on Wednesday,…
During a plenary debate on the situation in Afghanistan, the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament expressed its concerns about the unfolding humanitarian, economic and migration crisis in the country, which needs a stable and inclusive government that respects fundamental human rights in order to be able to end the free fall of the…
In a decision published in the Official Journal of the European Union today, the EU Commission has announced that it recognises the vaccination certificate issued in Morocco, allowing holders of the Moroccan vaccination certificate to travel without restriction to the EU 27 Schengen countries. The decision applies to Moroccans, European citizens vaccinated in Morocco, and…
In his The Dark Sahara (2009) and The Dying Sahara (2012), Jeremy Keenan argues that there is a danger of proxy hitmen in Mali, writes Abdelkader Filali. Keenan is an anthropologist and an associate professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London who works as a consultant on the Sahara and the Sahel for many international…
Europe is well known across the world for developing, preserving and exporting the value and the culture of good and healthy food. European food is a benchmark at a global level for its safe, nutritious and high-quality standards. Socialist MEPs say that is “it is time for Europe to become a global reference for sustainability and…
The Socialist Alternative movement has called on all rational and responsible Russian citizens to actively boycott the State Duma elections scheduled for September 17-19, 2021. It seems that this call is gaining traction with citizens who support opposition parties. With two days to go before the elections to Russia’s national parliament, the State Duma, it…
Two powerful European Parliament committees have called on the European Commission to promote healthy plant-rich diets as part of a sustainable EU food strategy. The NGO Compassion in World Farming EU welcomes this call, as ambitious measures are needed in order to improve our food systems for the benefit of people, animals and the planet….
The following statement was issued by Christa Schweng, president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Dimitris Dimitriadis, president of the EESC section for External Relations We express deep concern for the events that followed the US and NATO retreat from Afghanistan, mourn the brutal loss of human lives and call for urgent…
