Democracy at Work

Democracy at Work

The plenary of the European Parliament will this week debate an S&D report on democracy at work, with a vote tomorrow. The report calls for strengthening workers’ participation at workplaces across the EU and proposes a new framework for information, consultation and board-level representation to replace the existing patchwork of sometimes contradictory rules. With this framework,…

Ukrainian-Russian Border Tensions

Ukraine Russia Border tensions

The European Parliament will this week debate and vote on a resolution on the situation at the Ukrainian-Russian border.  The Greens/EFA Group calls on the EU to impose additional economic sanctions and to exclude Russia from the international payment system SWIFT if Russia continues to escalate tensions. Ahead of Wednesday’s Eastern Partnership Summit, the Greens/EFA…

Diplomatic Boycott of China’s Winter Olympics

Reinhard Bütikofer

Commenting on today’s Foreign Affairs Council as well as tomorrow’s General Affairs Council, German MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, Foreign Policy Coordinator of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, has backed a diplomatic boycott of the winter Olympics in China. He said: “The Foreign Affairs Council and the General Affairs Council of the EU must prove…

Call for EU Road Collision Investigation Authority

Drive Pilot

The European Transport Safety Council is repeating its call for the setting up of an EU road collision investigation authority to conduct forensic analysis of crashes involving automated vehicles on EU roads. The call follows the announcement last week by Mercedes-Benz of the German launch of ‘Drive Pilot’, a system that allows for hands-off automated driving…

Does EU’s Hydrogen Strategy Lean on “Rogue” Ammonia Producers?

Green Ammonia Production

Hydrogen has long been seen as the fuel of the future. Consisting of the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, hydrogen fuel is set to make a major contribution to the energy transition away from fossil fuels.  The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson believes his country will be a major winner from the “Hydrogen…

2022 LUX Audience Award

Quo Vadis Aida

During a ceremony on Saturday, the three films shortlisted for the 2022 LUX Audience Award were revealed at the European Film Awards in Berlin. Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE) said: “European cinema is a mirror of our society. It is one of the easiest ways to communicate our…

Callens Café Delivering the Spirit of Noel

Nordmann Christmas Trees

There’s more than just food and drink on the menu at one Brussels restaurant. As well as some tasty dishes you will also find a large serving of “can do” spirit. The Belgian owner of Callens Café has found a novel solution to the “triple whammy” that’s hit the horeca trade in the city and…

President Biden One Year In

President Biden is approaching the first anniversary of his Presidency. Coronavirus and Afghanistan have combined to make this term an annus horribilis for the Biden administration. At home President Biden continues to be under pressure to unite the USA fraught by a divisive election in 2020 that split the country. Abroad, foreign policy risks have…

Fighting the Scourge of Cancer

Fighting Cancer

The ECR MEPs involved in the final report of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer, Shadow Rapporteur Pietro Fiocchi, and First Committee Vice-Chair and ECR Coordinator Joanna Kopcińska, say they are “broadly satisfied” with the direction taken by Parliament in this report in fighting the scourge of cancer.  “We welcome the report’s focus on the key themes…

Promoting Science for Girls and Young Women

women in science

The upcoming EU/Africa summit is a “great opportunity” to help promote gender equality in science, a conference heard. The showpiece get together should ensure that more effort is put into encouraging women to enter the world of science, it was said. The EU-AU Summit takes place in Brussels on 17-18 February 2022 under the French…