Ban Live Export Awareness Day 2022

On the occasion of Ban Live Exports Awareness Day 2022, 15 Members of the European Parliament joined together in calling on the European Union to ban the export of live farmed animals to third countries. The MEPs, representing various EU member states and political parties,  says they “recognise the suffering and terrible conditions that the animals…

Parliament Condemns China’s Repression of Uyghurs

Uyghur forced labour

MEPs say they “strongly” condemn the repression of the Uyghur community and other ethnic Turkic people in the Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang.  They said, “These minority groups in China are victims of brutal measures such as mass deportation, political indoctrination, and family separation, restrictions of religious freedom, cultural destruction and extensive use of surveillance.”…

S&D Group Mission to Israel and Palestine

Iratxe Garcia

The leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament has announced that she will be leading a mission of S&D MEPs to Israel and Palestine  from June 12-16. Together with Iratxe García MEP, the members taking part in the mission are: Pedro Marques MEP, S&D Group vice-president for foreign affairs Evin Incir MEP, standing rapporteur…

Minimum Wages for EU

Kim van Sparrentak

Negotiators from the European Parliament, Commission and Council  have reached an agreement on rules for minimum wages in the EU. The result of the trilogue negotiations is a big step forward to combat in-work poverty, the gender pay gap and wage inequality for workers all across the EU and the Greens/EFA Group welcome the results….

War Correspondents in Ukraine Pay Heavy Price for Telling Truth

Iryna Venediktova

Thirty-two journalists have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Official enquiries into all deadly incidents are continuing The Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General and regional prosecutors’ offices provide procedural guidance about criminal proceedings into crimes committed by Russian forces against 147 media representatives, including 28 foreign nationals. During the brutal Russian invasion of…

China: While economy slides, Premier LI Keqiang’s political star shines

LI Keqiang

Last week, in an unusual move, Chinese Prime Minister LI Keqiang who has been recently in the news for his reported opposition to strict anti-Covid lockdown, held video talks with thousands of officials holding different ranks in the government. This was an emergency meeting and the Chinese Prime Minister talked about the health of the country’s economy, writes Jianli Yang….

EESC Supports EU’s Global Gateway

EU Global Gateway

The EU’s Global Gateway initiative is the right step forward in improving connectivity with non-EU partners and like-minded developing countries.  In its relevant opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) underlines that civil society representatives must be included on the board that will be set up to coordinate Global Gateway investments. It also stresses…

ECA Publishes Report on EU’s SME Policies

small business

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key to the EU’s economy. But they have not really benefited from EU action aimed at enhancing their competitiveness. That is the conclusion reached by the European Court of Auditors in a special report published today. EU funds stimulated SMEs’ willingness to invest, but their impact and effectiveness on…

The Sofa Analyst

Mukhtar Ablyazov

“Politician, Kazakh entrepreneur and former owner of BTA Bank, the organiser of the DVK and the candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Kazakhstan” – such a description is flaunted on the YouTube channel of the world’s richest fugitive – fraudster Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is wanted in Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine on charges of…