Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash “Solidarity with Ukraine is as existential to Ukraine as it is to Europe”, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to European leaders at the European Council. The Maltese MEP gave an opening speech on the first day of the summit, expected to be dominated again by events in Ukraine. She said, “The…
Year: 2023
Russophiles International
Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash Russia is intensifying the work of its agent networks in Europe through the International Movement of Russophiles In order to mitigate the consequences of the expulsion of Russian intelligence officers from the EU who were acting under diplomatic cover and the exposure of Russian agent networks by European law enforcement agencies, the…
Importance of Vocational Training Stressed
Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash MEPs have unanimously adopted a report highlighting the importance of modern vocational education and training (VET). This, it was said, will meet the challenges of the labour market in terms of changing forms and activities of employment and the skills they require. The own-initiative report by ECR rapporteur Anna Zalewska was backed…
Addressing the Impact of Climate Change
Photo by Chris LeBoutillier on Unsplash The EU has spelled out how it aims to address the growing impact of climate change and environmental degradation in the fields of peace, security and defence. The commission says that ecurrent climate extremes, rising temperatures and sea levels, desertification, water scarcity, threats to biodiversity, environmental pollution and contamination are threatening the health and…
Britons in Europe
Photo by Ludovic Morlat on Unsplash A major project has been launched which partly aims to “bust some of the myths” about Britons who live abroad. Another objective of the exercise is to garner support for the creation of overseas constituencies in the UK parliament. It is argued that being able to vote for an MP in the…
“CLOSE” Wins 2023 LUX Award
Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash “Close” by Belgian director Lukas Dhont won the 2023 LUX European Audience Film Award on Tuesday, in a ceremony in the European Parliament’s hemicycle in Brussels. The film, co-produced by Belgium, France and Netherlands, tells the story of an intense friendship between two thirteen-year old boys Leo and Remi. When their…
The EU Nature Restoration Law
Photo by Richard Loader on Unsplash Following a lengthy vote, there is no majority amongst MEPs on the Environment committee for the Commission’s proposal as amended for a Nature Restoration Law. Following votes on amendments to the Commission’s proposal on Thursday 15 June and continued on Tuesday 27 June, the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety finally…
Commission Funding for Farmers
Photo by Kadri Karmo on Unsplash The EU Commission has announced it will provide additional EU funding for EU farmers. It will go to those who are “impacted by adverse climatic events, high input costs, and diverse market and trade related issues.” The new support package, unveiled on Monday, will consist of €330 million for 22 Member States. In addition, Member States…
The Pursuit of Happiness
Photo by Lucas Marcomini on Unsplash For the past ten years, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network has published an annual list of the happiest countries in the world. People in 149 countries were asked to rate their own happiness: criteria included social support, personal freedom, gross domestic product and levels of corruption. Sponsored by the UN it is…
Uzbekistan Strives to Mitigate Climate Change
Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash The goal of “green” development in Uzbekistan is to achieve environmental security and sustainable development, writes Nozim Khasanov. The leadership of Uzbekistan in the last 6-7 years has chosen a firm course on green development, betting on the introduction of renewable energy sources, on smart technologies aimed at respect for nature, the…