Last week in a European parliamentary debate on Hungary’s democratic demise, S&D MEPs criticised the European Commission and the Council for its inaction against Viktor Orbán’s government. S&D MEPs fully supported the vote on a report that lists the Orbán government’s worsening record on the rule of law. Among the issues under the spotlight are: the…
Upon the co-initiative of the ECR Group, the European Parliament has passed a resolution calling on Russia to immediately stop forced deportations from Ukraine and the illegal adoptions of Ukrainian children by Russians. Speaking during the debate on Wednesday, ECR Group Foreign Affairs Coordinator and Co-Author of the Resolution Anna Fotyga said: “Over 2 million people…
In the opening Plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs have demanded that the European Commission take action against Greece for alleged failure to uphold EU privacy law. For some MEPs the case of spyware in Greece, as in other cases, highlights a wider problem in the EU that the rule of law…
The European Parliament and five rotating Council Presidencies have commit to work together to adopt the reform of the EU migration and asylum rules before the 2024 EU elections. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Asylum Contact Group Chair Elena Yoncheva and the Permanent Representatives of…
MEPs say that minimum wages in all EU countries should allow for decent living and working standards, and member states should promote collective bargaining for pay. With 505 votes in favour, 92 against and 44 abstentions, Parliament adopted new laws on adequate minimum wages in the EU, on Wednesday. The EU law, agreed with the Council…
The Bureau of the European Parliament appointed Alessandro Chiocchetti as the institution’s new Secretary General. The newly appointed Secretary General will take up his functions on 1 January 2023. The appointment follows the decision of the Bureau in June 2022 to accept incumbent Secretary General Klaus Welle’s wish to retire by the end of 2022….
Europe needs a comprehensive plan to fight record high inflation, according to S&Ds after the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) to further increase the key interest rates in a race to tame skyrocketing living costs. This plan, says the Group, should include social, fiscal, economic, employment and investment measures. Comment came from Biljana…
The Socialists and Democrats have welcomed the announced European Care Strategy, which has been adopted by the European Commission. With its two recommendations, it is a first step towards strengthening long-term care and early childhood education and care, as envisaged under the European pillar of social rights. The S&D Group has called for an “ambitious…
The EPP Group has nominated the Ukrainian people and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. “We have no doubts that the brave people of Ukraine, lead by President Volodymyr Zelensky, deserve to win this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. “They continue to defend European…
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament insist it is imperative that energy ministers tackle the issue of manipulations with gas on the European internal market. Otherwise, they say, “it is clear that other measures, like reducing electricity consumption, caps on energy commodities imported from third countries or allowing state guarantees, will have no…
