Towards Minimum Wages in Europe

Minimum Wages in Europe

The European Parliament’s employment committee has made a big step towards a European directive for minimum wages, which both strengthens and safeguards the different social models in Europe, by approving the report tabled jointly by S&D MEP Agnes Jongerius and EPP MEP Dennis Radtke. The Socialists and Democrats’ have spearheaded the campaign for a European Directive…

Greens Lead Calls for Legislation on SLAPPs

SLAPPs

Members of the European Parliament have debated a report on the use of Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in Europe to silence critical voices such as NGOs, journalists, environmental and human rights defenders. MEPs will vote on the report tomorrow, ahead of an expected Commission proposal for legislation on the use of SLAPPs next…

EPP Seeks More Sanctions on Belarus as Border Situation Deteriorates

Belarus migrants

The EPP Group is calling for sanctions to stop the flood of migrants to Belarus, including a ban on the airlines involved in Lukashenko’s human trafficking. The call came ahead of a parliamentary plenary debate on the migration crisis on the EU’s eastern border. “As EU Ambassadors consider a new package of sanctions on the…

Albania Ready for IGC to start Accession Negotiations

EU Albania

After three days of a fact-finding mission in Albania, the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur for the country, Isabel Santos MEP underlined that the country has fulfilled all the criteria and has done everything that it was requested to do, to start accession negotiations with the European Union. Santos called on the member states to finally…

Haugen Tells MEPs DSA Can Set Global Standards

Instagram Facebook and Haugen

The EU’s future Digital Services Act can set the global standards in transparency, oversight and enforcement, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen told MEPs.  The DSA  has the potential to be a “global gold standard” and inspire other countries to “pursue new rules that would safeguard our democracies”, Haugen stressed in todays’ hearing. She warned, however, that…

The potential of Artificial Intelligence

artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence regulation should focus on the level of risk associated with specific uses, a draft report presented in the AIDA committee on Tuesday says. The test, presented by the rapporteur, says that the public debate should shift towards a focus on the enormous potential of artificial intelligence (AI), which offers humankind the unique chance…

School Help Should be Part of Emergency Aid: Ochojska

Ochojska

Help for schooling children and youngsters should be integrated into the EU’s emergency aid programmes, said Janina Ochojska MEP ahead of this week’s vote in the European Parliament’s Development Committee on the Report on the ‘New orientations for the EU’s humanitarian action’. She added, “Integrating training and school programmes into emergency programmes is important to…

Gender Equal Societies Are Happier and Healthier

gender equal

At a special event in the European Parliament on Tuesday the S&D Group leader Iratxe García, together with vice-president Hélene Fritzon and the S&D spokesperson on women’s rights Maria Noichl, and other key S&D members, presented the S&D Group’s position on women’s rights It is the Socialists and Democrats’ roadmap on how to achieve a gender equal European Union, as they believe…

EPP’s 10 Point Plan to Beat Cancer

Beating Cancer

Every year, 1.3 million people in the EU die of cancer and 2.7 million are diagnosed with it.  The EPP says, “We can and must change this trend.” Its message is: “The work we do in the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) must make a difference to people’s lives.” The EPP Group…