The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have published what they call a “recovery plan for democracy.” As the world has worked to slow the spread of the pandemic through restrictive social measures, the S&D Group believes that we need to look closely at how these actions have impacted on people’s rights, including the…
The EPP Group in the European Parliament is calling for more “tangible engagement” between the EU and Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. Amongst others, it calls for the abolition of cell phone roaming fees in the Eastern Partnership countries and between the EU and these countries. “More than ever, today and beyond 2020,…
The 2021 budget priorities should be to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and support the recovery, building on the Green Deal and digital transformation. In the resolution by rapporteur Pierre Larrouturou (S&D, FR), adopted by the Committee on Budgets, MEPs emphasised that “the Union and all of its Member States must show full…
“Do not lose sight of the geopolitical consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Western Balkans must not fall into the Russian disinformation trap. The region has a better future with the EU”. That is the message from German MEP Michael Gahler, EPP Group Spokesman for Foreign Affairs. He was speaking after the recent EU-Western Balkans…
By Maria Joao Rodrigues All crucial moments in the history of European integration have been like this: a deep crisis, a risk of collapse, a new collective solution. Will it be like this this time around? When the current legislature began, the European Union already had challenges enough: big power games on the global stage,…
A swift return to a fully functional Schengen area is needed to safeguard freedom of movement and ensure the EU’s economic recovery, says the Civil Liberties Committee. Civil Liberties Committee MEPs express their concern about the current situation of internal border controls in the Schengen area and their impact on people and businesses, in a resolution adopted last Thursday…
As expected, the China’s Peoples Representative Committee adopted on Thursday 28th May a draft Security Law for Hong Kong, which has been widely interpreted as a breach of the international treaty registered with the United Nations, “The Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong”, signed in 1984 between China and the United Kingdom. The…
In a European Parliament debate on Hungary’s coronavirus emergency measures, most MEPs said democracy and fundamental rights are under threat in Hungary. The majority of speakers on 14 May stressed that the Hungarian government’s measures, including the declaration of a state of emergency without a time limit, are not in line with EU rules, calling…
Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) lists Algeria as a country where the media struggle to fulfil their role due to judicial harassment. The unstable political environment is increasing threats to the freedom of information in Algeria, and the authorities continue to step up their harassment of journalists. Reporters covering the “Hirak” protests that began in February…
Emily O’Reilly, Europe’s Ombudswoman The European Ombudswoman has published her recommendation on Adam Farkas’ move from the European Banking Authority (EBA) to a financial lobby. Emily O’Reilly, the Ombudswoman, who is responsible for ethical issues in the EU institutions, comes to a crystal clear conclusion: this move to the investment banking lobby AFME should not…
