At the final plenary of 2019 in Strasbourg last week, the European Parliament has adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Russia, Afghanistan and Burkina Faso. MEPs call on the Russian authorities to immediately repeal the country’s law on ‘foreign agents’ and to bring existing legislation into line with Russia’s constitution…
The leaders of the political groups in European Parliament have agreed to freeze large parts of the negotiations with the Council on the new long-term EU budget. Following the failure of the Council to make progress on its proposal for the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027, leaders of political groups in the European Parliament agreed…
In a resolution put to the vote last Thursday, MEPs denounced the disproportionate use of force by Iranian security forces against non-violent protesters. At least 304 people have been killed, with many more wounded and thousands arrested after “tens of thousands of people from all over Iran and representing all segments of society have exercised…
As EU leaders prepare to put the finishing touches to their plans for a two year conference on the Future of Europe, civil society groups are mobilising to set up a parallel series of events aimed at putting citizens at the heart of the debate. A Future of Europe Fringe, modelled on the experience of…
Campaigning MEP Lady Nosheena Mobarik has praised the work of five young Kenyan women who developed an app to help girls affected by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Baroness Mobarik, Conservative MEP for Scotland, was among a group welcoming the so-called Restorers to the European Parliament yesterday, and said: “These girls should be an inspiration to…
Parliament’s negotiating team reached a deal with the Council on Wednesday on EU-wide rules to help crowdfunding services function smoothly and foster cross-border business funding. The uniform set of criteria will apply to all European Crowdfunding Service Providers (ECSP) up to offers of EUR 5 000 000 (from EUR 1 000 000 proposed by the…
Ilham Tohti’s daughter accepted the 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on Wednesday on behalf of her jailed father. Tohti, a Uyghur scholar fighting for the rights of China’s Muslim Uyghur minority, has been in prison since 2014 on separatism-related charges. “Ilham Tohti, with his activism, managed to give a voice to the Uyghurs….
MEPs have urged the Commission to condemn all public acts of discrimination against LGBTI people, notably the development of so-called ‘LGBTI-free zones’ in Poland. In a resolution adopted by 463 votes in favour, 107 against and 105 abstentions on Wednesday, MEPs express their deep concern at the growing number of attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender…
MEPs are set to adopt a resolution following a fatal crackdown by the Iranian government forces against protestors. “It is time for the EU to ‘re-think’ its relations with Iran” was the message from ECR Group Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anna Fotyga ahead of a debate and vote in the European Parliament later this week. In…
Emily O’Reilly has been re-elected by Parliament as European Ombudsman with 320 votes in favour out of 600 votes cast. Her second mandate will last for five years. “I am delighted to have been re-elected for a second term. I wish to sincerely thank my fantastic campaign team for the huge effort over the past four…
