More than 4,000 fire and rescue service staff from across the UK are volunteering to support the NHS and other key services in the fight against Covid-19, including driving ambulances and delivering food to vulnerable people. A further 10,000 FRS staff are on standby to assist as and when required. These figures – collated by the National Fire…
Regions
Picula Report on Balkan Enlargement Adopted
Following debate in the EP Foreign Affairs Committee this afternoon, the Picula Report was adopted and its key recommendations agreed. These include the requirement for the EU to ensure that its enlargement methodology supports reforms and sustains fully-fledged membership as the final goal for accession countries. The report was adopted with 58 votes for, 7 against…
Commission Approves Hungary’s Coronavirus Aid Scheme
The European Commission has approved a HUF 50 000 million (approximately €140 million) Hungarian aid scheme to support the Hungarian economy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the state aid framework adopted by the Commission on 19 March 2020. The scheme will be managed by the competent agency, Hungarian…
Open Society Foundations Donate to Milan
The Open Society Foundations today announced a donation of $1 million euros to the city of Milan, to help Italy’s financial capital rebuild in the wake of COVID-19. The pandemic has hit especially hard in Italy. According to the latest figures, the country has more than 97,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, second only to…
“Opening accession talks with North Macedonia a much-needed signal” -Schieder
After the Council’s decision to open accession negotiations, the Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee Andreas Schieder MEP (S&D, AT) said: “It is with great pleasure that I congratulate North Macedonia and all its citizens on this much-awaited decision. This is excellent news for the region and for…
“Integration Needs Integrity to Succeed” – Vladimir Krulj
The current public health crisis is causing EU member states to close their borders and distance contact with neighbouring countries. But Counter-intuitively, Dr Vladimir Krulj argues that we must not forget the long term objective of greater integration between the EU and its neighbours. The European Union is the “most successful experiment in international cooperation…
More Delegation of Financial Authority to Cities – Greens
The European Green Party is supporting the call of Visegrad’s capital cities mayors to directly channel European cohesion funding to the municipal level. The “Pact of Free Cities” Alliance, composed of the leaders of Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw, is spearheading a progressive future for their countries, but such a future requires European support. The…
International Donors’ Support for Albania
About 100 delegations from the European Union, its Member States and partners, including international organisations and civil society gathered in Brussels at the International Donors’ Conference to mobilise support for Albania after the devastating earthquake of 26 November 2019. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen hosting the event said: “Today the international community stood…
Vision of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
Located in Ben Guerir in Morocco’s central Rehamna Province, the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University’s modern campus houses some 1400 students, of whom 200 are studying for a Master’s Degree. About 120 undergraduates and postgraduates come from neighbouring African countries, with a particular interest in agricultural studies. Although it is only 3 years old, the University…
Georgia: The case of Gigi Ugulava
David McAllister Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Gigi Ugulava, an opposition politician and one of the leaders of the “European Georgia” party, was sentenced to thirty-eight months in prison by the Supreme Court of Georgia on 10 February. In Strasbourg the Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister (EPP, DE) issued…










