About: European Parliament
Parliament urges Council to start negotiating on next EU long-term budget
The European Parliament laid down funding priorities for the next long-term EU budget on Tuesday (13 November) and urged the Council to agree on a common position so that talks be completed before next May. But differences still remain about the level of member states' contributions.
ECR puts forward Czech MEP as their Spitzenkandidat nominee
Czech MEP Jan Zahradil will be the lead candidate of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) to run for the presidency of the next European Commission, party chief Syed Kamall announced on Tuesday (13 October).
Parliament rubber-stamps Europe’s 2030 clean energy laws
The European Parliament voted on Tuesday (13 November) a set of three clean energy laws for 2030, including binding targets for renewable energies, an indicative objective on energy savings and a separate text on the governance of the Energy Union.
In Strasbourg, Merkel brings European army one step further
In an eagerly awaited speech on the future of Europe before what she called 'the biggest democratic parliament of the world', German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Tuesday (13 November) for a "real, true European army" and a common asylum framework.
European cities slow to adopt electric buses
Fully electric buses account for only 9% of urban bus sales in Europe, according to research by Transport and Environment (T&E), a green campaign group. High upfront costs are the biggest barrier to their deployment on a mass scale.
Europe should protect its farmers, not big food multinationals
MEPs working on the 'unfair trade practices' directive risk handing a series of victories to food multinationals in the name of 'fairness for all', argues Christian Verschueren
How to #Spitzenkandidat
As the European elections loom closer, one question rings ever louder in the Brussels corridors: How will the Parliament’s main political groups choose their candidates for the EU’s top jobs?
Money for agriculture must go to those who cultivate the land, MEPs insist
The ample funding provided by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy should be used by real farmers and not those who lease land for profit, said members of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. EURACTIV's media partner Dnevnik reports.
Big brands pledge to turn tide on global plastic waste
Big brands - from Coca Cola to Kellogg - pledged on Monday (29 October) to cut all plastic waste from their operations in what the United Nations called the most ambitious effort yet to fight plastic pollution.
European Parliament wants to ban neo-fascist groups
Faced with the upsurge in xenophobia in Europe, MEPs want to take firm action against neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups, which currently benefit from a certain level of discretion in several countries. EURACTIV France reports.
Trans-Europe Express – Water, water, everywhere
“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” Those words by the late Jacques Cousteau become truer by the day in our ever more polluted world. But the EU could be on the brink of cleaning up the one thing none of us can live without.
French people barely comforted by positive economic conditions
France tends to develop in the opposite direction to the rest of the eurozone and the economic lights are now on green. However, French morale tells a very different story and the international situation raises concerns among economic forecasters. EURACTIV France reports.
European funds: What next for the Polish economy?
European funds were one of the factors that helped Poland avoid the serious effects of the financial crisis. Negotiations on the new seven-year financial framework have already begun in the European Parliament. The outcome could have a major effect on how Poles vote in next May's elections.
Tory leader offers alternative history lesson on Nazism
MEPs were treated to a bizarre lesson in alternative history in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
MEPs crank up crusade against single-use plastics
MEPs moved on Wednesday (24 October) to ban widely-used, throw-away plastics such as straws, bags and cotton buds, putting the burden on manufacturers to recycle more in an effort to clear up ocean pollution.
Commission urges Parliament, Council to move on transparency
The European Commission is unhappy with the lack of progress in negotiating its proposal for a mandatory transparency register with the European Parliament and Council and has urged the Parliament to consider making "meaningful" proposals before "our next political meeting", according to an official letter seen by EURACTIV.com.
European economy: On the road to recovery or still in stagnation?
The European economy has gradually moved clear of the recession and austerity that have dominated the past ten years. But how important will the economy be in the minds of Europeans as next May’s European Parliament elections approach? This Special...
Story-telling is key for Europe
While Cohesion Policy remains a cornerstone of EU's action to boost growth and reduce inequalities in the continent, the policy lacks visibility, writes MEP Lambert van Nistelrooij.
French people convinced by EU but poorly motivated to vote
Support for the EU is at its highest level for 26 years. However, this enthusiasm is not reflected in the projections for turnout at the next European elections. EURACTIV France reports.
Stubb: No room for populism in EPP, European values are under threat
After serving his country as a minister and prime minister, and gaining first-hand experience in dealing with some of the EU's biggest crises, Alexander Stubb is now vying for the top job in the European Commission. He presented his credentials during an interview with EURACTIV.
#MeToo blog allows victims at European Parliament to speak freely
A new blog is collecting accounts of sexual harassment at the European Parliament, whether they be inappropriate comments, touching or sexual assaults. An advisory committee has also put new measures in place. EURATIV France’s media partner Ouest-France reports.
Tweets of the Week: CO2 emissions, Alex Stubb, Jeremy Hunt and Theresa May
This week, CO2 emissions bear the brunt, Alex Stubb is out in front, EU offended by Jeremy Hunt and Theresa May pulls dancing stunt.
Kazakh families torn apart in China’s Xinjiang crackdown
When he looks back on his youth in China's far-west Xinjiang region, Akikat Kaliolla, an ethnic Kazakh, recalls the place's natural beauty and the big, colourful weddings typical of his majority-Muslim community.