About: European Parliament
Ukraine’s integration can start today, EU Parliament chief says
The EU should open its doors to Ukraine, paving the way for immediate access to trade, programs, funding, transport, movement, and more, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Asked by EURACTIV what her thoughts are...
EU lawmakers may push 70% emission cut on carmakers by 2030
The European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) is due to vote on mandatory CO2 standards for car manufacturers on Wednesday (11 May), with the possibility of calling for a 70% reduction target by the year 2030. EURACTIV France reports.
European politicians want citizen panels to be used at EU level
The Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) ended on Monday (9 May), but a group of politicians want citizens' forums that were at its heart to become a permanent practice at the EU level. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU lawmakers back one-year extension of COVID certificate
EU lawmakers backed on Thursday (5 May) a proposal by the EU Parliament's civil liberties committee to extend until June 2023 the EU's digital COVID certificate, set to expire this summer.
MEPs blast French presidency for skipping EU debate on Hungary and Poland
European lawmakers across the political spectrum lashed out on Tuesday (3 May) at the French delegation heading the EU Council for not showing up at a long-delayed debate on the procedure against Hungary and Poland for their alleged breach of EU values.
European Parliament agrees position on EU election law overhaul
On Tuesday (3 May), the European Parliament adopted its position on a major reform of EU electoral law that would introduce bloc-wide transnational lists, following a compromise between the largest EU parties in March.
War in Ukraine highlights need for EU reform with citizen participation
As Russia's war in Ukraine rages on, the need to reform the EU and take citizens' voices into account has become more apparent, according to politicians involved in the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Good chance transnational lists at EU polls ‘could fly’, says MEP
There is a 'good chance' that transnational lists at the European elections 'could fly', according to the EU lawmaker seeking to take the proposal into law.
EU urged to step up curbs on foreign spyware
The EU has been urged to step up its actions to prevent politicians, journalists, and activists from being hacked by foreign spyware following new revelations of politicians targeted by the controversial Pegasus software.
EU anti-fraud body accuses Marine Le Pen of embezzlement
The EU's anti-fraud body has accused French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and associates of embezzling around €600,000 during their time as MEPs, French website Mediapart said Saturday (16 April), quoting a new report.
Russia bars Commissioners, MEPs, journalists in response to EU sanctions
Russia said on Thursday (31 March) it had greatly expanded the number of European Union officials, lawmakers, public figures and journalists barred from entering Russia, giving as the reason their responsibility for sanctions and for stoking anti-Russian feelings.
Brussels debate: Russia’s ‘Trojan horses’ need to break away from the Kremlin
When Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, the Russian ambassador to NATO and the EU named it one of the Kremlin’s “Trojan horses”, referring to the power Russia could exert on the EU through its new ties to Brussels.
EU lawmakers push for better protection of bogus self-employed
EU lawmakers quizzed the European Commission executive vice-president, Margrethe Vestager, about new guidelines that would enable self-employed people to seek the protection of collective bargaining agreements, with both sides agreeing that such a right should be guaranteed.
Commission likely to push for recycled PET in food packaging despite concerns
The European Commission will soon decide whether to allow the use of recycled plastics in food packaging despite some suggesting this could endanger consumer health.
EU ministers reach broad consensus on batteries regulation
EU environment ministers adopted on Thursday (17 March) a general approach for the EU batteries regulation, centred on France's compromise proposal, which had drawn all-around praise for being "balanced" and "ambitious". The Council and the Parliament will now negotiate to agree on the final draft.
Disinterest from politicians clouds EUs deliberative democracy experiment
While the debate was more focussed and better organised than before, participants said disinterest from politicians clouded the latest panel of the conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) event in Strasbourg at the weekend. CoFoE is the first EU...
CoFoE: Participants ask for increased EU intervention in Ukrainian war
Participants from the Conference on the Future of Europe met in Strasbourg to speak in front of the conference's plenary, where Ukrainian activists and MPs urged for more drastic EU intervention in Ukraine, including the implementation of a no-fly zone.
Let’s place citizens at the centre of Europe
The Conference on the Future of Europe placed citizens at the centre of reform in the European Union. This should be a concrete and tangible outcome of the Conference. Let us democratise our Union by putting citizens’ participation at the core of European decision making, writes a group of ten MEPs.
MEPs support making full use of cohesion policy to abolish health inequalities
The European Parliament has approved an own-initiative report suggesting that cohesion policy funds could be one of the ways to reduce health inequalities, which remain huge across the EU.
Biggest EU parties strike compromise to create pan-European MPs
The biggest EU party families have agreed on a compromise to push for a change of EU electoral law to allow for so-called pan-European members of the European Parliament, which could further European integration if successful.
EP’s Metsola convenes emergency state parliament session
Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola (EPP) convened a meeting of national parliament speakers to coordinate the European response, telling them that “Kyiv is under siege and so is democracy”.
European Parliament VP Šimečka: Doors for Ukraine’s EU accession must remain open
As Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to destroy the current security order in Europe, solidarity and unity remain our most potent weapons, but we cannot leave Ukraine to Russia and shut the doors for its EU accession, said Vice-President of European Parliament, Michal Šimečka
MEPs call for ‘outdated’ EU toy safety directive to be updated
EU lawmakers have approved, by a large majority, a report to update the EU's Toy Safety Directive, which they say no longer meets the necessary standards. EURACTIV France reports.