About: European Parliament
European Parliament lawyers up for rule of law battle with the Commission
Following a long will-they-won't-they saga, European Parliament President David Sassoli announced on Wednesday (20 October) his institution will sue the European Commission if it fails to trigger the regulation linking EU funds to rule of law before 2 November.
Bulgarian elections marked by radicalisation of ethnic Turkish party
A sanctioned Bulgarian businessman and media tycoon will run for parliament in the November elections on the slate of the predominantly ethnically Turkish “Movement of Rights and Freedoms” (DPS), whose leader Mustafa Karadaya is in the race for president.
Who’s to blame for high energy prices?
A group of MEPs and the US administration have accused Russia of market manipulation. The situation is however much more complex and nuanced than that, writes Danila Bochkarev.
Delo: Slovenia’s EU presidency politically dead
The newspaper Delo writes that Prime Minister Janez Janša, with his tweets targeting the European Parliament's delegation on a fact-finding mission to Slovenia, damaged Slovenia's reputation and the credibility of its EU presidency, which it says is politically dead.
MEPs call for the EU pharma strategy to address medicine shortages
MEPs adopted a draft report on Tuesday (12 October) aimed at strengthening the EU's pharmaceutical strategy to ensure every patient has reliable and timely access to medicines, as shortages have been increasing since 2000. EURACTIV France reports.
The global tax marathon: Winners and losers
Aspects of the global tax reform agreement which have largely gone unnoticed are likely to come in for closer scrutiny in national parliaments of EU countries and in the European Parliament where some pushback can be expected, writes Dick Roche.
Poland’s PiS party is pushing the country towards EU exit, EPP warns
The centre-right European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, sounded the alarm on Thursday (7 October), warning that Poland's ruling party is pushing the country towards ‘Polexit’.
Kazakhstan minister: We steadily observe our obligations in the field of human rights
Kazakhstan is moving towards reforms progressively and steadily, with the state now supporting and financing NGOs and the political opposition enjoying full parliamentary rights, Aida Balaeva, the minister of information and social development, told EURACTIV in an interview.
MEPs call for strengthening rights of people with disabilities
MEPs overwhelmingly adopted a report to protect people with disabilities on Wednesday (6 October). MEPs agreed that there is still a lot left to be done as disabled people still face many barriers and discrimination across the bloc. EURACTIV France reports.
European Parliament calls for increased EU cybersecurity capacity
In a resolution on the state of the EU cyber defence capabilities, the European Parliament called on the European Commission and EU member states to increase spending and staff dedicated to cyber defence.
Kazakhstan justice minister: We aim to create good conditions for foreign investors
In a wide-ranging interview, Kazakhstan's Justice Minister Marat Bektaev discussed Kazakhstan's relations with the EU, its ongoing multi-billion international court cases, and the Central Asian country’s strategic development plans and efforts to create good conditions for foreign investment.
Will the EU be a pawn in the pro-Israel incitement game?
To truly advance peace through education, the EU bodies must distinguish between cheap manipulation designed to justify Israel’s ongoing occupation, and authentic striving for improvement, writes Dahlia Scheindlin.
Russia’s Navalny nominated for the European Parliament Sakharov Prize
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was nominated on Monday (27 September) for the European Parliament's annual human rights prize as European Union lawmakers sought to keep the public spotlight on his pro-democracy network, which has been banned in Russia.
Catalan separatist MEP Puigdemont arrested in Italy
Exiled former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont was arrested in Italy on Thursday (23 September), his lawyer and an aide said, four years after fleeing following an independence referendum that Madrid ruled unconstitutional.
US blame Russia for manipulating Europe gas prices, Moscow retorts the EU messed it up
A US official warned against "manipulation" of gas prices in Europe, as a group of European MEPs accused Russia of being behind price rises. In return, Russia said the disbalance was a result of mistaken EU policy making.
MEP Freund: Von der Leyen, EPP still shielding Bulgaria’s ex-PM Borissov
In an exclusive interview, MEP Daniel Freund tells about his recent visit to Bulgaria, revealing the frustrations of the caretaker government which did not receive support from the EU Commission in its efforts to tackle money-laundering.
MEPs prepare the ground to cut ties with Russia’s parliament
The European Parliament passed a resolution on Thursday (16 September) making a clear distinction between the Russian people and the regime of President Vladimir Putin, which it called a “stagnating authoritarian kleptocracy led by a president-for-life surrounded by a circle of oligarchs”.
Commission acknowledges its Bulgaria failures
The European Commission acknowledged for the first time on Thursday (16 September) that it had not done enough to help fight high-level corruption in Bulgaria. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports
EU sweetens its Blue Card for foreign professionals
The EU's Blue Card giving eligible foreign professionals the right to live and work in the bloc is being made more attractive under modifications approved Wednesday (15 September) by the European Parliament.
#SOTEU: Key issues from von der Leyen’s annual speech
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual state of the union address in the European Parliament on Wednesday, praising the EU’s efforts in dealing with the pandemic and economic recovery, but also calling for more efforts to achieve strategic autonomy, climate goals and a coherent European defence.
Poland, Latvia worry over Russia’s war games on tense EU-Belarus border
Poland and Latvia expressed concern on Thursday (2 September) over Russia's looming military drills held jointly on Belarus' western border where the European Union accuses Minsk of pushing migrants over to put pressure on the bloc.
Commission says it is holding up recovery money for Poland
Poland's challenge to the primacy of European Union law over national law is holding up the release of €57 billion in EU recovery funds to Warsaw, European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday (1 September).
EU says it will not rush into recognising the Taliban
The European Union will need to engage with the Taliban but it will not rush into formally recognising the Islamist militant group as the new rulers of Afghanistan, a senior European Union official said on Wednesday (1 September).