About: Sophie in 't Veld
Civil Liberties MEPs want EU-US Privacy Shield suspended by September
MEPs in the European Parliament’s powerful Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) want the European Commission to suspend its Privacy Shield agreement with the United States unless the Trump administration introduces data protection safeguards by 1 September, in a move that comes amid mounting transatlantic political tensions.
After Facebook scandal, MEPs argue the GDPR isn’t enough
The EU needs more legal safeguards to prevent massive privacy breaches like the current scandal over Facebook and British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, MEPs from different political parties argued on Wednesday (18 April).
Commission defends controversial Selmayr promotion
The European Commission on Sunday (25 March) insisted the controversial promotion of President Jean-Claude Juncker's top aide was "in full compliance" with rules, and not even a promotion, despite a growing cronyism row.
EU court’s blow to Canada deal marks new hurdle for data laws
An EU data sharing agreement with Canada is illegal because it violates privacy rights, the European Court of Justice said Wednesday (26 July), marking a new legal blow to the bloc's data deals.
Europol in ‘shocking’ data leak
The EU's law enforcement agency, Europol, has had a mixed bag of results recently, ranging from a sensitive data leak scandal and unprecedented success in fighting cybercrime, to an odd festive social media campaign. EURACTIV Germany reports.
MEPs call on Tusk to end EU summits ‘paralysis’
During a debate held today (26 October) in the European Parliament, MEPs criticised the European Council for its inability to decide on issues such as CETA and EU-Russia relations, with calls for Council President Donald Tusk to “end paralysis in the Council”.
MEPs battle to get their vote on Privacy Shield
Liberal and socialist groups in the European Parliament have tried since March to set up a plenary vote on the controversial Privacy Shield data transfer agreement to the United States. With member states' final verdict slated for next month, MEPs are running out of time to vote before the deal is finalised.
Commission’s ‘Umbrella Agreement’ with US under fire from MEPs
The US-EU Safe Harbour agreement allowed over 4,000 companies to transfer data from the EU to the US - provided the companies guaranteed the data's security abroad.
Jourova defends unfinished Safe Harbour deal
Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova told MEPs yesterday (1 February) that one day past the deadline given by EU privacy watchdogs, the European Commission still hasn't struck a new Safe Harbour data sharing agreement with the US.
Council pushes for broad collection of flight passenger data after Paris attacks
Justice and Home Affairs ministers from EU member states are meeting today (20 November) in Brussels to discuss new security measures following the terrorist attacks in Paris last weekend that left 129 people dead.
MEPs fire back at Commission for ‘bad lawmaking’ on Safe Harbour
MEPs in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee lashed out on Monday (12 October) against the European Commission for agreeing to the now-invalid Safe Harbour data sharing deal between the EU and the US.
ALDE requests nuclear option over Hungary
The liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament called on Monday (21 September) for the activation of article 7 of the EU Treaty against Hungary over its handling of refugees.
Passenger name record law passes first hurdle in Parliament
The European Parliament's Civil Liberties and Justice Committee approved the first EU passenger name record (PNR) bill today (15 July), two years after that same committee rejected an earlier draft of the data sharing law for flight passenger information.
The EU can help protect women’s rights
The world still has such a long way to go to meet women’s needs, MEPs Linda Mc Avan, Heidi Hautala and Sophie in 't Veld write, as this year’s World Population Day focuses on vulnerable communities.
Parliament resists pressure on passenger data ahead of EU summit
Green and Liberal MEPs are resisting the proposal for a pan-European Passenger Name Records (PNR) database in the face of mounting political pressure before a summit this week in which heads of state will press them to adopt the measure urgently. VideoPromoted content
Open minded politicians redefine liberalism in Lisbon
At the 2014 Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, delegates from across Europe, from ALDE Party member parties and individual members, looked outward and explored the ideological maps of Liberalism to find new ways of taking forward our ideas and values.
Female leadership is a must, not an option
To stay competitive on a global scale, the European Union needs to mobilize the untapped potential and talent of women in all spheres, write a number of women leaders, after launching the EU Women Caucus on 2 December, 2014.
A roadmap to transparency and away from Sir Humphrey
The culture of European Union institutions need radical change to deliver the transparency that is vital to restore citizens' trust, writes Sophie in 't Veld.
Deadlocked EU transparency reform finds new impetus
EXCLUSIVE: The new European Commission must look again at the European Union’s deadlocked transparency regulation and push through long-delayed reforms, the EU Ombudsman, MEPs and a?ctivists have said.
EU-US trade deal: people have the right to know
Environmental campaigners have questioned the legality of the EU-US trade talks’ secrecy after a European Court of Justice ruling offered “a glimmer of hope” to see the negotiating mandate made public.
TTIP documents could be made public after EU court ruling
European Union documents relating to the EU-US trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), could be made public after a European Court of Justice ruling yesterday (3 July).
Europhiles take the lead in Dutch EU elections, exit polls show
Geert Wilders’ populist Freedom Party (PVV) has suffered an electoral blow in The Netherlands’ EU elections, while the pro-European liberal party D66 is expected to claim the largest number of seats, according to an exit poll released on Thursday (22 May). The real winner may be abstention however.
MEPs back quotas to get more women in boardrooms
The European Parliament yesterday (13 March) backed the European Commission’s pledge to create binding rules to increase the number of women in top jobs, if member states have not voluntarily taken action to redress gender imbalance in the workplace.