European Union

There is no evidence Hamas received EU aid, says Haim Regev, Israel's ambassador to the EU and Nato.

Wars and partisan politicking are seldom a good mix. But that has not stopped EPP leader Manfred Weber from strongly criticising Josep Borrell’s response to Hamas’ terror attack that killed more than 1400 people.

The European Union parliament awarded its annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Iranian woman Mahsa Amini who died in police custody last year and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran, it said on Thursday (19 October).

Analyse this: On 6 June, we will vote in the European elections. And on 1 July, Hungary will take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, giving a big role to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just when the top EU jobs for the next five years will be decided.

Despite the transition to climate neutrality creating frictions in the short-term, politicians should not change course, investors in green technologies said, asking for clear signals that the transition will be followed through.

Russia has detained an editor at US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) for failing to register as a foreign agent while visiting Russia for a family emergency, the broadcaster said.

Palestine's EU envoy and 15 other Arab diplomats have voiced outrage at Europe's inaction on Israel's killing in Gaza. The Palestinian ambassador also hit out at "Israeli lies" over the Al-Ahli hospital bombing on Tuesday night.

On 23 October 2023, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing on "The situation in Syria 12 years after the revolution: Standstill, Dynamics, EU response, and Future Prospects?". It will provide a reflection on the political, social and economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has shaped the country's development in the twelve years since the Revolution.
Members will discuss with experts the geopolitics of the region under the changed circumstances, in which international and regional actors including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the United States, but also local groups, are operating. The hearing will contribute to the upcoming Recommendation on the situation in Syria that the Foreign Affairs Committee is preparing and which will provide recommendations for concrete political and diplomatic fine-tuning of the EU's Syria policy.
This hearing will take place during the European Parliament Gender Equality week and will be an opportunity to highlight the impact of conflict on women and the importance of women's contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace, in line with the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Location : Antall 2Q2
Poster
Programme of the hearing
Briefing -Impact of sanctions on the humanitarian situation in Syria
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 23 October 2023, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing on "The situation in Syria 12 years after the revolution: Standstill, Dynamics, EU response, and Future Prospects?". It will provide a reflection on the political, social and economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has shaped the country's development in the twelve years since the Revolution.
Members will discuss with experts the geopolitics of the region under the changed circumstances, in which international and regional actors including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the United States, but also local groups, are operating. The hearing will contribute to the upcoming Recommendation on the situation in Syria that the Foreign Affairs Committee is preparing and which will provide recommendations for concrete political and diplomatic fine-tuning of the EU's Syria policy.
This hearing will take place during the European Parliament Gender Equality week and will be an opportunity to highlight the impact of conflict on women and the importance of women's contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace, in line with the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Location : Antall 2Q2
Poster
Programme of the hearing
Briefing -Impact of sanctions on the humanitarian situation in Syria
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

EU countries recruiting foreign healthcare staff to address shortages, rather than investing in domestic workforce development, may weaken the EU's international health cooperation efforts, an EU Commission official warned. 

The European Parliament announced Jina Mahsa Amini and the women's movement in Iran won this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

"Politicians love to talk the language of youth – as if promising to “connect” with younger voters will miraculously increase their electoral appeal. But the truth is that politicians are playing the wrong game."

Parliament has condemned Hamas’ despicable terrorist attacks against Israel while expressing serious concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Parliament has condemned Hamas’ despicable terrorist attacks against Israel while expressing serious concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Parliament has condemned Hamas’ despicable terrorist attacks against Israel while expressing serious concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs take stock of the situation in Malta and threats to journalists, paying tribute to Caruana Galizia’s “essential work” in exposing corruption and organised crime.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs take stock of the situation in Malta and threats to journalists, paying tribute to Caruana Galizia’s “essential work” in exposing corruption and organised crime.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Ukraine is desperately short of judges, and is kick-starting a long-delayed nationwide hiring spree to fill more than 2,000 vacancies and vet around as many sitting judges for potential malfeasance.

The focus is now on MEPs, who will cast their votes next week. The unprecedentedlevel of lobbying seen in Brussels these days around the Packaging and Packaging Waste revision (PPWR) is making a handful of politicians strangely hesitant.

MEPs say the Serbian Government is pursuing a very dangerous policy with regard to Kosovo and its Western partners, in a resolution adopted on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP