European Parliament

General : The first-ever universal and legally binding global climate deal was agreed by 195 countries in Paris last December at the COP21 conference.Parliament wants the EU to ratify the Paris climate agreement as soon as possible to ensure it can rapidly enter into force. We talked to environment committee chair Giovanni La Via, an Italian member of the EPP group, about Parliament’s commitment to implement the climate deal and the challenges ahead.

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Budget Committee MEPs reversed all the cuts proposed by the Council to the draft 2017 EU budget to meet the needs of the migration crisis and slow economic growth, in a vote on Wednesday. They also boosted funding to fight youth unemployment and increased spending on research and infrastructure projects. The full plenary will vote on 26 October on a proposed budget amounting to €161.8bn in commitments, €4.13bn more than the original Commission proposal.
Committee on Budgets

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MEPs’ plans to tighten up EU car “type approval” rules, in the wake of the VW scandal, will be outlined in 196 amendments to the EU Commission proposal to overhaul the current system, to be debated in the Internal Market Committee on Thursday at 11.00. These include stricter supervision of tests done before a car can be placed on the market and more stringent obligations on EU member states to check that those already on the road meet all EU safety, environmental and production requirements.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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General : Anti-Semitism continues to be a problem in Europe with every fifth Jew having experienced verbal or physical violence. On 27 September MEPs and representatives from Jewish communities gathered in the European Parliament to debate anti-Semitism and the future of Jews in Europe. "Jewish friends and neighbours, we stand with you against those who spread hatred," said Parliament President Martin Schulz. "Europe is not Europe without its Jews. Europe is your home!”

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General : After five years’ existence, the transparency register, of independent organisations and people whose business is to influence EU decision-taking processes, is to evolve into a mandatory system covering all EU institutions. This is "an eagerly-awaited reform", said European Parliament Vice-President Sylvie Guillaume, welcoming the proposed inter-institutional agreement tabled by the European Commission on 28 September.

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General : The current situation in Europe of Anti-Semitism and future prospects for Europe’s Jewish communities were debated at a conference hosted by EP President Martin Schulz and First Vice-President Antonio Tajani on Tuesday.

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Should EU Structural and Investment Funds for Spain and Portugal be suspended, following Council’s 12 July decision to trigger the “excessive deficit” procedure? MEPs from the Regional Development and Economic Affairs committees will debate a possible suspension of structural funds for Spain and Portugal with the EU Commission in Strasbourg on Monday 3 October, in room Louise Weiss N1.3, starting at 18.00.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Regional Development

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General : The European Parliament is sending a delegation of MEPs to Colombia this week to accompany and observe its referendum on the newly signed peace agreement. MEPs “expect and hope” that on Sunday 2 October Colombian voters will back the peace agreement reached by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

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Chair Werner Langen kicked off Tuesday’s hearing with the investigative journalists behind the Panama Papers revelations by announcing that the inquiry committee will also look into the recent Bahama Leaks affair and the case of former Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who failed to declare a directorship in an offshore firm while she held the competition portfolio.
Committee of Inquiry to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion

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General : Roaming charges are on track to be abolished next June, but the rules setting out when mobile providers can charge domestic charges still have to be finalised. Companies fear consumers will try to buy a SIM card from the EU country with the lowest charges rather than from their own country. We asked Pilar del Castillo, the Spanish EPP member responsible for negotiating with the European Commission and Council on this issue, to answer questions we received from our Facebook followers.

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General : Big data refers to large quantities of data collected from sources such as sensors and the internet. They can be used to improve decision-making and create better products, however they also pose challenges to fundamental rights such as privacy and data protection. Parliament's civil liberties committee discussed the risks and opportunities of using big data on Monday, while MEP Ana Gomes is drafting an own-initiative report on the issue, which MEPs will vote on during a future plenary session.

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The recovery in the euro area is expected to continue at a moderate and steady pace, but slower than envisaged in June due to a lower foreign demand outlook, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi told Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee members on Monday. On the positive side, he said that the euro area economy showed resilience to global and political uncertainty, notably following the UK referendum outcome.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

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Plans to waive visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens entering the Schengen area were approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Monday. If approved by Parliament and Council, it will allow Ukrainians who have a biometric passport to enter the EU area without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period, for business, tourist or family purposes.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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In the wake of this summer’s terrorist attacks in Europe, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove debated trends revealed by such attacks and EU counter-terrorism measures with Civil Liberties Committee MEPs on Monday afternoon.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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General : Parliament's inquiry committee investigating the Panama papers starts its work on Tuesday 27 September with a hearing featuring the journalists behind the initial revelations. These members of the International Consortium for Investigative Journalism will discuss their work on the files. In addition the committee's working programme will be presented after the hearing. Follow the hearing and the presentation of the working programme live on our website.

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General : The inquiry committee investigating the Panama papers starts its work this week by holding a hearing with the journalists who unveiled how tax evaders have been hiding their funds in overseas tax havens. The industry committee discusses the European Commission's new proposal to prevent consumers abusing the abolition of roaming charges in June 2017.

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Draft “fair use” safeguards to prevent mobile phone users from taking unfair advantage of EU rules on “roaming” charges were debated in the Industry Committee on Monday 26 September afternoon.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

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From Syrian refugees on their way to being resettled to Europe to Palestine refugees who have been living in camps for years: members from the civil liberties committee delegation got to speak to many different people during their fact-finding mission to Lebanon on 19-22 September. They were there to assess the situation to help prepare future rules on the resettlement of refugees. They also spoke to representatives of local NGOs and large international organisations.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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General : The current situation in Europe of Anti-Semitism and future prospects for Europe’s Jewish communities will be debated at a conference hosted by EP President Martin Schulz and First Vice-President Antonio Tajani in Parliament’s premises on Tuesday afternoon. Anti-Semitism and attacks against Jews in Europe have grown in recent years.

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Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

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