European Parliament

Plenary sessions : New legislation restricting the use of mercury, a persistent pollutant that has adverse effects on the environment and human health, was adopted by Parliament on Tuesday. The bill, already informally agreed with the Council of Ministers, aims to close the gap between existing EU legislation and the United Nations Minamata Convention against mercury pollution.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : The EU and its member states should step up their efforts to achieve equality between women and men. Despite progress on some issues, much remains to be done to reduce pay gaps, remove “glass ceilings” blocking women’s careers, remedy their lack of economic independence and improve their work/life balance, say MEPs in a non-legislative resolution voted on Tuesday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Sanctions of unprecedented severity were announced by EP President Antonio Tajani on Tuesday, against Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke for his unacceptable remarks against women during a plenary debate on the "Gender pay gap" on 1 March.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Tighter controls on blank-firing and inadequately deactivated weapons, like those used in the Paris terror attacks, and an obligation for EU member states to have an appropriate monitoring system in place for the issuance or renewal of licences and to exchange information, are among the updates approved by MEPs to the 1991 firearms directive on Tuesday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : New tools to sharpen big EU firms’ focus on their long-run performance, by fostering their shareholders’ commitment to it, were approved by Parliament on Tuesday. They will include giving shareholders a say on directors’ pay and making it easier for firms to identify their shareholders.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will debate US President Donald Trump’s reinstatement of the “global gag” rule, which obliges US-funded foreign NGOs to certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion, with Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Christos Stylianides on Tuesday at 15.00.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke (NA) will receive a “commensurate penalty” for his unacceptable remarks about the gender pay gap, as soon as an investigation into them has been completed, promised President Tajani at the opening. This language, which “offended every woman in this house” will not be tolerated, he insisted, to loud applause.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs vote Tuesday 14 March on four directives concerning waste management, mainly waste from households and small firms, representing 8% of total waste. These plans are a first step towards creating a circular economy where products are designed in order to facilitate reuse. One of the key issues is how ambitious targets should be for recycling rates and limiting landfilling, which is probably the most harmful way of getting rid of waste.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : Antonio Tajani made the case for European unity in his first speech as Parliament President at the start of a Council summit. “Today more than ever we can see how important European unity is,” he told political leaders at the summit in Brussels on 9 March. “Europe needs to be changed not weakened. All the institutions need to work harder to find the answers which ordinary Europeans are looking to us to provide.”

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : When it comes to gender equality, much remains to be done, be it at home, in the office, at school or in politics, according to MEPs Constance Le Grip and Anna Hedh. We talked to the two member of Parliament's gender equality committee on the occasion of International Women's Day on 8 March, which this year focuses on economic empowerment. Watch our video to find out what they had to say on the subject.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : Palm oil is extensively used in food, cosmetics and biofuels, however the unsustainable production of the cheap vegetable oil leads to deforestation, loss of nature habitats and greenhouse gas emissions. Czech GUE/NGL member Kateřina Konečná calls on the European Commission to take measure to promote the responsible cultivation of palm oil and phase out its use for biofuels. The environment committee votes on her report on 9 March.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Parliament’s lead MEP on the reform of the Dublin system, Swedish liberal Cecilia Wikström, will propose ways to remedy the shortcomings of the current asylum system in a draft report to be presented to the Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday morning.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : Each year the European parliament draws attention to a specific topic related to women´s situation on the occasion of International Women's Day on 8 March. This year we decided to highlight the issue of economic empowerment. Check out our infographic to see where more work is needed.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : The increased migration flows to Europe and the thousands of refugee children currently missing throughout Europe show the limits of the current EU asylum system. Swedish ALDE member Cecilia Wikström presents her report on the reform of the Dublin regulation, which clarifies which EU country is responsible for processing asylum seekers, to the civil liberties committee on 9 March. Today she will outline her main proposals during a press conference starting at 11 CET.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

On 9 March 2017, Parliament’s lead MEP on the reform of the Dublin system, Swedish liberal Cecilia Wikström, will present her draft report to the Civil Liberties Committee.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : For this year's International Women's Day the European Parliament highlights the issue of women’s economic empowerment in a series of events. On Wednesday 8 March Spanish Green MEP Ernest Urtasun, author of a report on equality, answers your questions during a Facebook live session. Women are still often paid less, receive lower pensions and are less represented in top corporate posts and politics. Join our debate on Facebook and follow all Parliament events on International Women's Day.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : Parliament President Antonio Tajani was in Slovenia on 3 March where he opened the new Europe House in Ljubljana with European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker. At the opening Tajani said: "We need to strengthen our European identity and sense of belonging. We need to be united if we want to compete at the European level in a globalised world.”

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP