European Parliament

Plenary sessions : All workers should have their basic rights guaranteed, whatever their form of employment and contract, said MEPs approving their recommendations on Thursday for the forthcoming proposal on the “European Pillar of Social Rights”.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs have voted to return to the EU Commission its blacklist of countries deemed to be at risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. The list is too limited, and should be expanded, e.g. to include territories that facilitate tax crimes, they said before voting the resolution on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : Following the election of the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, the plenary approved the appointment of members to Parliament’s 22 standing committees on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : Parliament condemns growing intolerance towards ethnic, religious and sexual minorities in Indonesia, attacks against peacekeepers in Central African Republic and breaches of human rights in Burundi, in three resolutions voted on Thursday.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs elected Antonio Tajani as Parliament president on 17 January and on 18 January voted for who they wanted as vice-presidents and quaestors for the second half of the parliamentary term. Check out our infographic to find out who was chosen for Parliament's key posts.

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Plenary sessions : EU and national authorities should provide emergency aid to help migrants and refugees to cope with freezing temperatures and snow in several parts of Europe, MEPs urged on Wednesday. They also called on EU governments to keep their promises to transfer thousands of asylum-seekers, particularly from Greece, to other countries.

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Plenary sessions : Brexit, EU relations with the US and Russia, migration, economic and social progress, and the defence union were the key political challenges for 2017 debated by MEPs, Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Council President Donald Tusk on Wednesday. Mr Tusk briefed MEPs on the outcome of the December 2016 meeting of EU heads of state or government.

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Plenary sessions : Following the election of the President, MEPs elected 14 Vice-Presidents in two ballots on Wednesday. To be elected, candidates needed to win an absolute majority of valid votes cast. The new Vice-Presidents come from six different political groups. Members also elected five Quaestors, by acclamation.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs discussed the priorities of the Maltese Council Presidency with Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will assess political challenges in 2017 with Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Council President Donald Tusk in a debate, on Wednesday at 15.00, on the outcome of the European Council meeting of 15 December 2016.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will debate the priorities of the incoming Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a plenary debate chaired by Parliament’s new President Antonio Tajani.

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Plenary sessions : Antonio Tajani (EPP, IT) won Parliament’s presidential election with 351 votes in a final face-off with Gianni Pittella (S&D, IT), who secured 282 votes.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs elect on Tuesday 17 January Parliament's new president to replace Martin Schulz who is stepping down after five years. Seven candidates have put themselves forward for the post so far ahead of the first ballot on Tuesday morning. In case the president is not elected during the first ballot, nominations can still be added or withdrawn before each subsequent round of voting. Follow the candidates' speeches and the votes live on our website and on social media.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The European Parliament will elect a new President, for the second half of this legislature, on 17 January. Outgoing President Martin Schulz will preside over the election of his successor, who will in turn oversee the election of the 14 Vice-Presidents and the five Quaestors, on 18 January.

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Plenary sessions : President Schulz called a minute’s silence for the late Portuguese statesman Mário Soares, who died on 7 January. Mr Soares fought oppression and dictatorship to bring about Portugal’s transition to democracy and accession to the European Community. It is our duty to honour and defend his political legacy, said Mr Schulz.

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One of the greatest questions that surrounds Brexit is how it relates to the current and future residence and citizenship rights for EU nationals. Have there been actual changes in the status of EU nationals since the referendum? Will the rights of EU citizens living in the UK change after Brexit? The EP Information Office in the UK, jointly with UCL European Institute, recently hosted a debate on the matter entitled "Uncertain Future: Rights and Citizenship in post-Brexit Britain".

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Plenary sessions : Parliament will kick off the second half of its five-year term with the election of a new president, 14 vice-presidents and five quaestors during next week's plenary session. On 17 January MEPs will elect a successor to current president Martin Schulz, who is stepping down and will then go on to decide on who will be vice-presidents and quaestors. Read one to find out more about what they do, who is eligible to stand and how they are elected and follow the votes live on our website.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

General : EU border force Frontex, estimates that the number of people landing on Europe's shores fell by two-thirds in 2016. A drop in arrivals on Greece’s islands contrasts however with record numbers of migrants reaching Italy. With over 5,000 people killed or missing, the UN reports that 2016 was the deadliest year ever for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. In meetings with Commission, Council and UNHCR representatives on 12 January, civil liberties committee MEPs shared their views on the crisis.

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Plenary session in Strasbourg

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP