European Parliament

European Parliament gives final approval to bloc’s green transition fund

The European Parliament on Tuesday formally approved the European Union's multi-billion euro fund to support countries as they wind down fossil fuel industries, as the bloc overhauls its economy to…

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EU countries should ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health

MEPs urged member states to protect and further enhance women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in a report adopted on Tuesday. In the draft report approved by the Committee…

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European Parliament to ‘open its virtual doors’

The EU institutions will open their ‘virtual’ doors to celebrate Europe Day on 9 May. People across the EU and beyond will be able to find out more about the…

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Sant calls for less confrontation as he abstains on EP resolution on Russia

Alfred Sant has abstained on a European Parliament resolution on Russia and said that the way forward for the EU and Russia should be less confrontational and more objective. In explaining…

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European Parliament strives to be frontrunner on gender equality

Parliament leadership adopts roadmap to achieve gender equality in political processes and its administration. 50% women in middle and senior manager positions and 40% women in top manager positions in…

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Parliament and Council agree on temporary rules to remove online child abuse

EP and Council negotiators reached a provisional deal on new temporary legislation to avoid sexual exploitation of children online and make it easier to report. The agreed changes provide for…

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EU countries, lawmakers reach deal to tackle online child sexual abuse

EU countries and EU lawmakers agreed late Thursday evening to allow Facebook and Microsoft to scan and remove online child sexual abuse, potentially paving the way for a deal in…

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MEPs deplore military build-up, attack in Czechia and jailing of Navalny

Parliament is deeply concerned by the recent Russian military build-up on Ukraine border and revelations of Russian agents behind explosions in Czechia In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs confirmed…

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Labour government is protecting criminals, David Casa reiterates

The Labour government is protecting criminals and Maltese people need to be protected, MEP David Casa told the European Parliament today. Speaking during a debate on the investigation into the…

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EP insists COVID-19 certificate must facilitate free movement without discrimination

MEPs agreed that the new “EU COVID-19 certificate” - instead of Digital Green Certificate, as proposed by the Commission - should be in place for 12 months and not longer.…

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MEPs want Digital Green Certificate in place by end June

As Europe races to set up a Digital Green Certificate in place to save the holiday season from the pandemic, the European Parliament is targeting the end of June as…

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UPDATED: European Parliament agrees to April vote on EU-UK trade deal

The European Parliament will vote on a post-Brexit trade deal agreed between Britain and the EU next Tuesday after political leaders backed down on a threat not to ratify the…

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S&Ds lead support for EU-UK Agreement in committee but seek assurances ahead of final vote

Today in a joint vote by the foreign affairs and the international trade committees, the S&D Group is leading support for the consent vote on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation…

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AI crucial for economic development, but humans should retain control, MEPs insist

Artificial Intelligence is a major part of the digital transformation that should underpin Europe’s post-pandemic recovery, MEPs across the political spectrum have highlighted. Yet, innovation, should be counterbalanced with the…

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Civil groups want EU lawmakers to boost privacy rights in planned WhatsApp, Skype rules

Amnesty International, Privacy International and 28 other civil and human rights groups on Wednesday urged EU lawmakers to take a strong stand on privacy rights in proposed rules governing Facebook's…

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EU agenda

This is what's happening in Brussels in the week ahead. There are no events at the European Parliament this week, since it is Easter break. Tuesday 6 April: Helena Dalli…

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Peripheral countries, islands should get more support in fighting climate change, EP says

The European Parliament stressed the need to better support the territories most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality, notably outermost regions and small islands, which have specific needs. Such…

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European Parliament votes to sue European Commission unless it acts fast on rule of law in Poland, Hungary

The European Parliament voted on Thursday to sue the European Commission unless the EU executive quickly applies new legislation that makes access to billions of EU funds conditional on respecting…

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European Parliament fast-tracks procedure to adopt Digital Green Certificate by June

To facilitate its adoption by the summer, MEPs decided to accelerate the approval of the Digital Green Certificate, allowing for safe and free movement during the pandemic. With 468 votes…

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MEPs continue to firmly condemn human rights abuses in China

In a statement by leading MEPs following the decision by Chinese authorities to sanction the Subcommittee on Human Rights and other European entities and officials, the European Parliament said: We…

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UPDATED: Hungary’s Fidesz leaves the EPP group

Hungary’s ruling nationalist Fidesz party quit the main pan-European centre-right bloc, the European People’s Party, on Thursday, two years after it was suspended for policies criticised by mainstream conservatives as…

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‘Children’s rights should be safeguarded during the pandemic’

Children’s rights should be safeguarded during the pandemic, Member of the European Parliament Josianne Cutajar said. She said access to education should remain a priority, despite students moving to online…

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‘EU is late on Covid-19 vaccine distribution – European Commission

The European Parliament discussed the Covid-19 vaccine in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month. During the debate, the European Commission President admitted that the…

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US election ‘wake up call’ for disinformation

The US election call was a wake up call for the European Parliament on disinformation and its harmful effects. A panel discussing disinformation and defending democrary heard that the current…

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EP, Commission Presidents sign Joint Declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe

Today, EP President Sassoli, Prime Minister of Portugal Costa and Commission President von der Leyen signed the Joint Declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe. This paves the…

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EU Agenda

Monday 8 March: start of European Parliament plenary session Tuesday 9 March: 14th meeting of the network of public finance economists in public administration Wednesday 10 March: The economic impact…

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EU Parliament marks International Women’s Day 2021

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends via videoconference an event marking the International Women's Day 2021. The event was organized by European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and…

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UPDATED: Hungary’s Fidesz to leave EPP grouping in European Parliament

Hungary's ruling Fidesz party said on Wednesday it was leaving the largest centre-right political group in the European Parliament after the faction moved towards suspending it in a tug-of-war over…

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European strategy for data: what MEPs want

Data is at the heart of the EU's digital transformation that is influencing all aspects of society and the economy. It is necessary for the development of artificial intelligence, which is…

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COVID-19: MEPs to quiz CEOs of vaccine companies

MEPs will debate how to increase capacity and improve delivery of COVID-19 vaccines with pharmaceutical companies and Commissioners Breton and Kyriakides. On Thursday, Members of the Public Health (ENVI) and…

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Malta Employers’ Association disagrees with implementation of right to disconnect before transposition of EU directive

The Malta Employers’ Association voiced its strong disagreement with the implementation of the right to disconnect in Malta before the directive is transposed by the EU. In a statement the Association…

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European Parliament gives go-ahead to €672.5 billion Recovery and Resilience Facility

ComuniqEU / CDE - On Wednesday, Parliament approved the Recovery and Resilience Facility, designed to help EU countries tackle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulation on the objectives,…

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EU lawmakers call for carbon border costs by 2023, eventually for all industry

BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Lawmakers in European Parliament's environment committee on Thursday adopted a report calling on the European Union to impose carbon costs on imports of electricity and…

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Lawmakers push for European due diligence law on environmental, human rights

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Parliament's legal committee adopted a report on Wednesday calling on the European Union to legally require companies to protect human rights and the environment in…

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MEPs vote to add Channel and British Virgin Islands to tax haven blacklist

The European parliament is pushing for UK overseas territories including the British Virgin Islands, Guernsey and Jersey to be added to an EU tax havens blacklist after the conclusion of…

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Privacy complaint targets European Parliament’s virus test site

A privacy activist filed a complaint with an EU watchdog on Friday over the European Parliament's COVID-19 testing app for its staff, saying it could be transferring data illegally to…

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‘Right to disconnect’ approved by European Parliament

The European Parliament has voted in favour of the ‘right to disconnect’ report headed by Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba. Reacting to the result, Agius Saliba called it a “historic…

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MEP Alfred Sant questions transparency of EU strategy for Covid-19 vaccinations

Labour MEP Alfred Sant has questioned the implementation of the EU global strategy on COVID-19 vaccinations and said that many questions remain over the transparency of the whole deployment process…

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UK and EU27 citizens in the UK to remain part of EP Communication programmes

The European Parliament reaffirms its will to continue to engage with young generations of UK citizens and EU27 citizens resident in the UK. Following its decision in February 2019 to…

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Ewropej: EP news at your fingertips

Corporate Identities teamed up with LovinMalta and MaltaToday to bring the latest European Parliament news at your fingertips over 2021 and 2022. The aim is was to bring Brussels closer…

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Parliament approves seven-year EU budget 2021-2027

Parliament gave its consent on Wednesday to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) so that EU support can get to citizens as from the start of next year. On Wednesday,…

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Belarus Opposition leader awarded Sakharov Human Rights Prize

Belarus' opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya,who was forced into exile following the presidential election in August, poses with the Sakharov human rights prize during the award ceremony at European Parliament in…

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EU Agenda

14 December – 18 December Monday 14 December – 17 December: the European Parliament meets for a plenary session Monday 14 December – Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit has an…

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Sassoli to European Council: Today it is time to conclude for the good of the citizens

“As we are all painfully aware, 2020 is a year that will go down in the history books. The pandemic we are facing is unprecedented, as are the measures we…

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‘This EU budget started in Brexit’s shadow and will end in Covid’s shadow’- EP office head

This EU budget started in the shadow of Brexit and will end in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, European Parliament Office in Malta head Mario Sammut said. The EU…

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Commission launches political debate towards strengthening Schengen and restoring trust

On Monday, 30 November, the Commission will convene the first ever Schengen Forum, gathering Members of the European Parliament and Home Affairs Ministers, and aiming to foster concrete cooperation and political…

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COVID-19 and natural disasters: €823 million in EU aid for eight member states

On Tuesday, Parliament approved €823 million in EU aid for the Croatia earthquake, floods in Poland, and the response to the coronavirus crisis in seven EU countries. The €823 million…

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On Brexit, let’s vote and move on, Roberta Metsola says

Brexit has been hanging in the air and it is time to vote and move on, first Vice-President of the European Parliament and MEP Roberta Metsola has said. The transition…

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Roberta Metsola confirmed as Malta’s first European Parliament vice-president

Roberta Metsola has been confirmed as Malta's first European Parliament vice-president. European President David Sassoli confirmed her election instead of former MEP Mairead McGuinness, who became European Commissioner for Financial…

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European Parliament and European Council reach breakthrough agreement on EU budget

EP budget negotiators and the Council Presidency have reached a compromise outlining a political agreement on future EU financing. After ten weeks of intense negotiations, Parliament’s budget negotiators agreed with…

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Malta: Seven vie for Miriam Dalli’s vacated seat in European Parliament

Seven Labour Party candidates will be vying for Miriam Dalli’s seat in the European Parliament when the casual election is held on Thursday. Cyrus Engerer, Felix Busuttil, Josef Caruana, Lorna…

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EU Agenda – What’s on at the European institutions

03 November – 07 November Tuesday 03 November - European Commission Vice President for the Green Deal delivers a keynote speech via videoconference at the Commission’s Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference.…

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European Parliament reacts as Council rejects budget proposals

European Parliament MEPs expressed their disappointment as the European Council rejected their proposals on the EU budget, or the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). Speaking to the press, MEP and negotiator…

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EP intensifies fight against unsafe products sold online

The European Parliament has doubled up on its efforts in favour of product safety in the Single Market, putting forward a resolution addressing the risks of unsafe products, particularly those…

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European Parliament launches its first European Gender Equality Week

At the initiative of the Women’s Rights Committee, the European Parliament is holding its first ever European Gender Equality Week from 26 to 29 October. 2020 sees the 25th anniversary…

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Malta: Alfred Sant appointed head of PL delegation at the European Parliament

Alfred Sant will be the head of the Labour Party delegation at the European Parliament. A Labour Party statement said that a proposal was presented during a meeting of the…

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Malta: European Parliament debates ‘golden passports’

EU citizenship cannot be traded as a commodity, the majority of speakers who want to end the “golden passports” schemes currently in place in some member states, including Malta, said…

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