The European Parliament approves the new edition of the Erasmus+ programme, the EU’s flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport. The programme, which has demonstrated that it plays a significant role in fostering European identity, will have almost double the funding in 2021-2027 (over 28 billion EUR from different sources) when compared to the […]
EU countries should ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health
The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on women’s health and rights, so MEPs urge member states to protect and further enhance women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. In the draft report approved by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality by 27 votes in favour, 6 against and 1 abstention, MEPs point […]
Gender equality in EU Institutions
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 the administration. These are the targets the European Parliament’s Bureau, comprising the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, set in January 2020. To reach these targets by […]
Feasibility of a future European army
While there is no EU army and defence remains exclusively a matter for member states, the EU has recently taken big steps to boost defence cooperation. Since 2016, there has been significant progress in the area of EU security and defence with several concrete EU initiatives to encourage cooperation and reinforce Europe’s capacity to defend […]
Child abuse on the dark web, how to detect it
Europol has published that four have been arrested in a multi-agency operation sparked by a German investigation into one of Europe’s most prolific child sexual abuse platforms on the dark web. These arrests were made in Germany (3) and Paraguay (1) earlier this month. The arrested individuals – all German nationals, had various roles in […]
Russia-EU tensions and Parliament’s views
EU-Russia relations have become increasingly strained over the past decade, not least because of the country’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. The Kremlin’s support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s military intervention in Syriahave only exacerbated matters. Another source of tension is Russia’s disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks, as well as attempts to interfere in Western […]
Parliament launches the Daphne Caruana Galizia journalism prize
The European Parliament has launched a journalism prize in tribute to Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese investigative journalist murdered in 2017. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism, launched on 16 October 2020, the third anniversary of her death, will reward outstanding journalism reflecting EU values. “The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize will recognise the essential […]
Parliament calls for justice and reforms in Malta
The latest revelations about the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are of great concern, in particular the possible involvement of ministers and political appointees. In a resolution adopted on Thursday with 635 votes for, 46 against and 12 abstentions, the European Parliament takes stock of developments in the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia and other […]
Parliament formally approves EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement
Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of granting its consent to the agreement setting the rules of the future EU-UK relationship. The consent decision was adopted by 660 votes for, five against and 32 abstentions, while the accompanying resolution, setting out Parliament’s evaluation of and expectations from the deal, passed by 578 votes, […]