Confederations

Article - Coming up: Covid certificate, LUX award, biodiversity strategy

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Organizations, Articles, International organizations, Confederations, European Union, Member of the European Parliament

MEPs are set to approve the EUs Digital Covid certificate, which aims to facilitate free movement in Europe during the pandemic.

Key Points: 
  • MEPs are set to approve the EUs Digital Covid certificate, which aims to facilitate free movement in Europe during the pandemic.
  • Around noon on Wednesday, Parliament President David Sassoli will announce the winner of the LUX European Audience Film Award 2021 at a ceremony in Strasbourg.
  • On Monday, MEPs will debate the new 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy and vote on it the day after.
  • On Wednesday, MEPs vote on whether the EU should ask the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines.

Press release - EP TODAY

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Organizations, Articles, International organizations, Confederations, European Union

EU Digital COVID Certificate

Key Points: 
  • EU Digital COVID Certificate

    In a debate starting at 9.00, MEPs will discuss with Commissioner Reynders the practical rollout of the new EU Digital COVID Certificate.

  • The purpose of the certificate is to facilitate intra-EU travels and contribute to the post-pandemic economic recovery.
  • Once formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council it will apply in all EU member states from 1 July.
  • Rapporteur Juan Fernando Lpez Aguilar (S&D, ES) will host a press conference after the plenary debate, at 13.15.

Press release - The EU needs new sources of revenue, MEPs stress

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Organizations, Articles, International organizations, Confederations, European Union

MEPs welcomed the announcement but criticised the Commission for the delay in the proposals, which will come out on 14 July instead of in June, as agreed with Parliament.

Key Points: 
  • MEPs welcomed the announcement but criticised the Commission for the delay in the proposals, which will come out on 14 July instead of in June, as agreed with Parliament.
  • They stressed they will be vigilant about the binding agreement being respected and underlined that the new Own Resources are necessary for the future of the EU.
  • Watch the debate or the individual speeches by MEPs (click on debate on State of play of the implementation of the Own Resources roadmap).
  • It is part of the current Own Resources Decision, now ratified by all member states, since the end of May.

Highlights - 16/17 June: Votes on trade relations with US and China - Committee on International Trade

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Organizations, Politics of Europe, Continents, Trade blocs, Confederations, European Union, United States–European Union relations, INTA, Eastern Partnership

The INTA meeting on 16/17 June will focus on the EU's trade relations with a number of key partners around the world.

Key Points: 
  • The INTA meeting on 16/17 June will focus on the EU's trade relations with a number of key partners around the world.
  • The INTA Committee will vote on its opinions on a new EU-China strategy and the future of EU-US relations, providing trade-related input to the respective own-initiative reports by the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  • Members will also discuss the trade aspects of industrial policy, a recent UNCTAD study, as well as the EU's trade relations with Switzerland, following the country's recent decision to terminate the negotiations on the EU-Swiss Institutional Framework Agreement (IFA).

European Citizens Initiatives (ECIs) conclusions should be subject of a serious follow up by European institutions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
European Union, Organizations, Articles, Politics of the European Union, Confederations, Conference on the Future of Europe, European Citizens' Initiative

One of the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe should be a better follow-up of ECIs by EU legislators.

Key Points: 
  • One of the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe should be a better follow-up of ECIs by EU legislators.
  • Being a representative of the level of government which is the closest to citizens, the CoR is a key partner to promoting ECIs as the EU's first transnational instrument of participatory democracy.
  • to make it more accessible, less burdensome and easier to use for
    (52%) and regional (30%) levels in the last 40 years.
  • This ECI aimed at establishing a unique
    drafting of the EU directive on roaming tariffs.

Article - Rule of law: MEPs press Commission to defend EU funds

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Organizations, Articles, Continents, Confederations, European Union, Next Generation EU

MEPs will discuss the application of the rules adopted in 2020 linking the disbursement of EU funds to member states respecting the rule of law and EU values during a plenary session in June.

Key Points: 
  • MEPs will discuss the application of the rules adopted in 2020 linking the disbursement of EU funds to member states respecting the rule of law and EU values during a plenary session in June.
  • Other MEPs said there is a rule of law crisis in the EU and called on the Commission to act decisively to prevent further deterioration.
  • The EU budget and the rule of law

    The legislation adopted at the end of 2020 made access to EU funds conditional on respect for the rule of law.

  • However, Parliament has insisted that the rules are in force and that the Commission has a legal duty to defend the EUs interests and values.

Press release - Political deal reached on seven-year funding for accession countries

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Organizations, Articles, Continents, Confederations, European Union

The revised fund envisages improved donor coordination and enhanced consultations with civil society organisations and local and regional authorities.

Key Points: 
  • The revised fund envisages improved donor coordination and enhanced consultations with civil society organisations and local and regional authorities.
  • It enables smarter, better targeted, more visible and sustainable support to candidate and potential candidate countries on their path towards the EU.
  • With the agreement today, we managed to secure strategic, conditional and visible funding that will assist and help transform enlargement countries in the face of joint challenges.
  • The same countries covered by the instrument will also be eligible for funding under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI/Global Europe).

Press release - Crisis response in the US and EU: debate on the two recovery plans

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 31, 2021
Articles, Organizations, International organizations, Confederations, European Union, Psychological resilience

On Monday, Budgets Committee will debate with US administration budget manager Young on the similarities and differences between the US and the EU recovery plans.

Key Points: 
  • On Monday, Budgets Committee will debate with US administration budget manager Young on the similarities and differences between the US and the EU recovery plans.
  • While resilience, innovation and decarbonisation are salient among the common objectives, there are structural differences between the EU and US political systems and responses to the crisis.
  • MEPs in the Budgets Committee will address these issues as well as spending priorities and financing questions.
  • She previously worked for the United States House Committee on Appropriations as its staff director.

Press release - Civil Liberties Committee endorses EU Digital Covid Certificate

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Organizations, Articles, International organizations, Confederations, European Union, Identity document

The Civil Liberties Committee has endorsed the EU digital Covid Certificate package with 52 votes in favour, 13 votes against and 3 abstentions (EU citizens) and with 53 votes in favour, 10 votes against and 5 abstentions (third country nationals).

Key Points: 
  • The Civil Liberties Committee has endorsed the EU digital Covid Certificate package with 52 votes in favour, 13 votes against and 3 abstentions (EU citizens) and with 53 votes in favour, 10 votes against and 5 abstentions (third country nationals).
  • The EU Digital Covid Certificate will be issued by national authorities and be available in either digital or paper format.
  • A common EU framework will allow member states to issue certificates that will be interoperable, compatible, secure and verifiable across the EU.
  • More information here

    Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee and rapporteur Juan Fernando Lpez Aguilar (S&D, ES) said: The EP started negotiations with very ambitious objectives in mind and has managed to achieve a good compromise through painstaking negotiations.

Russia: Joint Statement by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the European Parliament on the imposition of restrictive measures against eight EU nationals

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Organizations, Articles, United Nations General Assembly, Confederations, European Union, Sassoli

We condemn in the strongest possible terms todays decision of the Russian authorities to ban eight European Union nationals from entering the Russian territory.

Key Points: 
  • We condemn in the strongest possible terms todays decision of the Russian authorities to ban eight European Union nationals from entering the Russian territory.
  • This includes the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, Vice President of the European Commission Vra Jourov, as well as six EU Member States officials.
  • It targets the European Union directly, not only the individuals concerned.
  • The EU reserves the right to take appropriate measures in response to the Russian authorities decision.