MEPs write to French and UK governments to safeguard future of Eurostar
24 Feb
MEPs write to French and UK governments to safeguard future of Eurostar
Eurostar runs the London to Paris and London to Brussels rail services that go under the Channel Tunnel.
MEPs welcome Parliament’s post-Brexit engagement with younger generations of UK citizens
23 Feb
MEPs welcome Parliament’s post-Brexit engagement with younger generations of UK citizens
The European Parliament says it will maintain its presence in the UK, notably through its London office.
Plight of Europe’s Roma further exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic
22 Feb
Plight of Europe’s Roma further exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic
The claim has been made by the Open Society Foundations’ Public Health Programme.
European Commission receives mixed reaction to new trade strategy
22 Feb
European Commission receives mixed reaction to new trade strategy
The executive launched a major review process of the EU’s trade policy last year and this concluded with the presentation of a “renewed” policy by its vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis.
EU could follow Australia in addressing Big Tech’s “acute bargaining power imbalances”
19 Feb
EU could follow Australia in addressing Big Tech’s “acute bargaining power imbalances”
European policymakers, such as Digital Services Act rapporteur MEP Alex Agius Saliba, are monitoring the situation in Australia which has seen Facebook suspend access to domestic news publishers.
World’s richest countries accused of hoarding COVID-19 vaccines
19 Feb
World’s richest countries accused of hoarding COVID-19 vaccines
New analysis by global anti-poverty organisation The ONE Campaign claims to show that the world’s richest countries are on course to accumulate more than 1 billion more doses than they would need to fully vaccinate all their own citizens.
Guy Verhofstadt: EU Coronavirus vaccine contracts “very unbalanced”
19 Feb
Guy Verhofstadt: EU Coronavirus vaccine contracts “very unbalanced”
The senior MEP has strongly criticised the EU’s vaccination strategy which has come under increasing fire in recent weeks.
Ursula von der Leyen rules out Scottish and Welsh inclusion in EU’s Erasmus programme
17 Feb
Ursula von der Leyen rules out Scottish and Welsh inclusion in EU’s Erasmus programme
European Commission president tells MEPs that only possibility for constituent UK nations to participate in flagship student exchange scheme is ‘as a whole, or not at all’.
European Parliament to become Coronavirus vaccination centre
16 Feb
European Parliament to become Coronavirus vaccination centre
Each of its locations will be used to support vaccination efforts across Europe, as of 22 February.
MEPs voice concern over ‘discrimination’ faced by some EU citizens when visiting UK
15 Feb
MEPs voice concern over ‘discrimination’ faced by some EU citizens when visiting UK
In a letter they have called on the European Commission to take measures to ensure that citizens from Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia no longer face such discrimination.
Group leaders and cross-party MEPs join forces to demand faster EU vaccine rollout
15 Feb
Group leaders and cross-party MEPs join forces to demand faster EU vaccine rollout
The plea comes with the rollout in all EU countries woefully behind others such as Israel and the United States.
Time to put EU's Coronavirus recovery plan in motion says Portuguese presidency chief
15 Feb
Time to put EU's Coronavirus recovery plan in motion says Portuguese presidency chief
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa tells MEPs that EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility is a ‘vitamin’ to aid Europe's economic revival.
Michel Barnier questions ‘level of truth, communications and clarity’ in UK about the impact of Brexit
12 Feb
Michel Barnier questions ‘level of truth, communications and clarity’ in UK about the impact of Brexit
Former Chief Negotiator’s comments come as new report says economic blow dealt by Brexit will be four times greater in the UK than in the EU.
Michael Gove and Maroš Šefčovič urged to do more to help ease EU-UK trade barriers
09 Feb
Michael Gove and Maroš Šefčovič urged to do more to help ease EU-UK trade barriers
Gove, a UK cabinet minister, and Commission Vice-President Šefčovič are currently trying to resolve trade issues with Northern Ireland but have been told they should broaden the scope of their discussions so that they also apply to the UK’s trading arrangements with the EU.
Britain’s former Europe Minister calls for probe into EU’s Coronavirus vaccine strategy
09 Feb
Britain’s former Europe Minister calls for probe into EU’s Coronavirus vaccine strategy
The European Commission has consistently defended the strategy but, compared with countries like the UK, Israel and the US, all Member States are far behind on their vaccination rollout.
MEPs set to demand that Borrell quits as EU foreign affairs chief after Russia trip
08 Feb
MEPs set to demand that Borrell quits as EU foreign affairs chief after Russia trip
Some members are believed to be drafting a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, calling for Josep Borrell, a former MEP, to step down in the wake of the visit.
Proposed set-up for Conference on the Future of Europe under fire
08 Feb
Proposed set-up for Conference on the Future of Europe under fire
The Conference, a project that aims to reform the EU and bring it “closer” to its citizens, has been beset by misfortune since it was first mooted by the French two years ago.
Pressure mounting on EU and Member States to speed up Coronavirus vaccine rollout
08 Feb
Pressure mounting on EU and Member States to speed up Coronavirus vaccine rollout
The EU27 has so far collectively administered at least one dose to just over 3 percent of the population, against 59 percent in Israel, 15.7 percent in the UK and 10 percent in the US.
‘Trust’ key to future EU-UK relationship, say MEPs
05 Feb
‘Trust’ key to future EU-UK relationship, say MEPs
Dutch MEP Kati Piri says the EU should insist that the UK affords full diplomatic privileges to the bloc’s envoy in London.
World Cancer Day: NGOs call for EU to stop funding red and processed meat advertising
04 Feb
World Cancer Day: NGOs call for EU to stop funding red and processed meat advertising
Plans to beat cancer ‘pointless’ if EU continues to promote foods that makes the problem worse, say stakeholder groups.
The European Commission’s new European Beating Cancer Plan has received a guarded welcome from MEPs
04 Feb
The European Commission’s new European Beating Cancer Plan has received a guarded welcome from MEPs
Ambitious health plan unveiled just ahead of World Cancer Day (4 February).
Senior MEPs criticise European Commission’s handling of EU vaccines rollout
04 Feb
Senior MEPs criticise European Commission’s handling of EU vaccines rollout
However, it would be a mistake to dispute that the bloc would be better off not without a common EU strategy, argues Greens/EFA Group co-leader Philippe Lamberts.
Commission says 12 million people in Europe so far vaccinated against Coronavirus
03 Feb
Commission says 12 million people in Europe so far vaccinated against Coronavirus
The latest figure, given to this site by the Commission late on Tuesday, covers all the 27 Member States in the EU, with an overall population of 450 million.
Von der Leyen should consider resigning over vaccine rollout ‘shambles’, says Gunnar Beck
02 Feb
Von der Leyen should consider resigning over vaccine rollout ‘shambles’, says Gunnar Beck
The German Identity and Democracy Group MEP’s comments come with pressure mounting on the Commission President over what is widely seen as a particularly slow response to the vaccination programme.