Our cover star this issue is Irish EPP MEP Maria Walsh. Like many of her fellow class of 2019 deputies, Walsh’s route to becoming an MEP was an unconventional one. She tells Brian Johnson why she believes it’s important to bring a wide variety of voices to the EU policy table.
We begin this issue by looking at the European Week of Sport, with co-chair of Parliament’s Bureau of the Sports Group Marc Tarabella (BE, S&D) and Tomasz Frankowski (PL, EPP) discussing the important role that sport can play in maintaining our physical and mental health.
European Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, Secretary General of AGE Platform Europe, Maciej Kucharczyk, and MEP Elena Kountoura (EL, GUE/NGL) look at how Europe can better support its ageing citizens especially in light of the global pandemic.
Members of the European Parliament’s newly-formed Special Committee on Beating Cancer, Cindy Franssen (BE, EPP), Nicolae Ștefănuță (RO, RE) and Michèle Rivasi (FR, Greens/EFA), set out their priorities for Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
Our first feature this issue examines the European Health Forum Gastein 2020, which is going online this year for the first time. Featuring President of the European Health Forum Gastein, Clemens Martin Auer, Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Andrea Ammon, and MEP Dr Mohammed Chahim (NL, S&D).
In our second feature, we look at the New Circular Economy Action Plan. Opinion rapporteurs for ITRE, Patrizia Toia (IT, S&D), and INTA, Svenja Hahn (DE, RE) as well as shadow rapporteur Mick Wallace (IE, GUE/NGL) share their views on the latest proposal.
Also inside: Ulrike Müller (DE, RE) discusses the Farm to Fork Strategy, Elsi Katainen (FI, RE) and Piernicola Pedicini (IT, NA) address the implementation of the Single Use Plastics Directive. The European Shooting Sports Forum’s Marta Gómez explains why the lead shot over wetlands proposal is unworkable.
We also bring you coverage of Dods’ and Polit-X’s recent webinar which looked at the German EU Presidency’s priorities in the context of COVID-19, courtesy of our Deputy Editor Lorna Hutchinson, who also interviewed German EPP deputy Peter Liese on the subject.
Finally, answering our five questions this issue is Czech Renew Europe MEP Dita Charanzová.