Martin Banks

Martin Banks is a senior reporter at the Parliament Magazine

Campaign aims to end ‘abuse’ of citizens’ personal data by tech giants
02 Mar Tech & Research
Campaign aims to end ‘abuse’ of citizens’ personal data by tech giants
The move comes amid an ongoing bitter dispute between Australia and Facebook.
MEPs back proposals requiring firms to comply with human rights and environmental standards
02 Mar Justice
MEPs back proposals requiring firms to comply with human rights and environmental standards
The draft legislative initiative calls on the Commission to urgently present a law that ensures companies are held accountable and liable when they harm - or contribute to harming - human rights, the environment and good governance.
Policymakers to converge for high-level event on women’s rights
01 Mar Justice
Policymakers to converge for high-level event on women’s rights
Participants will include Parliament President David Sassoli, the president of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, her Commission counterpart Ursula von der Leyen and EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli.
Senior MEP voices concern over role EU regions will play in Coronavirus recovery plan
01 Mar Health
Senior MEP voices concern over role EU regions will play in Coronavirus recovery plan
Markus Ferber, a member of Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, takes aim at Member States over their implementation of the EU’s €750bn economic recovery plan.
EU rules on long distance animal transportation regularly flouted, MEPs told
01 Mar
EU rules on long distance animal transportation regularly flouted, MEPs told
Hearing by European Parliament inquiry committee part of MEP probe into alleged violations of animal welfare.
MEPs call on pharma companies to increase COVID-19 vaccine production
26 Feb Health
MEPs call on pharma companies to increase COVID-19 vaccine production
European Parliament’s Socialist MEPs also want pharmaceutical giants to research against potential future Coronavirus variants and strains.
David Sassoli admits EU vaccines strategy marked by ‘mistakes’ and ‘shortcomings’
25 Feb EU Institutions
David Sassoli admits EU vaccines strategy marked by ‘mistakes’ and ‘shortcomings’
The European Parliament President said, “I am not giving away any secrets here as the Commission itself has admitted there have been deficiencies and shortcomings.”
MEPs throw weight behind call to end use of cages for farmed animals in EU
25 Feb Agriculture & Food
MEPs throw weight behind call to end use of cages for farmed animals in EU
Over 300 million farmed animals are kept in cages each year in the EU.
Europe’s vaccine rollout to take centre stage at online summit of EU leaders
24 Feb Health
Europe’s vaccine rollout to take centre stage at online summit of EU leaders
Thursday and Friday's European Council meeting will see leaders discuss the EU’s response to the ongoing pandemic and the vaccination rollout strategy.
MEPs write to French and UK governments to safeguard future of Eurostar
24 Feb Mobility
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 International & Trade
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 Jobs & Social Rights
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 International & Trade
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 Tech & Research
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 International & Trade
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 Health
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.
European Parliament to become Coronavirus vaccination centre
16 Feb EU Institutions
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 International & Trade
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 Health
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 Industry & Finance
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 International & Trade
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 International & Trade
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 Health
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 International & Trade
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 EU Institutions
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 Health
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 International & Trade
‘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 Health
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 Health
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 Health
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.
EESC chief signals fresh start for ‘voice of EU civil society’
03 Feb EU Institutions
EESC chief signals fresh start for ‘voice of EU civil society’
The EESC is “more relevant than ever” at a time of growing populism and anti-EU rhetoric, says President Christa Schweng in an interview with Martin Banks.
Commission says 12 million people in Europe so far vaccinated against Coronavirus
03 Feb Health
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 Health
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.
Commission says all pharma companies except AstraZeneca delivered correct number of vaccine doses
01 Feb Health
Commission says all pharma companies except AstraZeneca delivered correct number of vaccine doses
The executive is still embroiled in a bitter row with AstraZeneca over claims that the Anglo-Swedish company has not fulfilled the terms of its contract with the EU by drastically cutting the number of doses it said it would supply.
Probe launched into Frontex over alleged rights violations
01 Feb Justice
Probe launched into Frontex over alleged rights violations
A working group led by MEPs in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee will probe recent alleged violations of fundamental rights against the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
German Greens MEP calls for quick phase-out of nuclear energy
01 Feb Energy & Climate
German Greens MEP calls for quick phase-out of nuclear energy
Jutta Paulus was speaking at an online event focusing on safety issues surrounding the construction of new nuclear reactor plants in Belarus, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.