Martin Banks

Martin Banks is a senior reporter at the Parliament Magazine

New EU regulations on AI seek to ban mass and indiscriminate surveillance Partner Content
09 Aug
New EU regulations on AI seek to ban mass and indiscriminate surveillance
Are landmark new EU rules on artificial intelligence sufficient to allay fears of a ‘Big Brother’ takeover of our lives?
Migration & Asylum: Breaking the deadlock on EU migration policy Partner Content
21 Jul
Migration & Asylum: Breaking the deadlock on EU migration policy
Following a recent increase in tragic deaths in the Mediterranean, migration has again rocketed up the EU’s agenda, reports Martin Banks
Thousands of Britons living in Europe facing urgent race to keep their rights
02 Jul
Thousands of Britons living in Europe facing urgent race to keep their rights
It is estimated there are tens of thousands of British nationals in some EU Member States who have yet to apply for post-Brexit residence.
Portugal bids EU presidency ‘adeus’ as Slovenia takes the helm
01 Jul
Portugal bids EU presidency ‘adeus’ as Slovenia takes the helm
As Portugal hands over the reins of the EU’s rotating presidency, Martin Banks assesses the highs and lows of its term in office - and looks ahead to Slovenia’s tenure.
European Parliament row over MEP's refusal to wear face mask escalates
29 Jun
European Parliament row over MEP's refusal to wear face mask escalates
Right-wing German deputy Christine Anderson says she’s being wrongly targeted in a ‘pointless abuse of power’.
European Parliament's centrist groups accused of a ‘smash and grab’ raid over committee chair election
28 Jun
European Parliament's centrist groups accused of a ‘smash and grab’ raid over committee chair election
Row centres on election of Lucia Nicholsonová as the new chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee.
ECR group wants SRHR debate to be scrapped; says issue 'overreaches' EU's competence
23 Jun
ECR group wants SRHR debate to be scrapped; says issue "overreaches" EU's competence
The European Parliament is due to debate and vote on a controversial report urging Member States to protect and further enhance women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Greens MEPs welcome pardon of Catalan separatist leaders
23 Jun
Greens MEPs welcome pardon of Catalan separatist leaders
The nine leaders were jailed for their role in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid.
Biden builds bridges after turbulent Trump era
22 Jun
Biden builds bridges after turbulent Trump era
New US President undertook an intensive programme of meetings on his keenly-awaited European trip but, asks Martin Banks, what did Joe Biden's visit actually achieve?
MEPs outline ‘wish list’ for newly launched Conference on the Future of Europe
22 Jun
MEPs outline ‘wish list’ for newly launched Conference on the Future of Europe
The Conference’s inaugural plenary session took place on Saturday in Strasbourg.
EU Member States condemned for not taking Conference on the Future of Europe seriously
21 Jun
EU Member States condemned for not taking Conference on the Future of Europe seriously
Greens MEP wants forum to recommend abolishing unanimity voting for EU Member States.
MEP Daniel Freund welcomes the European Commission’s pledge to ‘learn lessons’ from COVID crisis
21 Jun
MEP Daniel Freund welcomes the European Commission’s pledge to ‘learn lessons’ from COVID crisis
Commission says ‘ten lessons’ should be drawn from the pandemic.
Conference on the Future of Europe a time to ‘reconnect the European project’ says Sergei Stanishev
18 Jun
Conference on the Future of Europe a time to ‘reconnect the European project’ says Sergei Stanishev
Party of European Socialists leader says inaugural plenary session in Strasbourg on Saturday is ‘an important moment’ for Europe’s future.
New report warns of ‘worrying degree of democratic backsliding’ across Europe
18 Jun
New report warns of ‘worrying degree of democratic backsliding’ across Europe
Council of Europe chief Marija Pejčinović Burić, says European governments need to work together to reverse democratic deficit.
European Commission approves Coronavirus recovery plans for several Member States
17 Jun
European Commission approves Coronavirus recovery plans for several Member States
The financing, it is hoped, will unlock millions under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to help revive battered economies in Europe.
LGBTIQ community has become the new scapegoat in Hungary, says MEP
17 Jun
LGBTIQ community has become the new scapegoat in Hungary, says MEP
The comments by Greens/EFA deputy Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield come in the wake of what many see as Hungary’s latest breach of EU norms.
European Parliament calls for the end of all animal cages in Europe by 2027
17 Jun
European Parliament calls for the end of all animal cages in Europe by 2027
MEPs also want the European Commission to speed up its review of EU animal welfare legislation.
EPP and S&D dominate European Parliament’s representation on CoFoE
15 Jun
EPP and S&D dominate European Parliament’s representation on CoFoE
A total of 108 MEPs will take part in the key Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) plenary meetings, with the EPP, Parliament's biggest political group, being represented by 28 members and S&D with 23 members.
EU civil society committee warns of a “cancer tsunami” unless urgent action is taken to tackle the deadly disease
14 Jun
EU civil society committee warns of a “cancer tsunami” unless urgent action is taken to tackle the deadly disease
EESC's warning comes as the EU officially adopts new Coronavirus vaccine certificate - designed to ease travel within the bloc for people who have been fully vaccinated.
Relations with Russia at ‘lowest point’ in many years, says NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg
14 Jun
Relations with Russia at ‘lowest point’ in many years, says NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg
Comments come as US President Joe Biden flies in to Brussels for ‘pivotal’ Alliance summit.
European Parliament calls for new EU biodiversity law
11 Jun
European Parliament calls for new EU biodiversity law
MEPs also want a ‘Paris agreement’ style deal for biodiversity at an upcoming UN conference in October, that will set global biodiversity priorities to 2030 and beyond.
Less than 50 percent of EU citizens ‘in favour’ of EU as currently realised
11 Jun
Less than 50 percent of EU citizens ‘in favour’ of EU as currently realised
Two new surveys paint alarming picture of declining levels of public confidence in the EU.
Von der Leyen says 50 percent of EU’s adult population now vaccinated at least once
10 Jun
Von der Leyen says 50 percent of EU’s adult population now vaccinated at least once
Speaking on Thursday, the European Commission President also said that 100m people in Europe are now fully vaccinated.
Senior Greens MEP sounds warning over Biden’s ‘charm offensive’ towards Europe
10 Jun
Senior Greens MEP sounds warning over Biden’s ‘charm offensive’ towards Europe
Reinhard Bütikofer’s comments come just ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Brussels later this week.
Lukashenko has ‘overstepped many red lines’ says EU foreign affairs chief
09 Jun
Lukashenko has ‘overstepped many red lines’ says EU foreign affairs chief
Josep Borrell’s comments come as the Belarusian regime continues to crack down on the opposition protest movement disputing President Alexander Lukashenko’s re-election in 2020.
New EU digital COVID certificate paves way for Europeans to get freedom back, says MEP
08 Jun
New EU digital COVID certificate paves way for Europeans to get freedom back, says MEP
Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue, said the certificate means that after severe restrictions caused by the crisis, the EU’s much-vaunted Schengen free travel area will be “back on track.”
Socialist leader calls for special committee to learn lessons from pandemic
08 Jun
Socialist leader calls for special committee to learn lessons from pandemic
Iratxe García Pérez said the parliamentary committee would be open to all experts and last up to one year with the possibility of extension.
Technology for a greener world Partner Content
07 Jun
Technology for a greener world
Leading ICT companies are working hard to deliver on the European Green Deal and, as Martin Banks reports, they include Chinese tech giant Huawei which is doing its bit to improve global ecology.
New EU anti-graft chief takes aim at Slovenia
07 Jun
New EU anti-graft chief takes aim at Slovenia
Laura Kövesi joins MEPs in voicing concern about Slovenia’s commitment to new EU public prosecutor’s office.
Few MEPs set to attend European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg
07 Jun
Few MEPs set to attend European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg
Continued COVID concerns mean only a third of MEPs expected to travel to French city.
MEPs pushing for ‘Amazon’ debate following growing concerns over worker safety
04 Jun
MEPs pushing for ‘Amazon’ debate following growing concerns over worker safety
Jeff Bezos refused to take part in a recent workshop on workers’ rights but pressure on him to be quizzed by MEPs has gained traction.
European Court of Auditors says EU “needs to step up action on countering fake news
04 Jun
European Court of Auditors says EU “needs to step up action on countering fake news
EU efforts to tackle fake news branded “incomplete' and 'outpaced by emerging threats'.
MEPs step up pressure on Commission to take action over rule of law breaches
03 Jun
MEPs step up pressure on Commission to take action over rule of law breaches
Members want the executive to immediately trigger its new conditionality clause which directly links payment of EU funds to respect for the rule of law.
S&D leader throws weight behind growing demands to scrap next Strasbourg plenary
02 Jun
S&D leader throws weight behind growing demands to scrap next Strasbourg plenary
The intervention by Iratxe García Pérez comes amid confusion as to whether the so-called “hybrid” session will take place in the French city.
MEPs hail new rules to tackle tax dodging by multinationals
02 Jun
MEPs hail new rules to tackle tax dodging by multinationals
Agreement on the public country-by-country reporting, known as pCBCR, was reached late on Tuesday by the European Parliament and Council.
EPP condemns nomination of EU’s first ‘business tsar’
01 Jun
EPP condemns nomination of EU’s first ‘business tsar’
Vazil Hudák, a former vice-president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and economy minister in his native Slovakia, is the frontrunner for the post.