European Union

Committee meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Monday 11 March, the committees on Foreign Affairs and on Budgets will vote on a draft report on the Commission's proposal for Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. The draft report prepared jointly by the two committees proposes more safeguards for the “fundamentals-first approach”, strengthening the focus on rule of law and conditionality and linking this with economic and social development.
The proposal also aims to ensure that the Western Balkans Facility does not allow for overlaps or double-funding with the existing IPA III instrument. If the draft report is adopted Members will vote to enter into interinstitutional negotiations with the Council.
Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans - procedural page
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, 22 February, Foreign Affairs Committee and its subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a debate with Russian opposition. Following the inhuman detention and death of Sakharov Price Laureate Alexei Navalny, MEPs will hear the testimonies of:

• Leonid Volkov, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, Anti-Corruption Foundation (remotely);
• Evgenia Kara-Murza, Advocacy Director at the Free Russia Foundation, wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza;
• Vladimir Milov, Vice-President of the Free Russia Foundation, former Vice-Minister of Energy of Russia.

Webstreaming of the meeting
Press statement: “Alexei Navalny gave us an incredible example of courage” (16.02.2024)
Press release: “Sakharov Prize 2021: Parliament honours Alexei Navalny” (15.12.2021)
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

EP and Council negotiators agreed on the creation of a European Health Data Space to ease access to personal health data and to boost secure sharing for the public interest.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

EP and Council negotiators agreed on the creation of a European Health Data Space to ease access to personal health data and to boost secure sharing for the public interest.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions on the respect for human rights in Afghanistan and Venezuela.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions on the respect for human rights in Afghanistan and Venezuela.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions on the respect for human rights in Afghanistan and Venezuela.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday MEPs supported the candidacy of Carlo Alberto Manfredi Selvaggi, nominated by the Italian government, for the EU Court of Auditors (ECA).
Committee on Budgetary Control

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday MEPs supported the candidacy of Carlo Alberto Manfredi Selvaggi, nominated by the Italian government, for the EU Court of Auditors (ECA).
Committee on Budgetary Control

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, negotiators from Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on updating rules to trace import and export of civilian firearms more effectively.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, negotiators from Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on updating rules to trace import and export of civilian firearms more effectively.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Thursday, 14 March

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Thursday, 14 March

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

A bit of tricky one, this. It partly explains the hiatus in posting of late, although that might also be down to the rubbish weather.

As we move towards a General Election, interest has naturally turned towards what a Labour government might look like and do. And EU policy is a recurring question.

On the one hand, the party played down the issue. It’s not that salient among voters; the party worries its views might dissuade swing voters; and the Conservatives will make full use of an ‘will of the people’ argument on any big changes in relations.

On the other, the relatively distant trading relationship with the EU is a deadweight cost to the economy, instinctive sympathies for close relations exist throughout the party leadership and there’s an incentive to demonstrate how to ‘make Brexit work’ is more than just about tone.

Which leaves observers in a position of some uncertainty.

I have yet to speak to anyone who thinks there is a more developed and ambitious EU policy within the party, awaiting the moment it can be unleashed, presumably after a crushing election victory.

At the same time, the piecemeal and hopeful approach of what we already know appears to be not fully fit for any constructive purpose. As Tim Shipman noted last week, it’s not enough to say that you’re not the Tories and hope everything falls into your lap. Both the EU and its member states have already secured their key objectives in the TCA/WA treaties, so the UK needs to have a more compelling sell if changes are to ensue.

All of which is a prelude to a graphic-in-progress.

Here I’ve try to gather all the public elements of Labour’s EU work in the post-Johnson period. That includes speeches substantively about the subject (although all of these drift off into broader framings to various degrees), policy statements and interactions with relevant people.

It’s a limited overview, since there are various other things going on that I’m aware of, but can’t easily substantiate. However, there’s nothing that suggests any significant divergence from the broad picture presented here: lots of getting-to-know-yous, warm words, but minimal policy development beyond that.

At a guess, the intention is to get a few (relatively) simple wins – on SPS, on security – and then to leave more involved options for the fabled second term. Of course, those more involved options are also the ones that need more time to negotiate, so whether anything significant could be wrapped up in time is a moot point right now.

But that is to miss the wider point, namely that while there is an agenda of strengthening the UK’s profile as a key partner, within which EU relations sit, the starting point is one of minimising spending of political capital, rather than a strategically-grounded reassessment.

That’s understandable from a political management perspective, but it runs the risk of leaving a Labour government underpreparing for handling any future bumps in the road, foreseen and unforeseen. Just as the Major government found that reactive European policy had its limits in the 1990s, so too might Starmer discover that leaning-in is the less politically-costly option in the long run.

PDF: https://bit.ly/UshGraphic126

 

The post Labour’s EU policy: Early markers appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

On Wednesday, MEPs endorsed the renewal of trade liberalisation measures for Moldova and amended the proposal on Ukraine to reinforce safeguards for EU farmers.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Wednesday, MEPs endorsed the renewal of trade liberalisation measures for Moldova and amended the proposal on Ukraine to reinforce safeguards for EU farmers.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Wednesday, MEPs gave their green light to new EU rules to reduce emissions from passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP