European Union

The Dutch foreign minister, Sigrid Kaag, has resigned after the lower house of parliament passed a motion of censure against the government over its handling of evacuations from Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover. Hundreds of Dutch citizens, many of Afghan origin, and an unspecified number of Afghans whose work put them in danger, were unable to reach the airport in Kabul.

The German Greens' candidate in upcoming elections, Annalena Baerbock, has been targeted with sexist abuse as well as with more disinformation and conspiracy theories online than her male counterparts from other parties, according to a study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a German think-tank. RT Deutsch, a Russian-state news outlet, for instance, targeted Baerbock, who has promised to mothball a new Russian-German gas pipeline if she gets into government.

The European Commission has launched a new health agency to help prepare for future pandemics. The 'health emergency preparedness and response authority' (Hera), will assess threats, fund research, and build stockpiles of drugs, with a budget of €6bn in 2022 to 2027. The agency "will be our main instrument to coordinate preparedness and, if needed, response ... This is what we are missing today," EU commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas said.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (16 September) inaugurated a posthumous installation conceived by the late artist Christo that envelops Paris's Arc de Triomphe monument in 2,500 square metres of silvery blue, recyclable plastic wrapping.

With the drive for lower prices and emergence of more and more 'fast-fashion' brands, durability is inevitably compromised. However, through new regulation, selling durable products shall no longer be a design option - it will be a legal requirement.

We are setting the standard for many years to come. Rest assured; I have a clear mandate from my group and I am doing everything in my power to kick out fossil fuels from EU financing.

The European Commission has blocked the recently-created European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) from using their budget to hire the specialised personnel they need. It has not explained why.

Around 90 centre-right European People's Party (EPP) lawmakers abstained in a vote to list gender-based violence a crime under EU law, while almost as many voted in favour.

Climate change has not been slowed down by the pandemic and the world remains off-track to meet 2015 Paris Agreement climate targets, the UN has warned- just weeks ahead of the COP26 summit.

The European Parliament supported the creation of a new EU ethics body to help tackle and prevent conflicts of interest, revolving doors and corruption inside the EU institutions. But Transparency International EU, a Brussels-based NGO, says the body needs to be improved in order to have a real impact, noting that sanctions against MEPs remain "open to political influence and bias." No MEP since 2014 has ever been sanctioned.

The EU is planning to firm up criticism of Russian aggression at its next Ukraine summit, as low-intensity fighting continues to claim lives.

EU commission vice-president Věra Jourová said the commission will pressure member states to do more, but without legal tools, the commission has little say.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Angela Merkel in Paris on Thursday (16 September) for the last time before the German chancellor stands down, spelling the end of a partnership at the heart of the European Union for the last four years.

Gender-based violence should be added to the list of crimes to be tackled across borders and the European Commission must table a proposal for an EU-wide directive on gender-based violence, EU lawmakers stated on Thursday (16 September).

Adding to a long list of concerns on the state of EU values in Poland, MEPs denounce the latest attempts to silence critical voices and undermine the primacy of EU law.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The European Commission acknowledged for the first time on Thursday (16 September) that it had not done enough to help fight high-level corruption in Bulgaria. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports

Parliament deplores the violent takeover of Afghanistan, calls for more humanitarian aid and a coordinated response to protect those most vulnerable.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Parliament deplores the violent takeover of Afghanistan, calls for more humanitarian aid and a coordinated response to protect those most vulnerable.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the human rights situation in Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and Cuba.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the human rights situation in Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and Cuba.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP