European Union

Plenary sessions : With the collapse of a US-Russia brokered ceasefire last month, the war in Syria looks as intractable as ever and violence has escalated in the past fortnight. During a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon several MEPs criticised Russia’s involvement in the conflict with others calling for the EU to play a greater role in resolving the crisis.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

On 5 October 2016, the 75 countries and 26 international organisations participating in the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 5 October 2016 issued a communiqué, renewing the partnership for prosperity and peace between the National Unity Government of Afghanistan and the international community. They underlined  their collective commitment to deepen and strengthen their cooperation to achieve Afghanistan's self-reliance in the transformation decade (2015-2024) and to create a political, social and economic environment that will allow Afghanistan to consolidate peace, security, sustainable development and prosperity. They noted that important progress has been achieved on Afghanistan's way to a functioning, accountable and increasingly sustainable state, but the substantial challenges that the country still faces require further efforts to safeguard and build on these joint achievements. To foster this progress, they reaffirmed their commitment to the following three pillars over the transformation decade: 

• Afghan-led state and institution building as outlined by the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and the Self Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF);
• Sustained international support and funding at or near current levels through 2020 with increased aid effectiveness;
• Regional and international support for ending violence to foster economic development and improve regional economic cooperation, and for a political process towards lasting peace and reconciliation.

 

Plenary sessions : The EU Commission should review EU legislation on mass dismissals, in view of plans to close down Caterpillar and Alstom in Belgium, say MEPs in a non-legislative resolution passed on Wednesday. MEPs also call for support measures for ”these workers and their local economies.”

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : The EU Commission should review EU legislation on mass dismissals, in view of plans to close down Caterpillar and Alstom in Belgium, say MEPs in a non-legislative resolution passed on Wednesday. MEPs also call for support measures for ”these workers and their local economies.”

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Moves to make Poland’s stringent sexual and reproductive health laws still more restrictive will be debated late on Wednesday afternoon. The debate will follow an EU Commission statement at around 18.00. MEPs are most concerned about Polish parliament bills on women’s access to legal abortion and to In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Moves to make Poland’s stringent sexual and reproductive health laws still more restrictive will be debated late on Wednesday afternoon. The debate will follow an EU Commission statement at around 18.00. MEPs are most concerned about Polish parliament bills on women’s access to legal abortion and to In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

In association with the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
Location : Room ASP 3G3, Brussels
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

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Georgia is a priority country within the Eastern Partnership initiative and the wider European Neighbourhood Policy, launched in 2004 with the objective of bringing the enlarged EU and its neighbours closer to each other and to enhance prosperity, stability and security of all of those concerned. It has helped to build ties in new areas of cooperation and encouraged Georgia’s objective of further approximation with European structures.

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Plenary sessions : Action to stop massacres in Syria, implement migration policies and border controls, and ensure a balanced approach to trade deals while defending EU industry are the key challenges that EU heads of state or government should tackle at their 20-21 October meeting in Brussels, said Parliament’s political group leaders in a debate with the Slovak Council Presidency and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Action to stop massacres in Syria, implement migration policies and border controls, and ensure a balanced approach to trade deals while defending EU industry are the key challenges that EU heads of state or government should tackle at their 20-21 October meeting in Brussels, said Parliament’s political group leaders in a debate with the Slovak Council Presidency and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Washington has broken off talks with Moscow regarding a ceasefire in Syria due to the continued airstrikes on Aleppo. Prior to the announcement Russia had let it be known that it would suspend the pact with the US over the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium. How dangerous is the confrontation between the two great powers?

The government in Paris wants to buy 15 high-speed TGV trains to prevent the partial closure of the Alstom plant in the eastern French city of Belfort - and the loss of 400 jobs. The French train operator SNCF has indicated it has no need for the trains. Can the Belfort plant be saved? French commentators take opposing views of the crisis.

With strong words about the Treaty of Lausanne Erdoğan not only called into question his country's founding myth but also its borders with Greece: the Turkish president described the 1923 treaty which defines the borders of modern Turkey as humiliating and lamented that it gave away Aegean islands to Greece. Is he just trying to provoke a reaction?