EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT updates

. Press release - The situation in Libya and on the migration route to Europe 27-04-2020 10:23 AM CEST MEPs will discuss with Commission, Frontex, UNHCR, Council of Europe and NGOs the migration situation in Libya and on the Central Mediterranean route. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Γεωργία και Ανάπτυξη της Υπαίθρου: Ημερήσια Διάταξη 27-04-2020 Draft agenda - Thursday, 30 April 2020 - PE650.550v01-00 - Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development 27-04-2020 10:03 AM CEST Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Πολιτικές Ελευθερίες, Δικαιοσύνη και Εσωτερικές Υποθέσεις: Δελτία Τύπου 27-04-2020 Ανακοινωθέντα τύπου - Η κατάσταση αιτούντων άσυλο και μεταναστών στη Λιβύη και στη Μεσόγειο 27-04-2020 11:34 AM CEST Συζήτηση σήμερα το απόγευμα με την Επιτροπή, τη Frontex, την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία των ΗΕ, το Συμβούλιο της Ευρώπης και ΜΚΟ την κατάσταση στη μεταναστευτική οδό της Κεντρικής Μεσογείου. Επιτροπή Πολιτικών Ελευθεριών, Δικαιοσύνης και Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Μελέτη - Country-Specific Recommendations for 2018 and 2019: A tabular comparison and an overview of implementation - 21-04-2020 27-04-2020 . Μελέτη - Country-Specific Recommendations for 2018 and 2019: A tabular comparison and an overview of implementation - 21-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST This study presents the 2018 and 2019 Country-Specific Recommendations as adopted by the Council and their implementation based on the assessment by the European Commission in its Country Reports of 27 February 2019, 05 June 2019 and 26 February 2020. This study was provided by the Economic Governance Support Unit (EGOV). Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Πολιτισμός και Παιδεία: Ημερήσια διάταξη 27-04-2020 Draft agenda - Monday, 4 May 2020 - PE650.547v01-00 - Committee on Culture and Education 27-04-2020 02:03 PM CEST Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Εν συντομία - Thematic Digest on EU Economic Governance during the pandemic - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Εν συντομία - Thematic Digest on EU Economic Governance during the pandemic - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST TThis document presents a selection of thematic briefings in the area of EU economic governance and banking union recently published by the Economic Governance Support Unit of the European Parliament, notably in view of the ongoing debate to find common solutions to combat the economic, financial and social effects of COVID-19. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Briefing - The economy and coronavirus - Weekly Picks 27/04/2020 - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Briefing - The economy and coronavirus - Weekly Picks 27/04/2020 - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST This paper provides a summary of some recent analyses of the macroeconomic effects of the coronavirus and some policy recommendations made in the public domain to mitigate these negative effects. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Εν συντομία - Canada: Coronavirus movement restrictions and quarantine - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Εν συντομία - Canada: Coronavirus movement restrictions and quarantine - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST Like many other countries around the world, Canada has introduced restrictions in an attempt to slow the spread of Covid-19 in the country. Federal and provincial governments have taken measures to limit international and domestic travel. Canada has prohibited entry to foreign nationals, with a few exemptions. Some provinces and territories have prohibited entry to non-residents and/or imposed self-quarantine on travellers. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Briefing - Libya: Geopolitics of protracted civil war in the western Mediterranean - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Briefing - Libya: Geopolitics of protracted civil war in the western Mediterranean - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST Libya's third civil war in a decade began when Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive on Tripoli in April 2019. Fayez al-Sarraj, leader of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) turned to Turkey for military help in an effort to remain in power. Libya has been divided since 2014 into rival military and political camps, based respectively in the capital Tripoli and in the east. The renewed armed conflict risks not only dismantling the fragile modus vivendi of these two administrations but also enhancing the interference of regional players that are using this conflict for their own geostrategic interests. A growing number of countries and international organisations, among the latter the United Nations and the European Union, have intervened ever more decisively in the conflict. Taking into account that warring Libyan factions, broadly aligned with either the GNA or the LNA, are vying for foreign support and arms supplies, the critical point for a peaceful solution is to enforce the UN arms embargo. To this end, following the January 2020 Berlin conference on Libya, the EU launched, on 31 March 2020, a new common security and defence policy mission: Operation EU Active Surveillance (Operation Irini), that has as its goal the implementation of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council. The European Union remains a supporter of the UN-led efforts to bring about a lasting solution to the political and security crisis in the country. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Libya hosts around 45 000 refugees and asylum-seekers from troubled areas in the region. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Libyans have been internally displaced due to ongoing military conflicts. Following the 90 % decrease in the number of Libyan migrants heading for Europe in recent years, compared to the peak in 2014-2016, the main efforts of the international community are focused on securing a ceasefire and bringing about a lasting political solution to the internal conflict, while honouring the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Έγγραφα ολομέλειας: Προτάσεις ψηφίσματος 27-04-2020 B9-0150/2020 27-04-2020 05:00 PM CEST Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Πολιτισμός και Παιδεία: Ημερήσια διάταξη 27-04-2020 Σχέδιο ημερήσιας διάταξης - Δευτέρα 4 Μαΐου 2020 - PE650.547v01-00 - Επιτροπή Πολιτισμού και Παιδείας 27-04-2020 06:14 PM CEST Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Εν συντομία - Australia's restrictions on movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Εν συντομία - Australia's restrictions on movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST The Australian federal government, and state and territory governments, are working together to provide an effective national response to the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government's response, in terms of emergency measures designed to limit the spread of the virus, includes travel restrictions and efforts to ensure that travellers self-isolate on arrival in Australia. State and territory governments, for their part, have imposed travel restrictions between and within their jurisdictions, and imposed restrictions on social interaction, among other measures. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Briefing - State aid and the pandemic: How State aid can back coronavirus economic support measures - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 Briefing - State aid and the pandemic: How State aid can back coronavirus economic support measures - 27-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST The coronavirus pandemic and its financial and economic consequences have caused a major economic downturn, and the European Union (EU) has moved rapidly to respond with monetary and fiscal policy measures. The fiscal policy instruments deployed include the adaptation of State aid rules to the exceptional circumstances to allow Member States to support their economies by means of direct or indirect intervention. From a competition law point of view, measures that constitute State aid are in principle illegal, unless issued under an exemption, such as the De minimis Regulation or the General Block Exemption Regulation, subject to notification and European Commission approval. The State aid rules do, however, already allow for aid to compensate for damage caused by natural disasters and exceptional events, such as a pandemic. State aid can also be used to remedy serious disturbances to the economy. The temporary framework adopted by the Commission in March 2020 sets out temporary State aid measures that the Commission will consider compatible with the State aid rules, allowing Member States full flexibility in supporting their coronavirus-stricken economies. The temporary framework is in place to address Member States' various needs more effectively. The framework initially focused on measures to ensure liquidity. In early April, it was broadened to include measures to support the economy and coronavirus-related medical investment, research and production, as well as measures to ease the social and tax liabilities of companies and the self-employed and measures to subsidise workers' wages. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Briefing - The EU’s Public Procurement Framework. How is the EU’s Public Procurement Framework contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Circular Economy Strategy? - 15-04-2020 27-04-2020 Briefing - The EU’s Public Procurement Framework. How is the EU’s Public Procurement Framework contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Circular Economy Strategy? - 15-04-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST The present public procurement directives entered into force in 2014 allowing national authorities enough flexibility to align procurement with social and environmental objectives. However, public authorities have not sufficiently taken up the possibilities to use strategic public procurement to introduce sustainable, green, pre-procurement or innovation-focused tools. The existence of clear Guidelines and tools is essential to provide legal certainty for public procurement officials.in this respect, the European Commission has a central role to play and work is being undertaken to provide guidelines and off-the-shelf solutions. However, further action is needed to promote strategic public procurement and in particular Green Public Procurement requiring low carbon, life-cycle and circular approaches in public purchases. The EU should increase – in tandem with the provision of assistance and tools – the number of mandatory green procurement requirements, either through technical specifications in the sectoral directives or through delegated acts to the procurement directives. A voluntary approach is not sufficient. Member states should in turn professionalise the public procurement authorities and establish central purchasing bodies or national competence centres. There is a need for many member states to invest in professionalisation, training and ICT tools to mainstream strategic public procurement and in particular Green Public Procurement. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Πολιτικές Ελευθερίες, Δικαιοσύνη και Εσωτερικές Υποθέσεις: Δελτία Τύπου 27-04-2020 Press release - Stop cooperation with and funding to the Libyan coastguard, MEPs ask 27-04-2020 07:43 PM CEST The EU should stop channeling funds to Libya to manage migration and to train its coastguard, as the violation of human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers continues. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Μελέτη - Social Sustainability – Concepts and Benchmarks - 16-03-2020 27-04-2020 . Μελέτη - Social Sustainability – Concepts and Benchmarks - 16-03-2020 27-04-2020 12:00 AM CEST This study looks at definitions and ways to measure and benchmark social sustainability and explores how the concept can be integrated into EU policy-making processes, giving concrete examples of how it is already used in policies and projects at national, regional and local level. This document was provided by Policy Department A at the request of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL). Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Όλα τα δελτία τύπου 27-04-2020 Press release - Stop cooperation with and funding to the Libyan coastguard, MEPs ask 27-04-2020 07:43 PM CEST The EU should stop channeling funds to Libya to manage migration and to train its coastguard, as the violation of human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers continues. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Press release - Q&A on the EU's long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework, MFF) 27-04-2020 11:43 AM CEST Questions and answers on the EU's long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (EU expenditure), and the reform of the EU's Own Resources (EU revenue). Committee on Budgets Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Ανακοινωθέντα τύπου - Η κατάσταση αιτούντων άσυλο και μεταναστών στη Λιβύη και στη Μεσόγειο 27-04-2020 11:34 AM CEST Συζήτηση σήμερα το απόγευμα με την Επιτροπή, τη Frontex, την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία των ΗΕ, το Συμβούλιο της Ευρώπης και ΜΚΟ την κατάσταση στη μεταναστευτική οδό της Κεντρικής Μεσογείου. Επιτροπή Πολιτικών Ελευθεριών, Δικαιοσύνης και Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Ειδήσεις 27-04-2020 Press release - Stop cooperation with and funding to the Libyan coastguard, MEPs ask 27-04-2020 07:43 PM CEST The EU should stop channeling funds to Libya to manage migration and to train its coastguard, as the violation of human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers continues. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Press release - Q&A on the EU's long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework, MFF) 27-04-2020 11:43 AM CEST Questions and answers on the EU's long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (EU expenditure), and the reform of the EU's Own Resources (EU revenue). Committee on Budgets Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Ανακοινωθέντα τύπου - Η κατάσταση αιτούντων άσυλο και μεταναστών στη Λιβύη και στη Μεσόγειο 27-04-2020 11:34 AM CEST Συζήτηση σήμερα το απόγευμα με την Επιτροπή, τη Frontex, την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία των ΗΕ, το Συμβούλιο της Ευρώπης και ΜΚΟ την κατάσταση στη μεταναστευτική οδό της Κεντρικής Μεσογείου. Επιτροπή Πολιτικών Ελευθεριών, Δικαιοσύνης και Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Οικονομική και Νομισματική Πολιτική: Δελτία Τύπου 27-04-2020 . Press release - MEPs call for concrete details and novel tools to address the economic crisis 27-04-2020 09:43 PM CEST MEPs on Monday quizzed Commissioners Dombrovskis and Gentiloni on planned measures to tackle the looming economic crisis due to COVID-19. Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP Εν συντομία - Coronavirus crisis support for EU farmers - 28-04-2020 28-04-2020 . Εν συντομία - Coronavirus crisis support for EU farmers - 28-04-2020 28-04-2020 09:18 AM CEST EU farmers are among the few key workers who have not seen a dramatic change in their daily routines since the coronavirus crisis began. They are still farming to supply EU citizens with food. Some public health protection measures have however affected farming activities and sales badly. While the EU has taken a number of measures to mitigate this impact, the possibility of further measures is high on the agricultural policy agenda. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Briefing - Coronavirus: Implications for the EU [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 28-04-2020 28-04-2020 . Briefing - Coronavirus: Implications for the EU [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 28-04-2020 28-04-2020 10:33 AM CEST The coronavirus pandemic poses a serious challenge to the European Union, arguably testing at once its solidarity, resilience, capacity and even relevance. Some analysts see the current crisis as an 'existential' threat to the Union, whilst others sense it to be a significant opportunity to assert the need for collective solutions and to build greater systemic strength for the future. A lively debate has broken out among thinkers and commentators about the implications of the crisis for the future of European integration, the policy priorities of the Union, and the capabilities and resources of its institutions. This note offers links to recent commentaries and reports from international think tanks on the challenges of the coronavirus for the EU and related issues. The papers gathered here have all been written before the European Council video-conference of 23 April 2020. Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο Οικονομική και Νομισματική Πολιτική: Δελτία Τύπου 28-04-2020 Ανακοινωθέντα τύπου - COVID-19: Χρειάζονται συγκεκριμένα μέτρα και καινοτόμα εργαλεία για την οικονομική κρίση 28-04-2020 10:58 AM CEST Τη Δευτέρα οι ευρωβουλευτές εξέτασαν με τους επιτρόπους Dombrovskis και Gentiloni τα μέτρα που προτείνουν για την αντιμετώπιση της επικείμενης οικονομικής κρίσης. Επιτροπή Οικονομικής και Νομισματικής Πολιτικής Πηγή : © Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, 2020 - EK