The European Parliament and its elected Members are the citizens’ voice in the European Union. That’s why we want to make Parliament accessible to everyone. News in Brief gives you a quick overview of the day’s main topics in all official Union languages. This broadcast is brought to you by the European Parliament. You can find more programmes here:

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Fourteen percent of the EU’s workforce is self-employed and the coronavirus has hit them especially hard. Here is how the EU has helped.

This is what Europe does for self-employed people during the coronavirus crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the economy. If you are one of the 59 million workers in Europe whose job is under threat because of the lockdown measures, the EU is doing what it can to help. Here’s how.

This is what Europe does for workers at risk of losing their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis

While the coronavirus has been grabbing headlines around the world, another epidemic has been advancing: the spread of false news. False news can pose very real health threats of its own, for example by leading people to believe false ‘health advice’ or to lose trust in official information,.

This is what Europe does for people who are worried about false coronavirus news.

News in Brief - EN - 200910

The coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on our lives, our economies, our societies but also on electoral processes around the world, with many elections being postponed in order to protect citizens’ health. But this involves a delicate balancing act between ensuring the democratic right to vote and a government’s responsibility to protect public health. So, what can we learn from experience?

EPRS policy podcast - Impact of the pandemic on elections around the world: From safety concerns to political crises

News in Brief - EN - 200909

We shop ‘til we drop, and chuck out just as fast… But this fast fashion, throwaway consumer culture is destroying our planet and creating huge social problems. So, if the EU is serious about achieving its green objectives, it will need to find a way to turn fast fashion into clean, ethical fashion…

EPRS STOA podcast - What if fashion were good for the planet?

Organised crime is a growing threat to the EU and its citizens. And new digital technologies, combined with open borders and free trade, only make it easier for criminals… But the EU is stepping up police and judicial cooperation, as well as information-sharing, in order to stay one step ahead of them and make sure that crime does not pay!

EPRS policy podcast - Understanding the EU response to organised crime

To help consumers to make healthier food choices, the European Commission wants producers of foods and drinks to display clear nutritional information on the front-of-pack. But this may not be so simple… Some Member States have already introduced their own labelling schemes to mark “healthy” products but will the EU win the battle at European scale?

EPRS policy podcast - Nutrition labelling schemes used in Member States

LIBE - Confirmation hearing of Magnus BRUNNER, European Commissioner-designate for Internal Affairs and Migration

ENVI - Confirmation hearing of Jessika ROSWALL, European Commissioner-designate for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy

Briefing EPP by Manfred WEBER, President

Joint press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Robert GOLOB, Slovenian Prime Minister

Briefing S&D by Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, President

Briefing Renew Europe by Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, President

Press Seminar on the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Press conference by Mohammed CHAHIM, rapporteur and Pascal CANFIN, chair of the ENVI Committee on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

Renewable Energy, Energy Performance of Buildings and Energy Efficiency Directives: amendments (REPowerEU) (debate)

Announcement by the President: see Minutes

Renewable Energy, Energy Performance of Buildings and Energy Efficiency Directives: amendments (REPowerEU) (continuation of debate)

Resumption of the sitting

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob

Voting time

Implementation of the New European Agenda for Culture and the EU Strategy for International Cultural Relations (debate)

A need for a dedicated budget to turn the Child Guarantee into reality - an urgency in times of energy and food crisis (debate)

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

Question Time (Commission) - “Protection of strategic infrastructure from China's influence”

Suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (debate) (debate)

The recent JHA Council decision on Schengen accession

Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine

Turkish airstrikes on northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (debate)

Annual implementing report on the EU association agreement with Georgia (debate)

ASEAN relations ahead of the EU-ASEAN summit in December 2022 (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Closure of the sitting

Plenary session

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

EMPL

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

LIBE

Committee on Budgets

BUDG

ECON - EMPL

ECON

Joint DEVE/AFET/DROI meeting in association with the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee (D-UA) and the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (DEPA) with the 2022 Sakharov Laure

AFET

DROI

DEPA

DEVE

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection

IMCO

Statement by the President

Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71)

Composition of political groups: see Minutes

Composition of Parliament

Composition of the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members

Composition of committees and delegations

Council positions at first reading (Rule 63)

Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

Order of business

Towards equal rights for persons with disabilities (debate)

Outcome of COP27 (debate)

A long-term vision for the EU's rural areas

Addressing persistent challenges in the aviation sector and the impacts on passengers, workers, capacity and safety (debate)

Action plan to boost long-distance and cross-border passenger rail (short presentation)

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Last minute session briefing

2022 European Film Award Ceremony - Announcement of the nomination for the LUX European Audience Film Award

Pre-session briefing

Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament

DPAP

EP Plenary session - Need to adopt the “Unshell” Directive on rules to prevent the misuse of shell entities for tax purposes

EP Plenary session - Putting the European economy at the service of the middle class

Press conference on proposals how to improve Parliament’s transparency, integrity and accountability

41st EU-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Meeting

LEX signing ceremony: signature of COD texts in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union on behalf of the Spanish Presidency of the Council

Press conference on EPP position on Nature Restoration Law

EP Plenary session - State of the SME Union

Press conference on the outcome of vote on Nature Restoration Law

Press conference on EU's nature restoration law

EP Plenary session - Topical debate - Tax the rich

EP Plenary session - Voting session

Press conference on combating violence against women and domestic violence

Press conference on EU protection from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs)

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission Statement - The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean

41st EU-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Meeting - Meeting with Bernd LANGE, INTA Chair

41st EU-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Meeting - Meeting with Mr David McALLISTER, AFET Chair

EP Plenary session - Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 29-30 June 2023, in particular the recent developments in Ukraine and Russia

EP Plenary session - Ecodesign regulation

Opening up postal services to competition and international condemnation of human rights abuses in Iran were the order of the day, and a sneak peak at next week.

The News - Post liberalisation - Iran stoning protest - What's next?

Taxing times for Europe between potential new banking taxes and deciding the EU Budget 2011 the debate was heated and animal testing provoked concerns on Wednesday.

The News – New Financial Regulations - EU Budget 2011 - Animal tests

European finance ministers accepted a deal on national budget monitoring from Brussels as well as a banking tax, but MEPs disagree on some details.

EU to monitor national budgets

MEPs want to increase the budget to kick-start Europe's economic revival, but they're at loggerheads with the Council over cuts.

Austerity vs Liquidity for EU Budget

Use of animals in medical testing is on the increase and MEPs hope to increase the use of alternative methods.

Result on Animal Tests

MEP Sylvie Goulard says the Parliament fought hard to highlight contradictions at national government level.

EU financial watchdogs won’t replace Member States

European Commission President addressed MEPs, Roma expulsions in France were debated and a fair income for farmers were on the agenda Tuesday.

The News: Barroso's debut - Roma policy - Farmers' income

With farmers compelled to sell at a loss MEPs want to change the rules of the game with an end to financial speculation on raw materials.

Fair pay for farmers

Just 6km from the Strasbourg hemicycle where MEPs discuss the fate of French Roma, we met Roma families who are living in very basic conditions.

Roma at the heart of Europe

European Commission President Barroso addressed MEPs in a US-style State of the Union speech raising expectations for his Autumn plans.

State of the European Union

The new EU superbodies could be in place by January 2011 after EU institutions agreed upon a text which seeks to avoid a repeat of the global economic meltdown.

New EU financial watchdogs get greenlight

Getting the Commission's support for strong Roma rights in France is just one of MEP's plans for the upcoming plenary. Also on the agenda: Mali, Pakistan, and animal testing.

Back to Business in Strasbourg

What's waiting on MEPs’ desks when they return from their summer holidays? Tough negotiations with the Council on financial supervision. And: Green jobs are gathering momentum.

The News: Work on hold - Green jobs

The two EU institutions will fight it out this autumn when they return from their holidays as the hot topics need attention. Top of the list is financial supervision.

Parliament vs. Council

Could the Citizens’ Initiative stem Europeans’ disaffection with the EU? The Union’s big players hope so, and the Belgian presidency wants to wrap up the legal framework by end 2010.

Power to the People

Heading the 27 member club is no mean feat when you lack a government. But the Belgium presidency has come out blazing with world class sporting and cultural events.

Best of Belgium

Now heading the EU presidency, Belgian Ministers will visit MEPs in the relevant committees next week. The week's burning issue: personal data transfer to the US.

Belgians attend Committee Week

MEPs debate reforming the CAP, and we talk to an expert among them. The EU wants measures to ensure the safety of Europe's oil platforms, and EuroScience Open Forum brings world’s top scientists to Turin.

The News: CAP - Oil platforms - EuroScience Open Forum

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