31 January 2012
Newsletter – 1-2 February 2012 – Brussels plenary session
Parliament to react to EU summit decisions
MEPs will state their views on key issues at the 30 January informal European Council, including any decision on fiscal union, in a debate on Wednesday. They will also set out a way forward to boost growth and employment, in a resolution to be voted on Thursday.
Debate with Catherine Ashton on Iran and Russia
The sanctions against Iran approved by the Council on 23 January and Russia’s December 2011 legislative elections will be debated with EU foreign policy High Representative Catherine Ashton on Wednesday, after the question hour.
Repressive regimes: no EU stash for ill-gotten cash
EU Member States should consolidate and harmonise their measures to prevent repressive regimes from stashing cash, owning property, doing business or travelling in the EU, Parliament will say in a resolution to be voted on Thursday.
MEPs set to criticize EU humanitarian aid management
Parliament is set to ask some tough questions about how the EU manages its humanitarian aid budget and how EU aid is channelled through the UN. The critical draft resolution to be put to a vote on Thursday was unanimously approved by the Budgetary Control Committee.
Daphne: funding to fight violence against women and children
Funding for the next Daphne programme must be kept at a level comparable to that of the previous ones, says a resolution to be voted Thursday.
Proper waste treatment costs less
Managing waste badly is expensive, but exporting it costs even more, says a resolution to be voted on Thursday. Environmental, health and economic factors all militate in favour of good waste treatment practices, say MEPs, stressing that Europe’s recycling industry has the potential to generate up to half a million jobs.
Sport: zero tolerance of hooliganism and cheating
For the first time, Parliament will debate ideas for EU-wide measures to tackle violence in sports stadiums, doping, match-fixing and illegal betting. It is expected to call, in a resolution to be voted on Thursday, for tough penalties on sports-related tax fraud and new rules to govern sports agents.
