Gas pipelines coming into EU have to comply with EU rules
"Far too often, gas supply has been used as a political weapon. We cannot ‘disarm’ the impure intentions of others but we can arm ourselves with full legal clarity and consistency of existing legislation. This is what our Energy Union as well as this amended Directive is about", says Jerzy Buzek MEP, Parliament's Spokesman on the legislation on common rules for the internal market in natural gas, to be voted on next Thursday at the mini-Plenary in Brussels. All gas pipelines which arrive in the EU from third countries will have to fully comply, on the entire EU territory, with existing EU rules, primarily the Third Energy Package: third-party access, transparency requirements, fair tariffs and a proper separation of the supply chain from the production to the distribution of gas. This is a precondition for our energy security and independence - all the more important seeing that the EU’s dependence on gas imports is constantly growing. The new rules will apply to all gas pipelines in the EU including Nord Stream 2.
Jerzy BUZEK
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845631 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175631
Twitter: @JerzyBuzek
Lars Ole Løcke, Tel: +32 470 474 838
Towards a better work-life balance for all working parents
On Thursday at the mini-Plenary, MEPs will vote on the agreement reached by the Council and the Parliament on the Work-life Balance Directive. The text will allow the introduction of a 10-day paternity leave remunerated at national sick pay level, and four months of parental leave, of which 2 months will be paid and will be non-transferable. The text also gives the right to request flexible working arrangements and deals with the special situation of carers by creating a 5-day annual carers' leave. It is a great step towards a better work-life balance for all working parents and towards improving the lives of families across all EU Member States.
David CASA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845445 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175445
Twitter: @DavidCasaMEP
Agnieszka KOZŁOWSKA-RAJEWICZ
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845420 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175420
Twitter: @AKRajewicz
Jean-Luc Feixa, Tel: + 32 477 680 090
The future of the Common Agricultural Policy
On Tuesday, the Agriculture Committee will vote on establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the Common Agricultural Policy. It is one of the three big legislative proposals that draws the line for European farming under the next seven-year budget period starting in 2021. The Parliament's Rapporteur, Spanish EPP Group Member Esther Herranz García, has guided the proposal over the course of numerous meetings.
Esther HERRANZ GARCÍA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845274 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175274
Pete Pakarinen, Tel: +32 470 830 213
New legislation for soured loans
On Monday, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will vote on new rules on how non-credit institutions can buy credit agreements from banks. The aim of the new rules is to reduce existing banks’ stocks of non-performing loans (NPL) and prevent their accumulation in the future. Under the proposed new rules, banks will be able to better deal with loans that become non-performing thanks to improved conditions for selling the credit to third parties.
Esther de LANGE
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845954 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175954
Twitter: @Esther_de_Lange
Daniel Köster, Tel: +32 487 384 784
Tuesday @ 17.00 hrs: Esther Herranz García MEP, Rapporteur, and Michel Dantin MEP, on the vote in the Agriculture Committee on the CAP reform reports
Wednesday @ 15.30 hrs: Lívia Járóka MEP, EP Vice-President, on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
