Politics

The European Parliament continues to express it opposition to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) as six political groups join together to press the Commission to adjust its stance.
“No one from the Parliament will vote for this if no access to documents is given”, Green MEP Carl Schlyter, referring to one of the key sticking points, told EU Reporter before the issue was debated in plenary.

"Lustration" is an ancient word, meaning "purification". In post-Soviet Europe, however, it is used to describe the process of limiting, or even ending, the participation of former KGB operatives in government of civil service positions.

Today, in the European Parliament, we got to officially meet the newly elected Ukrainian President Yanukovich for the first time.

A seemingly innocuous report on the transportation of domestic animals due to be taken to trialogue discussions in Brussels this week (Tuesday) could set a precedent for future legislative procedures to be determined jointly by the European Parliament and Council.
The report, on the “animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals” has so-far been debated in the Parliament’s Environment Committee without much contentious debate.

We at EU Reporter are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claudia Candeago, on February 15th, following the rail crash at Buizingen.

Employed at the European Parliament since December 2008, Claudia worked in DG Communication, and was based in the Press Centre where we came to know her for her friendliness and efficiency. She will be greatly missed.

The funeral will take place on February 22nd, at the Church of St Martin, Hornu.

Tomorrow, February 9th, the European Parliament will vote on the appointment of the new Commission. As always, this will be a done deal - albeit with some posturing on the sidelines by MEPs with a fondness for the stage that the hemicycle is in danger of becoming.
 

One issue that never seems to go off the boil in the European Parliament is that of the labelling of food products. Today, the issue was debated in the EP's internal market committee, where MEPs chewed over the question of how much information should be put onto food packaging.

Speaking to journalists last week in Brussels, Edward McMillan-Scott pledged to "work alongside" the EPP group in the European parliament. He also reaffirmed his committment to human rights issues, highlighting his concerns about China in particular.

He left the conservative ECR group in protest at alleged far-right backgrounds of some of that group's members, and currently sits as a non-attached MEP, having lost the Tory whip.