The all-party parliamentary committees on climate and energy today voted on an important report on EU energy governance, aimed at ensuring that the EU’s energy goals to comply with the Paris climate change agreement are met. This report is part of the Clean Energy Package and is crucial because it… read more →
Labour MEPs have welcomed the blacklist of tax havens, agreed by EU finance ministers, but called for them to go further and back the recommendations of the European Parliament Panama inquiry, which are set to be approved by MEPs next week. The inquiry recommendations include: an end to the unanimity… read more →
EU leaders have been left wondering if Theresa May has the authority to negotiate for the UK, Labour MEPs warned following the prime minister’s failure to get agreement to progress Brexit talks onto the next phase. Richard Corbett MEP, Labour’s leader in the European Parliament, said: “This was billed as… read more →
Britain’s departure from Europol and the European Defence Agency is the inevitable result of the Tory Hard Brexit the UK is heading towards, a Brexit that will diminish our safety and security at home and influence abroad, Labour MEPs warned this week following Michel Barnier’s comments. The European Union chief… read more →
Tory MEPs voted today against calls for an EU arms embargo against Saudi Arabia – the day after Theresa May’s visit to Riyadh, during which she reaffirmed the UK government’s political and military backing for the regime. Clare Moody MEP, vice chair of the European Parliament security and defence committee,… read more →
Socialists and Democrats today successfully pushed for a 40% energy efficiency target by 2030 during a vote in the parliamentary committee on energy and industry. A progressive coalition was able to ensure an ambitious binding target contrary to conservative attempts to water it down. S&D vice-president for sustainability, Kathleen Van… read more →
Following lengthy negotiations, the S&D Group in the European Parliament secured cross-party support for a binding target of 35% share of energy coming from renewable sources by 2030. The S&D author of the parliamentary report, José Blanco MEP, succeeded in uniting the Parliament behind a strong shift-up from the 27%… read more →
Labour MEPs will vote today for new EU laws to define unfair trade practices. The new methodology of calculating what constitutes a “significant distortion” will enable action to be taken against countries like China that have dumped cheap steel onto European markets. The UK government, however, last week said that… read more →
As the European Parliament today debated the Paradise Papers leaks, Labour MEPs reiterated calls for the EU to lead global action against tax avoidance, and adopt parliament’s recommendations for a blacklist of tax havens and new laws against companies that facilitate tax avoidance. Neena Gill MEP, Labour’s European Parliament spokesperson… read more →
Once again, the Brexit talks have failed to progress, an apt end to the week for this stuttering, stalling driverless car of a government that is dragging Britain towards the cliff edge, writes Richard Corbett MEP, Labour’s Leader in the European Parliament. There was no significant progress in round six… read more →