MEPs express concerns over attacks on media in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99220/
Human rights breaches in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bahrain and Cambodia | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99223/
MEPs highlight impact of pandemic on children’s health and education | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99222/
Syria needs a greater financial and political response from the EU | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99218/
MEPs warn Commission to activate rule of law mechanism without delay | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99233/
Fishing rules: Compulsory CCTV for certain vessels to counter infractions
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On-board cameras (CCTV) to be compulsory for vessels that are likely to not comply
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Recreational fishermen who do not respect EU conservation measures or fisheries rules should be penalised
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New measures to address loss of fishing gear
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Fish should be traced throughout the whole food chain, including processed and imported products
Parliament adopted today its negotiating position on the new Fisheries Control system, which will reform the rules that have governed EU fishing activities since 2010.
By 401 votes in favour, 247 against and 47 abstentions, MEPs agreed to use new technologies to better enforce fishing rules and improve security and transparency. They also insist that consumers must know when, where and how the products they buy are caught.
The use of on-board cameras (CCTV) to carry out checks on landing obligations should be compulsory for a “minimum percentage” of vessels longer than 12 meters and which have been identified as “posing a serious risk of non-compliance”. The equipment will also be imposed as an accompanying sanction for all vessels that commit two or more serious infringements. Vessels that are willing to adopt CCTV on a voluntary basis should be offered incentives such as additional allocation of quotas or having their infringement points removed.
MEPs back the proposal to harmonise sanctions and demand that a “European Union Register” of infringements be set up to centralise information from all member states. They also call for an “appropriate system of sanctions” for infringements committed by recreational fishermen.
Reduce waste, increase security and transparency
In line with the EU’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy, Parliament demands that the origin of fishery and aquaculture products must be traceable throughout the whole food chain, including processed and imported products. Data on the species of fish, the location, date and time it was caught, and the type of gear used should be made available.
In an effort to reduce marine litter, MEPs agree that all vessels should be obliged to notify national authorities when they lose fishing gear and to carry on board the necessary equipment to retrieve it.
All vessels should also be equipped with a geolocation device allowing them to be automatically located and identified, a measure deemed necessary to improve security at sea, according to the adopted text.
Parliament also proposes to increase the margin of error accepted on the weight of some species estimated by fishermen on board (margin of tolerance).
Quote
Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur, stated: “We took important steps towards having common rules. Inspections on fisheries in Spain must not differ from those in Denmark, Poland or Italy. They must be harmonised and more efficient, without resulting in more red tape for the sector.”
Next Steps
With today’s vote, Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with Council. According to the current proposal, operators would have four years following the entry into force of the rules to equip vessels with the new technologies required.
Background
On 5 February, the Committee on Fisheries adopted its position regarding the EU’s Fisheries Control system. The proposal updates five existing regulations and harmonise control and inspection systems, as well as sanctions, across EU countries.
MEPs: Put a carbon price on certain EU imports to raise global climate ambition
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All products under the EU Emissions Trading System should be included
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Revenue to be used to step up EU support for the objectives of the Green Deal
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The mechanism must not be misused to further trade protectionism
To raise global climate ambition and prevent ‘carbon leakage’, the EU must place a carbon price on certain imports from less climate-ambitious countries, say MEPs.
On Wednesday, Parliament adopted a resolution on a WTO-compatible EU carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) with 444 votes for, 70 against and 181 abstentions.
The resolution underlines that the EU’s increased ambition on climate change must not lead to ‘carbon leakage’ as global climate efforts will not benefit if EU production is just moved to non-EU countries that have less ambitious emissions rules.
MEPs therefore support to put a carbon price on certain goods imported from outside the EU, if these countries are not ambitious enough about climate change. This would create a global level playing field as well as an incentive for both EU and non-EU industries to decarbonise in line with the Paris Agreement objectives.
MEPs stress that it should be WTO-compatible and not be misused as a tool to enhance protectionism. It must therefore be designed specifically to meet climate objectives. Revenues generated should be used as part of a basket of own revenues to boost support for the objectives of the Green Deal under the EU budget, they add.
Mechanism to be linked to a reformed EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)
The new mechanism should be part of a broader EU industrial strategy and cover all imports of products and commodities covered by the EU ETS. MEPs add that already by 2023, and following an impact assessment, it should cover the power sector and energy-intensive industrial sectors like cement, steel, aluminium, oil refinery, paper, glass, chemicals and fertilisers, which continue to receive substantial free allocations, and still represent 94 % of EU industrial emissions.
They add that linking carbon pricing under the CBAM to the price of EU allowances under the EU ETS will help to combat carbon leakage but underline that the new mechanism must not lead to double protection for EU installations.
You can watch a video of the plenary debate here.
Quote
After the vote, Parliament rapporteur Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, FR) said:
“The CBAM is a great opportunity to reconcile climate, industry, employment, resilience, sovereignty and relocation issues. We must stop being naïve and impose the same carbon price on products, whether they are produced in or outside the EU, to ensure the most polluting sectors also take part in fighting climate change and innovate towards zero carbon. This is our best chance of remaining below the 1.5°C warming limit, whilst also pushing our trading partners to be equally ambitious in order to enter the EU market.
Next steps
The Commission is expected to present a legislative proposal on a CBAM in the second quarter of 2021 as part of the European Green Deal as well as a proposal on how to include the revenue generated to finance part of the EU budget.
Background
Parliament has played an important role in pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation. It declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019 and wants the EU and its member states to become climate neutral in 2050 and reduce GHG emissions with 60% by 2030.
MEPs: Companies must no longer cause harm to people and planet with impunity
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Due diligence requires companies to identify, address and remedy their impact on human rights and the environment throughout their value chain
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Rules should apply to companies operating in EU internal market, including those from outside the EU
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Sanctions for non-compliance and legal support for victims of corporations in third countries
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Ban on import of products linked to severe human rights violations such as forced or child labour
Parliament paves the way for a new EU law that requires companies to address human rights and environmental standards within their value chains.
The legislative initiative report (adopted on Wednesday by 504 votes in favour, 79 against and 112 abstention) calls for the urgent adoption of a binding EU law that ensures companies are held accountable and liable when they harm – or contribute to harming – human rights, the environment and good governance. It must also guarantee that victims can access legal remedies. The Commission has announced it will present its legislative proposal on the matter later this year.
Sustainability and good governance
Binding EU due diligence rules would oblige companies to identify, address and remedy aspects of their value chain (all operations, direct or indirect business relations, investment chains) that could or do infringe on human rights (including social, trade union and labour rights), the environment (contributing to climate change or deforestation, for example) and good governance (such as corruption and bribery).
MEPs stress that due diligence is primarily a preventative instrument that requires companies to take proportionate measures based on the likelihood and severity of the impact, the sector of activity, the size and length of the value chain and size of the undertaking.
Bringing about change beyond EU borders
Companies that want to access the EU internal market, including those established outside the EU, would have to prove that they comply with environmental and human rights due diligence obligations.
Parliament calls for additional measures, including a ban on importing products linked to severe human rights violations such as forced or child labour. EU trade agreements should include these aims in their trade and sustainable development chapters. MEPs also ask the Commission to thoroughly review whether companies based in Xinjiang exporting to the EU are involved in human rights breaches, especially those related to repression of Uighurs.
In order to guarantee effective reparations for victims, companies should be held liable for their actions and be fined for causing harm or contributing to it, unless they can prove that they have acted in line with due diligence obligations and taken measures to prevent such harm. The rights of victims or stakeholders in third countries – who are especially vulnerable – would also be better protected, as they would be able to take companies to court under EU law.
Broad scope and help for SMEs
To create a level playing field, the future legislative framework on due diligence should be broad and apply to all large undertakings governed by EU law or established in the European Union, including those providing financial services. The rules should also apply to publicly listed SMEs and high-risk SMEs, which should receive technical assistance to comply with the requirements.
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“This new law on corporate due diligence will set the standard for responsible business conduct in Europe and beyond. We refuse to accept that deforestation or forced labour are part of global supply chains. Companies will have to avoid and address harm done to people and planet in their supply chains.The new rules will give victims a legal right to access support and to seek reparations, and will ensure fairness, a level playing field and legal clarity for all businesses, workers and consumers”, said rapporteur Lara Wolters (S&D, NL).
Better cooperation between national authorities on taxation of digital trading
- Tax authorities should share information more quickly
- Sanctions should be introduced for platforms and need to be harmonised
- Non-EU platforms must register in an EU member state where they have substantial economic activity
On Wednesday, MEPs recommended changes to draft legislation aiming to trace and tax the sales that people make through online platforms more effectively.
The legislation, spearheaded through the EP by Sven Giegold (Greens, DE), aims to oblige digital platforms to report the income earned by those selling goods and services on their platforms. Tax authorities would also be obliged share this information with each other. It was adopted by 568 votes in favour, 63 votes against, and 64 abstentions.
Platforms need to register in the EU and can face sanctions
Non-EU platforms should be required to register and report their activities in the single market in a single member state, and must have substantial economic activities in the chosen member state. Moreover, MEPs opted to provide for harmonised sanctions against platforms that do not fulfil their reporting obligations.
Quicker exchange of requested information
A tax authority receiving a request for information should provide it no later than three months, rather than six months, from the date it receives the request. By the end of 2022, the Commission should submit a report assessing country-by-country how well the system works, including how effective the information exchanges are.
Scope of the automatic and compulsory exchange of information
A tax authority should automatically communicate to the authority of another member state not only the information that is available but also that which could reasonably be made available.
As from 1 January 2022, no new bilateral or multilateral advance pricing arrangements should be agreed by member states with third countries that do not permit their disclosure to the tax authorities of the other member states.
Quote of the rapporteur, Sven Giegold (Greens, DE)
“Extending the directive to cover digital platforms will close one loophole, but others remain wide open. Exchange of information will only be effective once all types of income and assets are consistently included under this directive. Unfortunately, the Council has already decided its position without waiting for the European Parliament’s proposals and has decided to postpone implementing improvements by one year to January 2023. It is irresponsible to forego urgently needed tax revenues in this time of crisis. The EU Commission must take its responsibility in a time of public deficit seriously and propose a strong review of the directive.”
Future of Europe: Engaging with citizens to build a more resilient Europe | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99242/
Parliament adopts InvestEU programme for strategic and innovative investments
News | European Parliament 09-03-2021
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Programme aims to generate around €400 billion in additional investments
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Companies will receive aid to get through the COVID-19 pandemic
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Launchpad for investments that would otherwise be difficult to finance
On Tuesday, MEPs adopted the new InvestEU programme, which will mobilise public and private investments and guarantees simplified access to financing.
Parliament endorsed the provisional agreement reached with the Council with 496 votes in favour, 57 against and 144 abstentions.
With €26 billion (in current prices) set aside in the EU budget as a guarantee, InvestEU is expected to mobilise €400 billion to be invested across the European Union from 2021 to 2027. The new programme is part of the €750 billion Next Generation EU recovery package, and will foster strategic, sustainable and innovative investments and address market failures, sub-optimal investments and the investment gap in targeted sectors.
Sustainable and strategic investments
InvestEU supports strategic investments in manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and supplies – crucial in the midst of a pandemic – as well as the production of Information and Communication Technology, components and devices in the EU.
It will also finance sustainable projects that can prove their positive environmental, climate and social impact. Those projects will be subject to the principle of “do no significant harm”, meaning they must not negatively affect the EU’s environmental and social objectives.
Furthermore, MEPs made sure that InvestEU contributes to achieving the target of spending at least 30% of EU funds on climate objectives by 2027 and that it provides support for SMEs negatively affected by the pandemic and at risk of insolvency.
Additional investments of around €400 billion
The additional investment across the European Union, expected to amount to €400 billion and the EU guarantee will be allotted to the following policy objectives:
- sustainable infrastructure: around 38%
- research, innovation and digitalisation: 25 %
- SMEs: around 26%
- social investment and skills: around 11%.
Moreover, the European Investment Fund (EIF), which will contribute to the implementation of the InvestEU programme, will get an additional €375 million.
Quotes
José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, PT), lead MEP from the Budgets Committee said during the debate on Tuesday: “The EU needs public and private investments to become more competitive, productive and to boost its territorial cohesion. Invest EU brings in additional funds to turn projects that otherwise wouldn’t see the light of day into reality. Our strategic sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, should be independent. We need to help regions that suffered the most, and EU citizens deserve investment and high-quality jobs”.
Irene Tinagli (S&D, IT) leading the negotiations on behalf of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee added: : “We diverted more funds to meet environmental targets, to support SMEs, which suffered because of the pandemic, and we succeeded in placing Invest EU at the heart of NextGenerationEU. Since InvestEU will also help us to recover from the pandemic, we created synergies with the Recovery and Resilience Facility, allowing member states to implement part of their recovery and resilience plans through InvestEU”.
Next steps
Once Council has also formally approved the regulation, it will enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Parliament gives green light for new EU4Health programme | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99207/
EU Presidents to sign declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe | News | European Parliament
The signature on Wednesday will set the Conference in motion, in order to address challenges old and new, while strengthening European solidarity.
The joint declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe will be signed on Wednesday at 13.00 by President Sassoli on behalf of the Parliament, Prime Minister Costa for the Council and Commission President von der Leyen.
This begins the process that will enable citizens to participate in reshaping the EU’s policies and institutions. The declaration includes the EU institutions’ commitment “to listen to Europeans and to follow up on the recommendations made by the Conference” in line with their respective competences enshrined in the Treaties.
Using an inclusive, open and transparent approach, people of all backgrounds, civil society representatives and stakeholders at European, national, regional and local level will participate and set the Conference’s tone and agenda in line with their concerns, in a multitude of events and through a multilingual digital platform.
Read the statement made by Parliament’s Conference of Presidents following their decision to approve the joint declaration.
EU Parliament renames two buildings after prominent European women
On International Women’s Day, the European Parliament’s Bureau approved proposals to name two of its buildings in Brussels after prominent European women.
A building located at Rue Montoyer 63 will be named after Clara CAMPOAMOR, a Spanish lawyer and politician, who worked to further women’s rights and combat discrimination on the grounds of gender. Her commitment contributed to enshrine women’s suffrage in the Spanish Constitution of 1931.
A building located at Rue Wiertz 30-50 will be named after Sophie SCHOLL, a German student and anti-Nazi political activist. She was a member of the White Rose group, a pacifist resistance group led by students at the University of Munich. She was detained for treason when she was found distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, sentenced to death and executed by guillotine.
The Bureau, comprising the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, also decided to rename meeting room SPINELLI 1G2 after the late Manolis GLEZOS, a Greek politician and Member of the European Parliament from 1 July 2014 to 8 July 2015 and from 24 July 1984 to 25 January 1985. He was a major figure in the national resistance against fascism.
International Women’s Day celebrated in plenary | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99215/
Opening – March plenary session | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99214/
Press briefing on plenary session on Monday, 8 March, at 15.30 | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99209/
Negotiations on amount of tax multinationals pay in each EU country
- Multinationals will have to disclose amount of tax they pay in each EU country
- The public and tax authorities will be able to see what taxes are being paid where
- Negotiations on final shape of EU bill set to begin very shortly
Four years after Parliament adopted its position on draft legislation on public country-by-country reporting, EU governments come to the table to negotiate a deal.
On Thursday, Parliament’s lead negotiators, Evelyn Regner (S&D, AT) and Ibán García Del Blanco (S&D, ES), were officially given the green light to enter into negotiations with the EU governments’ representatives, based on the position the EP adopted in 2017. Last week, member states were able to agree their negotiating position. These negotiations are now set to begin very shortly.
Evelyn Regner said:
“This is a breakthrough for tax fairness in the EU. Public country-by-country reporting will oblige multinational companies to be financially transparent about where they make profits and where they pay taxes. Especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where companies are receiving considerable support from public spending, citizens have an even greater right to know which multinationals are playing fair and which are free-riding.”
Ibán García Del Blanco said:
“We have been waiting for the Council for too long. We are ready to start negotiations immediately in order to reach an agreement under the Portuguese Presidency, thereby making progress on tax and corporate transparency. We urgently need meaningful financial transparency to fight tax evasion and profit shifting. Citizens’ trust in our democracies depends on everyone contributing their fair share to the recovery.”
The European Parliament’s main additions
The Parliament’s position adds to the Commission’s original proposal, notably in the following ways:
- the information requested from multinationals should be presented separately, including for each tax jurisdiction outside the EU;
- multinationals must make their annual report on income tax information publicly available and free of charge, and file the report in a public registry managed by the Commission;
- a safeguard clause for sensitive corporate data has been added, allowing multinationals to temporarily omit information when disclosing it would be seriously prejudicial to their commercial positions;
- additional items of information will be provided in the tax reports to help achieve a more complete picture, such as information on the number of all full-time employees, fixed assets, stated capital, preferential tax treatment, or government subsidies;
- subsidiaries with a turnover of EUR 750 million or more would also be subject to country-by-country reporting requirements.
Background
This legislation is part of the EU’s regulatory measures to implement the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan 13. In essence, multinationals with annual turnovers of more than EUR 750 million will be required to provide an annual tax statement that breaks down key elements of the statements by tax jurisdiction. This will provide the public and tax authorities with more visibility on what taxes are being paid where.
On 4 July 4 2017, Parliament adopted its amendments to the Commission’s proposal. It then reconfirmed its position in its first reading on March 27, 2019. On 24 October 2019, MEPs passed a strong resolution urgently calling on the member states to break the deadlock and enter inter-institutional negotiations.
Fact-finding regarding alleged violations of fundamental rights involving Frontex.
The EP Frontex Scrutiny Working Group (FSWG) will meet on Thursday with the agency’s Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri and Commissioner Ylva Johansson.
The fourteen-member working group has been set up to assess the functioning of the European border agency, following media reports that it was allegedly involved in pushbacks of asylum-seekers in Aegean waters. Suspicions of mismanagement led to several inquiries, both internally and by different EU bodies, such as OLAF (the EU’s anti-fraud office) and the Ombudsman’s office.
Chaired by Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT), the FSWG will carry out a fact-finding investigation in its first four months, gathering all relevant information and evidence regarding alleged violations of fundamental rights involving Frontex.
International Women’s Day 2021: Women leading the fight against COVID-19
MEPs and national parliamentarians will discuss women’s key role in fighting the pandemic during an inter-parliamentary committee meeting on Thursday morning.
The annual inter-parliamentary meeting marking International Women’s Day gathers MEPs and national MPs to discuss gender equality and women’s rights issues. This year’s theme is ‘‘We are strong: Women leading the fight against COVID-19’’.
After an introductory word by the Chair of the EP Women’s Rights Committee, Evelyn Regner (S&D, AT), opening speeches will be delivered by EP President David Sassoli, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, followed by a keynote speech by the President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
The main panel discussion will deal with ‘‘Women on the frontlines: lessons learnt from the crisis management’’. Khadija Arib, President of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, Dr Isabelle Loeb, Medical Director at Saint-Pierre Hospital in Brussels, Kristel Krustuuk, Founder and Chief Testing Officer at Testlio, Carlien Scheele, Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality, and Concha Andreu, Rapporteur on the Gender Equality Strategy at the European Committee of the Regions, will participate.
Closing remarks will be delivered by Helena Dalli, Commissioner for equality, and by Evelyn Regner.