European Parliament

[EPT] Tobacco - Directive (Revision) - European Commission Proposal Revision of The Tobacco Products Directive (3 May 2013)

European Commission Proposal Revision of The Tobacco Products Directive. The Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) regulates the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in the EU 27 Member States. This notably covers the use of health warnings on packs, the prohibition of descriptions such as ’mild’ or ’light’, the maximum tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields, and the prohibition of the sale of tobacco for oral use. In February 2012, the (...)

[EPT] Child poverty and well being - Council Conclusions (proposal) Toward the European Commission’s Recommendations on Child Poverty and Well-Being (29 March 2013)

European Commission’s Recommendations on Child Poverty and Well-Being In 2010, the European Commission announced its intention to adopt a Recommendation on Child Poverty by 2012. This June 2012, the Social Protection Committee (SPC, part of the DG Employment) produced an advisory report “Tackling and Preventing Child Poverty, Promoting Child Well-being”. The paper will serve as a benchmark to develop the upcoming Child Poverty Recommendations by the EC later in February (...)

Nanomaterials in plastic packaging - are they safe for consumers?

During a roundtable discussion hosted by Holger Krahmer MEP (ALDE, DE) and organised by The Parliament Magazine and Plastics Europe, a study was presented on whether nanomaterials present in food packaging could potentially migrate into the food and presents risks to consumers. Presentations Photos What is nanotechnology? Nanomaterials as defined in a 2011 Commission Recommendation are materials which often have specific properties due to their small particle size. It offers a (...)

European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee adopts opinion on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) adopted on 19 March its opinion on the General Data Protection Regulation. This will now be forwarded to the responsible Civil Liberties (LIBE) Committee for consideration alongside the submitted amendments. The opinion broadly supports the Commission text, supporting the use of a regulation rather than a directive, a broad definition of personal data, and the requirement for explicit consent in order for processing to be (...)

[Update] European Parliament’s Industry and Employment Committees vote on the General Data Protection Regulation

The European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee voted on 20 February to adopt an opinion on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation. The Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee also voted the following day to adopt their own opinion. A total of four committees have now submitted opinions to the Rapporteur, including the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and Legal Affairs committees. The ITRE Committee opinion, drafted by MEP Sean (...)

[The Brussels Business] Interactive website and film

Arte TV, a Franco-German TV network, has just launched an online interactive app to foster dialogue between Brussels-based representatives in the EU Parliament and citizens, so both get to debate EU related issues online. The Brussels Business Online - Have your say The concept is simple: For eight weeks, the Arte TV team will be based inside the EU Parliament in Brussels in order to offer a “window of dialogue and action” on issues debated among EU lawmakers. This (...)

Go and Meet a Deputy! (Go MAD!)- NGOs urge citizens to Go MAD over the CAP Reform

Following the disappointing outcome of the January 23 vote by the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) over the CAP reform, 25 farmers’ and civil society networks from 10 countries are today launching the EU-wide action: Go M.A.D. (Go Meet A Deputy!). It calls upon Europe’s citizens to directly interact with their local members of the European Parliament (MEP) and ask them how they will vote during the plenary decision on the CAP (...)

[Seminar report] Tackling Health Inequalities through Investing in Housing

The event ’Tackling Health Inequalities through Investing in Housing’ focused on the connection between health inequalities and affordable housing. It emphasised that investment in good quality housing can bring returns in health and environmental outcomes. Evidence shows that decent housing is an important social and environmental determinant of health These determinants lie outside of the health sector . Nevertheless, neither health professionals nor health policymakers (...)

Public Hearing in the EP about the Fund For European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAMD)

The January 23 hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) was linked to the legislative report on the new Fund for European Aid to the most deprived 2014-2020 by MEP Emer Costello (S&D-IE). This scheme would deliver food aid, and provide homeless people and deprived children with consumer goods. The invited experts shared their experiences and their views on the new broadened scope of the Commission proposal. EP video: Citizens face (...)

European Parliament releases draft report on General Data Protection Regulation

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) published its draft report amending the Commission’s proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation on 17 December 2012. In doing so, Rapporteur Jan Albrecht MEP (Green/EFA, Germany), has stuck to his ambitious goal of having an updated European data protection framework by the end of the current Parliamentary term. The report makes 350 amendments to the original Commission text, covering (...)