The EU Commission should go on negotiating with the USA to remedy “deficiencies” in proposed “Privacy Shield” protection for EU citizens’ data transferred to the US for commercial purposes, Parliament says in a non-legislative resolution passed on Thursday. In the resolution, passed by 501 votes to 119 with 31 abstentions, MEPs welcome the efforts of the Commission and the US administration to achieve "substantial improvements" in the Privacy Shield compared to the Safe Harbour decision which it is to replace. However,...

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Brussels, 26 May 2016 Ladies and Gentlemen, I can be very brief because Donald was covering the whole landscape in Europe and in the rest of the world. I would like to comment briefly on the general economic situation. The EU's recovery continues despite a more difficult global environment. In 2015, the European growth reached 2%, in the euro area 1.7%. These figures are confirming that the recovery is on solid ground and well on track. The GDP level of the...

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Consumers should be given more power in the energy market, say MEPs in a resolution on a "new energy deal for energy consumers", voted on Thursday. They recommend collective buying, household power generation, better price comparison tools for all and making it easier to switch energy providers and tariffs. In a non-binding text, intended as an input to Energy Union legislation to be tabled by the EU Commission, MEPs also call for EU funds for energy efficiency to focus...

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The European Commission today tabled a package of measures to allow consumers and companies to buy and sell products and services online more easily and confidently across the EU. Delivering on its Digital Single Market and Single Market strategies, the European Commission has presented a three-pronged plan to boost e-commerce by tackling geoblocking, making cross-border parcel delivery more affordable and efficient and promoting customer trust through better protection and enforcement. Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: "All too...

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Europe’s financial system showed resilience in face of rising vulnerabilities stemming from emerging market economies and financial market turbulence over the past six months Economic and financial vulnerabilities persist in the form of high legacy debt, both public and private, and a weak economic recovery Euro area banking sector repair continues amid challenges to profitability and, in some countries, high stocks of non-performing loans The euro area financial system was able to absorb the strong turmoil around the turn of the year...

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The European Commission today tabled a package of measures to allow consumers and companies to buy and sell products and services online more easily and confidently across the EU. Delivering on its Digital Single Market and Single Market strategies, the European Commission has presented a three-pronged plan to boost e-commerce by tackling geoblocking, making cross-border parcel delivery more affordable and efficient and promoting customer trust through better protection and enforcement. Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: "All too...

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The European Union’s efforts to ensure clean and healthy bathing water began forty years ago when the first Bathing Water Directive was issued. The annual bathing water report published today proves the value of the legislation and the years of investment in waste water infrastructure and other pollution reduction measures. It shows that bathing water quality has improved continuously over time leading to ninety-six per cent of monitored bathing sites in the EU meeting the minimum standards for water...

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The European Commission's proposal for an EU anti-tax avoidance directive was welcomed by Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in a resolution voted on Tuesday. MEPs nonetheless advocated stricter limits on deductions for interest payments and an effective corporate tax rate of 15%. The committee approved its text by 20 votes to 15, with 21 abstentions. This outcome was closer than expected because at the last minute - during the voting - the EPP group decided to vote blank due...

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The European Commission wants to offer clarity and legal certainty about patenting the natural traits of vegetables and other plants through further interpretation of the biotech directive. This was announced by European Commissioner for the Internal Market Elżbieta Bieńkowska at the symposium ‘Finding the Balance’ in Brussels, organised by Minister for Agriculture Martijn van Dam in the context of the Netherlands EU Presidency. Breakthrough ‘This is a definite breakthrough in the discussion on patent law and plant breeders’ rights,’ the minister...

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