European Union

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker was seen stumbling and struggling to keep his balance before a gala dinner at the Nato summit in Belgium, with Slovakia's president Milos Zeman and Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko having to support him. Juncker, 63, was also pictured in a wheelchair at the same event. Juncker, who is travelling to the US at the end of July, has said he suffers from sciatica, affecting his movements.

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for victims of terrorism.

Every year Europe commemorates victims of terrorism on 11 March. This European Remembrance Day was established after the 2004 Madrid bombings, which left 191 people dead and around 2 000 injured. But Europe does not limit its action to commemoration. European legislation aimed specifically at combating terrorism dates back to 2002, and introduced a common understanding of terrorist offences and minimal penalties for perpetrators across Europe. It recognised the vulnerability of terrorism victims and the assistance they and their families need.

Twitter Hashtag #EUandME

© MoiraM / Fotolia

With the recent wave of attacks, which affected nine EU countries between 2015 and 2018, the European Union reinforced its arsenal to protect citizens and help victims. A law adopted in 2017 not only tightens the rules and sanctions related to terrorist activities, but also provides for better support for victims. Complementing earlier legislation on the rights of victims of crime, this law addresses victims’ needs, such as medical and psychological care or legal advice, and puts emergency mechanisms in place to assist them in the aftermath of an attack. Moreover, victims from another European country should receive the same assistance and compensation as residents of the country where the attack occurred, even when they return home. To ensure more efficient cooperation between countries, a Coordination Centre for Victims of Terrorism will open in 2019. An EU country faced with a terrorist attack can also ask for help under the EU solidarity clause and benefit from the crisis response arrangements involving political coordination.

Further information

• European Commission webpage on assistance to victims of terrorism and their families, https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/crisis-and-terrorism/victims_en
• European Parliament, study ‘How can the EU and the Member States better help victims of terrorism?’, 2017,  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/596805/IPOL_STU(2017)596805_EN.pdf
• Fight against terrorism – definitions of terrorist crimes and support to victims, summary of legislation, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/LSU/?uri=CELEX:32017L0541

Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country, moved a step closer to joining the euro yesterday (12 July).

Israel summoned the EU ambassador yesterday (12 July) over allegations of interference in the passage of a controversial law which could pave the way for Jewish-only communities.

The Kremlin yesterday (12 July) rejected US President Donald Trump's description of Germany as a "captive" of Russia due to its energy reliance, saying his statement was part of a US campaign to bully Europe into buying American energy supplies.

Ireland committed to divesting public funds from fossil fuel companies on Thursday after parliament passed a bill forcing the €8.9 billion Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to withdraw money invested in oil, gas and coal.

European leaders stepped in to help European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker walk on Wednesday (11 July), as he was seen stumbling and losing his balance ahead of the NATO summit gala dinner.

The EU needs to take market surveillance more seriously. This is not only about spending more money, but also about creating more coherent and less complex single market legislation, writes Naemi Denz.

US President Donald Trump said a free trade deal with the UK might be impossible if London went ahead with Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals for post-Brexit ties with the European Union, in damaging remarks that could widen domestic criticism of her plans.

The management and balancing of the power system is becoming more and more complicated and expensive, and the European TSOs face new challenges. In order to prevent the instability of the system and the increase of the energy costs for the end users, it is necessary to reshape the current electricity market.

It’s the week of the three buffoons! David Davis decides to quit, Boris Johnson makes a split, and Donald Trump gives Nato a fit. This week started with a bang when David Davis make his shock resignation from the British...

Important advancements in diagnosing and treating breast cancer in Europe have been made in the last years. However, there are still many challenges to overcome, writes Lydia Makaroff.  

New legislation rubber-stamped by the European Parliament’s energy committee on Tuesday (10 July) means that the Commission must put together a mid-century climate plan by next year. Berlaymont officials are targeting the COP24 summit in December as a potential launch-pad for the draft strategy.

Remarks by President Centeno following the Eurogroup meeting of 12 July on follow-up to June Euro Summit, euro-area budgetary and economic situation, Ireland, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria’s preparations to join ERM II.

Statement welcoming the intention of the Bulgarian authorities to put in place the necessary elements for a successful entry into ERM II.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Trump has come to the UK during a Brexit crisis, after going through a Nato summit in Brussels like a bull in a china shop.

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EU Finance Ministers meet on 13 July 2018, in Brussels, to follow up on the June European Council, exchange views on the Austrian presidency work programme and approve the terms of reference for the G20 meeting of 21-22 July.

Download this video here.

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The EU is moving steadily towards enhancement of its relationship with Iraq and is committed to a long term, mutually beneficial relationship. The general focus of EU support is on helping Iraq to better use its own resources, through capacity building activities in the areas of good governance; socio-economic recovery through education and strengthening institutional capacity; water management and agriculture.

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Written by Irina Popescu (1st edition),

© aterrom / Fotolia

On 23 March 2018, the European Commission proposed a multiannual plan for management of fisheries in a northeast Atlantic area along the western coast of the EU, known as the Western Waters. The plan covers fisheries exploiting stocks of fish and crustaceans living close to the sea bottom (i.e. ‘demersal fisheries’), and several deep-sea stocks. The proposed plan aims to ensure that stocks are exploited sustainably and that management is based on the most up-to-date scientific information. The EU fishing fleet concerned mainly includes vessels from Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

The proposal follows the pattern set by the recently adopted North Sea multiannual plan. It would allow a certain flexibility in setting fishing opportunities, by defining ranges of fishing mortality based on the best available scientific advice, and would introduce safeguard measures based on biomass levels, so as to restore stocks when they fall below safe biological limits. The plan would not include quantified values for fishing mortality or biomass levels. These are instead provided by the latest scientific advice available, and directly used by the Council when fixing fishing opportunities.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Multiannual plan for fisheries in the Western Waters‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multiannual plan for fish stocks in the Western Waters and adjacent waters, and for fisheries exploiting those stocks, amending Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 establishing a multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) 509/2007 and (EC) 1300/2008 Committee responsible: Fisheries (PECH) COM(2018) 149
23.3.2018

 

2018/0074(COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Alain Cadec (EPP, France) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

  Ricardo Serrão Santos (S&D, Portugal)
Baroness Nosheena Mobarik (ECR, UK)
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE, Spain)
João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal)
Linnéa Engström (Greens/EFA, Sweden) Next steps expected: Committee vote