Euobserver.com

It is two years since the EU parliament concluded that EU maladministration had helped cause the deadly emissions scandal known as 'Dieselgate'. But MEPs 'never really received a proper response' from the EU commission.

Swedish lender Swedbank handled €135bn of dodgy money in recent years, leaked documents say, in a second EU banking scandal of vast proportions.

The EU's border agency Frontex may end up being used by western Balkan states to send people back to their home countries - where they could face death or persecution.

UK prime minister Theresa May offered on Wednesday to Conservative MPs to resign if in turn they guaranteed parliament's backing for her withdrawal agreement with the EU, in a third and final attempt to pass the deal. Meanwhile, MPs rejected all eight proposed Brexit options, with a commitment for the government to negotiate a customs union with the EU coming closest. It was voted down by 272 votes to 264.

Maltese armed forces have boarded an oil tanker that was allegedly hijacked by migrants who refused to be turned back to Libya, where they face persecution. The tanker, crew and migrants are now being escorted to Boiler Wharf in Valletta to be handed over to the police for further investigation, Maltese authorities told Malta Today.

The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party confirmed on Wednesday that its 10 MPs will still not support Theresa May's Brexit deal despite the prime minister's offer to step down if parliament backed her deal. "The necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured," a statement from the party said, adding that the deal "poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom".

Facebook announced on Wednesday it would start enforcing a ban on support for white nationalism and separatism from next week. The ban comes less than two months before European elections in May, when some 350 million European citizens will have the right to go to the polls. People searching for certain terms on Facebook and Instagram will be directed to a website founded by former violent extremists.

MEPs are debating and voting on their report on the European Peace Facility - a proposal from Federica Mogherini that would, among other things, enable the EU to "train and equip" foreign government militaries, including with lethal weapons.

A large majority of MEPs (560 in favour, 35 against, 28 abstaining) on Wednesday voted in favour of legislation which will ban the use of plastic in throw-away items like cutlery. The new rules will also require that as of 2030, plastic drink bottles should consist of at least 30 percent recycled plastic. Additionally, 90 percent of those throw-away bottles in the EU should be collected for recycling by 2029.

MEPs supported a political compromise for new environmental rules on the car industry on Wednesday. An overwhelming majority, 521 MEPs, voted in favour, with 63 voting against, and 34 abstaining. The new regulation will require carmakers to reduce emissions from cars they produce by 37.5 percent by 2030, compared to 2021. Additionally it contains a range of measures aimed at stimulating production of greener cars.

As British MPs are poised to give an advisory vote on possible Brexit alternatives, EU Council chief Donald Tusk has called on Theresa May's government to listen to those who British citzens want to stop Brexit.

Illegal settlers are more free to travel to and trade with the EU than Palestinians who are living at home, posing unanswered questions on EU visa and trade policy.

An EU agency has received only one notification under the new securitisation regulation so far. 'The market is waiting from some key implementing rules to be adopted by the European Commission.'

Malta and Cyprus should end their golden passport schemes, MEPs have said, amid an EU-wide alert on Russian money laundering.

New cars sold in the EU by 2022 must be fitted with devices to automatically stop drivers from exceeding speed limits, according to a political compromise reached on Tuesday between the Parliament, Council and Commission in so-called trilogue negotiations. The deal must formally be approved by the parliament and council. It also included automated emergency braking, sensors, data recording and better vision for drivers to see cyclists and pedestrians.

'A reality check shows that we are already falling a little bit behind in the first few years,' said the new coordinator for the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS).

MEPs will vote on Wednesday on new CO2 targets for carmakers. How did those targets come about?

France's EU minister Nathalie Loiseau resigned on Tuesday in order to lead president Macron's centrist party On The Move's campaign in the European parliamentary elections in May. In a press conference, a total of 30 candidates were announced, including two foreigners. Surveys suggest the party could win 24 percent of French votes, closely followed by Le Pen's National Rally. It would most likely team up with the Liberal Alde group.

Austrian authorities confirmed on Tuesday they have searched Identitarian Movement leader, Martin Sellner's, Vienna apartment to secure any evidence of links to the attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. A donation to the Austrian organisation appeared to match the email address of the terrorist. "I have nothing to do with this terror attack," Sellner said, adding that his organisation was a peaceful anti-immigration group.

The EU's political and security committee reportedly agreed on Tuesday to phase out the Mediterranean migrant rescue Operation Sophia's mandate during a prolonged six-month period, pending final confirmation from member states. Operation Sophia was already given one interim extension of three months in December as EU countries disagreed on a longer commitment. Sophia is believed to have saved 45,000 people's lives since it began in 2015.