The European Commission is launching an EU sanctions whistleblower tool that should increase the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. People that are aware of possible violations of any EU sanctions can use the tool to anonymously report them.
While Russian convoys of military trucks and armed vehicles are crossing the border into the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, groups in the European Parliament are calling for the EU to act as soon as possible. Many condemn Putin’s actions and are calling for new sanctions.
During a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers the council condemned what they call ‘Russia’s continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine’. The Council of the EU calls for Russia to de-escalate the situation and abide by international law.
In this very first episode of Speaking of Europe’s Plenary Podcast Yves Lacroix and Lena Tomalik talk about the European Parliament’s plenary meeting of December 2021. On the agenda: The Sakharov Prize, the Digital Markets Act and sexual harassment in the EU institutions.
Renew Europe is demanding the European Parliament establishes a Committee of Inquiry on the abuse of Pegasus Spyware by EU governments against national opposition politicians, lawyers and journalists.
The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament have nominated Alica Bah Kuhnke to run for the position of President of the European Parliament in next week’s vote.
As another year finally comes to an end it is time for Speaking of Europe to look back a little and maybe even give you a peek into the future. We’ve been working as hard as we can to provide you with EU news and we will definitely continue to do so.
The Slovakian member of the European Parliament Michal Wiezik is switching sides. He is giving up his membership of the Christian Democratic European People’s Party (EPP) and is joining the liberal Renew Europe Group.
The European Peoples Party (EPP) has elected Roberta Metsola from Malta to be their candidate to become the president of the European Parliament. Metsola was up against the Austrian Othmar Karas and Dutch Esther de Lange.
Esther de Lange, Dutch MEP of the European Peoples Party (EPP), submitted her candidacy to be the EPP nominee for the President of the European Parliament.
