So a thread over on Machine Nation got me thinking ahead to next June’s European Elections. Some parties, including the Greens, Labour and Sinn Fein have selected their candidates. FF are a foregone conclusion with FG the only major party left to select. Of course Kathy Sinnott will run again. Libertas who say it is “substantially correct” that they have registered as a European Political Party. So who is running (in no particular order):Labour (Party of European Socialists) are...
A friend posted this on Facebook, its an European Parliament version of They Work For You, called How MEPs Work. Its not run by the EP but by Institute for Public Policy Bucharest with the financial support of ‘Trust for Civil Society’ for Central and Eastern Europe. It is an interesting site with plenty of nice info. Some random stuff. Top 3 Irish MEPs for Attendance:1. Seán Ó NEACHTAIN UEN – 97.56% 1. Kathy SINNOTT IND/DEM – 97.56% 3....
So whos not going to the opening Ceremony. German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel has said she will not attend the opening ceremony and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed he will not attend the opening ceremony but will attend the closing ceremony. George Bush is still going but at this point all the Presidential candidates (including McCain, has asked him to not attend. Meanwhile the European Parliament voted on a resolution today calling on “Calls on the EU...
The European Parliament has approved a resolution on the Lisbon treaty. The results were as follows:525 Yes115 No29 abstenions Source (PDF) The Irish MEPs voted in the following way:Yes:ALDE: HarkinPPE-DE: Burke, Doyle, Higgins, McGuinneas, MitchelPES: De RossaUEN: Aylward, Crowley, O’Neactain, Ryan No:GUE/NGL: McDonaldIND/DEM: Sinnott Abtenstions:None So the majority of Irish MEPs are in favour of the Treaty. I wonder if the referendum reuslts will reflect this.
This EU links post shall be all about the EU political groups in the Parliament. For a Group to be formally recognised in the Parliament, it must fulfil the conditions laid down in Rule 29 of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. That Rule states that a Group must have MEPs elected in at least one-fifth of the Member States, must have at least twenty MEPs, must contain no MEP that is a member of another Group, and its...
More stuff from the EU Commission: New Porposals on Border controls from the Commission Commission: McCreevy proposes that the term of copyright protection for European performers be increased from 50 to 95 years Exexutive Agencies: Frontex, European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders. Its in the spotlight at the moment so have a read about them. Parliament: Prince Charles talks to the EP Parliament: Contacts for the Irish MEP’s. EESC: The European Economic and...
I found it! Yay!!! About time! The report is here Its long but its got the opinions from a few different committees and an explanatory note! Enjoy
John over at Semper Idem has an interesting post about the pitfalls that face the Treaty of Lisbon in the 22 countries left to ratify the Treaty where it may be used as a political football like in Slovakia at the moment. John also has a post about the YFG Lisbon poster competition that I was going to post about but he beat me to it! So I’ll just link to him instead! A body I have left out...
Heres another installment of EU links! Commission: Tuesday is Safer Internet Day Commission: The EU can help small businesses Parliament: Excercise your rights. Submit a petition Europa: Europe Direct. Have a question? Call or Email! Debate Europe: Debate on the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty
The Treaty of Lisbon will not change the institutional set up of the EU. What it will do is try to make it run that bit smoother. Which is no mean feet! I will look at each institution in turn. European Parliament This is the only directly elected body EU. The new treaty has boosted its powers as regards lawmaking, the EU budget and approval of international agreements, as I outlined in part 2. The composition of the parliament...
Recent Comments