Votewatch.eu have launched a new tool along the votematch lines. Using EP Votematch, having showed how you would vote on issues that have passed the European Parliament, it will rank the MEPs that you agree with most. It is an interesting idea and I must say I was surprised with the results. Across the whole Parliament I agreed most with Kristiina OJULAND an Estonian ALDE MEP. Among the Irish MEPs Marian HARKIN (Ind, ALDE) was the MEP I agreed with...
Image via Wikipedia Are you interested in the European Union? Aged between 18-26? Want to go to Strasbourg to see how the European Union really works? Well heres your chance! Between the 19th to 26th March 2011 a Model European Union will take place in Strasbourg. It will debate two topics a Directive on the application of patient’s rights in cross-border healthcare and a Directive on working conditions of temporary workers. You can apply to be a MEP, a...
Image via Wikipedia Michael Heaver is reporting that 11 members of the European Conservatives and Reformists, those MEPs of the Polish Law and Justice, are set to leave the ECR and join the Europe of Freedom and Democracy grouping in the Parliament. This casts the survival of the the grouping into doubt as for a group to exist it must have 25 MEPs from across seven member states to be a grouping. If the Polish MEPs leave that would...
Image via Wikipedia Here is an interesting Press Release I got today from Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil of the European People’s Party. European Union Border Guard System proposed. Simon Busuttil MEP “Europe can no longer look on powerless at emergency situations because it is unable to muster resources or pool assets.” Simon Busuttil MEP Simon Busuttil MEP is proposing the establishment of a European Union Border Guard System that would bolster the EU’s external border agency, Frontex. Busuttil presented...
Image via Wikipedia A meeting of the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee has concluded that, “Croatian Accession negotiations can be concluded in the first half of 2011 provided that Croatia meets all the outstanding closing benchmarks in the remaining chapters.” Swedish EPP MEP, who co-chairs the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee stressed the importance to the Balkans of Croatia joining the EU. “Both for the EU and for the region, it is important that the conditionality linked to a credible EU...
The Spanish Presidency of the European Union on Wednesday will begin an Intergovernmental Conference to amend the Governing Treaties of the European Union to allow 18 MEPs to take their seats in the European Parliament under the Lisbon Treaty as elections took place under Nice Treaty rules. This new treaty will not greatly effect Ireland unless they decide to go changing other things. The following countries will gain MEP’s under the new Treaty: * Bulgaria 1 * Netherlands 1...
After reading this headline MEPs set course to re-open Lisbon treaty Queue lots of shouts of “nooooooooooooo” from me. It is a headline from the European Voice, about MEP’s on the constitutional affairs committee voting for an IGC on the Lisbon Treaty. This is all about the extra 18 MEP’s that are to be elected under Lisbon Treaty Rules, but weren’t as the election was under Nice Treaty Rules. You get that? So to add these MEPs we need...
Image via Wikipedia Heres another round up of issues making the rounds in the eurobloggerosphere at the moment, with thanks to BloggingPortal.eu Swedish Presidency The Swedish Presidency of the European Council is coming an end, and Spain gets ready to share the reins. A number of blogs look back at the 6 months of the Swedish Presidency. Mats Engström calls the Presidency “Effective” but it wasn’t exciting. (then again name one that was!) The Swedish Europe Minister (and Commissioner...
I got sent this list the other day, but due to events I am only posting it now. They are under a few caetgories and are linked! Democracy: I’m voting YES because Lisbon will give more power to the MEPs that I elect. (Articles 14 and 294)- More info: http://short.ie/24iwh2 I’m voting YES because I like the idea that when all of our governments meet and discuss things that affect me, they should do it in the open (Article...
The European Year of the Volunteer 2011
2011 has been designated the European Year of the Volunteer by the European Union. This is following a campaign led by Marian Harkin MEP (Ireland/ALDE). She worked with the unofficial “EP Volunteering Interest Group” to lobby the Parliament, the Council and the Commission on this initiative. Volunteering is very important in many Member States. Across the EU 92 to 94 million adults are involved in volunteering in the EU. That is 23% of all Europeans over 15 years of...
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