Welcome back to BBC Democracy Live's coverage of today's proceedings from the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg.

MEPs are going to begin this afternoon's session with a debate on whether Palestine should be recognised as a state, following the proposals of the left-wing GUE and Socialist and Democrats groups in the Parliament.

Following changes voted on Monday, a vote on a resolution will now not take place tomorrow as originally planned, but has been postponed until next month's plenary session.

That's the voting session and explanation of votes finished, and the morning session comes to an end.

MEPs will return at 14.00 GMT, when they will be debating the issue of Palestinian statehood. See you soon.

Explaining why she voted in favour of the Parliament's motion on the Lima summit, Labour MEP Neena Gill says that the human costs of climate change can be "unbelievable", and that she hopes the vote with endorse the EU to take on a key role at the negotiations.

Earlier this month, the ECB became solely responsible for monitoring the health of the eurozone's biggest banks, under plans introduced in the wake of the financial crisis.

This is known as the "Single Supervisory Mechanism", or SSM.

The reforms, a key part of the EU's proposed banking union, aim to introduce more uniform regulation of banks across the eurozone, so that the health of large banks is better monitored.

MEPs have voted to:

Endorse a report giving Parliament's approval to increase the ability of the European Central Bank (ECB) to impose sanctions on national central banks that do not follow its rules; and to changes that would allow the ECB to collect confidential statistical information

Approve a motion calling on EU countries to play a "key role" in upcoming climate agreement negotiations ahead of the Lima conference next month.

After a short break, MEPs will make short speeches to explain how they voted.

The European Commission president defended his decision not to spend EU money on new infrastructure projects as part of his €315bn plan to spur growth, saying the scheme would have created more debt than the bloc could afford, writes Peter Spiegel in Strasbourg for the Financial Times, external.

At today's session, MEPs are going to be voting on:

• A report to give Parliament's approval to increase the ability of the European Central Bank (ECB) to impose sanctions on national central banks that do not follow its rules

• A report to give Parliament's approval to changes that would allow the ECB to collect confidential statistical information

• A motion calling on EU countries to play a "key role" in upcoming climate agreement negotiations ahead of the Lima conference, particularly that rich nations should stick to their promise of giving $100bn per year to the UN's Green Climate Fund by 2020.

Dr Mukwege tells the chamber that today's prize "will have no meaning for the victims of these crimes unless you walk the path with us to peace".

"Our country is sick, but with the help of our friends across the world, we will cure it," he concludes, prompting widespread applause in the chamber.

That's the award ceremony for the Sakharov Prize finished.

MEPs will now hold their lunchtime voting session, after which MEPs will be given the opportunity to make short speeches explaining how they voted, if they wish.

Labour MEP Mary Honeyball ‏tweets: Urgent need to act in DRC. Dr Mukwege says people there want peace & action needed now #SakharovPrize

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, to give it its full title, is named after the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov.

It was established in December 1988 by the Parliament to reward either individuals or organizations who dedicate their lives to the defence of human rights and freedoms, particularly the right to free expression.

Last year, the prize was awarded to Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Previous winners of the prestigious prize included Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.

"In each raped woman, I see my wife," continues Dr Makwege, "and in each raped mother, I see my mother," telling MEPs that it is time to use all levers possible to try to resolve the current conflict in the Great Lakes region.

After a standing ovation from MEPs, Dr Mukwege begins his speech by saying that in a world of "upside-down values", even the refusal of violence makes people dissidents.

He says the prize recognises the courage and dignity of the rape victims he treats.

The awarding of this prize comes two years after Dr Mukwege survived an assassination attempt made against him after he condemned the continued use of sexual violence in DR Congo by forces fighting to control the country's mineral wealth.

Jean Lambert MEP tweets: Congratulations to @DenisMukwege, 2014 #SakharovPrize winner: works for rape victims of war in DRC & globally. Calls on men to speak out

"Instead of turning away, you have become a fearless man," says Martin Schulz, highlighting Dr Mukwege's determination to denounce the use of rape as a tool of war - something he says "must be brought to an end", to loud applause from the members in the chamber.

He's getting the award - which is worth 50,000 euros - for his work helping thousands of gang rape victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He was nominated by the Parliament's Socialist and liberal groups, and MEP Barbara Lochbihler.

Dr Mukwege arrives in the chamber, accompanied by Parliament President Martin Schulz, who makes some brief introductory remarks to the Ukrainian pro-EU EuroMaidan movement, which has two representatives in the chamber today: Yelyzaveta Schepetylnykova, a student representative in the EuroMaidan Council Presidium and Mustafa Nayem, a blogger and journalist.

The movement was awarded second place for this year's award.

MEPs are now going to watch a short film about Dr Mukwege.

European Parliament tweets: .@DenisMukwege collects his #SakharovPrize 2014. Watch the ceremony live, external #Eplenary

Image source, other

Italian MP Sandro Gozi closes the debate on climate change on behalf of the Council of Ministers by urging that participating countries "have to get a result" at the Lima conference, adding that he believes the EU's contribution to the discussions will be "extremely valued".

That's the debate on climate change and the Lima conference finished. MEPs will vote on the resolution this lunchtime.

The next item of business on today's agenda is the awarding of the Sakharov Prize - the EU's top human rights award - to the Congolese gynaecologist Dr Denis Mukwege.

Labour MEP Linda McAvan asks the Commission how it intends to work together with the Council of Ministers to make sure climate deals include the new set of SDGs - or sustainable development goals - that the UN is negotiating to replace its Millennium development targets on poverty reduction.

Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN-backed panel of experts, recommended that the unrestricted use of fossil fuels is phased out by 2100 in order to avoid dangerous climate change.

The so-called synthesis report, external suggests renewables will have to grow from their current 30% share to 80% of the power sector by 2050.