MEPs debate EU co-ordination over court protection orders
Debate on harmonisation of university teaching standards
Three human rights motions approved at vote
MEPs approve new rules for car emissions tests regime
They also call for EU fund to support investigative journalism
Today's voting session comes to an end - and with it, our live coverage of events at the European Parliament for this week.
The next plenary sitting will be a mini-sitting in Brussels on the 2-3 May, with MEPs returning to Strasbourg for a full plenary on 28-31 May.
Voting session
Image source, ReutersThe murders have prompted huge protests in Slovakia
MEPs also back a non-binding motion calling for EU police co-operation agency Europol to be involved in investigations into the murder of a Slovak journalist and his partner.
The text “strongly recommends” giving the agency full access to the case file.
Jan Kuciak was investigating government corruption when he was killed. His fiancée, Martina Kusnirova, was also murdered in an attack at their home.
The resolution also calls on the European Commission to set up a permanent EU fund for supporting investigative journalism.
Voting session
Image source, ReutersMEPs also approve legislation to beef up the EU's rulebook for approving new car types.
The overhaul was announced in 2016 after Volkswagen admitted fitting "cheat" devices in their diesel cars so they would appear less polluting during official tests.
Under the new system, national testing authorities will be required to check at least one in 40,000 vehicles registered in the country the previous year.
The European Commission will also get powers to carry out its own vehicle inspections and fine companies up to €30,000 for each non-compliant vehicle.
Voting session
MEPs give final approval new EU anti-money laundering laws announced in the wake of the Panama Papers leaks.
The new measures will give EU citizens greater rights to find out the identities of the beneficial owners of companies.
MEPs reached an agreement on the legislation with member states in December.
The legislation will come into force 18 months after it is formally signed off by national ministers.
Voting session
MEPs approve the human rights motions they debated this morning which:
That’s the debate on the human rights motions finished. They will be put to a vote during today’s voting session, which will get underway shortly.
Debate on human rights motions
Image source, AFPThe third motion calls on Israeli soldiers to “refrain from using lethal force against unarmed protestors” following deaths during recent protests at the Gaza-Israeli border.
Thousands had marched to the border at the start of a six-week protest, dubbed the Great March of Return. The Israeli military said soldiers had opened fire after rioting.
The text also acknowledges the right of Israel to protect its borders using “proportionate means”, and condemns terror attacks by Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip.
Hamas is on the EU list of terrorist organisations subject to restrictive measures.
Debate on human rights motions
Image source, EPAMEPs move on to the second motion, which calls on the Philippines to stop conducting extrajudicial killings as part of the country’s drugs war.
It also expresses “grave concerns” over reports that the Philippine police force is falsifying evidence to justify killings.
In February, the International Criminal Court (ICC) began examining alleged crimes committed during the controversial anti-drugs crackdown.
The motion urges EU countries to consider calling for the Philippines to be removed from the UN’s Human Rights Council before its membership expires at the end of this year.
Debate on human rights motions
Image source, ReutersAlexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994
The first motion condemns the “harassment of journalists and independent media” during local elections in Belarus held in February.
The text also calls on the government to lift restrictions on an opposition website and implement recommendations of international electoral watchdogs.
It also calls on the government to abandon changes to media law which the motion says would threaten the freedom of expression.
That’s the debate on the Bologna Process finished.
Next up are short debates on this month’s three topical human rights motions.
Debate on the Bologna Process
Image source, EBSIndustry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska says the Bologna Process has played a "crucial role" in building trust between European universities.
She says there should now be a focus on improving implementation, including in participating countries that are outside the EU.
Plans launched last year, external for a "European educational area" by 2025 will provide a "much welcome" impact on Bologna Process, she adds.
The strategy includes proposals for an EU student card to record qualifications and new benchmarks for language learning in schools.
Next up MEPs are debating the so-called Bologna Process – an EU scheme to standardise university teaching standards and the recognition of qualifications.
Members of the education committee have tabled an oral question asking the European Commission what it is doing to give “new impetus” to the programme.
Debate on European Protection Orders
European Parliament
Strasbourg
Image source, EBSSwedish social democrat Soraya Post, one of two MEPs who has drafted the report, says EPOs could play a much bigger role in protecting women from violence.
Protection orders can be used to prohibit offenders from living near to victims of a crime or restricts their contact with them.
She says it is "very frustrating" that the EU-wide recognition scheme has been little used since the legislation came into force, with only seven EPOs issued so far.
Her report recommends mandatory training on the EPO system for those likely to come into contact with victims, and making the application process free of charge.
Hello and welcome to coverage of this final day of this week’s European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg.
The sitting will begin shortly, when MEPs will first debate a report drafted by the justice committee reviewing implementation of the European Protection Order (EPO).
The EPO, which was introduced in 2011, allows court protection orders in criminal cases in one EU country to be enforced in another. It does not apply to Ireland and Denmark.
The report calls on participating EU countries to better communicate on the execution of EPOs, noting that there is currently a “significant gap” in coordination.
It also calls for the European Commission to set up a system to collect information on EPOs from all member states.
With that, the debate on the role of national parliaments comes to an end - and with it, our coverage of today's European Parliament plenary sitting.
MEPs will be back again tomorrow at 08.00 BST, when they will first debate co-operation over the enforcing of national court protection orders in other EU countries.
After a debate on harmonisation of university teaching standards, they will debate and vote on three topical human rights motions.
They will also vote on a draft motion calling for EU policing agency Europol to be involved in an investigation by Slovak authorities into the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak.
MEPs are now debating a report drafted by the constitutional affairs committee about the role of national parliaments in the EU.
The report says MPs have a key role in ensuring their own national governments do not “gold plate” EU legislation when incorporating it into national law.
Gold plating is a term used to describe when an EU law is strengthened when converted into national legislation, thereby making it more onerous for businesses to comply with.
It suggests national parliaments should make “full use” of a system whereby they can submit ideas for new EU laws to the European Commission.
Debate on EU rules for organic produce
European Parliament
Strasbourg
Image source, EBSAgriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan says reaching a provisional deal on the new rules has involved many "twists and turns".
He says the overhaul of the rules was "overdue", and that some of the current rules were over twenty years old.
Within agriculture, organic production has gone from being "niche" to "mainstream", he says. The new rules will allow continued expansion whilst ensuing the sector retains consumer confidence, he says.
The organic labelling scheme has been expanded to products such as salt and cork, he says.
Image source, ReutersNext this evening MEPs are discussing proposals to revise the EU’s rules on the production and labelling of organic food products.
The European Commission announced the plans in 2014 in a bid to increase consumer confidence in organic products and deter unfair competition.
The European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the legislation with national agriculture ministers last June, which will be put to a final vote tomorrow.
If approved the new rules – to apply from the start of 2021 – will apply to a greater range of organic products than is the case at the moment.
Some exemptions to the rules will be phased out, whilst there will also be a new legal requirement for farmers and importers to have at least one physical on-site check per year.
Debate on new EU car testing regime
European Parliament
Strasbourg
Image source, EBSIndustry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska thanks MEPs for supporting the "high level of ambition" in the new EU rules.
The new system will also play a role in reaching EU climate targets and restoring public confidence in the emissions testing scheme.
The new regime will be "key" in avoiding a repeat of the dieselgate scandal, she says.
Debate on new EU car testing regime
European Parliament
Strasbourg
Image source, EBSConservative MEP Daniel Dalton, who has negotiated on behalf of the European Parliament for the new system, says the new testing regime will be "rigorous and transparent".
He says the so-called 'dieselgate' scandal exposed the "limitations" of the current system, where national approval certificates are accepted across the EU.
He is normally sceptical about creating new powers for the European Commission, he adds, but the scandal "showed an umpire was needed".
He tells MEPs that the regime will also make more information on emissions tests available online for third parties.