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.

At least a fifth of these checks must be related to emissions, which will have to be done under real driving conditions.

The European Commission will also be granted powers to carry out its own vehicle inspections and fine companies up to €30,000 for each non-compliant vehicle.

However, a Commission proposal to time-limit the validity of type-approval certificates to five years has been taken out of the final text.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, PA

MEPs are now debating plans to beef up the EU’s rulebook for approving new car types in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal.

The EU Commission proposed the update in early 2016 after VW admitted fitting so-called "cheat" devices in their diesel cars so they would appear less polluting during official tests.

Approval for new vehicle types is granted by national authorities, although once granted authorisation is valid across the EU.

MEPs have reached a compromise on the new rules with national ministers which will be put to a final vote tomorrow. Once approved, it will apply from September 2020.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

French Socialist Pervenche Beres says the changes to the anti-money laundering rules are welcome.

The previous version of the legislation has been "overtaken by innovation in the financial sector".

She says that during negotiations on the rules update, the European Parliament pushed for provisions to guarantee more information is shared between national tax authorities.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

Dutch Green MEP Judith Sargentini says she hopes the new rules will help investigative journalists uncover cases of tax avoidance from companies.

Ms Sargentini is one of two MEPs charged with representing the European Parliament during negotiations over the new rules.

Firms, she says, will have to "think twice" before deciding to engage in tax avoidance schemes.

"They will know that the public is looking on," she adds.

MEPs are now debating proposals to revise EU anti-money laundering laws announced in the wake of the Panama Papers leaks.

The new rules will give EU citizens greater rights to find out the identities of the beneficial owners of companies.

In addition, they will able to find out the beneficial owners of trusts if they can demonstrate a “legitimate interest” in doing so.

MEPs have reached an agreement on the legislation with member states which will be put to a vote tomorrow. Once given final approval it will enter into force 18 months later.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

Julia Reda, from the German Pirate Party, says the scandal shows the need for greater regulation of targeted online advertising.

Polish centre-right MEP Michał Boni says it should be used as an opportunity to improve data privacy rules, noting the new EU legislation has become a "point of reference for the whole world".

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

UKIP MEP the Earl of Dartmouth says the emphasis on Cambridge Analytica is a "distraction" from the "fundamental problem" of how Facebook operates.

He accuses Facebook of being a monopoly that uses "predatory practices" such as buying up potential competitors.

Given Facebook's business model, users do not have complete control over their data, he says.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

Dutch Liberal Sophia in't Veld says the new data protection law - the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - is now the "best known" EU law thanks to the scandal.

She too calls on Mark Zuckerberg to come to a hearing at the European Parliament, noting that Facebook has more users in Europe than the United States.

"He should be here," she says.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Portuguese Socialist MEP Maria Joao Rodrigues says the story has proven a "wake-up call" about the risks, not just the opportunities, of the digital world.

She calls for the EU to "take the lead" on the matter, adding that European co-operation on the issue is the only way to secure "digital sovereignty".

Flemish nationalist Helga Stevens says there is a need for a balance between data safety and security, given terrorists can profit from the anonymity provided online.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EBS

Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova says the data scandal is "too important to treat as business as usual", with up to 2.7m EU users potentially affected.

She says the EU's new data protection rules - which come into force next month - show that "we Europeans have got this right".

Democratic countries around the world are looking to the new legislation "for inspiration", she adds.

Mark Zuckerberg should accept the invitation to appear before MEPs, she says.

Image source, Reuters

Hello and welcome back to coverage of this European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg.

The sitting will be resuming shortly, when MEPs will debate the data sharing scandal involving Facebook and the British firm Cambridge Analytica.

Last week Facebook sent account holders notices informing them whether their information was shared with Cambridge Analytica.

It also confirmed that some private messages were included in data sent to the company that was gathered by a data-harvesting personality quiz.

The European Parliament has called on Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to give evidence on the scandal to three of its committees.

That’s today’s voting session finished. MEPs are now making short speeches to explain how they voted.

After this there will be a short break, after which the sitting will resume with a debate on the data scandal involving Facebook and the British firm Cambridge Analytica.

The European Commission has issued a press statement, external regarding the motion MEPs have just passed on the promotion of Martin Selmayr.

The statement says that the Commission will not revoke Mr Selmayr’s appointment, and notes that the motion itself does not call for this.

It adds that his promotion “followed all the rules both in spirit and to the letter”.

However it says the Commission will launch a process with other EU institutions to reassess how the appointment procedures can be improved in the future.

Image source, AFP

MEPs back a motion calling on the European Commission to “reassess” the procedure used for the controversial promotion of EU official Martin Selmayr.

The former cabinet chief to Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was rapidly promoted to become the body's secretary-general earlier this year.

The non-binding text says other candidates should be given the “possibility to apply” for the role, and describes the rapid two-step promotion as a "coup-like action”.

However, an amendment to the motion calling for the immediate resignation of Mr Selmayr is defeated during the voting on a show of hands.

MEPs also give final approval to four pieces of legislation designed to boost recycling within the EU.

The new laws will introduce a new set of recycling targets for municipal waste, the packaging sector, aging cars and batteries, among others.

The legislation aims to narrow the gap between recycling levels among the different EU states and help the bloc as a whole meet environmental targets.

The European Parliament had already reached agreements on the new laws with national governments.

Image source, PA

Image source, AFP

MEPs agree to ratify a framework agreement between the EU and Australia signed last year.

The agreement aims to increase co-operation in security, climate change and development policies.

The EU and Australia are also working towards opening negotiations on a free trade agreement.

First up, MEPs give their backing to a draft decision by EU leaders to hold the next European Parliament elections between 23–26 May next year.

The European Parliament does not have the power to change the dates but has to give its opinion before the relevant changes can be approved.

That’s the debate on the 53 reports on EU spending during 2016 finished.

They will be among the items to be voted on during today’s voting session, which will start shortly.

Among the details included in the 53 reports compiled by the budgetary control committee:

• the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will have “additional budgetary needs” over the next two years as its headquarters are moved out of London after Brexit
• the European Banking Authority (EBA) could lose revenue as a result of Brexit
• nine EU agencies have not adopted internal guidelines on whistleblowers

The budgetary control committee, which is responsible for recommending whether spending is signed off, has recommended giving the green light to 2016 spending by:

• the European Commission and six of its executive agencies
• various EU budget lines for overseas aid
• all decentralised EU agencies, apart from the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)

In its report, the European Court of Auditors said the EASO had “inadequate” procedures for complying with public procurement principles.