#EU: Euro. Parliament Votes To Ease Regulations On Genetically-Modified Crops

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Europe has long been a bastion of skepticism about genetically engineered organisms, but today the European Parliament voted to lessen regulatory oversight of crops created through one type of DNA manipulation: gene editing.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliament Approves Battery Regulations

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A vote to approve proposals for carbon footprint labelling, recycled content, and ethical sourcing of materials in the European Union Batteries Regulation has been welcomed by trade groups.

Last week, the European Parliament voted to approve the regulation, which has been drafted by the European Commission. It got 587 votes in favour, nine parliamentarians opposed it and 20 abstained.

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#EU: Euro Parliament Votes More Ammo To Ukraine

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European Union lawmakers decided Tuesday to fast-track legislation to boost ammunition and missile production in the 27-nation bloc to support the war effort in Ukraine.

Members of the European Parliament voted 518-39 with 31 abstentions to trigger an urgent procedure that should allow the adoption of the bill during the EU legislature's next plenary session at the end of the month, after which talks can start up with EU member nations.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#HUNGARY: Parliament Passes Judicial Reforms Demanded By EU

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The Hungarian Parliament voted to approve the judicial reform package needed to unlock €13.2 billion from the frozen EU cohesion funds on Wednesday, May 3rd, a day after the Hungarian prime minister met with Johannes Hahn, the EU’s budget commissioner in Budapest.

Even if the reforms were technically approved by the EU, it could still take months until the European Commission gives the final green light for releasing the funds, while the rest of the €27.8 billion of EU funds it decided to withhold from the country last year will remain tied to further legislative steps.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: French Greens Will Oppose Market areforms To Emissions Plan

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In December, negotiators from the European Parliament, the Commission and EU member states reached agreement on the reformed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the EU’s carbon market and flagship climate policy tool.

A key sticking point in the reformed ETS was a proposal to extend carbon pricing to heating and transport fuels, such as petrol, diesel, heating oil and gas, which will start applying as of 2027.

The new carbon tax is expected to add 10 eurocents to the price of petrol, but its impact will be softened by the introduction of a new social climate fund worth €87 billion.

The French Greens are expected to oppose the reformed ETS, and it is unclear whether their socialist counterparts in S&D, who in France are part of the left-wing alliance NUPES, will follow them or not.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#MOROCCO: Parliament Votes To "Reconsider" EU Relations After Human Rights Criticism

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The Moroccan parliament voted unanimously on Monday to reconsider its ties with the European parliament after a non-binding resolution was approved last Thursday that condemned Morocco and urged the kingdom to respect media freedom.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliament Bans Lobbying By Qataris After Suspected Bribery Attempts

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Members of the European Parliament voted on Thursday to suspend access to the body's premises to Qatari representatives as the Gulf country is suspected of having offered "large sums of money" and "substantial gifts" to MEPs and assistants in a bid to influence European decision-making.

Lawmakers also decided to halt all pending legislation involving Qatar.

The investigation by Belgian police into undue influence by a Persian Gulf state widely believed to be Qatar has sent shockwaves through Brussels and thrown into question the parliament's transparency and lobbying rules.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELARUS: Lukashenko Considers Invasion Of Ukraine, Euro Parliament Prepares Sanctions

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The most recent statements by Belarus Pres. Alexander Lukashenko about the deployment of its troops to Ukraine and about "checking the combat readiness" of the Belarusian armed forces against Brussels were considered a sure sign that Minsk would launch a military offensive against Ukraine. 

Therefore, the European Parliament has called for the preparation of a new package of tough sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, which will come into effect immediately when the Belarusian authorities begin an invasion of Ukraine.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: European Parliament Mandates Universal Phone Chargers By 2024

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Europeans might soon have an easier time finding the right charging cords for each of their devices. The European Parliament approved a measure Tuesday that would require all cellphones and other small handheld electronic devices sold in the European Union to have the same USB Type-C charging port.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Hungary Is "Not A Democracy" Says Euro Parliament

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Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy, the European parliament has said in a powerful symbolic vote against Viktor Orbán’s government.

In a resolution backed by 81% of MEPs present to vote, the parliament stated that Hungary had become a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy”, citing a breakdown in democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Parliament Passes Tougher Deforestation Law

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The European Parliament has voted for a stricter deforestation law to help better protect the world’s forests. The law aims to ensure that agricultural products sold in Europe are free of deforestation and human rights violations. Companies will be required to guarantee that the products they sell in Europe are not driving deforestation or human rights abuses. 

The Parliament voted to strengthen the initial draft law prepared by the European Commission, particularly by widening the scope of commodities to include natural rubber, maize and leather; extending the definition of “forests” to include other wooded lands (such as the Cerrado savannah in Brazil); and ensuring companies undertake due diligence with regards to upholding human rights and Indigenous peoples’ rights in their supply chains.  

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Parliament Bans "Fly Shooting" In Part Of English Channel

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The European Parliament has voted to ban “fly shooting” fishing in French territorial waters in the English Channel, following reports that the technique, also known as demersal seining, was allegedly having a “devastating” effect on local fishers.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU : Euro Parliament Says Nuclear, Natural Gas Can Be Considered "Green" Fr Investments

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European Union lawmakers have voted in favor of calling natural gas and nuclear power "green" or "sustainable" sources of energy.

The European Commission has argued that natural gas — a fossil fuel primarily made of methane, a significant contributor to the climate crisis — plays a key role in transitioning to renewable energy, angering climate activists and some lawmakers. 

Natural gas typically emits less carbon dixoide than coal, but critics argue more focus should be place on boosting renewable energy, and that supporting new gas projects will only prolong the life of the fossil fuel.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: European Parliament Introduces Election Reforms: Younger People Voting, At-Large Seats

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European lawmakers have backed a proposal to reform the way they are elected which they say would allow citizens to have a greater say in how the European Union is run.

The draft legislation plans for European voters to cast two votes, one to elect MEPs in national constituencies and another to elect 28 additional MEPs that would have the whole EU as their constituency.

They also want voters to be able to elect the European Commission president with each political group in the parliament putting forward a candidate during the election. The top job would then be given to the nominee from the group that secured the most seats.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliament Passes Crypto Regulations Critics Say Destroy Privacy

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European Union lawmakers have voted in favor of controversial measures to outlaw anonymous crypto transactions, a move the industry said would stifle innovation and invade privacy.

The proposals are intended to extend anti-money laundering requirements that apply to conventional payments over EUR 1,000 ($1,114) to the crypto sector. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliamentarians Attack Trudeau For "Dictatorship" During Brussels Speech

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was given a rude welcome by several members of the European Parliament this week.

During a session of the European Parliament in Brussels, several MEPs called Trudeau out, accusing him of violating human rights over the handling of the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa last month.

In one speech that has gone viral online, MEP Mislav Kolakusic of Croatia criticized Canada’s leader, stating, “There are those among us who trample on those fundamental values,” a reference to some protesters’ controversial encounter with police horses near Parliament Hill.

Christine Anderson, a member of Parliament from Germany, also rose to condemn Trudeau, saying, "You're a disgrace to any democracy."

French MEP Virginie Joron not only spoke, but wore a sweater honoring American and Canadian truckers who participated in the truck convoys in both countries.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliament Postpones Crypto Bill Vote

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The parliament of the European Union is delaying a vote on a framework aimed at regulating cryptocurrencies amid concerns over proof-of-work mining.

In a Friday Twitter thread, European Parliament economics committee member Stefan Berger said the government body had canceled a vote on the Markets in Crypto Assets, or MiCA, framework scheduled to take place on Monday. 

Berger said parliament needed to clarify “the question of proof-of-work” in discussions with stakeholders to ensure a proper legal framework, adding that some might misinterpret the proposal as a ban on crypto.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: European Parliament Elects Youngest President

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Center-right Malta lawmaker Roberta Metsola, chosen this week as only the third woman to head the European Parliament, is viewed as a political moderate despite controversy over her anti-abortion stance, a rarity in European politics.

Elected on the day she turns 43, the politician from the European Union’s smallest nation becomes the youngest president ever to run the chamber.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#EU: Euro Parliament Aims To Better Regulate Big Tech With New Legislation

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European Parliament lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Digital Markets Act, the proposed law that seeks to impose stricter rules around tech competition in Europe.

This act, along with the Digital Services Act, aims to rein in the monopoly large multinationals hold in Europe’s digital space.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FRANCE: Le Pen To Meet With Hungarian PM Orban To Discuss Unity

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The two euroskeptic politicians will meet for the first time today as Marine Le Pen continues with her electoral campaign to replace Emmanuel Macron in 2022.

The National Rally leader had so far been ignored by Viktor Orban but the two have become closer allies since the Hungarian Prime Minister's party left the European People's Party in the EU Parliament in March.

The two leaders, together with Matteo Salvini in Italy, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and 11 others, signed a declaration in July pledging to create a new far-right group in the European Parliament.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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