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☆ EU Parliament approves major reforms to migration policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The wide-ranging reforms are designed to ease the burden on countries that have historically taken the most asylum-seekers among the EU’s 27 member states. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said: “We have delivered a robust legislative framework on how to deal with migration and asylum in the EU. In theory, the EU will now spread the burden across the 27 member states, either through relocation of people to other member states or through financial and practical assistance in processing refugee claims. In a number of EU countries – notably Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden – anti-immigrant Euroskeptic politicians are in power, either outright or through coalition. “And it will ultimately be up to the member states themselves to decide how these new measures are practically managed.

Persons: Roberta Metsola, Joelle Grogan, Grogan, ”, Alberto Neidhardt, Neidhardt Organizations: CNN, European, EU, European Policy, Ukraine Locations: Greece, Italy, Malta, East, North Africa, Dublin, Brussels, “, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, France, Germany, Ukraine, United States

Just_super | E+ | Getty ImagesThe European Union's parliament on Wednesday endorsed the world's first major set of regulatory ground rules to govern the mediatized artificial intelligence at the forefront of tech investment. President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, described the act as trail-blazing, saying it would enable innovation, while safeguarding fundamental rights. "Artificial intelligence is already very much part of our daily lives. Born in 2021, the EU AI Act divides the technology into categories of risk, ranging from "unacceptable" — which would see the technology banned — to high, medium and low hazard. "The AI Act is not the end of the journey, but, rather, the starting point for a new model of governance built around technology.

Persons: Thierry Breton, Roberta Metsola, Dragos, Tudorache Organizations: Intelligence, Wednesday, EU, European, Union, Digital Markets, — U.S, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Google, Nvidia Locations: Europe, Germany, France, U.S, India

☆ The 'accidental' politicians: Meet three women risking everything to fight for democracy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That's what one Ukrainian lawmaker said of the wife of the late Alexei Navalny, who vowed to continue her husband's political work fighting for democracy in Russia after he died in a Siberian prison last month. As the first reports of Navalny's death started to emerge, Navalnaya was in Munich at a security conference. Yulia Navalnaya (L) is applauded by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola after addressing the European Parliament on Feb. 28, 2024. "I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny. Belarusian political opposition in exile leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya clutches a folder with a portrait of her husband, jailed opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky, in November, 2023 Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Persons: Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny, Kai Pfaffenbach, Navalnaya, Alexei, Roberta Metsola, Frederick Florin, Lisa Yasko, Cristina Quicler, Yasko, Viktor Yanukovych, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Monique Jaques, Aleksandr Lukashenko —, Vladimir Putin, Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenko, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Sergei Tikhanovsky, Sean Gallup Organizations: Munich Security, Afp, Getty, European Union, CNBC, Zoom, Corbis, Munich, Conference Locations: Munich, Germany, Russia, Ukrainian, Georgia, Kyiv, Kiev, Ukraine, Belarus, Belarusian

☆ Mahsa Amini, Iran women's movement win Sakharov freedom prize
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The European Union parliament awarded its annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Iranian woman Mahsa Amini who died in police custody last year and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran, it said on Thursday. "On 16 September we marked one year since the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini in Iran. The European Parliament proudly stands with the brave and defiant who continue to fight for equality, dignity and freedom in Iran," EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a statement. People take part in a protest against the Islamic regime of Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Berlin, Germany, December 10, 2022. Under the banner "Woman, Life, Freedom", Iranian citizens have been protesting against laws obliging women to cover their hair and wear loose fitting clothing.

Persons: Sakharov, Mahsa Amini, Jina, Roberta Metsola, Mahsa, Michele Tantussi, Amini's, Julia Payne Organizations: European Union, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Iran, Amini, Iran's, Kurdistan, Berlin, Germany

Italy is even going outside the EU to establish links with the United Kingdom to crack down on unwanted arrivals. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was blunt about how far Europe's leaders still are from reaching a consensus before they met in Granada, Spain. Orbán, who has pushed back against EU policy repeatedly and taken a hard-line approach against migration, said that he won't sign off on any deal at any point in the foreseeable future. He went as far as to compare the situation to being “legally raped” by Hungary's fellow EU members. “The agreement on migration, politically, it’s impossible — not today (or) generally speaking for the next years," Orbán said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Orbán, “, Mateusz Morawiecki, Ursula von der Leyen, ”, Roberta Metsola, ” Metsolas, Giorgia, Rishi Sunak, ___ Wilson, Raf Casert, Ciarán Giles, Colleen Barry, Vanessa Gera, Danica Kirka Organizations: European Union, EU, International Organization for Migration, Giorgia Meloni, della, The Times Locations: GRANADA, Spain, Brussels, Hungary, Poland, Italy, United Kingdom, Granada, Syria, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine, Lampedusa, London, Africa, El Hierro, Senegal, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Warsaw

☆ European Parliament president: Support for Ukraine as unanimous as it has always been
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEuropean Parliament president: Support for Ukraine as unanimous as it has always beenRoberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, speaks to CNBC's Silvia Amaro regarding discussions, or lack thereof, on Ukraine among European leaders.

Persons: Roberta Metsola, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Locations: Ukraine

☆ Floods, Fires and Torrential Rains Further Bedevil Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Emma Bubola | More About Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Floods, fires and heavy rains have landed more blows across Europe this week, with the authorities on the continent scrambling to respond to the extreme weather that has become increasingly common in the past few years. Climate change has made extreme heat a fixture of the warmer months in Europe, but experts say that the continent has failed to significantly adapt to the hotter conditions. Governments in many countries are now struggling to address the devastating effects. “The extreme weather conditions across Europe continue to be of concern,” Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament, wrote on Twitter. “The EU is showing solidarity with all those in need.”

Persons: ” Roberta Metsola Organizations: Twitter Locations: Europe, Southern Europe

☆ The European Parliament is auditing years of its Google ads following a report that alleged YouTube misled advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The European Parliament said it's auditing its YouTube advertising from 2020 to date. The European Parliament is auditing its Google advertising going as far back as 2020 following a report that alleged YouTube placed ads on third-party sites that violated its own standards. This evaluation process is still ongoing," said a European Parliament press representative in an emailed statement. From its initial assessment, the use of the GVP Network by the European Parliament was "residual," the representative said. The European Parliament has been put under pressure to suspend all of its Google advertising.

Persons: TrueView skippable, Adalytics, Marvin Renaud, Renaud, Roberta Metsola, Pravda.ru, monetization, Adweek, Ruben Schreurs Organizations: Google, YouTube, Fortune, Partner, GVP, GVP Network, US Treasury, Street Journal, Ebiquity Locations: TrueView, Russia, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Pro-government rally in Moldovan capital draws tens of thousands
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] People wave flags of European Union and Moldova during a rally to support the European path of the country, in Chisinau, Moldova May 21, 2023. President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of seeking to sabotage its European integration by fuelling anti-government protests and propaganda. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, on a visit to Chisinau, also addressed the rally, saying Europe would welcome Moldova "with open arms and open hearts". "This is about the both of us: You will bring a piece of Moldova to Europe, and you will make Europe stronger," she said. "I believe in a European Moldova and want for my country a future with advanced economic and socio-political development," said 18-year-old attendee Alexandrina Miron.

☆ Metsola: Abuse and corruption in EU Parliament must be fixed immediately
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMetsola: Abuse and corruption in EU Parliament must be fixed immediatelyRoberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, discusses the Qatar corruption scandal and plans to reform the EU Parliament.

☆ Global leaders condemn assault on Brazilian government buildings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Brazil's democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined. Using violence to attack democratic institutions is always unacceptable. BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT LUIS ARCE"We strongly condemn the assault on the Brazilian Congress, Palace and Supreme Court by anti-democratic groups. A return to normality is urgently needed and we express solidarity with Brazilian institutions. We categorically condemn the assault on the Brazilian Congress and make a call for the immediate return to democratic normality."

☆ European Parliament to waive immunity of two MEPs in corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Charlotte Campenhout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The European Parliament said on Monday it had begun a procedure to waive the immunity of two of its members after a request from Belgian judiciary investigating a European Union-Qatar corruption scandal. Two sources close to the investigation told Reuters the two MEPs were Belgian Marc Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino. "Following a request from the Belgian judicial authorities, I have launched an urgent procedure for the waiver of immunity of two members of the European Parliament," parliament president Roberta Metsola said on Twitter. In December, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Francesco Giorgi, one of the main suspects in the investigation along with his partner, ousted European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili, confessed to taking bribes from Qatar to influence European Parliament decisions on Qatar. According to the sources, Giorgi, an EU parliamentary assistant, said he suspected Tarabella and Cozzolino had received money from Qatar.

☆ 'Qatargate' scandal casts light on 'untouchable' EU lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 20 (Reuters) - As a corruption scandal rocks the European Parliament, lawmakers and campaign groups say a lack of asset declarations, little reporting on contacts with third countries and barely any sanctions created an environment where rule-breaking could go unpunished or undetected. Prosecutors suspect Greek member of the European Parliament (MEP) Eva Kaili and three others accepted bribes from recent soccer World Cup host Qatar in a bid to influence European Union policymaking. The case, widely dubbed "Qatargate" in the media, is one of the biggest scandals to hit the 27-nation bloc. They also urged the European Commission to put forward a proposal for an independent ethics body as soon as possible. ($1 = 0.9433 euros)Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ European Parliament Corruption Scandal Casts Shadow Over EU
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Kim Mackrael | Laurence Norman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday, has vowed to lead a wide-ranging review of the legislative body’s rules on lobbying and its code of conduct. BRUSSELS—European Union leaders raised concerns about a corruption scandal at the bloc’s Parliament on Thursday amid growing worries that the bloc’s reputation would be tarnished by allegations that EU legislators took bribes from Qatar. Belgian police have detained two EU lawmakers and several other people linked to the European Parliament over suspicions that they accepted hundreds of thousands of euros from Qatari officials to influence the legislature’s decisions. Police have staged raids in Belgium and Italy, in what threatens to become the biggest scandal in Brussels in years.

Poland withdrew last-minute objections to a global minimum corporate tax, unblocking a whole package of linked agreements that includes the loan to Ukraine, invaded by Russia almost 10 months ago. "The next six months will demand even greater efforts from us," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the 27 EU leaders gathered in Brussels, asking them for more support from air defences to energy equipment. EU leaders also agreed a ninth package of sanctions against Russia for waging the war against Ukraine, diplomats said. The decision, which requires unanimity, came after EU Russia hawks Poland and Lithuania had warned that proposed exceptions for food security might in fact benefit Russian oligarchs in the fertilizer business. Poorer EU countries want a coordinated response and warned richer member states like Germany against supporting their industries without showing solidarity with the rest of the bloc.

BRUSSELS Dec 15 (Reuters) - Francesco Giorgi, the partner of ousted European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili, has confessed his role in a Qatar graft scandal, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Giorgi's confession to taking bribes from Qatar to influence European Parliament decisions on Qatar had made "a significant contribution" to the probe underway by Belgian investigating magistrates, one of the sources said. Greek MEP Kaili, who was ousted from her role as vice president of the European Parliament on Monday, has denied any wrongdoing through her lawyer. Tarabella, who had previously confirmed that his home was searched on Saturday as part of the Belgian investigation, has denied any wrongdoing. The European Parliament on Thursday suspended all work on legislation linked to Qatar, and parliament's president, Roberta Metsola, told EU leaders she would lead reforms to prevent a repeat of a criminal corruption scandal.

☆ Putin ally says he sent EU Parliament a stained sledgehammer after it branded Russia a state sponsor of terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The European Parliament declared Russia a "state sponsor of terrorism" on Wednesday. Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin responded by saying that he had sent the EU a sledgehammer. "I do not know what law the European Parliament is guided by, but according to our legislation, from today we declare the European Parliament dissolved." It continued: "But before this procedure enters into legal force, I was instructed to submit an information case to the European Parliament." It is unclear whether the EU Parliament received the sledgehammer.

REUTERS/Yves HermanSummary Attack followed EU declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorismBRUSSELS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The European Parliament's website was unavailable for several hours on Wednesday due to a denial-of-service attack by "Pro-Kremlin" hackers, after its lawmakers designated Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, the institute's president said. The parliament's website was up again shortly after 1700 GMT, around two hours after the institution had reported the outage. "The European Parliament is under a sophisticated cyberattack. A pro-Kremlin group has claimed responsibility," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a tweet shortly after the website went down. The move is largely symbolic, as the European Union does not have a legal framework in place to back it up.

☆ EU's Metsola: 'We were not prepared enough' for Russian escalation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEU's Metsola: 'We were not prepared enough' for Russian escalationPresident of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, discusses the EU's overdependence on Russia at the European Business Summit in Brussels.

POSITIONS FAR APART1/6 European Council President Charles Michel attends the European Union leaders' summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 20, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman Read MoreThe most contentious issue facing the leaders is whether and how to cap gas prices. The leaders will also discuss emergency spending to cushion their economies and 450 million citizens from the energy crunch. Given EU countries' diverse energy mix and interests, the meeting risks falling short on short-term action to tackle high energy prices ahead of winter. EU energy ministers meet again next week and aim to agree on joint crisis measures in November.

☆ Malta demonstrators mark five years since Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People take part in a protest march on the fifth anniversary of the assassination of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, in Valletta, Malta October 16, 2022. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit LupiVALLETTA, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Demonstrators in Malta marked five years since the car bomb murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on Sunday, two days after two brothers admitted to her killing and were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. Many of those present carried pictures of Caruana Galizia and Maltese flags. She said Caruana Galizia was: "A Woman of Steel, because she was a woman of principle, a woman who could tell right from wrong". No government representatives were present at the demonstration but Prime Minister Robert Abela said earlier that Caruana Galizia's death was a dark episode "that we must learn from".

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