Representatives from Venezuela's democratic opposition received this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought during a special ceremony in plenary on Wednesday. "The prize is for all Venezuelans in the world," said Parliament President Antonio Tajani during the ceremony. He also called on the country to "return to democracy, to dignity and freedom". After the ceremony some of the representatives answered questions during a Facebook live.
On Wednesday MEPs voted in favour of recommendations by Parliament's special inquiry committee looking into how to tackle money laundering, tax avoidance and evasion. Recommendations include creating registers showing who the ultimate owners of companies are, effective protection for whistle-blowers and intermediaries such as lawyers and accountants.
Rules to simplify the EU's farming policy, boost farmers’ bargaining power against supermarkets, and better equip them to face risks were endorsed by MEPs on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday MEPs voted in favour of extending the European Fund for Strategic Investments until the end of 2020. The new objective of the fund is to attract up to €500 billion of investment.
On Wednesday Parliament welcomed the joint Brexit progress report presented by EU and UK negotiators on 8 December and recommended moving to the second phase of talks.
On Wednesday MEPs said the EU’s foreign and defence policy should proceed with closer defence ties and a strong response to international threats.
The European Commission will be allowed to authorise the use of phosphate additives in kebab meat, after a resolution opposing the authorisation of phosphate additives in kebab meat failed to win an absolute majority in the Parliament on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump's pledge to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy to the city was debated in plenary on Tuesday. Many MEPs were concerned about how the decision would affect the peace process in the Middle East. Others urged for Israel’s security concerns to be respected.
On Tuesday, MEPs agreed to start talks with the Council on new rules to give consumers a wider choice in online TV and radio. They aim to make it easier for broadcasters to release their news and current affairs programmes online in other EU countries by simplifying the copyright clearance.
The EU should make bigger efforts to promote and defend freedom of belief, empower International Criminal Court should so that it can prosecute Islamic State fighters as well as counter migrants’ rights violations and human trafficking, said MEPs in a resolution on the state of human rights worldwide in 2016, that was adopted on Wednesday.
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