MEPs urge the international community to take urgent action to counter the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh, in a resolution voted on Thursday. The text wraps up a 20 January debate with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in which many MEPs called for measures to protect all religious and minority groups against ISIS attacks.

The Syrian crisis has become the world's worst humanitarian disaster. The EU is the leading donor in the international response to the Syrian crisis, with over €5 billion from the EU and Member States collectively in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance.

On 25 January the European Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs met to discuss European cooperation on migration. The informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Amsterdam led to concrete results concerning temporary border measures.

While some signs of hope arrive from Geneva, today we mourn new victims in Syria, murdered by the same who are trying to kill any perspective of peace.

The very first informal meeting of EU trade ministers and ministers for development cooperation will take place during the Netherlands Presidency.

Welcoming UK Prime Minister David Cameron to Brussels yesterday on 29 January, President Martin Schulz noted that, as co-legislator, the European Parliament will have a key role to play in the success of any initiatives for EU reforms resulting from negotiations. Their meeting revolved around UK demands for changes to its relationship with Europe ahead of a referendum on the country's membership of the EU. The British vote will also be on the agenda of the upcoming EU summit on 18-19 February.

The decision by the Federal Government of Somalia on a model for the electoral process in August this year is an essential step for the country. The comprehensive national consultations in the past months and the spirit of compromise demonstrate the commitment of the Somali Federal and regional leadership to put Somalia's interest first.

The start of EU accession negotiations with Serbia and the progress made in normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo was welcomed by Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs in two resolutions passed on Thursday. They also stressed that these relations would be helped if all EU member states were to recognise Kosovo.

The scar, the indelible scar that the Shoah has left across Europe, is and must forever be seared into our collective memory. As Eli Wiesel said, "to forget a Holocaust is to kill twice."

President Dalia Grybauskaitė extended congratulations, both personally and on behalf of the Lithuanian people, to Governor-General of Australia Peter Cosgrove on the occasion of Australia Day.