Posts

Posted on

Highlights – Presentation of ECA Special Report 10/2025 on Labour market reforms – Committee on Budgetary Control

Source: European Parliament

Labour market reforms in the national recovery and resilience plans © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

On 14 May 2025 the ECA Special Report 10/2025 : “Labour market reforms in the national recovery and resilience plans” will be presented to Members of the Committee of Budgetary Control (CONT) by reporting ECA Member Ivana Maletić.

The audit led by European Court of Auditors’ member Ivana Maletić assessed whether the labour market-related reforms in the national Recovery and Resilience Plans contributed effectively to addressing the Member States’ labour market challenges identified during the European Semester, as set out in the country-specific recommendations.

Posted on

Written question – Withdrawal of the ‘standard essential patents’ proposal – E-001708/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer  E-001708/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
José Cepeda (S&D)

The Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) has sent a letter to the European Commission requesting that negotiations on the ‘standard essential patents’ file continue – we believe it addresses the problems that arise during negotiations between companies that hold essential patents and other companies that need to use patent-protected technology to develop their products (such as the automotive and domestic appliance industries, etc.). The regulation would benefit many European companies, particularly SMEs, by balancing their positions in negotiations with third parties on an issue as sensitive as telecommunications patents.

What is more, since the Council of the European Union, seven Member States (possibly joined by a number of others) have sent the Commission an informal document indicating that they do not agree at all with the proposed withdrawal of the ‘standard essential patents’ file.

In view of the above:

  • 1.What is the reason for the proposed withdrawal announced in the Commission’s 2025 work programme?
  • 2.Will the Commission answer Parliament and the requests of all those Member States?

Submitted: 29.4.2025

Last updated: 7 May 2025

Posted on

Commission decides to refer HUNGARY to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to ensure independence of its rail regulatory body

Source: European Commission

European Commission Press release Brussels, 07 May 2025 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Single European railway area Directive (Directive 2012/34/EU) related to the status of the national regulatory body responsible for the Hungarian railway market. According to the Directive, Member States must establish a rail regulatory body to ensure the correct application of EU rules on rail market access.

Posted on

Commission decides to refer SWEDEN to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fulfil its obligations under EU maritime security acquis

Source: European Commission

European Commission Press release Brussels, 07 May 2025 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Sweden to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to remedy an infringement in relation to the EU’s legal framework on maritime security (Regulation (EC) No 725/2004, Directive 2005/65/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) 324/2008).

Posted on

Commission decides to refer BULGARIA, GREECE, and POLAND to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose EU rules on tolls and vignettes levied for road infrastructure use

Source: European Commission

European Commission Press release Brussels, 07 May 2025 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Bulgaria, Greece and Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose EU rules on the charging of vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures.

Posted on

Highlights – Presentation of the the Road Worthiness Package by the European Commission – Committee on Transport and Tourism

Source: European Parliament

Road transport © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

The Director of directorate C (land transport), Mr Kristian Schmidt will present the Roadworthiness package the European Commission published on 24 April 2025. The package comprises two directives that amend or replace several directives of the 2014 roadworthiness package. The first directive focuses on vehicle registration requirements while the second covers roadworthiness tests and technical roadside inspections.

The exchange of views will take place on Wednesday 14th May 2025 in room ANTALL 4Q2 from where it will be webstreamed.

Posted on

Written question – Proposed ban on lead in ammunition – P-001769/2025

Source: European Parliament

Priority question for written answer  P-001769/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová (PfE), Ondřej Knotek (PfE), Jana Nagyová (PfE), Klara Dostalova (PfE), Tomáš Kubín (PfE), Filip Turek (PfE), Jaroslav Bžoch (PfE), Veronika Vrecionová (ECR), Katarína Roth Neveďalová (NI), Jan Farský (PPE), Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), Ondřej Krutílek (ECR), Danuše Nerudová (PPE)

We are writing to express our concern regarding the proposed near-total ban on the use of lead in ammunition under the REACH framework. While we acknowledge the importance of environmental and public health considerations, we urge the Commission to consider the significant strategic, industrial and security-related consequences that such a measure would have for the EU and its Member States.

The potential consequences of this ban are substantial. Industry estimates from 2021 (before the war in Ukraine) suggest that a lead ban without adequate transition measures could result in annual losses of up to EUR 4 billion, the loss of over 16 000 jobs across the European Economic Area and additional welfare costs exceeding EUR 1.4 billion.

Can the Commission therefore answer the following:

  • 1.How does the Commission plan to compensate for or offset the projected industry and employment losses in the event that the lead ban is implemented as proposed?
  • 2.What mechanisms will ensure that the Member States can maintain an uninterrupted, compatible supply of ammunition, especially in situations requiring rapid production scaling?
  • 3.How will the Commission ensure that new dependencies on imported raw materials from third countries will not undermine the EU’s strategic autonomy and environmental goals?

Submitted: 30.4.2025

Last updated: 7 May 2025

Posted on

Other events – Waste trafficking: MEPs and law enforcement on the need for a coordinated EU approach – 13-05-2025 – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source: European Parliament

Waste Shipment © Image used under the license from Adobe Stock

In an exchange of views to take place on Tuesday, 13 May, MEPs will address the fight against trafficking of hazardous waste with representatives of public authorities and NGOs.

Environmental crime, and waste trafficking in particular, is a serious threat to our environment, health and economies. The criminal trafficking of hazardous waste is intensifying in many Member States, growing in scale and sophistication.
This exchange of views will start off with a discussion with representatives of the judicial and police cooperation EU agencies, Europol and Eurojust. In the following panel, MEPs and representatives of the Polish government and of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), an NGO, will assess the current situation of this criminal phenomenon, including the need for a reinforced coordinated approach at EU level.

Posted on

At a Glance – Cohesion policy: Mid-term review – 07-05-2025

Source: European Parliament

In April 2025, the European Commission presented a communication on the mid-term review of the EU cohesion policy, accompanied by a proposal for a regulation amending the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund and the Just Transition Fund. The Commission aims to use the mid-term review to maximise the contribution of cohesion policy to the EU’s current and emerging political priorities and to increase its impact on economic, social and territorial cohesion. According to the communication, the amendments to the regulatory framework of the cohesion policy funds seek to align investment priorities with the evolving economic, societal and geopolitical context, as well as with EU climate and environment objectives, and to introduce greater flexibility and incentives in order to facilitate the rapid deployment of resources.