Cercare
Taiwan: 2024 elections
On 13 January 2024, voters in Taiwan will go to the polls to cast their votes for a successor to Tsai Ing-wen, the current independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president, who is term-limited, and for 113 members of the Legislative Yuan. Alongside the future of cross-strait relations and regional peace and stability amid growing US-China strategic competition, Taiwan's economic vulnerabilities, its reliance on energy imports, high youth unemployment, stagnant wages and high housing ...
Bangladesh and the 2024 elections: From 'basket case' to rising star
Strategically located in the heart of the Indo-Pacific region, and almost completely surrounded by India, Bangladesh has the eighth biggest population in the world. In the 50 years following its breakaway from Pakistan, Bangladesh has made spectacular economic and social progress. Once one of the world's poorest countries, with the US administration calling it a 'basket case' when it became independent, Bangladesh is now due to graduate from least-developed country (LDC) status in 2026. The government ...
Outcome of the European Council meeting of 14-15 December 2023
Despite predictions of a long and inconclusive meeting, EU leaders achieved a historic and highly symbolic agreement to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, grant candidate status to Georgia, and open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, once the latter complies fully with the membership criteria. Even if the European Council did not finalise discussions on the revision of the multiannual financial framework – which includes, inter alia, an aid package for Ukraine ...
Plenary round-up – December 2023
The highlight of the December plenary session was Parliament's award of the 2023 Sakharov Prize to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran. Members held a debate with the Council and European Commission on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 14-15 December 2023 and reviewed the Spanish Presidency of the Council. Further debates took place on Council and Commission statements on Parliament's call for the right to disconnect, the defence of democracy package, European ...
The European Parliament and perestroika in the 1980s: Hope, but no illusions
In August 1988, the European Community established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, ending the 30-year-long policy of mutual non-recognition, ignorance, and hostility. This step secured the unconditional recognition by the USSR of the reality of the European Community, including the application of Community law to West Berlin. The reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev since 1985 made this normalisation possible. Equally important was the rise of the Community as an independent international ...
International Agreements in Progress - The Samoa Agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific States
On 15 November 2023, the European Union (EU) and its Member States signed a new partnership agreement (referred to as the 'Samoa Agreement') with member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). The multiple negotiation levels, the coronavirus crisis and difficulties in reaching agreement on sensitive issues, such as migration management and sexual and reproductive health and rights, prevented the new agreement from being finalised by the initial expiry date set ...
Elezioni europee del 2024: norme nazionali
Quali saranno le regole per le elezioni europee del 2024? Dato che le disposizioni variano da uno Stato membro all'altro, questa infografica fornisce informazioni su alcune delle regole più importanti per le prossime elezioni europee (che si terranno nel giugno 2024). I lettori troveranno raccolte in un'unica pagina informazioni sul giorno fissato per le elezioni in ciascun paese, il sistema di voto utilizzato, il numero di eurodeputati che saranno eletti in ogni Stato membro, l'età minima per candidarsi ...
Vincitori del premio Sacharov 2023: Jina Mahsa Amini e il movimento "Donna, Vita, Libertà" in Iran
Il rispetto delle libertà fondamentali e dei diritti umani è un valore fondamentale dell'UE, che quest'ultima promuove attraverso le sue politiche. Il premio Sacharov del Parlamento europeo rende omaggio all'operato di quanti difendono tali libertà e diritti. In un momento in cui la pace e i diritti umani sono sempre più sotto attacco, il premio è oggi più attuale che mai. Quest'anno il premio è stato assegnato alla defunta Jina Mahsa Amini e al movimento "Donna, Vita, Libertà" in Iran. La cerimonia ...
Promotion of freedom of scientific research in the EU
This European added value assessment (EAVA) seeks to inform the European Parliament's legislative initiative 2023/2184(INL) entitled 'Promotion of the freedom of scientific research in the EU'. Freedom of scientific research forms an integral part of academic freedom, and this study confirms the de facto erosion of academic freedom, including its underlying conditions, across the EU. It also identifies new forms of threat, such as the role of new technologies, use of strategic lawsuits, increasing ...
PETI Fact-finding visit to Donegal, Ireland - 30 October - 1 November 2023
This Briefing, written by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), provides background information for the PETI Fact-finding visit to Donegal, Ireland, scheduled from 30 October to 1 November 2023. It investigates the issue of petitions 0789/2021, 0790/2021, 0799/2021, 0800/2021, 0801/2021, 0813/2021, 0814/2021 and 0837/2021 which raise concerns about the defective quality of certain building ...