European Parliament

Solidarity with Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Greece and France.   As these countries face the devastating impact of natural disasters, the EU is gearing up to lend a helping hand.   The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to respond to major natural disasters and express European solidarity with disaster-stricken regions within Europe.    The goal is to cover some of the costs of emergency and recovery operations, including repairing damaged infrastructure, safeguarding cultural heritage, and conducting clean-up operations.   So far, 24 member states and three candidate countries (Albania, Montenegro and Serbia) have received support from the EUSF, and over €8.2 billion has been paid out in total.   The EUSF continues to provide crucial support to EU countries as they face the devastating impact of major natural disasters.   Discover more about the fund in our fact sheet 👉 https://lnkd.in/enpDKkW3

The nominees for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024 have been announced! Every year, the European Parliament awards this prize to exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Nominations are made by political groups or by at least 40 MEPs.   Here are this year's nominees: ♦️ María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, representing all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting for the re-institution of freedom and democracy, Venezuela, nominated by the EPP group;   ♦️ “Women Wage Peace" and "Women of the Sun" and their co-founders Yael Admi and Reem Hajajreh, Israel/Palestine, nominated by the S&D group;   ♦️ Elon Musk, United States, nominated by the Patriots for Europe group;   ♦️ Edmundo González Urrutia, Venezuela, nominated by the ECR group;   ♦️ "Women Wage Peace" and "Women of the Sun", Israel/Palestine, nominated by the Renew Europe group;   ♦️ Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Azerbaijan, nominated by The Greens/EFA group;   ♦️ Journalists in Palestine (Hamza & Wael Al-Dahdouh, Plestia Alaqad, Shireen Abu Akleh and Ain Media in honour of Yasser Murtaja & Roshdi Sarraj), Palestine, nominated by The Left group;   ♦️ Elon Musk, United States, nominated by Europe of Sovereign Nations Group.   On 17 October, the foreign affairs and development committees will announce the three finalists and Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the political group leaders will take a decision on the final laureate on 24 October. Find out who this year's nominees are in our article 👉 https://europa.eu/!kVr3jp

On World Tourism Day, where would you rather be? 🧳   Short-term rentals represent around 25% of tourist accommodation in the EU. By adopting the regulation on short term rentals in February 2024, Parliament aims to protect consumers from fraudulent short-term rental offers, and to promote a transparent and responsible platform economy in the EU.   Among other things, online platforms will have to ensure that the information provided by hosts is reliable and complete and that the registration number is clearly visible on the corresponding listing.   Read more ➡️ https://europa.eu/!pw8dT9

👋 Hola, hallo, ciao, ahoj, Γεια σας - happy European Day of Languages!   With 24 official languages, linguistic diversity is at the 💙 heart of the EU.    Being able to speak more than one language gives you a definite advantage in Europe. It can help you find a job, grow your business, or simply connect with people from other countries.   The EU has an ambitious goal to boost language learning in the EU, with the objective of ensuring that Europeans could communicate in two languages in addition to their mother tongue.

European consumers and their fundamental rights are protected online thanks to the EU's Digital Services Act. Big online platforms have a responsibility to protect us from illegal content and unfair practices. Discover how these rules benefit you: https://lnkd.in/eZ2miuut

“Europe’s economies face a choice between paralysis, exit or integration.”   According to Mario Draghi, the former president of the European Central Bank, the EU is falling behind other major economies and risks becoming dependent on them. It must take three crucial actions to reclaim its future:   1. Close the innovation gap with the US and China   2. Link the EU’s climate goals with increasing the competitiveness of its economy   3. Boost the EU’s economic autonomy and security   His proposed solution? Closer economic cooperation between EU nations and increased annual funding to EU economies to around €750-800 billion per year.    Many Members of the European Parliament agreed with Draghi's analysis. Find out what they had to say: https://europa.eu/!qjKXDr

The Draghi report, the proposed new-composition of the European Commission and the EU's crisis preparedness. Want to know what’s happening at the heart of EU decision-making? Check out our latest plenary newsletter for a quick roundup of the key discussions and decisions from Strasbourg. Subscribe now and stay informed on Europe’s most pressing issues.

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Today is the International Day of Peace. Established in 1981, this day is about peace above all else. Not only does the European Union promote peace, its values and the well-being of its citizens within its borders, it also contributes to guaranteeing security and defending democracy around the world. Be a part by cultivating a culture of peace.

The EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo González Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela, can take office on 10 January 2025. In a resolution passed on Thursday 19 September, MEPs strongly condemn the electoral fraud in July’s presidential election and denounce the persecution of the opposition. They also warn that failure to uphold democracy could lead to a new migratory exodus from Venezuela, worsening the ongoing crisis that has seen almost eight million flee the country in recent years. For more information Parliament’s response: https://europa.eu/!9qRmHg