#EUNews special - Let’s talk about the EU legislative priorities for 2018-19 🔊what’s been done in 2018 and what’s important during the election year?
🔙The Council, the Parliament and the Commission discuss the EU's legislative priorities and agree on their top priorities for the upcoming year, which are set out in an annual Joint Declaration. This allows them to work more closely together to tackle the big challenges that lie ahead, which are:
📌Better protecting the security of the citizens🕵️♀️🚧⚔️
📌Reforming and developing the migration policy in a spirit of responsibility and solidarity💻🚷📗
📌Giving a new boost to jobs, growth and investment💼💰📈
📌Addressing the social dimension of the European Union🔓👔😊
📌Delivering on the commitment to implement a connected Digital Single Market📣📉📱
📌Delivering on the objective of an ambitious Energy Union and a forward looking climate change policy🌵🌍⚡
📌Further developing the democratic legitimacy at EU level🙋👂🗳️
Better protecting the security of the citizens...🕵️♀️🚧⚔️
➡️...by ensuring Member States' authorities know who is crossing the common external borders, interoperable EU information systems for security, criminal records, border and migration management, by strengthening instruments on the fight against terrorism and against money laundering, and by enhancing the competitiveness and innovation of the Union defence industry via a European Defence Fund.
Reforming and developing the migration policy in a spirit of responsibility and solidarity...💻🚷📗
➡️...including the reform of the Common European Asylum System, including the Dublin mechanism, and the legal migration package.
🔛 In 2018, reception conditions for asylum-seekers were agreed. MEPs stressed that helping migrants is not a crime, and voted to ease information exchange when tackling migration. It was agreed that visa-exempt travelers would be pre-screened, the reintroduction of border controls was rediscussed, and a criminal intelligence cooperation with Middle Eastern countries was strengthened through data exchanges. FInally, the European ESTA is coming - in form of the European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS).
Giving a new boost to jobs, growth and investment...💼💰📈
➡️...by modernising the EU trade defence instruments and making progress on screening foreign direct investment in the EU, by improving the waste management in a circular economy, by pursuing efforts to deepen our Economic and Monetary Union, and by completing our Banking Union in a way that balances risk sharing and risk reduction.
🔛 Tech giants were called to pay for work of artists and journalists which they use, and new rules were approved regarding the protection against non-cash payment fraud.
Addressing the social dimension of the European Union...🔓👔😊
➡️ ...by working on improving the coordination of social security systems, by protecting workers from health risks in the workplace, by ensuring fair treatment for all in our labour markets through modernised rules on posting of workers, and by improving cross-border enforcement.
🔛 New rules on drivers’ working conditions and fair competition in road transport have been established, measures to reconcile career and private life were backed, MEPs addressed shortcomings in gig economy concerning workers’ rights and were ready to improve trade in the food supply chain.
Delivering on the commitment to implement a connected Digital Single Market…📣📉📱
➡️...by completing the modernisation of rules for the electronic communications sector, by setting higher standards of consumer protection for online and distance sales of both digital and physical goods, and by strengthening cybersecurity.
🔛Fees on calls across the EU will be capped by 2019 through the EU Telecoms deal, the free flow of non-personal data in the EU was facilitated, a Product Safety Pledge to remove dangerous products was signed and the Cybersecurity Act was enforced to build trust in digital technologies. Tnd of barriers to cross-border online shopping was announced and MEP’s discussed a framework to offer crowdfunding services throughout Europe. Finally, the EU fined Google of a record-breaking amount for freezing out rivals of its Android mobile phone system.
Delivering on the objective of an ambitious Energy Union and a forward looking climate change policy...🌵🌍⚡
➡️...notably by implementing the 2030 climate and energy framework, by continuing to follow up the Paris Agreement, including through legislation on clean energy for all Europeans and on clean mobility.
🔛Notably, the new target of winning 32% from renewable energy by 2030 was agreed, and the plastic pollution of oceans was tackled, not least through the monetary commitment by the Commission.
Further developing the democratic legitimacy at EU level...🙋👂🗳️
➡️...by improving the functioning of the European Citizens' Initiative and by increasing transparency in the financing of political parties.
🔛Parliament backed a modernized EU electoral law, as well as new rules to prevent breaches of data used to influence elections.
🔥 In addition, the three Presidents agreed to pursue the commitment to common European values, democracy and the rule of law; pursue a robust, open and fair trade policy; tackle tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance; ensure social protection and social rights as set out in the Pillar of Social Rights; contribute to stability, security and peace; and ensure a high level of data protection, digital rights and ethical standards in artificial intelligence and robotics. Find our weekly summaries on https://yvote.eu/news/eu-news/