The Last #EUNews - Let’s talk about what the EP actually does 🔊
This was the last plenary week in #Stressbourg

📌 #FutureOfEurope: PM of Latvia wants the EU to boost its essentials
📌 Parliament adopts new rules for short-stay visas
📌 ‘InvestEU’ programme: big boost for jobs, growth and investment
📌 MEPs approve new CO2 emissions limits for trucks
📌 Fostering defence innovation through the European Defence Fund
📌 Parliament approves EU rules requiring life-saving technologies in vehicles

#FutureOfEurope: PM of Latvia wants the EU to boost its essentials
➡️Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš debated his vision of the future of Europe in Parliament. He suggested four main fields of EU action: completing the Single Market, controlling external borders, undertaking a clever transition towards clean energy and boosting security. Instead of fighting populists, the focus must lie on addressing peoples’ concerns.
🔜 This was the last head of government to discuss his vision of Europe and how well the EU is able to deliver on citizens’ expectations.

Parliament adopts new rules for short-stay visas
➡️ The law establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas to nationals of more than 100 non-EU countries travelling to the EU for short periods. Visa applications will have to be submitted between six months (instead of the current three months) and 15 days ahead of the intended trip.Also,the general visa fee will increase from 60 to 80 euros, with a possible reduction for people under 18 years old. Children under six, students and researchers will continue to be exempt from paying the visa fee.

‘InvestEU’ programme: big boost for jobs, growth and investment
➡️ InvestEU’ programme. MEPs are set to approve a provisional and partial deal with EU ministers on the ‘InvestEU’ initiative aiming to generate almost €700 billion in investments in order to boost jobs and growth. The programme will also have a stronger focus on climate protection and employment.

MEPs approve new CO2 emissions limits for trucks
➡️ The first ever EU regulation on CO2 emissions for trucks and lorries was approved by Parliament, in an effort to curb rising road transport emissions. It requires CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks and lorries to be reduced by 30%, by 2030, with an intermediate reduction target of 15%, by 2025. Also by 2025, manufacturers will be required to ensure that at least a 2% market share of the sales of new vehicles is made up of zero-and-low-emission vehicles.

Fostering defence innovation through the European Defence Fund
➡️The European Parliament on Thursday adopted the partial agreement on the EU Defence Fund for 2021-2027, aiming for a more ‘European’ approach to defence. The EU Defence Fund will foster technological innovation and cooperation in the European defence sector and aims to place the EU among the top four defence research and technology investors in Europe. The EP is willing to support to the entire industrial development lifecycle of defence products from research (up to 100%) to prototype development (up to 20%) to certification (up to 80%).

🔜 Parliament advocates a budget of €11.5 billion in 2018 prices (€13 billion in current prices). This sum, however, is still to be discussed during the negotiations on the EU’s 2021-2027 long-term budget.

Parliament approves EU rules requiring life-saving technologies in vehicles
➡️ As from May 2022, ALL vehicles will have to install the following advanced security systems: intelligent speed assistance (ISA); alcohol interlock installation facilitation; driver drowsiness and attention warning; advanced driver distraction warning; emergency stop signal; reversing detection; and an event data recorder (“black box”).

🔜 The regulation, will now be submitted for approval to the EU Council of Ministers.

🔎 In 2018, around 25 100 people died on EU roads and 135 000 were seriously injured, according to preliminary figures published by the Commission.

🔥 If you want to be updated, too, we suggest the European Parliament's press service www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room and the European Commission's news room europa.eu/newsroom/home_en