Let’s talk about what the EU actually does 🔊Movies, Merkel and Michel all met in Strasbourg this week
📌Closing the loopholes of Roam Like at Home: MEPS for cheaper phone calls within the EU🤙🌍💌
📌Brexit: there is a deal - but will it stand? 📰🤝🍀
📌#FutureOfEurope: German chancellor urged EU to step up its game on the global stage 🇩🇪☝️🕺
📌And the 12th LUX Film Prize goes to the Icelandic, French and Ukrainian co-production“Woman at war” 🎥💕🏆
Closing the loopholes of Roam Like at Home: MEPS for cheaper phone calls within the EU🤙🌍💌
➡️Parliament approved a new telecom law, capping intra-EU phone calls at 19 cents per minute for calls and 6 cents for text messages. The law also lays down the faster rollout of 5G networks and that an alert system for major emergencies or disaster, informing affected citizens by SMS or mobile apps, should be created in all member states.
🔜 Following Council´s final approval, price caps will come into effect on 15 May 2019.
Brexit: there is a deal - but will it stand? 📰🤝🍀
➡️ The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier briefed the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents on an agreement struck by both sides of the negotiation table. President Tusk was full of praise for the negotiating team, pointing out that they “ensured the limitation of the damage caused by Brexit and, second, secured the vital interests and principles of the 27 member states, and of the European Union as a whole.” On the British side, some parliamentarians declared their opposition to the proposed solution. In a statement, President Tajani stressed that “this is just the beginning of a new phase. The European Parliament will be called upon to approve the agreement and will, therefore, continue to scrutinise developments, ensuring that our red lines are delivered upon.”
🔜 The agreement is now being analysed by all the member states. A European Council meeting to finalise and formalise the Brexit agreement is scheduled to take place on Sunday 25th November at 9:30.
#FutureOfEurope: German chancellor urged EU to step up its game on the global stage 🇩🇪☝️🕺
➡️ German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined the Future of Europe debate in the European Parliament this week. In her speech, she mentioned the uncertainty of the future alliance with the US, but not without reminding everyone of what Europe can gain when it grasps its destiny more firmly in its own hands, because of this. Skipping an ‘oulala’: when Merkel spoke in favour of establishing a real European army, as an addition to NATO, it provoked diverging reactions in her audience. She also highlighted that economic success, research and innovation are vital for Europe and pointed to the need for reliant Frontex border controls and a common European asylum system.
🔜 Next up debating is the prime minister of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen, towards the end of November.
And the 12th LUX Film Prize goes to the Icelandic, French and Ukrainian co-production“Woman at war” 🎥💕🏆
➡️An Iceland/France/Ukraine co-production has won the 12th LUX Film Prize, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani announced in Strasbourg on Wednesday. “Woman at war” (Kona fer í stríð) by Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson, a political film, feminist saga and a fable, tells the story of a woman who is a music teacher and who lives a double life as a passionate environmental activist. She sees her political convictions challenged when her plans to adopt a child come true.
🔜 The other two films shortlisted for the 2018 prize were: The Other Side of Everything” from Mila Turajlic and Styx by Wolfgang Fischer (Germany/Austria).