Quote of the week
“Tax evasion is a serious crime depriving Europeans of enormous amounts of money every year: 825,000,000,000 is a breathtaking number, roughly five times this year’s EU budget or €1,650 for every EU citizen. In times of tight budgets, the high priests of austerity want to make us believe that only deep cuts in public expenditure will save the day – regardless of its impact on the lives of ordinary people. With our new figures, though, we deliver evidence of how the proper enforcement of tax rules represent the smarter and much fairer way to balance public budgets”
Udo Bullmann on fighting tax evasion
Upcoming activities
We are getting ready for a mini Plenary session here, in Brussels. The agenda won’t be light. We will be looking at an interesting debate on the Future of the European Union with Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, we will debate the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary, Roma integration strategies and address the issue of the representation of women on boards of large companies.
We will vote on changes to the Parliament's rules of procedure proposed by S&D Euro MP Richard Corbett.
We will also react to the new developments on Brexit and at the Commission’s reflection paper on Sustainable Development.
On Sunday we join worldwide commemorations as we mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Preparations are ongoing for the first #EuropeTogether event of the year. On January 29 in the European Parliament, together with SOLIDAR we will be hosting the 2019 Silver Rose Awards. Celebrating the achievements of the civil society in these times of turmoil is our way of stating that solidarity and investment in people is the way forward in Europe and all over the world.
Check out the awardees and the programme and register here.
In the eve of the Silver Rose Awards, our #EuropeTogether Go Local team will also organise an event, gathering students, politicians and NGOs in Brussels, in Place Jourdan.
Follow us for updates and details on Twitter!
