Quote of the week by S&D Group president, Udo Bullmann
“What happened this week off the coast of Italy is a symbol of what is going wrong in Europe. It's about more than just the asylum system, it's about the general principles of solidarity, unity and rule of law, which are being challenged by populist and nationalist governments. Italy has, under the previous progressive government, taken a lion's share of the responsibility for migrants. The European Council needs to follow the European Parliament decision on the asylum system and reach a universally binding solution in which member states share humanitarian responsibility for refugees fairly. However, if the new right wing and populist Italian government chooses to show its strength by letting pregnant women and children suffer on a boat, then there is something utterly and completely wrong in the European Union. We call on the leaders who meet at the end of this month to finally stop talking and start acting! We need a better Europe, to stop fuelling the populists and nationalists who thrive on the EU's inadequacies, and we need it now!”
Congratulations to Prime Ministers Tsipras and Zaev on solving the long-standing name issue. Welcome North Macedonia!
Upcoming activities
After a rather busy and eventful week in Strasbourg with developments on all fronts, both domestic and international, the Parliament is back in Brussels for a Committee week.
Crucial for the future of Greece is next Thursday’s Eurogroup. The Eurozone finance ministers will discuss possible new debt relief measures for Athens.
An important vote will take place in the Legal Affairs Committee on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. This is an important file for us as it aims to create EU copyright rules fit for the 21st century.
Join us on Wednesday 20 June 2018 for the Together in Solidarity event in front of the European Parliament in Brussels. We will be celebrating World Refugee Day with a unique ballet performance by Syrian dancer and choreographer Ahmad Joudeh. We will be joined by 100 refugees from all around Europe. From the ruins of Palmyra to the streets of Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid, Ahmad Joudeh will express his remarkable art to spread hope and resilience for all those who had the flee war and persecution.
In the coming days, our MEPs will be organising and participating in a considerable number of conferences.
On Wednesday 27 June 2018, our Group President Udo Bullmann together with MEPs Jeppe Kofod and Josef Weidenholzer invite you to attend the S&D Group conference - New social media at the service of a progressive agenda - the Avaaz example. They will debate on new forms of political communication and activism, how to better use the internet and new social media at the service of our common and progressive values, while tackling trolls, fake news and "alternative truth" supporters, conspirationnists websites, those spreading hatred messages, or abusing private data for political purposes. The conference will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels in room PHS P3C050 from 14:00 to 16:00. Please register here by 25 June at 12:00.
Also, on Wednesday 27 June, our MEPs Tanja Fajon, Juan Fernando López Aguilar and Péter Niedermüller will discuss the “Power and Perils of Propaganda” with policy makers, academics and stakeholders. The conference will be held at the European Parliament - Altiero Spinelli (ASP) building in Room A3G-3, from 15:00 to 18:00. You can register here.
The S&D Group in the European Parliament and the Global Progressive Forum, with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Solidar and Solidar Tunisie are organising on 27th and 28th June the conference “Addressing the main challenges of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation: A progressive agenda”. It will take place in the European Parliament in Brussels from 15:00 to 18:00. You can register here.
On 28 June, S&D IMCO coordinator Nicola Danti and IMCO Rapporteur Christel Schaldemose will discuss “Online platforms” with a range of stakeholders during a conference at the European Parliament - Altiero Spinelli (ASP) building in Room A5E-2. You can register here.
Finally, don’t forget to register for the Together Event in Paris: The Europe of tomorrow; it's left. Our Group President Udo Bullmann and MEPs will discuss in particular how our cities can drive the transition to an ever more sustainable and progressive society with mayors, Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, journalists, and academics. The event will be opened by Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris & Sergei Stanishev, Member of the European Parliament, PES President, and will be followed by an inspirational speech by Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain.
The event will take place on Friday 29 June from 18:00 at Cirque d’hiver, 110 rue Amelot, 75011 Paris, France.
Follow us on Twitter for daily reactions, proposals and comments on EU an international politics!
