Out of the 73 seats now held by Britain, 27 will be allocated to existing EU states, the parliament’s institutional affairs committee said, as it drew up the make-up of the legislature in the five years from 2019 when Britain quits. The remaining 46 British seats would stay empty for now and be filled later by EU newcomers - in all likelihood from the six Western Balkan countries now knocking on the EU’s door - or from “pan-European lists” in which citizens of one EU country can vote for a candidate from another member state. Spain and France will each get five seats from the vacated British pool, while the Netherlands and Italy will each add three more, in Tuesday’s decision. Some other EU members, including Denmark, Poland, Croatia and Austria, will each get one new seat on their national lists. Britain will leave the EU in March, 2019, and the remaining 27 countries in the bloc will vote in European Parliament elections two months later. The 27 are now … [Read more...] about Empty British seats in EU parliament go up for grabs post-Brexit
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The EU approves new plan to deal with migrant crisis Current Affairs
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 - 15:50:00 (VOVworld) – On October 26 the EU approved a 17-point plan to address the influx of migrants into European countries through the Balkan region. It is an attempt to improve migration management and slow down the biggest wave of migration since World War 2. More than 670,000 people from war-torn countries - Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan - have fled to Europe so far this year. 3,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean. As winter is coming to Europe and more deaths on the Balkan route are likely if there is too little help from EU countries. Coordinated action Countries involved in the plan have agreed to receive 100,000 migrants each with the exception of Greece, which will receive just 50,000. The EU will send 400 security personnel to help Slovenia secure its borders with Croatia and Austria. The European Border Frontiers Agency (FRONTEX) is in charge of improving security at the borders between Greece, Macedonia, Albania, … [Read more...] about The EU approves new plan to deal with migrant crisis Current Affairs
EU sounds alarm as internal barriers rise in refugee crisis
The European Union's chief executive warned on Wednesday that the survival of Europe's "partially comatose" open border travel zone and its single currency were both at risk if member nations continue erecting internal barriers to keep out refugees. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker drew a direct link between the two key achievements of EU integration, telling the European Parliament the euro would be jeopardised if the Schengen passport-free travel system unravels. "If the spirit of Schengen leaves our lands and our hearts, we will lose more than Schengen. A single currency makes no sense if Schengen falls. It is one of the keystones of European construction," Juncker said. While there is no legal connection between the Schengen zone, which has 22 EU members and four from outside the bloc, and the 19-member euro zone, Juncker's warning reflected growing concern in Brussels that intra-EU tensions over migrants could reverse the post-World War Two war drive for European … [Read more...] about EU sounds alarm as internal barriers rise in refugee crisis
EU to tighten external border checks after Paris attacks
The European Union will tighten checks at external borders of the passport-free Schengen area, including for its own citizens who enjoy free movement within the bloc, to boost security after the attacks in Paris by armed militants. The bloc's interior and justice ministers, at an emergency meeting in Brussels on Friday, will discuss beefing up security and new counter-terrorism measures in the wake of the Nov. 13 attacks that killed 129 people in the French capital. Paris requested more controls at external borders of the 26-nation Schengen area, of which most EU countries are members, after law enforcement bodies blamed the attacks on French and Belgian nationals, including an Islamic State fighter returned from Syria. The ministers will agree to "implement immediately the necessary systematic and coordinated checks at external borders, including on individuals enjoying the right of free movement", according to draft conclusions of the meeting seen by Reuters. The deadly attacks in … [Read more...] about EU to tighten external border checks after Paris attacks
Croatia has first woman president
(VOVworld) – Opposition challenger Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has become the first female president of Croatia for the next 5 years, winning by the narrowest of margins. She secured 50.42% of the vote with 99.42% of ballots counted, beating out incumbent Ivo Josipovic. After her victory, Grabar-Kitarovic promised to turn Croatia into one of the most prosperous countries in the EU, strengthen national defense, and fight corruption. She said she will restore Croatia’s relationship with Germany. Ms Grabar-Kitarovic is a politically conservative member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). … [Read more...] about Croatia has first woman president