This week the European Parliament debated the issue of environmental noise which is responsible for the death of 10,000 people in Europe each year.

This week, the EU Commission presented a Communication, in which it outlined the most significant successes of both the Youth Guarantee and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) since they were started in 2013. In view of certain progress that has been made, the Commission has proposed to continue the initiative and to make additional funds of 1 billion Euros available for YEI, which will be topped up by a further billion from the European Social Fund. However, in the opinion of the AK, this increase is not sufficient; it should be at least 6 billion.

This week, the plenary session of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg held an intensive debate concerning the Bahamas Leaks and the avoidance of conflicts of interest by former EU Commissioners. The plenum discussion also covered the interinstitutional proposal by the EU Commission on the mandatory transparency register.

Because of the Bahamas Leaks, yet another former EU Commissioner of the Barroso Commission has come under fire.

Now that the European Parliament has approved the Paris Climate Deal, the EU is in a position to ratify it. Over 60 countries, among them China, India and the US, have already done so, which means that the deal can formally take effect.

The proposal of the EU Commission brings improvements; however, it sees the need for action regarding more transparency to lie mainly with Council and Parliament. This means that the draft does not meet fuelled expectations.

 

Due to the revelations in the Panama Papers, the EU Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry is taking up its work to expose money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion.

The first session of the so-called PANA Committee took place on Tuesday, 27th September 2016 in the EU Parliament. At the centre of this Committee of Inquiry are practices concerning money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion in relation to current EU law. The data leak is the largest of recent years and has revealed opaque structures, whose only objective it is to conceal assets.

For the first time this week, the EU Parliament debated the draft report for the Pillar of Social Rights. The subject is very close to the heart of the Portuguese Rapporteur, Maria Joao Rodrigues, who asked the EU Commission to present a proposal on a binding European Pillar of Social Rights as early as 2017. This was not met with full approval by MEPs, as the intentions of the Commission are still completely open.

No to tax havens and yes to more tax justice in the European Union! Support our campaign now: www.nototaxhavens.eu

Tax justice, hence the principle that ensures fair distribution of the tax burden, is an essential pillar for the functioning of state and society. Income taxes are automatically deducted from an employees' salary. However, this is not the same for companies. Numerous recent events have revealed how much room for manoeuvre in particular multinational corporations have.

At the Civil Society Dialogue on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which took place in Brussels this week, Trade Commissioner Malmström once again reiterated the line taken by the Commission. The treaty text was complete and would certainly not be undone again. Not one Comma would be changed. The only thing, which was worked on related to clarifications.

Last week the European Parliament adopted an interim report of its committee of inquiry which examines the emissions scandal at VW and other car manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, nobody wants to assume responsibility.

The European Parliament is in the process of investigating the emissions scandal that started with revelations at VW. Among other questions, the EP examines what the Commission knew about the cheat software or whether it at least did have suspicions of its existence.