EuroParlRadio

MEPs demand common mobile chargers – Kelly

When we go abroad we should all be able to use one common charger that would work for all of our mobile phones and other portable devices such as tablets and e-book readers. That’s the demand from the European Parliament which is holding its plenary session in Strasbourg this week.  

MEPs last night debated how to get the European Commission to introduce laws that would force the mobile device industries to manufacture a common charger for all products.

They say such binding measures would reduce electronic waste and make consumers’ lives easier.

Here’s the Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly.

Out words: of unity

Dur: 00:19

“Urgent action” needed to tackle EU homeless crisis – Cuffe

MEPs are calling for urgent action to tackle the growing homeless crisis in the EU. According to a recent EU report an estimated seven hundred thousand people were homeless in the EU in 2019. And those numbers are increasing. Ireland has one of the worst records in the EU with homelessness increasing by over two hundred percent between 2014 and 2018. The European Parliament last night called on the EU Commission and member states to make the fight against homelessness a top priority. 

The Green Party MEP Ciarán Cuffe says there are ways to reduce homelessness.

Out words: build homes

Dur: 00:22

Maltese journalist’s murder reminder of Guerin assassination – Fitzgerald

The ongoing controversy over the murder of an investigative journalist in Malta is a reminder of what happened to Irish journalist Veronica Guerin.

So says the Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald. She was referring to the death of Daphne Caruana Galizia who was blown up in a car bomb in 2017.

The mother of three was investigating alleged corruption within the Maltese government at the time of her death.

The European Parliament this week demanded the immediate resignation of Malta’s prime Minister Joseph Muscat. MEPs warned that as long as Mr Muscat remained in power, there was a real risk of ongoing investigations into the journalist’s death being compromised.

Out words: of it

Dur: 00:30

MEP calls for end of exportation of live animals to non-EU states - O’Sullivan

The exportation of live animals to countries outside the EU “shouldn’t be happening”. Instead their meat should be processed in their home country before being sent abroad.

So says the Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan.

During the week the European Parliament debated how to improve the safety and wellbeing of animals being transported abroad to non-EU states.  

The debate followed an incident last month when a vessel full of sheep capsized off the coast of Romania.  Almost all of the fourteen and a half thousand (14,500) sheep on board were killed on the cargo ship that was heading for Saudi Arabia.

Out words: meat abroad

Dur: 00:23

Farmers “very threatened” by Mercosur and EU Green deal – McGuinness

Ireland will need to have “a big debate” about the implications of the EU-Mercosur trade deal before it’s ratified.

That’s the recommendation from the Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness. The European Parliament this week debated concerns about the compatibility of the Mercosur trade deal with the EU’s ambitious new Green Deal.

Mairead McGuinness says the EU is a long way off from ratifying the deal for it to come into force.  

Out words: in silos

Dur: 00:24

“Big debate” needed on Mercosur trade deal – McGuinness

The EU is a “long way off” from ratifying the EU-Mercosur Trade deal. That’s the view of the Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness who says Ireland needs to have a proper debate about its implications.  

The European Parliament this week discussed the concerns MEPs have about the compatibility of the Mercosur trade deal with the EU’s ambitious new Green Deal.

The EU and Mercosur group of countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) reached an agreement on a trade pact last June.  But EU countries and the European Parliament still have to ratify the agreement for it to come into force.

Here’s Mairead McGuinness.

Out words: of us

Dur: 00:43

Departure of British MEPs “very sad” – Fitzgerald

The impending departure of the British MEPs from the European Parliament will be a very sad occasion.

So says the Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald who was speaking in Strasbourg where the Parliament held its monthly plenary session this week.  

Seventy two MEPs from the UK are set to leave EU politics once Brexit takes place at the end of January. The Dublin MEP says many of her British colleagues were upset this week at the prospect of leaving their jobs in the EU.

Out words: gone to

Dur: 00:18

China must close its “re-education” camps for Uyghurs – European Parliament

The European Parliament is calling on China to stop its repression of the Uyghur (OOH-Ghur) people and to immediately close its re-education camps.

MEPs today expressed their concern about China’s repression of the Muslim minority group in Xinjiang province. They say there’s solid information that the Uyghur people are subject to arbitrary detention, torture, restrictions on religious practice and extensive surveillance.

The European Parliament this week presented its annual Sakharov prize to the daughter of the winner - Ilham Tohti - who has campaigned for the Uyghur people and who is being held in a prison in China.

The Green Party MEP Ciarán Cuffe says MEPs are very concerned about the persecution of the Uyghur people.

Out words: his will

Dur: 00:37

We will end up with checks on Irish sea – McGuinness

The Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness says securing a future trade relationship with the UK will be “very very difficult”.  

But she says the UK has compromised in the past when it came to negotiating the Brexit Withdrawal agreement despite bullish statements about their red lines.

The Midlands North West MEP was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg where Brexit was once again discussed by MEPs this week.  

Out words: they say 

Dur: 00:26

MEPs question compatibility of Mercosur trade deal with new EU Green Deal

The European Parliament has raised serious concerns about the compatibility of the EU-Mercosur trade deal with the EU’s new Green deal.

The EU and Mercosur group of countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) reached an agreement on a trade pact last June. But the European Parliament and the member states still have to ratify it.

And now questions are being raised about how the Mercosur deal would fit with the EU’s ambitious goals to make Europe climate neutral by 2050.

Here’s the Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly.

Out words: no sense

Dur:00:25