ConservativeHome's ToryDiary (Free subscription) | 11 hours ago
Beethoven's Ode to Joy will be used to open European Parliamentary sessions. The EU flag will fly from all parliamentary buildings. The European Parliament has also endorsed a Europe Day and motto. A press release from the EPP group welcomed...
BBC News (Free subscription) | 9 hours ago
Bairbre de Brun is selected by Sinn Féin to contest next year's elections to the European Parliament.
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | yesterday
The European parliament has officially adopted an anthem and flag which were left out of the Lisbon treaty for fears they appeared federalist.
Groupe socialiste (Free subscription) | yesterday
A call from the victim who has symbolised the world's biggest and longest running hostage crisis, for unconditional talks between the Colombian guerrillas, who kidnapped her for six years, and the country's Government, has been welcomed by the British Euro MP who helped host her visit to the European Parliament today (Thursday).
Groupe socialiste (Free subscription) | 08/10/2008
Tomorrow’s vote in the European Parliament on the EU anthem and flag is endorsing a decision made by Margaret Thatcher and EU heads of government 23-years-ago, points out Labour MEP Richard Corbett. The original decision to adopt the 12-starred flag and Beethoven’s Ode To Joy as the EU’s symbols, was agreed in the EU Council meeting of 1985 on behalf of Britain by Mrs Thatcher.
EPP ED (Free subscription) | 7 hours ago
T he European Parliament is the first institution to comment on the outcome of the elections in Belarus. The adopted Resolution is to give political backing to partly suspend Belarus sanctions for 6 months, although the EU expects the Lukashenko regime to respond with the changes to the very restrictive media law.
Groupe socialiste (Free subscription) | 9 hours ago
Richard Corbett MEP, Labour's euro-spokesman on EU Reform in the European Parliament, today expressed his surprise at yet another Tory split on Europe. Two Conservative MEPs, Christopher Beazley and Caroline Jackson approved a report that means that the blue flag with twelve gold stars and Beethoven's Ode to Joy will be officially recognised by the Parliament.
The anger of a Quiet Man (Free subscription) | 6 hours ago
Oh wait, I forgot, it's the EU. EU symbols revive federalism row A decision to make the EU flag and motto more prominent and play the EU anthem in the European Parliament has angered some British Euro MPs. The parliament voted by 503 to 96 in favour of the measure on Thursday, with 15 abstentions. Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden reminded fellow MEPs that EU symbols were dropped from the Lisbon...
EPP ED (Free subscription) | 10 hours ago
T he Committee on Budgets of the European Parliament has approved the allocation of €1m for the year 2009 for a pilot project to develop specific methods of prevention and stopping desertification in Europe. There are certain areas to be covered like research, data collection, evaluation, field visits, consultancy and European networking for stopping desertification.
ConservativeHome (Free subscription) | 11 hours ago
10am Parliament: Tory MPs expose failure of ministers to answer questions in a timely way ToryDiary: The European Parliament adopts flag, anthem and other symbols of nation Ryan Robson on Platform: We need a cold turkey cure for Labour's reckless...
Euractive (Free subscription) | 12 hours ago
The so-called 'symbols of the Union', namely the EU flag, anthem and motto, were formally recognised by the European Parliament yesterday (8 October).
An Englishman's Castle (Free subscription) | 13 hours ago
'Sovereignty threat' after European parliament adopts flag and anthem - Telegraph The European parliament has officially adopted an anthem and flag which were left out of the Lisbon treaty for fears they appeared federalist. Supporters of the symbols said they...
IntelliBriefs (Free subscription) | 19 hours ago
Source: IntelligenceOnline.com Already able to count on active backing in the U.S. Congress, the opposition Iranian movement People’s Mujahedin has its friends in the European Parliament, too. The vice president of the European Parliament, Spain’s Alejo Vidal-Quadras, became head of a new organization last month that will work to remove the People’s Mujahedin (Mujahedin-e Kalq: MEK) from Europe’s list...
Andrew Allison (Free subscription) | yesterday
I'm not feeling very well today, so I won't be posting anymore tonight. What I will be doing though is trying to read more of The Plan: Twelve months to renew Britain* by Daniel Hannan , MEP and Douglas Carswell , MP. Douglas spoke to us about the book at the Young Britons' Foundation Workshop I attended in Birmingham just before the conference started. As I only seem to manage to read a few pages...
MSNBC.com (Free subscription) | yesterday
Animal-rights activists staged a topless protest outside the European Parliament on Thursday, demanding the European Union ban bullfighting and stop aiding the industry in Spain, France and Portugal.
