News: Strasbourg Plenary Session

Strasbourg Plenary Week
8-11 February 2010

This week is the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. MEPs travel to Strasbourg once a month to hold votes on proposals from the Commission, resolutions and motions. This month MEPs will be holding the final vote on the new European Commission after Parliament forced the withdrawal of the Bulgarian nominee, Rumiana Jeleva citing poor performance in the hearings. Bulgaria nominated a new Commissioner who Parliament supports. The final vote will be held on Tuesday afternoon.

MEPs will also vote on the controversial SWIFT agreement between the US and EU on sharing international financial data. MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee voted to recommend that parliament vote against the proposed agreement. The full parliamentary vote on SWIFT is being held on Thursday.

Other votes being held in Strasbourg this week, Bodyscanners, Reports on candidate countries Macedonia, Croatia and Turkey, resolutions on Haiti, Iran and Yemen and the fight against domestic violence.