European Parliament this week: Support for Ukraine, end of roaming charges, banking union

MEPs vote on a proposal to ease access of Ukrainian goods into the EU and will also consider capping bank card payment charges across Europe and finally abolishing roaming charges during a plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday (2 April) and Thursday (3 April). Outside plenary business, the economic committee votes on Tuesday (1 April) on the informal deal struck with EU governments on how to deal with failing banks.

Brussels plenary

Ukraine’s economy is going through rough times and the European Parliament will have its say on a proposal aiming to provide support by lifting customs duties for the country's exports to the EU.

Fees that banks charge for processing credit card transactions should not be higher than 0.3% of the transaction value and fees for debit card transactions should not be higher than 7 euro cents or 0.2% of the transaction value (whichever is lower), under a proposal being voted on during the plenary.

Roaming charges in the EU should be over by the end of 2015, according to proposals to be voted on in Parliament. The rules also seek to reinforce the principle of net neutrality to ensure that internet providers cannot block or slow down internet services at will.

Workers moving from one EU country to another will keep their supplementary pension rights under an informal deal with the EU governments to be approved in the plenary session.

In a series of votes, Parliament will decide whether to give 'discharge', in other words approve how every EU institution and agency handled its 2012 budget.

Other business

The economic committee will discuss and vote on an informal deal with the Council on the single resolution mechanism that sets out rules on how to proceed with failing banks on Tuesday.

On Wednesday a conference in Parliament will discuss the role of social media in politics. The keynote speech will be given by Alec Ross, who was senior advisor for innovation to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Share this article: