Things we learned in plenary: Capping payment card fees, assessing candidate countries, debating Nemtsov

King Abdullah II of Jordan called on Muslims to join the fight against the so-called Islamic State. “We will not allow them to hijack our faith,” he said during his fourth official visit to Parliament. Despite progress on some gender inequality issues, much remains to be done to reduce the gender pay gap and removing the glass ceiling on women’s careers, MEPs said in a resolution marking the International Women's Day observed annually on 8 March.

MEPs backed a deal to cap payment card fees that banks charge retailers to process shoppers’ payments. This should result in lower costs for consumers as well as retailers.
Many MEPs called for solidarity and concrete steps by the European Commission to aid road hauliers hit by the Russian restrictions on food and farm produce imports from the EU.

Upon assessing the progress of Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards Europe in 2014, Parliament pointed to continuing challenges with the rule of law, corruption, discrimination, the pace of structural reform, and the polarisation of politics.

Parliament called for further efforts to investigate online sexual abuse of children, prosecute offenders, protect child victims and remove any illegal online content. 80% of victims are under 10, MEPs warned.

MEPs called on the European Council that is meeting on 19-20 March to make Europe more energy-independent and competitive, to remain united and firm with regard to Russia, and to consider ways to lend more economic support to Ukraine.
Parliament debated the worrying rise of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and violent extremism in the European Union with Commissioner Johannes Hahn. MEPs warned that 43% of young people work on precarious terms such as part-time contracts or bogus self-employment and recommended putting more effort into creating quality jobs for them.

Parliament President Martin Schulz participated in a Facebook chat organised by the Parliament to answer citizens' questions on the latest EU developments, touching upon issues such as youth unemployment and the economic crisis as well as foreign policy.
On Wednesday, Parliament discussed the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Earlier the same day MEPs had debated the European Semester of better coordination between the economic policies of the member states governments.