On a day when plenary reflects on WW1 and Europe's future, MEPs approve measures to combat invasive species and facilitate new open-for-all basic bank accounts.

Basic banking / Invasive alien species / 100 years after WW1

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/11792650/n001-140416-002-en.srt

Without a fixed address no bank account,

but without a bank account  it's impossible to rent a home.

This vicious circle is well-known  to foreign workers,

There are about 58 million people  in Europe without a bank account.

MEPs want basic bank accounts for all,  at a reasonable price

The bank has to inform you  before you open the account

about the costs and the interest  you have to pay.

If Member States approve, the first basic  account should be set up within two years.

The red-eared terrapin,  the Louisiana crawfish, ragweed

all these animals, insects and plants  are invasive alien species.

There are an estimated 12,000  such species in Europe

and their numbers are rapidly increasing.

They are a threat to Europe's biodiversity  and they can be harmful to people

leading to an estimated economic loss  of 12 billion euros per year.

focuses on limiting their numbers  and avoiding new invasions in the future.

MEPs took to the floor in Plenary  for the last time before the EU elections

for a round table to discuss lessons  from the First World War 100 years on

All the political group Presidents spoke,  many for the last time in their careers.

Some took the opportunity to call  for a political Union

and for Europe to stand against nationalism.

Never again. Two simple words expressing  a whole history and a hope for the future.

The only sustainable defence is  by strengthening the European Union.

If Europe succumbs to nationalist  and populist fear mongering,

we’ll turn back time,  and digress into chaos and war for Europe.

yes I think that a federal Europe  is the future.