The lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists (PES), Frans Timmermans, 57, was nominated by the members’ congress in Lisbon on 7-8 December 2018.

Frans TIMMERMANS (PvdA, Netherlands) currently serves as First Vice-President of the European Commission. He was first elected to the second chamber of the Dutch Parliament in 1998. From 2007 to 2010 he served as Secretary of State for European Affairs, and from 2012 to 2014 as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mark Rutte’s cabinet. Mr Timmermans holds a degree in French language and literature from Radboud University.

#EUelections2019 - Frans TIMMERMANS, lead candidate for the PES

The European Parliament 's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety is responsible for food safety issues, including the labelling and safety of foodstuffs, veterinary legislation safeguarding against risks to human health, and public health checks on foodstuffs and food production systems.

Parliament is also particularly vigilant with regard to threats to consumer health related to cloned animals and nanomaterials or GMOs. It scrutinises and regularly opposes draft proposals for authorisation or renewal of new genetically modified plants such as maize or soya beans. In order to ensure greater transparency throughout the food chain and to better inform European consumers, Parliament, in a resolution adopted in May 2016, reiterated its call on the Commission to present legislative proposals for the mandatory indication of the origin of, in particular, meat used as an ingredient in processed foods. This should restore consumer confidence in the wake of the horsemeat scandal and other food fraud cases. In 2017, Parliament and Council agreed upon new rules to tighten up official food inspections aimed at improving food traceability and combating fraud. During the negotiations, Parliament managed to strengthen enforcement in relation to fraudulent or deceptive practices.

#EUelections2019 - Food safety

The European Parliament works to ensure that its legislative and non-legislative work respects, promotes and safeguards the rights of the child and advances children’s lives both within the EU and in relation to the outside world.

The EU school fruit, vegetable and milk scheme lasts throughout the school year in the participating EU countries.

Aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children, the EU school scheme includes the distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk products, as well as dedicated educational programmes to teach pupils about the importance of good nutrition and to explain how food is produced.

#EUelections2019 - Children’s rights

Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to new copyright rules which also contain safeguards on freedom of expression.

In March 2019 MEPs adopted by 348 votes in favour, 274 against and 36 abstentions a new directive on Copyright. This marks the end of the legislative process for the European Parliament that began in 2016. The directive aims to ensure that the longstanding rights and obligations of copyright law also apply to the internet. YouTube, Facebook and Google News are some of the internet household names that will be most directly affected by this legislation. The directive also strives to ensure that the internet remains a space for freedom of expression.

#EUelections2019 - Copyright

On Friday 25 May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force.

MEPs approved the regulation in 2016, in order to provide universal and high-level data protection rules across the EU.&nbsp; GDPR will ensure that everyone is able to control what kind of personal data they share with companies and for which purposes.

#EUelections2019 - Data Protection

As of 3 December 2018, Europeans are able to shop online without unjustified geo-blocking, wherever they are in the EU.

For citizens this means that they are able to buy their new electrical goods online, rent a car or get their concert tickets across borders as they do at home. Consumers no longer face barriers such as being asked to pay with a debit or credit card issued in another country. For businesses, this means more legal certainty to operate cross-border.

#EUelections2019 - Geo-blocking

Roaming fees for calling, sending text messages and using mobile internet abroad in the EU banned since 15 June 2017.

Since 2006, the European Commission has taken action to address the high roaming charges paid by consumers for using their mobile phones when travelling abroad in another EU Member State. In 2015, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a fourth Roaming Regulation, which entered into force on 29 November 2015. In January 2016, the European Parliament voted on its resolution 'Towards a single market act' for a timely wholesale review, to end roaming charges for all European consumers by 15 June 2017. During the third trilogue meeting on 31 January 2017, an agreement was reached between the Parliament and the Council. The Final Act was published in the Official Journal on 9 June 2017. As a result, since 15 June 2017 retail roaming charges have disappeared in the EU and EEA/EFTA countries (as they decided also to abolish them). The wholesale roaming charges were again reduced.

#EUelections2019 - Roaming

As part of a shift in EU policy towards a circular economy, the European Parliament worked on four legislative proposals introducing new waste-management targets regarding reuse, recycling and landfilling. The proposals also strengthen provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility, and streamline definitions, reporting obligations and calculation methods for targets.

#EUelections2019 - Circular economy

The European Parliament has adopted new rules to allow parents and carers to better reconcile their work and family lives.

The new rules for a better work-life balance, adopted on 4 April 2019, aim to increase the employment rate for women, create incentives for fathers to take family-related leave, and promote gender equality and equal opportunities. Parliament and Council agree on measures to reconcile career and private life:

- Ten working days paternity leave, paid at not less than the level of sick pay

- Two months of non-transferable paid parental leave

- Five days of annual carers’ leave

- Flexible working patterns, including remote working.

#EUelections2019 - Work-life balance

On 27 March 2019, Parliament approved a new law banning single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds.

A milestone success is the ban of single-use plastic products such as cutlery, cotton buds, plates, straws, beverage stirrers and balloon sticks which will be banned from the EU market from 2021.

#EUelections2019 - Single use plastics

At its party meeting on 21 March in Brussels, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) party nominated its team of seven lead candidates (Team Europe) for the presidency of the European Commission. Margrethe Vestager is the candidate taking part in the May 15 Eurovision debate. Other members of Team Europe are Nicola Beer, Emma Bonino, Violeta Bulc, Katalin Cseh, Luis Garicano and Guy Verhofstadt.

Margrethe VESTAGER, 51 (Radikale Venstre, Denmark), since 2014 serves as the European Commissioner for Competition. Previously, she was the Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs (2011) and the Minister for Education (1998) in Denmark. The candidate obtained her degree in Economics at the University of Copenhagen (1993).

#EUelections2019 - Margrethe VESTAGER, lead candidate for ALDE as member

Jan Zahradil (ODS, Czech Republic) was designated as the lead candidate for the Reformists Alliance of Europe (ACRE) on 14 November 2018.

Jan ZAHRADIL, 55, is member of the European Parliament (ECR group) since 2004 and serves as the President of ACRE. Before 2004, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. Mr Zahradil is a researcher by profession, holding an engineering degree from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.

#EUelections2019 - Jan ZAHRADIL, lead candidate for the ACRE

The Party of the European Left has elected Nico Cué, 62, and Violeta Tomič, as its lead candidates.

Nico CUÉ (Liège, Belgium) is a leading figure of the Walloon and international unions’ movement and held the office of Secretary-General of the steelworkers in the FGBT union (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique) for 12 years.

#EUelections2019 - Nico CUÉ, lead candidate for the European Left

The European People’s Party (EPP) elected Manfred Weber (CSU, Germany) as its lead candidate for the European elections on 8 November 2018, at the Helsinki party congress.

Manfred WEBER, 46, started his political career in the regional Parliament (Bayerischer Landtag) in 2002 and was elected to the European Parliament in 2004. Since 2014, he has served as the chairman of the European People’s Party (EPP) - EPP group. The candidate obtained his degree in physical engineering at Munich University of Applied Sciences.

#EUelections2019 - Manfred WEBER, lead candidate for the EPP

European Green Party (EGP) nominated Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout as their two lead candidates for the European elections at its 23-25 November congress in Berlin. Ska Keller is the candidate taking part in the May 15 Eurovision debate.

Ska KELLER (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany) studied Islamic Studies, Turkology and Jewish Studies at the Free University Berlin and the Sabanci Üniversitesi Istanbul. Elected to the European Parliament for the first time in 2009, she ran as the EGP lead candidate in the 2014 European elections campaign. Keller is co-chair of the Greens group in Parliament.

#EUelections2019 - Ska KELLER, lead candidate for the EGP

Tax avoidance by companies cost EU countries €160-190 billion per year in lost revenue.

According to a Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Parliament, 75% of the EU population expects more EU action on the fight against tax fraud: it is necessary to respond effectively to this concern.
The European Parliament is leading this fight by adopting ambitious and concrete proposals to increase tax transparency and combat tax avoidance. Parliament is calling for the automatic exchange of tax rulings between member states and public country-by-country reporting for multinationals, together with a common definition of tax havens and strong and concrete sanctions.

#EUelections2019 - Corporate tax transparency

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate - Press statement by Nico CUÉ for the Party of the European Left (EL) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement by Nico CUÉ for the Party of the European Left (EL) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement by - Ska KELLER for the Green Party (EGP) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement by- Margrethe VESTAGER, for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement byJan ZAHRADIL, for the Reformists Alliance of Europe (ACRE) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement by Frans TIMMERMANS for the Party of European Socialists (ACRE) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate  - Press statement by Manfred WEBER for the European People's Party (EPP) - #EUelections2019

Candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission/Eurovision Debate - Press statement - EUelections2019.

EP Press Seminar #EUelections2019 - ' Choose your Future ': exchange of views with Antonio TAJANI, EP President

DG COMM brochure on the upcoming European Elections - One Year to Go - #EUElections2019

EP Vice-President Ramon Luis VALCARCEL SISO at the DG COMM stand on the upcoming European Elections - One Year to Go - #EUElections2019

Press seminar for audio-visual media - ' #EUElections2019 - one year to go '

Press seminar for audio-visual media - ' #EUElections2019 - one year to go '- Eurobarometer “One year to the EE19”

Press seminar for audio-visual media - ' #EUElections2019 - one year to go '- Brexit: the role of TVs during the referendum campaign and the EU-UK withdrawal negotiation

Press seminar for audio-visual media - ' #EUElections2019 - one year to go '- Opening session

Press seminar for audio-visual media - ' #EUElections2019 - one year to go '- EE19 Spitzenkandidaten and challenges at stake

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, participates in an exchange of views during the EP Press Seminar #EUelections2019 entitled "Choose your Future".

EP Press Seminar #EUelections2019 - "Choose your Future": extracts from the exchange of views with Antonio TAJANI, EP President

The European Parliament is holding in Brussels a seminar for senior staff of television outlets of all Member States. The seminar is entitled #EUelections2019 - "Choose your Future".

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