Report examines ’jump-start’ for ‘European Security Month’
The European Network and Information Security Agency ENISA today published a new, detailed feasibility study of a European security month. A recommendation of the study is that a strong commitment by the EU Member States would be useful to roll-out a successful European cyber security month.

The European Parliament adopted today, with a slight majority - 307 votes in favour, 259 votes against and 54 abstentions - an own-initiative Report by a Dutch Liberal MEP, Sophie In't Veld, bearing the rather ambitious title 'EU counter-terrorism policy: main achievements and future challenges'. "Both the alternative Resolution presented at the last minute by the political left, and the original Report are biased and unfounded.

Brok: Commission and European Council must raise controversial Duma elections at EU-Russia Summit tomorrow

Following reports of electoral fraud during the Russian parliamentary elections of 4 December, the European Parliament has called for free and fair elections in Russia, with all opposition parties allowed to participate. In a Resolution negotiated by the EPP Group, adopted by a large majority today, MEPs heavily criticised the actions of Russian security forces against peaceful demonstrators.

Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Leader today issued a stark warning to the EU following the weak statement by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton on the situation in Syria.  Following her remarks that the idea of creating humanitarian corridors  "has been dropped", Verhofstadt stated if the EU stands idly by - Homs will become the new Srebrenica.

Member States collectively spend about €200 billion a year on defence, which represents only about a third of the US defence budget alone. European countries are already incapable of carrying out military operations (example recent Libya intervention) without US support, whose share of all defence spending within NATO has risen to 75%. The European Parliament today adopted a Report in response to the uncoordinated defence budget cuts in recent years of the majority of EU Member States. The MEPs call for increased cooperation in the field of defence.