A significant number of notifications related to toys and to chemical risks has been revealed with today’s release of the 2012 RAPEX1 Annual Report. Despite the efforts of market surveillance authorities, this increase again shows that children in the EU are not receiving the protection they deserve. ANEC repeats its call to policy makers to strengthen chemical requirements for toys and adopt a coherent horizontal approach to chemicals in products.

EU funds continue to be used to subsidise the bullfighting industry in Spain, according to a new report by ERC/Catalonia Sí, which was presented in the European Parliament today by MEPs from the Greens/EFA group (1). The report suggests that bullfighting would be unviable without subsidies. Acting on this, Greens/EFA MEPs have joined with MEPs from other political groups in writing to EU agriculture commissioner Ciolos, calling on him to end EU subsidies for bullfighting (2). Commenting at the press conference, Greens/EFA MEP Raül Romeva (Catalonia) said:

“Families are increasingly facing serious poverty risks during the current crisis. To Caritas Europa, the family is a fundamental pillar of social welfare, which should be supported in times of crisis,” says Jorge Nuño-Mayer, Secretary General of Caritas Europa.

“In many cases the household income can remain below the poverty line if the earnings on the labour market are low, and the number of non-working family members is high” he says. “The extent to which both parents can secure gainful employment also depends on whether affordable childcare is available or not.”

Brussels, 14 May 2013 – The new EU data protection rules should be effective and clear but also flexible enough to allow companies to innovate and consumers to benefit from new services, underlined ETNO, ECTA, GSMA and Cable Europe today on the occasion of a joint industry event hosted by MEP Seán Kelly, and with the participation of European Commission Vice‐President Viviane Reding.

GUE/NGL MEPs and guest speakers have taken part in two days of fruitful and dynamic debates in Derry, Ireland.

GUE/NGL President Gabi Zimmer said: "We are delighted to be here in Ireland as solidarity between progressive movements across all parts of the EU, particularly on the periphery where the crisis is hitting hardest, is crucial to the GUE/NGL."

The background to the conflict and the current political situation in Ireland was discussed.