Article - Plenary highlights: Future of Europe, EU4Health, media freedom

MEPs backed the idea of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which could include a carbon levy on imports of certain goods from non-EU countries with less strict environmental standards than the EU to avoid European companies moving production.

MEPs raised concerns about attacks on media freedom in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia in a debate on Wednesday and called on the Commission to do more to protect journalists in Europe and stop governments acting with impunity.

On Thursday, MEPs urged the Commission to activate the rule of law mechanism without delay. Highlighting an array of long-standing issues and the continuous deterioration of the situation in some countries, they called for immediate action to prevent further damage to the EU’s budget and values.

In response to the backsliding of LGBTIQ rights in some EU countries, MEPs declared the EU an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone on Thursday.

In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, MEPs call for more inclusive labour polices to allow people living with disabilities equal access to the job market. Only half of people with disabilities are in employment.

On Wednesday, MEPs recommended changes to a draft law on taxing sales made through online platforms to force platforms to register in the EU and oblige tax authorities to share information.

MEPs also discussed the OpenLux investigations about how Luxembourg’s financial ecosystem is generating tax avoidance across Europe and called for enforcement of existing rules and urgent introduction of new ones like on country-by-country reporting.