S&D member of the European Parliament, Fred Matić, will lead a majority in the EP this week to introduce a European status for artists. This status would guarantee artists and people working in the cultural sector, who suffered badly from the Covid-19 crisis, to have access to unemployment allowances, health care and pensions throughout the EU.

Fred Matić, Croatian MEP and S&D negotiator on the file in the European Parliament’s committee on culture and education, said:

BSEF aisbl, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Hack as the new Secretary General. Effective 1^st October 2021, and pending regulatory filings, Michael Hack succeeds Dr. Kevin Bradley, who has been Secretary General for the past 6 years.

As Secretary General, Michael will provide leadership to the BSEF activities in its support for bromine and bromine-based technologies.

Advocates to protest at European Commission (Schuman Roundabout) in Brussels to urge G20 and EU countries to use the Rome Summit to commit to real action on global COVID-19 vaccine access

Wednesday, October 20, 12:00-13:00 local time, Schuman Roundabout / Rond-point Schuman

Today, S&D members in the legal affairs committee will vote in favour of legal action against the Commission for its failure to trigger the EU’s rule of law conditionality mechanism. In force since 1 January 2021, the mechanism makes access to EU funds conditional on respecting the rule of law and EU fundamental values.

Today, MEPs are voting for EU proposals to end abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing critical public voices and suppressing media freedom.

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, so-called SLAPPs, are a huge threat to media freedom and freedom of expression, and the use of lawsuits for these purposes is on the rise. MEPs are demanding EU-wide anti-SLAPPs legislation, as well as clear rules on the jurisdiction of defamation cases, to stop this rising phenomenon in the EU.