By Thea Pieridou
Press Officer of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus
It is difficult to understand how much our society has changed, and how much more it might change due to the collective crisis of the coronavirus that we went through in 2021. The European Parliament did not stop working for a moment, no plenary was cancelled and when the measures were prohibitive for the movement of MEPs, plenary sessions, the work of parliamentary committees, and voting following speeches by MEPs were carried out remotely. During 2021, the European Parliament (EP) discussed and adopted a wide range of important issues concerning both Cyprus and the European family as a whole. The most important decisions of 2021 can be summarized in 3 thematic sections as follows:
1. Climate and the Environment
• Prevention of "carbon leaks": Coal levy on imports, for a more ambitious global climate action (March)
In a European Parliament resolution, MEPs support the imposition of a coal levy on imports from less climate-friendly countries as there will be no benefit from global climate efforts if production in the EU is simply shifted to countries with less ambitious rules.
· € 17,5 billion package for a fair transition to a green economy (May)
The EP endorses the Fair Transition Fund, one of the key EU tools that will help EU Member States deal with the social and economic consequences of their transition to a climate-neutral economy.
• Climate legislation: EP approves agreement for a climate-neutral EU by 2050 (June)
The EP approves the climate law, thus turning the European Green Agreement's political commitment to a climate-neutral EU by 2050 into a legal obligation. The new law will provide European citizens and businesses with the legal certainty and clarity they need to properly plan their journey through this transition.
·Biodiversity: EP calls for mandatory protection (June)
MEPs discuss new EU biodiversity strategy to 2030 and in a resolution call for at least 30% of the EU land and sea area to be declared protected by 2030. MEPs also call for European biodiversity legislation to be adopted in line with the climate law.
· "From farm to fork": EP approves new EU strategy on healthy and sustainable food (October)
In an EP resolution, MEPs endorsed the farm-to-fork strategy, stressing how important it is to make our diet more sustainable and healthy. This change is necessary in order to achieve the objectives of the Europe Green Agreement, including on climate change, biodiversity, zero pollution and public health.
• EU agricultural policy 2023-2027: final approval by the EP (November)
MEPs give the green light to the new, greener, fairer, more flexible and more transparent EU Common Agricultural Policy, which will be in line with EU legislation and commitments on climate and the environment.
2. Health and COVID-19
· EU4Health: EP approves EU new health programme
The EP approves the € 5.1 billion EU4Health program (2021-2027), with the aim of better preparing EU health systems to deal with future health threats. The new program will contribute to areas where the EU can clearly add value by complementing Member States' policies.
• European Digital COVID Certificate: safe travel without discrimination (June)
MEPs approve the new European Digital COVID Certificate, which will take effect on 1 July. The ultimate goal of the certificate is to facilitate free movement within the EU and to contribute to economic recovery. It is worth noting that the EP makes use of the urgency procedure and approves the proposal for the European Digital Certificate in record time.
• European Health Union: EP calls for closer co-operation on disease prevention (September)
The proposal to extend the responsibilities of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control is approved by MEPs with a view to better tackling cross-border health threats.
· European Health Union: medicines need to be more accessible and affordable (November)
The EP is calling for a patient-centered European pharmaceutical policy and making proposals to make medicines available and affordable.
· MEPs urge Member States to continue pandemic vaccination (December)
In a plenary debate with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Slovenian Presidency, MEPs insist that vaccination remains the strongest and most effective weapon against the pandemic. Additional efforts based on scientific arguments are needed to overcome reservations over vaccines and increase the number of people vaccinated, in Europe and around the world.
3. Asylum and migration
• EU Migration Policy: Take action against human rights violations (May)
MEPs criticize the EU and some of its member countries for making excessive use of informal agreements on the return and readmission of irregular migrants.
• Migration: approval of funds for asylum policy and border management (July)
MEPs approve two European funds for managing migration flows, social inclusion and border guards. a) The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the period 2021-2027 (€ 9.88 billion) will strengthen the EU's common asylum policy, develop legal migration taking into account the needs of the Member States, and support the integration of third country nationals and will contribute to the fight against irregular migration. b) With a budget of € 6,24 billion (2021-2027), the Fund for Integrated Border Management is intended to strengthen the management of the EU's external borders, while ensuring respect for fundamental rights.
• Approval for a strong EU Asylum Agency (November)
The EP gives the final "green light" and upgrades the existing mandate of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) which has been operating since 2011. The new EU Asylum Agency will now have stronger powers to facilitate the cooperation of Member States and the convergence of asylum standards.
· New rules to support legal migrants to find work (November)
The EP is calling for measures to facilitate legal labor migration to address the aging and skills shortages and labor market needs in the EU.
