Martin Banks

Martin Banks is a senior reporter at the Parliament Magazine

Senior MEP says recent case of live animals transported at sea demonstrates ‘urgent need’ for major crackdown
15 Mar
Senior MEP says recent case of live animals transported at sea demonstrates ‘urgent need’ for major crackdown
Thomas Waitz says he was incensed by the suffering of a shipload of animals who were stranded at sea for over two and a half months.
COVID-19 crisis having ‘huge toll on children, warn MEPs
12 Mar
COVID-19 crisis having ‘huge toll on children, warn MEPs
European parliament’s warning comes as EU authorises use of fourth COVID-19 vaccine.
MEPs lead growing calls for EU to boycott Winter Olympics in Beijing
12 Mar
MEPs lead growing calls for EU to boycott Winter Olympics in Beijing
Demand follows concerns over alleged human rights violations in China, and erosion of democratic autonomy in Hong Kong.
Charles Michel at centre of war of words with UK over COVID vaccines
12 Mar
Charles Michel at centre of war of words with UK over COVID vaccines
Row follows Council President’s swipe at the UK over its vaccine roll out.
EU’s attempt to reform itself branded ‘biased from the very beginning’
11 Mar
EU’s attempt to reform itself branded ‘biased from the very beginning’
The strong broadside comes after a symbolic event on Wednesday to mark the start of Conference on the Future of Europe.
MEPs declare entire European Union an ‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’
11 Mar
MEPs declare entire European Union an ‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’
The move comes two years after the first so-called ‘LGBT-free zone’ was declared in the Polish town of Świdnik.
Conference on EU’s future must be open to citizens beyond Brussels bubble
10 Mar
Conference on EU’s future must be open to citizens beyond Brussels bubble
The much-delayed Conference on the Future of Europe is set to start in early May, after the leaders of two of the EU’s main institutions finally gave it the green light at a formal ceremony on Wednesday.
Most EU citizens want their voices to be heard when it comes to future of Europe
09 Mar
Most EU citizens want their voices to be heard when it comes to future of Europe
The results of an EU-wide poll come on the eve of a ceremonial event on Wednesday to mark the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Parliamentary immunity lifted for former Catalan leader and two other separatist MEPs
09 Mar
Parliamentary immunity lifted for former Catalan leader and two other separatist MEPs
The decision, in a vote late on Monday, now clears the way for formal legal moves by Spain, where Carles Puigdemont and colleagues Antoni Comín and Clara Ponsatí all face charges relating to the Catalan independence referendum in 2017.
Plenary to focus on LGBTIQ rights in Poland and Hungary
09 Mar
Plenary to focus on LGBTIQ rights in Poland and Hungary
At the plenary session in Brussels, MEPs will discuss current events in Poland and Hungary in the wake of the introduction of discriminatory laws against the LGBTIQ community in both states.
MEPs welcome moves to strengthen security in Brussels’ EU quarter after spate of violent attacks
08 Mar
MEPs welcome moves to strengthen security in Brussels’ EU quarter after spate of violent attacks
UPDATED: 08 March 2021 10:28 | Victim of attempted sexual assault told by local police that they didn’t have the resources to investigate.
Commission’s equal pay proposal a “positive step forward”
05 Mar
Commission’s equal pay proposal a “positive step forward”
MEPs have welcomed plans to plug Europe’s gender pay gap.
MEP slams Member States that broke ranks from EU vaccine strategy
04 Mar
MEP slams Member States that broke ranks from EU vaccine strategy
The EU has sought to maintain a unified approach to the vaccination procurement process but the painfully slow rollout in recent weeks has led to several Member States deciding to “go it alone.”
Major step forward for Conference on Future of Europe after Parliament approves joint declaration
04 Mar
Major step forward for Conference on Future of Europe after Parliament approves joint declaration
The long-delayed forum, due to generate ideas for reforming the EU, should have started last May but has been delayed due to inter-institutional wrangling and the Coronavirus crisis.
Clare Daly: Nicolas Sarkozy sentence ‘not much more’ than what people have endured during lockdown
03 Mar
Clare Daly: Nicolas Sarkozy sentence ‘not much more’ than what people have endured during lockdown
Ex-French President Sarkozy - who was nicknamed the “Gallic Thatcher” - was found guilty of corruption on Monday and sentenced to three years in prison.
Campaign aims to end ‘abuse’ of citizens’ personal data by tech giants
02 Mar
Campaign aims to end ‘abuse’ of citizens’ personal data by tech giants
The move comes amid an ongoing bitter dispute between Australia and Facebook.
MEPs back proposals requiring firms to comply with human rights and environmental standards
02 Mar
MEPs back proposals requiring firms to comply with human rights and environmental standards
The draft legislative initiative calls on the Commission to urgently present a law that ensures companies are held accountable and liable when they harm - or contribute to harming - human rights, the environment and good governance.
Policymakers to converge for high-level event on women’s rights
01 Mar
Policymakers to converge for high-level event on women’s rights
Participants will include Parliament President David Sassoli, the president of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, her Commission counterpart Ursula von der Leyen and EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli.
Senior MEP voices concern over role EU regions will play in Coronavirus recovery plan
01 Mar
Senior MEP voices concern over role EU regions will play in Coronavirus recovery plan
Markus Ferber, a member of Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, takes aim at Member States over their implementation of the EU’s €750bn economic recovery plan.
EU rules on long distance animal transportation regularly flouted, MEPs told
01 Mar
EU rules on long distance animal transportation regularly flouted, MEPs told
Hearing by European Parliament inquiry committee part of MEP probe into alleged violations of animal welfare.
MEPs call on pharma companies to increase COVID-19 vaccine production
26 Feb
MEPs call on pharma companies to increase COVID-19 vaccine production
European Parliament’s Socialist MEPs also want pharmaceutical giants to research against potential future Coronavirus variants and strains.
David Sassoli admits EU vaccines strategy marked by ‘mistakes’ and ‘shortcomings’
25 Feb
David Sassoli admits EU vaccines strategy marked by ‘mistakes’ and ‘shortcomings’
The European Parliament President said, “I am not giving away any secrets here as the Commission itself has admitted there have been deficiencies and shortcomings.”
MEPs throw weight behind call to end use of cages for farmed animals in EU
25 Feb
MEPs throw weight behind call to end use of cages for farmed animals in EU
Over 300 million farmed animals are kept in cages each year in the EU.
Europe’s vaccine rollout to take centre stage at online summit of EU leaders
24 Feb
Europe’s vaccine rollout to take centre stage at online summit of EU leaders
Thursday and Friday's European Council meeting will see leaders discuss the EU’s response to the ongoing pandemic and the vaccination rollout strategy.
MEPs write to French and UK governments to safeguard future of Eurostar
24 Feb
MEPs write to French and UK governments to safeguard future of Eurostar
Eurostar runs the London to Paris and London to Brussels rail services that go under the Channel Tunnel.
MEPs welcome Parliament’s post-Brexit engagement with younger generations of UK citizens
23 Feb
MEPs welcome Parliament’s post-Brexit engagement with younger generations of UK citizens
The European Parliament says it will maintain its presence in the UK, notably through its London office.
Plight of Europe’s Roma further exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic
22 Feb
Plight of Europe’s Roma further exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic
The claim has been made by the Open Society Foundations’ Public Health Programme.
European Commission receives mixed reaction to new trade strategy
22 Feb
European Commission receives mixed reaction to new trade strategy
The executive launched a major review process of the EU’s trade policy last year and this concluded with the presentation of a “renewed” policy by its vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis.
EU could follow Australia in addressing Big Tech’s “acute bargaining power imbalances”
19 Feb
EU could follow Australia in addressing Big Tech’s “acute bargaining power imbalances”
European policymakers, such as Digital Services Act rapporteur MEP Alex Agius Saliba, are monitoring the situation in Australia which has seen Facebook suspend access to domestic news publishers.
World’s richest countries accused of hoarding COVID-19 vaccines
19 Feb
World’s richest countries accused of hoarding COVID-19 vaccines
New analysis by global anti-poverty organisation The ONE Campaign claims to show that the world’s richest countries are on course to accumulate more than 1 billion more doses than they would need to fully vaccinate all their own citizens.
Guy Verhofstadt: EU Coronavirus vaccine contracts “very unbalanced”
19 Feb
Guy Verhofstadt: EU Coronavirus vaccine contracts “very unbalanced”
The senior MEP has strongly criticised the EU’s vaccination strategy which has come under increasing fire in recent weeks.
European Parliament to become Coronavirus vaccination centre
16 Feb
European Parliament to become Coronavirus vaccination centre
Each of its locations will be used to support vaccination efforts across Europe, as of 22 February.
MEPs voice concern over ‘discrimination’ faced by some EU citizens when visiting UK
15 Feb
MEPs voice concern over ‘discrimination’ faced by some EU citizens when visiting UK
In a letter they have called on the European Commission to take measures to ensure that citizens from Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia no longer face such discrimination.
Group leaders and cross-party MEPs join forces to demand faster EU vaccine rollout
15 Feb
Group leaders and cross-party MEPs join forces to demand faster EU vaccine rollout
The plea comes with the rollout in all EU countries woefully behind others such as Israel and the United States.
Time to put EU's Coronavirus recovery plan in motion says Portuguese presidency chief
15 Feb
Time to put EU's Coronavirus recovery plan in motion says Portuguese presidency chief
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa tells MEPs that EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility is a ‘vitamin’ to aid Europe's economic revival.
Michel Barnier questions ‘level of truth, communications and clarity’ in UK about the impact of Brexit
12 Feb
Michel Barnier questions ‘level of truth, communications and clarity’ in UK about the impact of Brexit
Former Chief Negotiator’s comments come as new report says economic blow dealt by Brexit will be four times greater in the UK than in the EU.