General : On Thursday 29 April European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek will formally open the European Parliament's new Liaison Office with the US Congress, designed to help forge closer links between European parliamentarians and lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The Liaison Office is the first office of the European Parliament in a country outside the EU. The office will be opened by President Buzek at midday (US, East Coast time) on Thursday.Source : © European Parliament

Plenary sessions : A written declaration calling for EU-wide breast cancer screening for women, initiated by MEP Liz Lynne (ALDE, UK) had been signed by sufficient MEPs to qualify as having been endorsed by Parliament, announced the President, thanking those who had signed.Source : © European Parliament

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek on Wednesday condemned last week's terrorist attacks in the Moscow underground and paid tribute to the victims of the Katyn massacre 70 years ago. Mr Buzek was speaking at the start of the special plenary session in Brussels being held to allow MEPs to debate the recent EU summit with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and the Commission.Source : © European Parliament

At the start of Thursday's plenary sitting, Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek made statements to the House about two recent events. He condemned the killing of French policeman Jean-Serge Nerin by the Basque separatist group ETA on 16 March and expressed support for members of the Cuban opposition group Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) who have been arrested by the Cuban authorities. Ladies in White was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for human rights in 2005.

At the opening of this week's Strasbourg plenary session, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek expressed sorrow for the victims of the earthquakes in Turkey, Chile and Haiti as well as the storms in France. He also congratulated Lithuania and Estonia on the 20th anniversaries of their independence (11 March) and, referring to the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, called on China to engage in dialogue with the people of Tibet.Source : © European Parliament

European Investment Bank (EIB) support for EU regional policy is crucial for tackling the economic crisis, EIB President Philippe Maystadt told the Regional Development Committee on Monday. He was optimistic about introducing new support instruments, yet stressed the need to ensure spending quality.Source : © European Parliament

The European Parliament approved on Tuesday a set of key principles to be implemented in the cooperation agreement governing relations between the EP and the Commission. Commission President Barroso endorsed MEPs' demands, reflecting the new position of Parliament under the Lisbon Treaty.Source : © European Parliament

At the start of this week's plenary session in Strasbourg, Parliament President Jerzy Buzek commented on tomorrow's vote on the new European Commission, the Ukrainian presidential elections and the death of a former EP colleague in Haiti.Source : © European Parliament

The Conference of Presidents, comprising the EP President and the political group leaders, considered on Thursday the results of the complete set of hearings of the Commissioners-designate. The EP leaders confirmed that the vote on the new Commission will take place on Tuesday 9 February at 1.30pm in Strasbourg.Source : © European Parliament

"If 'well-digested intellectually', the economic crisis can perhaps create opportunities for re-launching the market integration process in Europe", President of Milan's Bocconi University and former EU Commissioner Mario Monti told the Special Committee on Financial, Economic and Social Crisis at a public hearing on Thursday.Source : © European Parliament

At the start of this week's Strasbourg session of the European Parliament, EP President Jerzy Buzek expressed sorrow at the situation in Haiti and at the execution of a British citizen in China.Source : © European Parliament