At the start of this week's Brussels session of the European Parliament, EP President Jerzy Buzek expressed sympathy for victims of the Belgian rail disaster of 15 February and the Madeira floods of 21 February.Source : © European Parliament

"The majority view in the European Parliament is that the correct balance between security, on the one hand, and the protection of civil liberties and fundamental rights, on the other, has not been achieved in the text put to us by the Council," said Jerzy Buzek.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

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

EP President Jerzy Buzek has expressed his consternation at the detention of 2009 Sakharov Prize Winner Oleg Orlov and 100 others in Moscow. He said: "I call on the Russian authorities to cease this heavy-handed treatment of peaceful demonstrators."Source : © European Parliament

At its meeting on Thursday, the Conference of Presidents discussed the Commission hearings process so far. EP President Jerzy Buzek announced that he had received all 25 assessment letters from the EP committees.Source : © European Parliament

Between 11 and 19 January, the European Parliament will hold a series of public hearings with the 26 candidate Commissioners put forward by the Council and Commission President José-Manuel Barroso.rss.item.source.prefix_EN : rss.item.source.value_EN

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek has made an televised Christmas and New Year address to European citizens, looking ahead to the challenges of the coming year.rss.item.source.prefix_EN : rss.item.source.value_EN

The 13 December attack on Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was "no way to conduct a political dialogue", said EP President Jerzy Buzek, opening this week's plenary session in Strasbourg. A debate and resolution on whether the presence of crucifixes in Italian classrooms breaches human rights were added to the agenda.Source : © European Parliament

Ahead of the Spanish presidency of the Council, which begins in January, EP President Jerzy Buzek and leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament will be in Madrid on Thursday and Friday for meetings with Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, other ministers and members of the Spanish Parliament. The delegation will also be received by King Juan Carlos.Source : © European Parliament

Parliament on Thursday adopted three human rights resolutions: urging the Chinese government to adopt an immediate and unconditional moratorium on the death penalty, calling on President Ortega to respect the constitution of Nicaragua and urging the authorities in Laos and Vietnam to release all human rights defenders, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.Source : © European Parliament

MEPs focused on top EU jobs in a plenary debate with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Commission President José Manuel Barroso on the outcome of the October European Council. MEPs voiced concerns about the tight timetable for appointing candidates, their qualifications, and gender issues.Source : © European Parliament