EU Member States must not only deliver on their international aid pledges, but also bring in a financial transactions tax and a temporary debt moratorium, to help developing countries to cope with the effects of the global financial and economic crisis, said the Development Committee on Monday. Member States are also urged to earmark at least 25% of the EU's CO2 emission trading revenue to help developing countries to deal with the effects of climate change.Source : © European Parliament

Agriculture can help to slow climate change, but should be ready to adapt to the impact of global warming, said Agriculture Committee MEPs and scientists at a public hearing on Wednesday.Source : © European Parliament

Spanish Presidency ministers this week outline their EU Council Presidency priorities to a range of parliamentary committees and will field MEPs' questions on most EU policy areas. On Monday they faced the committees on Education and Culture, Regional Development and Women's Rights. This release will be updated throughout the week.Source : © European Parliament

The second revision of the Cotonou Agreement governing relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries should be finalised in March 2010. Progress in the negotiations is assessed in a report by Development Committee Chair Eva Joly (Greens/EFA, FR).Source : © European Parliament

Red tape hindering companies from taking part in EU research programmes, the declining number of scientists in Europe and the high cost of patents were among issues raised by MEPs at the hearing of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner-designate for Research, Innovation and Science.rss.item.source.prefix_EN : rss.item.source.value_EN

Karel De Gucht of Belgium, the Commissioner-designate for trade, was questioned about the Doha development talks, free trade agreements and non-tariff trade barriers during his hearing on Tuesday morning. MEPs also asked how the EU's new External Action Service would link in with his portfolio and what measures he planned to take against counterfeiting and dumping.Source : © European Parliament

Andris Piebalgs, the Latvian Commissioner-designate for Development, fielded Development Committee questions on the key aim of development policy - fighting poverty - as well as aid effectiveness, the impact of climate change on developing countries and co-ordination among EU policy makers. MEPs of all political groups set out their development policy priorities at the start of the hearing.Source : © European Parliament

Higher tides, storm surges and warmer seawater could threaten the very existence of the people of Tuvalu, by destroying their land, crops and marine ecosystems, its Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia told the Development Committee on Thursday. He called on the Copenhagen climate change conference to deliver immediate global action to reduce CO2 emissions, so as keep the temperature increase within 1.5 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.Source : © European Parliament

Parliament has approved a major overhaul of EU telecoms rules, which will strengthen the rights of phone users and internet surfers and boost competition among telecoms firms. The new rules, to be implemented in the next eighteen months, will enhance consumer rights, safeguard internet freedom, protect data, boost competition and modernise radio spectrum use.Source : © European Parliament

An exciting new all-Ireland competition, My Vision for Europe, was launched in Ireland this week. The competition invites teams of Irish Transition Year students to create and record short videos representing their vision for the European Union, in response to one of four challenges. The teams will then load their entries onto a website at www.myvisionforeurope.com.Source : © European Parliament

A user's internet access may be restricted, if necessary and proportionate, only after a fair and impartial procedure including the user's right to be heard. MEPs and Council representatives agreed in negotiations on Wednesday night on this, the last open issue in the telecoms package.Source : © European Parliament

A user's internet access may be restricted, if necessary and proportionate, only after a fair and impartial procedure including the user's right to be heard. In the early hours of Thursday 5 November, MEPs and Council representatives agreed on this, the last open issue in the telecoms package.Source : © European Parliament