As a member of parliament, I’m constantly on the move. I want to be present in Rostock, as well as in Brussels and Strasbourg. I want to meet people all over Europe, get a picture of the situation on the ground. And I want to do all this with a carbon footprint that is as…
Space policy sounds like the distant future. But space travel is currently undergoing rapid change. And we need to prepare for this. Space travel is becoming increasingly important — not only for telecommunications, but also for science, from medicine to climate research. Its ongoing privatization promises billions in profits, and the world’s richest people are…
On February 11, we in the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the political situation in Uganda. In response to my speech, I have received hundreds of messages from Uganda that have moved me deeply. I would like to express my solidarity with the people who are taking to the streets in their country for…
The European Parliament calls on the Kazakh government to comply with its international obligations and uphold human rights. Yesterday, we MEPs adopted a respective resolution with an overwhelming majority. Kazakhstan is an important partner of the European Union. Just last year, the so-called Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) entered into force. It not only…
On the last few meters, the EU and the UK have finally agreed on a post-Brexit framework – thereby sidelining Europe’s major youth exchange programs. Most likely, the whole UK will no longer participate in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC). How will this affect the two programs? Is there still a chance for…
The Brexit is no good news for the Cultural and Creative Sectors in both the EU and the UK. The UK will no longer participate in Europe’s major Creative Europe programme. Apart from this, intercultural exchange between the EU and the UK will become more difficult. How will touring bands and other mobile performers be…
What is the role and impact of music streaming services on the whole business and on songwriters and artists in particular? I have requested the European Parliament’s Research Service (EPRS) to compile an overview on this topic. It covers aspects such as the change of music consumption over time, revenue distribution chains, the impact of…
On Friday, 4 December 2020, from 09:00 to 11:00 CET, the first public event of the Cultural Creators Friendship Group (CCFG) gets live and online. The Members of the CCFG will present themselves, explain what the CCFG is and does, and discuss the current situation of cultural creators in the EU. We are especially delighted to…
Streaming services have completely transformed the way we listen to music – and pay for it. For artists, the work and income structures have thus significantly changed in recent years. Yet it is my no means certain that many clicks lead to a decent income. Aside from few superstars, there are 99 percent of whom…
Last week, the Council, Commission and Parliament were able to reach agreement in the negotiations on REACT-EU. Through the program, EU cohesion policy will receive additional funding of 47.5 billion euros. The money is intended to help the most affected regions in Europe to tackle the consequences of the Corona pandemic more effectively. The money…
