Opening: Schulz deplores drowning of Mediterranean migrants

Source: European Parliament (EP) i, published on Monday, September 15 2014, 18:13.

The EU must do its utmost to prevent further deaths at sea of Mediterranean migrants - this is a humanitarian catastrophe, said President Schulz of breaking news that over 200 would-be migrants had drowned when their boat sank off Libya and over 500 had drowned when their boat sank off Malta the previous week.

European Ombudsman election

A new European Ombudsman will be elected in January 2015, announced Mr Schulz. He noted that the call for candidates had been issued in the EU Official Journal of 2 September, and that each candidate would need the backing of at least 40 MEPs from at least two EU member states.

October part-session cancelled

The 8 and 9 October part-session will be cancelled, to allow more time to prepare to vote on the next EU Commission, announced Mr Schulz.

Incoming MEPs

Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS (GUE/NGL, Spain), replaced Carlos JIMÉNEZ VILLAREJO as of 11 September 2014.

REF. : 20140912IPR61953

Updated: ( 15-09-2014 - 18:49)