10/04/2019 | 11:51:03 Our continent has experienced a massive and alarming resurgence of hate speech and intolerance against foreigners and religious and sexual minorities. While the main echo chamber is social media and the mainstream media, the worlds of sport and even politics have not been spared. Of course, freedom of speech and expression is important and precious, but it needs to be restricted in our texts to avoid any kind of abuse against fundamental rights. This debate is therefore very necessary... 09/04/2019 | 17:02:14 The political context for this debate on very important issues is crucial: it takes place a month and a half before the European elections, and while we are celebrating 70 years of the Council of Europe. The report is on the mechanism that the European Parliament created when it adopted its resolution of 25 October 2016, but it goes beyond that and touches on the relationship between the European Union and the Council of Europe – what kind of relationship should we build and maintain to... 25/01/2019 | 11:28:16 The vote is open. Amendment 2 is rejected. I have received an oral amendment from Ms Tineke STRIK on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights which reads as follows: “In the draft resolution, at the end of paragraph 8, insert the following words: ‘Moreover, it may have a strong symbolic function but a weak deterrent effect’.” The President may accept an oral amendment on the grounds of promoting clarity, accuracy or conciliation and if there is not opposition from 10 or more... 25/01/2019 | 10:06:39 The sitting is open. The first item of business is the debate on the report titled “Withdrawing nationality as a measure to combat terrorism: a human rights-compatible approach?” presented by Ms Tineke STRIK on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. I remind you that the speaking time is four minutes, and that we must finish this debate, including the vote, by 11:40 a.m. We will have to interrupt the list of speakers at about 11:20 a.m. in order to hear the response of the... 23/01/2019 | 19:41:34 The debate is closed. We now come to the first of the two resolutions we have to consider, which is “Discrimination in access to employment”, Document 14666. The Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination has presented a draft resolution, to which four amendments have been tabled. The amendments will be taken individually in the order in which they appear in the Compendium. I remind you that speeches on amendments are limited to 30 seconds. We come to Amendment 1. I call Mr Jaak MADISON to... 23/01/2019 | 17:47:30 I thank the rapporteur and their colleagues. Originally a revolutionary process of communication for military use, the Internet has become much more than a new medium. More than 4 billion individuals, if we take the rapporteur’s figures, and some 74% of the European Union’s population between the ages of 16 and 74, are regular users. In 20 years, web applications have far transcended the mere framework of information and communication and have gradually spread to all fields of economic... 23/01/2019 | 11:49:51 Often identified as the fourth power after the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, the press plays a decisive role in any democratic society. It has been shaped recently by technological progress, starting with the printing press and running all the way through to the Internet, social networks, and the emergence of a political consciousness among people, thanks to universal education and the spread of knowledge. At a time when the press is being denigrated, it is essential that we...