In the presence of Ms Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, world famous cellist and surviving member of the Women’s Orchestra in Auschwitz, Mischa and Maxim Maisky performed “From Jewish Life: Prayer” by Ernest Bloch on cello and piano.

In her speech, Liliana Segre, the 89-year-old Italian senator-for-life and Auschwitz survivor, recalled the absolute inhumanity of the camps and “death marches” organised by the Nazis in 1945, which she survived as a young girl, unlike many others: “They were merely guilty of being born”. She stated that she has a duty to bear witness, as long as she lives.

Statements by EP President David Sassoli and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the inviolability of each and every person’s dignity and the duty of Europeans to stand up against anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination were followed by a minute of silence. The Karski Quartet and Naomi Couquet (Mezzo-Soprano) performed Maurice Ravel’s “Kaddish” to close the solemn sitting.

View the full ceremony by VOD

Changes to the agenda

Wednesday

Council and Commission statements on the Coronavirus outbreak will be added as the first item after the vote on the Verhofstadt report. The sitting is therefore extended until midnight.

The vote of the resolution on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 is postponed to the March II part-session.

The title of the “Commission statement – EU strategy for mobility and transport: measures needed until 2030 and beyond” will be changed to: “EU strategy for sustainable mobility and transport: measures needed until 2030 and beyond”.

Thursday

The following points have been added:

– Objection pursuant to pursuant to Rule 111(3) – Classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures – titanium dioxide

– Tinagli report – Appointment of a member of the Single Resolution Board, 2020/0902(NLE),

– Tinagli report – Appointment of a member of the Single Resolution Board, 2020/0903(NLE),

– Tinagli report – Appointment of the Vice-Chair of the Single Resolution Board, 2020/0904(NLE)

– Tinagli report – Appointment of the Executive Director of the European Banking Authority

– Nethsingha report on Verification of credentials

A Commission statement (without resolution) on the EU response to devastation following floods in Spain is added as a second item.

Incoming Members

Christian SAGARTZ (EPP, AT) as of 23 January 2020

Heather ANDERSON (Greens/EFA, UK) as of 27 January 2020

Requests by committees to start negotiations with Council and Commission

Decisions by several committees to enter into inter-institutional negotiations (Rule 69c) are published on the plenary website.

If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made by Wednesday 12.00 midnight, the committees may start negotiations.

The European Parliament opened the plenary session of Wednesday 29 January with a solemn ceremony in memory of the six million victims of the Holocaust.

Opening the ceremony, President David Sassoli said: “Nazism and racism are not opinions, but crimes. Whenever we read in newspaper articles of acts of violence, attacks, or racist insults, we must consider these attacks addressed at each of us. They are attacks on Europe and on the values it represents.”

In her speech, Liliana Segre, Italian senator for life and survivor of Auschwitz, said: “I am extremely moved to be here in the European Parliament. I saw all of the coloured flags at the entrance of so many countries that are here together in a spirit of brotherhood where people speak to each other and look at each other. This wasn’t always the case.”

In her closing address Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Europe will not remain silent. We will fight antisemitism at all levels. We will never allow the Holocaust to be denied. We will fight with all our strengths against discrimination, racism and exclusion.”

Following the speeches, members observed a minute of silence. Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, surviving member of the Women’s orchestra in Auschwitz, also attended the ceremony.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated on 27 January to mark the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp in 1945. The term Holocaust refers to the mass murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

The Hague, 29 January 2020

Commander General of the Italian Guardia di Finanza, Mr Giuseppe Zafarana, discussed existing and future cooperation with Eurojust today, during a visit to The Hague. With an increasing number of economic crime-related cases, such as carousel fraud (MTCF), being opened at Eurojust, the aim of of Mr Zafarana’s visit was to strengthen the collaboration between the Italian authorities and judicial systems across the European Union.

Mr Zafarana, who took office in 2019 as the highest in command at the Guardia di Finanza, met with Eurojust’s President Mr Ladislav Harman and  Vice-President and National Member for Italy Mr Filippo Spiezia, and the Agency’s entire Italian desk. The Italian Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr Andrea Perugini participated in the visit as well.

The Commander General was introduced to the operational achievements of Eurojust and multiple services made available to national authorities through Eurojust’s recently reinforced legal framework (1727/2018 regulation). General Zafarana’s visit was the first of its kind made by a Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza to Eurojust.

Over the past years, there has been a strong increase in economic crime-related cases reported to Eurojust. The Guardia di Finanza has been actively involved in over half of the cases opened by the Italian desk at Eurojust , concerning for instance customs and VAT-fraud or drug trade and smuggling. Financial crime is often linked to other types of criminal activity, as it regularly serves money laundering purposes.

The Guardia di Finanza is one of three major national law enforcement agencies in Italy. It falls directly under the Ministry of Economy and Finance and is the primary police agency for patrolling Italy’s territorial waters, border and customs control, and for tackling financial criminality.

Photos © Eurojust. Mr Giuseppe Zafarana, Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza, with Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran, Vice-President and National Member for Italy Mr Filippo Spiezia, and the Italian desk at Eurojust

The Hague, 29 January 2020

Commander General of the Italian Guardia di Finanza, Mr Giuseppe Zafarana, discussed existing and future cooperation with Eurojust today, during a visit to The Hague. With an increasing number of economic crime-related cases, such as carousel fraud (MTCF), being opened at Eurojust, the aim of of Mr Zafarana’s visit was to strengthen the collaboration between the Italian authorities and judicial systems across the European Union.

Mr Zafarana, who took office in 2019 as the highest in command at the Guardia di Finanza, met with Eurojust’s President Mr Ladislav Harman and  Vice-President and National Member for Italy Mr Filippo Spiezia, and the Agency’s entire Italian desk. The Italian Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr Andrea Perugini participated in the visit as well.

The Commander General was introduced to the operational achievements of Eurojust and multiple services made available to national authorities through Eurojust’s recently reinforced legal framework (1727/2018 regulation). General Zafarana’s visit was the first of its kind made by a Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza to Eurojust.

Over the past years, there has been a strong increase in economic crime-related cases reported to Eurojust. The Guardia di Finanza has been actively involved in over half of the cases opened by the Italian desk at Eurojust , concerning for instance customs and VAT-fraud or drug trade and smuggling. Financial crime is often linked to other types of criminal activity, as it regularly serves money laundering purposes.

The Guardia di Finanza is one of three major national law enforcement agencies in Italy. It falls directly under the Ministry of Economy and Finance and is the primary police agency for patrolling Italy’s territorial waters, border and customs control, and for tackling financial criminality.

Photos © Eurojust. Mr Giuseppe Zafarana, Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza, with Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran, Vice-President and National Member for Italy Mr Filippo Spiezia, and the Italian desk at Eurojust