Safer roads across Europe: Parliament backs minimum EU standards for MoT tests

The European Parliament has approved new EU-wide minimum standards for MoT safety tests and roadside inspections, with the aim of cutting road deaths by 50% between 2010 and 2020.

  The Roadworthiness Package voted through in Strasbourg on Tuesday July 2nd will raise safety standards for vehicles on Europe's roads, says local MEP and Lib Dem European transport spokesman Phil Bennion MEP

€912 million EU regional funding settlement for LEPs is good news for West Midlands

Phil Bennion has welcomed news that Local Enterprise Partnerships in the West Midlands region are line to receive €912 million in European Regional funding for 2014 until 2020.

The largest allocation of EUR 255

Tory EU justice opt-out plan puts public safety at risk

LibDem MEP Phil Bennion has backed a Justice Across Borders demonstration today, supported by Stephen Fry, against a plan by Conservative ministers to opt out of 130 European police and criminal justice measures.

Justice Across Borders is holding a demonstration against the optout today outside Parliament in Strasbourg, which has celebrity backing from Stephen Fry

MEP welcomes EU plans to cut red tape for small and medium firms (SMES)

Lib Dem MEP Phil Bennion has welcomed proposals from the European Commission on how to reduce EU regulations for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

After a survey of around 1000 small firms and their representative groups, including the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in the UK, the Commission has published a list of the most burdensome EU rules for SMEs and suggested ways they could be improved

Total shutdown of Greek 'BBC' is unacceptable for an EU democracy

The sudden shutdown of all channels of Greece's national broadcasting company by the Greek government is 'unacceptable for an EU democracy', says Lib Dem MEP Phil Bennion.

The Greek broadcaster ERT, which has been broadcasting since 1938 and is independently funded by a levy on power bills, was shut down last night without notice, allegedly to provide money needed by Greece to meet bail-out conditions after a gas privatisation deal collapsed

MEP welcomes report highlighting benefits of EU migration to West Midlands region

Lib Dem MEP Phil Bennion has welcomed a report launched by a group of experts in Birmingham which challenges the idea that immigration from the new countries of the European Union over the past decade has been bad for the region.

The report, EU Accession: Taking stock and looking forward: the West Midlands experience includes a foreword from Dr Bennion and was released at the launch of Birmingham University's Institute of Superdiversity (IRIS) at Birmingham Council House today (Thursday June 13)

Revised Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive 'safe but practical' for industry and hospitals

A revised proposal for the Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive voted through by the European Parliament in Strasbourg today is 'safe, proportionate and practical,' say Liberal Democrat MEPs, who lobbied hard for the original draft directive to be withdrawn.

The new text has been substantially modified after Lib Dem MEPS, especially former West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne, highlighted objections from industry and in particular health services that safety restrictions to prevent exposure to Electro-Magnetic Fields were so tightly drawn that technology such as hospital MRI scanners would be impossible to use

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