MEPs debate Brexit and Malta presidency

Ms Ayala Sender’s draft report outlines a number of policy proposals to improve the functioning and efficiency of the EU’s freight transport sector.

It calls for EU states accept electronic transport documents, and for the EU Commission to ensure state aid and deficits regulations do not hold back investment in the industry.

It also expresses concern about the impact of border checks within the Schengen area – rising since the migrant crisis – on the competitiveness of the industry. 

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That's the debate on migrant camps finished. 

Finally tonight, there will be a short debate on a non-binding “own initiative” motion prepared by Spanish Socialist Inés Ayala Sender of behalf of the Parliament’s transport committee.

The motion, which has already been approved by the committee, will be put to a final vote tomorrow.

These motions do not carry any legal force and are not binding on the Commission or on member states – but serve as policy suggestions from MEPs. 

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Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides says some migrants are facing the "harshest winter conditions we have seen for decades". 

He says the EU has allocated "enough money" but difficulties on the ground have not allowed it to be spent in "the best way" to cope with an unprecedented situation. 

He adds that "nobody should feel proud" about the situation they are in - adding that the EU has a "moral obligation" to offer people in the camps dignity.

He says he and the EU's migration commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, are "exploring all possible options" to help local government authorities in Greece. 

That’s the debate on negotiations for an EU-wide financial transactions tax finished.

Next they have been joined by Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides to debate whether the EU should grant emergency aid to countries where migrants are in freezing conditions.

Much of Europe continues to be hit by icy weather with strong winds.

Dozens of migrants have died in the extreme cold. Thousands in the Balkans live in tents with little heating. 

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Croatian Conservative Ruža Tomasic sets out her opposition to the tax - predicting that it would lead to economic activity leaving the countries where it is charged. 

She adds that this would have a wider impact on businesses in other sectors and would bring "damaging consequences" to the EU economy. 

However, German left-wing MEP Fabio de Masi defends the idea, putting it in the context of falling wages on workers after the financial crisis.

He says criticism from financial institutions is overblown - and the 10 states still interested in the plan "must finally deliver" on it.

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Employment Commissioner Marianne Thyssen says the Commission still supports its decision from 2013 to allow the 10 states the legal permission to push ahead with the plan.

She says adding an EU-wide tax on top of the national transaction taxes that already exist would "reduce the number of divergent national approaches" on the continent. 

She adds that the tax would also ensure EU banks make a "fair and substantial" contribution to public revenue. 

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On behalf of Malta's EU presidency, EU Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg tells MEPs that negotiations on the tax are "very complex" and have "turned out to be quite time-consuming".

He says that Malta will help facilitate negotiations between the 10 countries that want to push ahead with the plan, although Malta is not one of them. 

He adds that there has recently been "further progress" on elements of the proposals, and that legislation could be drafted "in the coming months".

He says that if the text is passed by the 10 EU states - under the so-called enhanced co-operation procedure - the "rights" of the other countries must be respected. 

Welcome back to coverage of this plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Shortly MEPs will begin the first of three debates this evening, on the current state of negotiations for an EU-wide financial transactions tax. 

Plans to introduce an EU-wide tax were scuppered in mid-2012, because not enough member states agreed to it.

However, 10 member states – including France and Germany – say they still wanted to go ahead with the tax amongst themselves. 

A tax on financial transactions is reportedly among a number of measures suggested by former Italian PM Mario Monti in a report on how the EU can change its income streams. 

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After a quick electronic vote, MEPs confirm the order of precedence of the five new quaestors. 

With the election of these posts along with the 14 vice-presidents now settled, Mr Tajani announces that tonight's three debates will be brought forward by half an hour to 19.00 GMT. 

The sitting is now adjourned until then. 

That’s the debate on last month’s EU leaders’ summit finished.

MEPs will now hold a round of voting to establish the order of precedence of five new quaestors – MEPs who look after the administrative and financial needs of members.

There are only five candidates standing for the five available posts, so they automatically gain election to the post. 

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Donald Tusk sums up the debate with a short speech, adding that he felt the speeches showed Europe "is united" in the face of Brexit negotiations. 

He says he does not want to add more to Donald Trump's comments on the EU, telling MEPs that he is "afraid we will have too many opportunities" to do that once he becomes President. 

The need to comment, he adds, might become "daily work". 

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French Front National MEP Gilles Lebreton says he was disappointed with the outcome of the summit, which he says shows the EU is determined with its "disastrous migration policy". 

In particular he criticises the continuation of the EU's controversial migration deal with Turkey, a country he says is distancing itself everyday "from the values of European civilization". 

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UKIP leader Paul Nuttall begins by telling MEPs that recent terror attacks in Europe show that the issues of security and migration "go hand in hand".

Turning swiftly to the matter of Brexit, he says he welcomes "some" of Theresa May's speech yesterday - particularly the pledge to leave the European single market. 

However he says is concerned by some aspects of her plan, including mention of transitional arrangements which he says could be "Whitehall speak for a slow-motion Brexit".

He adds that he was also disappointed by no mention of "immediate migration controls", noting that an extra million people could have arrived in the UK before formal exit. 

Adding that Britain is "not some sort of small nation", he warns EU negotiators against "empty threats", adding: 

Quote Message: Britain is not bluffing. Britain will not be bullied."

Britain is not bluffing. Britain will not be bullied."

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Guy Verhofstadt, the Liberal ALDE group leader and Brexit observer for the Parliament, also picks up on Donald Trump's comments last week that more countries might leave the EU. 

He says that he was "disappointed" by the EU's reaction to the comments, which he calls "insane".

He adds that this Friday - when Mr Trump is due to be inaugurated - will mark a "turning point" for the EU and boosts the need to agree reforms. 

He says that the EU will seek a "fair" Brexit agreement with the UK, but repeats comments he has made before that the deal must not leave Britain better off outside than in. 

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German Christian democrat MEP Manfred Weber, who leads the centre-right EPP group, says that the EU is "not in a mood to punish" the UK as a result of Brexit. 

He says that he is unclear about the plan to replicate aspects of single market membership via a free trade deal, adding that he is not certain "whether we are talking about leaving or not".

He adds though that the EU should not accept that in the future the euro is "managed largely in the City of London". 

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On Brexit, Donald Tusk states that EU leaders agreed procedural matters for how the negotiations will pan out once Article 50 has been triggered. 

He adds that the remaining 27 EU states maintained a "unified position" on the indivisibility of the four freedoms of goods, services, capital and freedom. 

He adds that Theresa May's speech yesterday showed that this stance "was finally understood and accepted by London".

He warns however that there will be "no place for pick and choose tactics" in future negotiations.

However, he says he welcomes the "warm and balanced" tone of the speech on the matter of future European integration - noting that the tone was "closer to Churchill" than recent comments from incoming US President Donald Trump.

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European Council President Donald Tusk begins with a recap on measures agreed by leaders over migration and Libya. 

He tells MEPs that responsibility for dealing with Dutch voters' rejection of the EU's association agreement with Ukraine "lies with the Netherlands". 

He says leaders called for an agreement on a new entry-exit system for the Schengen area to be agreed by June - which he acknowledges is a "tough" deadline. 

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That’s the second round of voting for the vice-president positions finished – all 14 positions have now been filled. Non-attached MEP Indrek Tarand is the only unsuccessful candidate. 

Next this afternoon, MEPs have been joined by European Council President Donald Tusk and Investment Commissioner Jykri Katainen to debate last month’s EU leaders’ summit.

At the meeting in Brussels, leaders decided how to respond to Dutch voters’ rejection of a partnership agreement with Ukraine in April, and the situation in Syria.

The remaining 27 EU countries also agreed certain procedural steps for Brexit negotiations, including appointing the EU Commission as the bloc’s negotiating body. 

With the debate on Malta’s EU presidency finished, MEPs are now going to hold a second round of voting to fill the remaining four vice-president positions.

A total of 10 out of the 14 positions were filled at a first round vote this morning. 

If the posts are not filled after this second secret ballot, then a third and final vote will be held electronically later to fill the remaining positions.