Lobbying

The UK's parliament's standards watchdog has launched an investigation into a Northern Ireland MP over an alleged breach of lobbying rules in his support for the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus.

EU lawmakers and governments struck a watered-down deal on Thursday on the rights of workers at Uber, Deliveroo and other online companies.

The two sides had reached a provisional agreement in December but subsequent opposition from France, Ireland, Greece, Lithuania and other countries torpedoed the deal, forcing legislators back to the negotiating table.

In a closely contested decision, Momchil Mavrov has secured the position of deputy governor at the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), having been nominated by the GERB-SDS party. The mandate for this role extends until November 30, 2028, following a vote of 103 MPs in favor and 83 against.

In other news, the European Parliament threatens to take away Hungary's EU presidency next year; Poland moves to set up controversial commission to investigate Russia lobbying; and Czech TV finally to get more money.

Spurred into action by a major corruption scandal, the European Parliament president wants to prevent former lawmakers from lobbying on behalf of businesses or governments soon after they leave office and to make public the names of current members who break assembly rules, a parliamentary official said Wednesday.

The European Commission presented today the second annual report on the rule of law in the EU, this time making recommendations to individual countries. The EC recommends that the anti-corruption commission take consistent action to reach final verdicts in cases where senior officials are held accountable.

The Special Prosecution Against Organised Crime and Corruption said on Tuesday that two investigations of President Ilir Meta have begun after former MP Halit Valteri issued two criminal complaints accusing him of abuses related to lobbying contracts with US firms.

The National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) announced on Thursday that 48 defendants have been convicted in April in corruption cases.

AFP - The European Parliament votes Wednesday on a highly complex online copyright law that has split natural political bedfellows and pitted music and news companies against Google and Facebook.

EU lawmakers are divided on the issue even within their usual ideological camps, and a jamboree of lobbying around the Strasbourg session has underscored divisions in the creative community.

China on July 12 said foreign firms operating in China would suffer in a trade war, urging U.S. companies to lobby their government to protect their interests, and said no talks to end the impasse were currently under way.