The EU's bank watchdog, the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS), is to publish the results of its bank stress tests. Stress tests were implemented last year in the US to identify banks that would require additional capital to survive in case the recession got worse.
MEPs have taken an axe to the illegal logging trade by banning the sale of illegal timber in Europe and setting up strict penalties for those caught doing so. Illegal logging is estimated to represent 20-40% of global industrial wood production, and contributes heavily to carbon emissions and the destruction of biodiversity.
The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament has approved plans to reduce the number of animals used in scientific experiments. These plans are expected to be endorsed by the European Parliament and the European Council in September.
The European Parliament has overwhelming supported a Lib Dem blueprint for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). George Lyon, Lib Dem MEP for Scotland, has drawn up a report with detailed proposals to make the CAP fairer, greener and more sustainable.
The European Parliament has approved a reworked EU-US agreement on access to European citizens' banking data for the tracking of terrorist finance, after rejecting an interim deal in February on the grounds that it insufficiently safeguarded privacy. Work to improve the data protection safeguards, such as shorter storage times and stronger supervision and redress rights, was led by MEPs from the ALDE (Lib Dem) group.
Lib Dem party membership grew by a remarkable 14% in the first half of this year, according to official figures released by the party in England. Thousands of new members have joined the party since the election and the coalition agreement was reached, with the party also having greater success in retaining current members than in previous years.