The European Parliament gave its thumbs up to a new European Commission, with EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber explaining what EU citizens can expect from EPP Group Commissioners. 

MEPs also debated how to boost the fight against climate change ahead of an upcoming UN conference in Madrid. EPP Group MEP Esther de Lange highlighted the importance of combatting climate change whilst delivering economic growth and jobs and had a message for young climate protesters. 

And the Parliament held a belated award ceremony for the 2018 winner of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, Oleg Sentsov. The EPP Group had nominated Mr Sentsov for the prize, with the EPP Group’s Sandra Kalniete saying that the award sent a message of solidarity to all the illegally detained Ukrainian political prisoners.