Common defence, traveller database, Bulgarian Presidency, mobility package

At its latest plenary session, the European Parliament approved spending to strengthen Europe’s defence industry and in turn EU military capacity. It gave the green light for an EU database to screen foreign travellers. It reviewed the six-month Bulgarian Presidency of the EU which oversaw measures that included efforts to secure Europe’s borders while dealing with migrant flows in a humane way. The EP referred a new transport package which tackles abuse, defends drivers and allows distance-based fees that encourages fuel efficiency, back to committee.