EU Budget battle, Poland standoff, Vietnam trade

The European Parliament debated the EU´s next long-term budget plan, with EPP Group MEPs warning EU Member States against taking decisions without considering the Parliament's position.

The EPP Group urged the European Commission to ask the European Court of Justice to block a Polish law aimed at firing dissident judges critical of the nationalist government´s policies.

The Parliament approved a trade accord with Vietnam. It is the first such EU deal involving a developing country. EPP Group MEPs stated that the accord will help Vietnam to modernise and that pressure will remain on the government there to respect human rights.