Today (Wednesday the 19^th) during the plenary session in Strasbourg the European Parliament will discuss the Blue Card report (Rapporteur Ewa Klamt). The Blue Card, to many a sensitive issue, was proposed by the Commission in order to attract highly skilled workers from third countries to the EU. This in order to make the EU able to compete in “the battle of the brains”.

Last October 15^th, the first full Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) was signed between the EU and CARIFORUM, this agreement also includes articles on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). In a question to the European Commission MEP David Martin (PSE) addressed the issue of these IPRs.

MEP Fiona Hall, member of the Development Committee of the European Parliament, underlines in a press release on behalf of the ALDE group; “If we want to reduce extreme poverty in developing countries, we have to make sure that our own policies do not work against us. Stopping the export to Africa of small arms destined for illicit or destabilising use is a way in which the EU can make a real impact on lifting people out of poverty”.