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Among the highlights from the plenary session in Strasbourg 22-25 October:

New rules on use of pesticides

New EU legislation on pesticides was approved with amendments by the European Parliament at first reading. MEPs voted to ban aerial spraying with pesticides and to prohibit the use of pesticides in buffer zones round water courses. They also approved plans to ban or at least restrict pesticides in parks and sports grounds. However, they threw out proposals to divide the EU into three zones for the purposes of approving new pesticide products.  For a link to the texts adopted click here.

MEPs back cuts in car CO2 emissions

The automotive industry's voluntary commitment to slash CO2 emissions has proven a "failure", according to a report by the European Parliament, adopted on Wednesday by a large majority.  It calls for legislation to cap average emissions from all new passenger cars at 125g CO2/km as of 2015.

For more details see this link
For the text of the resolution adopted click here.

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Sudanese human rights lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman is the winner of this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Thursday's unanimous decision by the European Parliament's political group leaders was announced to Parliament's plenary sitting in Strasbourg by President Hans-Gert Pöttering. Mr Osman, who works with the Sudan Organisation Against Torture, has for over two decades provided free legal aid to victims of human rights abuses in his country. The prize will be formally awarded to Mr Osman in Strasbourg on 11 December, the day after the 59th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The prize comes with a certificate and a cheque for €50 000.

For more details see link.

New European Parliament Film Prize