but it has its problems, and among its members there are very different opinions. this weekend, citizens across the bloc will elect members of the european parliament. who will shape the eu as it faces defining challenges. so what are the issues driving this election? and what s foremost in people s minds as they head to the ballot boxes? welcome to europe votes 202a. hello and welcome from sunny lisbon, where we are coming to you from today. i m mark lowen, one of the bbc s europe correspondents. and over the course of this programme, we will bring new reports from across the continent as the election gets under way. but first, what is it all about? elections to the european parliament take place every five years. it is the only directly elected institution of the european union, shaping the bloc s policies, legislation and budgets. voting happens by proportional representation. each country gets a number of members of the european parliament, or meps, relative to its size.
class= nosel > members of the european parliament. who will shape the eu, as it faces defining challenges. so what are the issues driving this election? and what s foremost in people s minds as they head to the ballot boxes? welcome to europe votes 202a. hello and welcome from sunny lisbon, where we are coming to you from today. i m mark lowen, one of the bbc s europe correspondents. and over the course of this programme, we will bring new reports from across the continent as the election gets under way. but first, what s it all about? elections to the european parliament take place every five years. it s the only directly elected institution of the european union. shaping the bloc s policies, legislation and budgets. voting happens by proportional representation. each country gets a number of members of the european parliament, or meps, relative to its size. the meps sit in transnational groups according to their ideology. so, for example, there s left and right, eurosceptics
Could growing more than one oilseed rape variety in the same field help to lower the crop’s risk and build in some much-needed resilience? Most farmers
jenny kirk reports. 300 chickens roam around this farm south of norwich but this year the uk has seen the largest ever outbreak of bird flu with the east particularly badly affected. so from wednesday these gals will have to stay indoors. it was fairly clear from previous years that lockdown, or flockdown as we call it was going to happen. i am not looking forward to it. that chickens hated it last time, because these girls move around so much being stationary for any period of time is completely unnatural to them. so we will have to do a lot of work maintain their high level that they are used to. so what will actually change? well regardless if you have just a couple of hens in your back garden or if you are a commercial poultry producer, as of wednesday you are going to be legally obliged to keep all of your birds indoors. and follow strict bio security measures.
a brave face, hoping that this will pass, but i m not sure it will easily pass. we have to wait and see, of course. the demonstrators are very determined, they have had it up to their ears from from this government. they want this government, islamic regime gone. there s been a mixed reaction to plans by the government to bring in a lockdown for birds in norfolk, suffolk and parts of essex later this week. from wednesday bird owners will be legally required to house them indoors to try to stop the spread of bird flu. there s been another four confirmed outbreaks in the region this weekend. jenny kirk reports. 300 chickens roam around this farm south of norwich but this year the uk has seen the largest ever outbreak of bird flu with the east