At a glance: the political groups of the European Parliament are preparing for the next plenary session; next week in Strasbourg, MEPs will debate EU security, foreign policy and economic competitiveness; World Water Day: how the EU is tackling water scarcity and protecting access to clean water.

Korte nyheder – 25/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: the Special committee on the Housing Crisis hosts a conference on affordable housing in the EU; Parliament’s Committee on International Trade approves two proposals to offer financial assistance to Egypt and Jordan; lawmakers and industry experts will meet in Brussels to discuss strategies for expanding Europe’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Korte nyheder – 24/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: third monetary dialogue with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde; a new EU digital platform to facilitate international recruitment; strengthening the EU’s role at the UN.

Korte nyheder – 21/03/2025 - dansk

EU's ur- og naturskove er sjældne, små og opdelte. De udgør mindre end 3 % af EU's samlede skovareal. Skovene er uberørte naturlige økosystemer, hvor der er få eller ingen tegn på menneskelig påvirkning, og hvor dyrelivet trives, som det har gjort i århundreder. Disse skove spiller en central rolle i at bevare biodiversiteten, absorbere og lagre CO2, forsyne os med ferskvand, regulere lokale klimaforhold og holde mennesker sunde. De er også hjemsted for mange truede arter. 
Beskyttelsen af EU's skove er ikke kun de enkelte EU-landes ansvar. Det er en fælles opgave på EU-plan. Europa-Parlamentet har taget en del af ansvaret på sine skuldre og er en stærk fortaler for bevarelsen af ur- og naturskovene.

Hvordan bevarer vi Europas gamle skove for de kommende generationer?

At a glance: MEPs debate stronger protections for Europe’s forests; Parliament’s Environment and Internal Market Committees push for stricter vehicle recycling rules; the European Parliament and national parliaments discuss how to strengthen the EU’s human rights role at the UN.

Korte nyheder – 20/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs will hold its third monetary dialogue with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde; the Committee on International Trade will discuss the implications of the EU trade countermeasures taken in reaction to the US tariffs on EU products; the Committee on International Trade will also vote on two proposals to provide macro-financial assistance in loans to Egypt and Jordan.

Korte nyheder – 19/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: Magnus Brunner, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, talks to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; Judge Tomoko Akane, the President of the ICC, addresses the Human Rights Subcommittee and the Legal Affairs Committee; a delegation from Parliament’s Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee attends the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

Korte nyheder – 18/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: the Committee on Industry Research and Energy will focus on recent developments in energy policy; Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will discuss a Commission proposal on new rules for trainees; and the Committee on Transport and Tourism will address passenger rights in the context of multimodal journeys.

Korte nyheder – 17/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: the plenary session closed yesterday. In Strasbourg, Parliament reiterated that the EU must contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine; MEPs stressed that the EU must support Syria’s political transition; and Parliament approved an agreement on transferring air passenger name data from the EU to Canada.

Korte nyheder – 14/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: the plenary session is in full swing. In Strasbourg, MEPs vote on a proposal for strengthening European defence; Parliament adopts two resolutions on economic, social and employment priorities; and in the debating chamber, the Commission unveils the new Critical Medicines Act.

Korte nyheder – 13/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: a new plenary session is ongoing. In Strasbourg, MEPs outlined their priorities for the next European Council summit; Parliament marked International Women’s Day; and President Metsola spoke about the 35th anniversary of the assertion of state continuity by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Korte nyheder – 12/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: a new plenary session is in progress; in Strasbourg, Parliament will reiterate its unwavering support for Ukraine; MEPs are set to call for the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase out of Russian gas; Parliament will also outline the EU’s economic, social and employment strategy for 2025.

Korte nyheder – 11/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: a new plenary session is in progress. In Strasbourg, MEPs will debate EU security and defence following the Special European Council meeting; Parliament will discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza; the European Commission is expected to present a new legal framework on the return of people who have no legal right to stay in the EU.

Korte nyheder – 10/03/2025 - dansk

At a glance: Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality marked International Women’s Day by calling for a stronger role for women in peacebuilding and security; on Monday in Strasbourg, Parliament is set to vote on a 1.9 billion euro support plan for Moldova; MEPs will also discuss EU competitiveness and how to close the skills gap.

Korte nyheder – 07/03/2025 - dansk

Kvindernes internationale kampdag kan spores tilbage til de tidlige arbejderbevægelser i 1900-tallet. Det var og er stadig en dag til at mindes kampen og fejre fremskridt hen imod ligestilling mellem kønnene. Europa-Parlamentet er en af de mest aktive fortalere for ligestilling mellem kønnene i EU. Det har vedtaget vigtige beslutninger og love for at beskytte kvinders rettigheder, fremme lige muligheder og bekæmpe forskelsbehandling.

Kvindernes internationale kampdag

At a glance: MEPs are preparing for the next plenary session in Strasbourg where they will focus on women’s rights and European defence; Parliament will also tackle the phase out of Russian gas and confirm EU support for Ukraine; also on the agenda is how to bolster critical medicine supply chains in the EU.

Korte nyheder – 06/03/2025 - dansk

Between 1991 and 2017, and especially after 2000, the EU witnessed substantial improvements in terms of road safety, whether measured in terms of fatalities, accidents or injuries.&nbsp; Over a shorter period, between 2001 and 2010, the number of deaths on EU roads decreased by 43 %, and by around another 20 % since 2010.The most recent figures, however, show that progress in reducing the fatality rate is stagnating.

Specific road users or demographic groups are not witnessing the same improvements as the rest of the population.&nbsp;Despite being the safest region in the world, and despite sustained efforts to tackle road safety,&nbsp;around 22 700 people die on EU roads annually, with around 120 000 seriously injured.&nbsp;

Road safety is a shared competence, implying that many measures are primarily dealt with by Member States. However, the EU, has&nbsp;significantly developed the acquis in this area, with the Commission adopting several policy frameworks on road safety.

In 2003, the EU set itself a target in terms of reducing road fatalities, and regularly monitors progress towards this goal. In June 2017, the Council endorsed the Valletta Declaration, which reasserted commitments and targets in the area of road safety. In May 2018, within the context of the third and last 'mobility package', the Commission presented a common framework for road safety for the 2021-2030 period, recalling the EU’s long-term goal of moving as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 ('Vision Zero').

The European Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions regarding or covering road safety, calling notably for more detailed and measurable targets, more account taken of vulnerable users as well as of the safety challenges emerging from the development of connected and automated mobility.

Road safety

Have a look at stockshots (from 2021 onwards) with illustrative pre-edited broadcast quality video footage. These editable stockshots are clean (raw), with natural sound (no voice-over), produced to illustrate priority EU dossiers and parliamentary work. They are intended to help audiovisual media produce their own programs, for example, editing of news reports or documentaries.

Infoclips - Illustrative footage

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;© Maelgoa / AdobeStock

Parliament&nbsp;established a Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, with a 12-month mandate, to propose solutions for decent, sustainable, and affordable housing for all European citizens. It has been tasked with mapping housing needs, analysing existing housing policies across the EU and contributing to the future implementation of the European affordable housing plan.

On 24 March 2025, Parliament’s Special Committee on the Housing Crisis hosted a conference with the Commission to discuss ways to ensure EU citizens can access affordable housing.

The conference launched&nbsp;the public debate on affordable housing and its findings will help inform a Parliament report on the topic, expected to be presented later this year.&nbsp;

HOUS - Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union

The policies of the EU on climate and energy are described, as well as the challenges that must be faced in order to achieve the Paris Agreement target of keeping the increase in global temperature well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to achieve 1.5°C.

The EU faces major challenges from the increased threats of climate change, with serious consequences in the energy sector, where urgent issues are arising concerning the national production mix of each Member State. The renewable energy share needs to be increased, and energy efficiency needs to be improved.

Climate change (2019-2020)

Climate change remains a key challenge. The EU and the European Parliament are working to ensure a more sustainable society and economy through ambitious policies at home and close cooperation with international partners. It is already on track to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2020, and has put forward a plan to further cut emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

By 2050, Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent. Alongside reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the EU is also taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. By 2050, Europe aims to be a climate-resilient society. Climate action is at the heart of the European Green Deal – an ambitious package of measures ranging from drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving Europe’s natural environment.

Climate change

As part of the European Green Deal, with the European Climate Law, the EU has set itself a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This requires current greenhouse gas emission levels to drop substantially in the next decades. As an intermediate step towards climate neutrality, the EU has raised its 2030 climate ambition, committing to cutting emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

On 18 April 2023, MEPs&nbsp; adopted the reform of EU´s Emissions Trading System including for aviation and the maritime sector, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and a new Social Climate fund. The&nbsp;deal on the reform of the Emissions Trading System (ETS)&nbsp;increases the ambition for 2030, phases out free allowances to companies and creates a separate new ETS II for fuel for road transport and buildings that will put a price on emissions from these sectors by 2027.

According to the&nbsp;agreement with EU countries, an EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will be set up to ensure that importers of goods covered by the EU ETS would have to pay any price difference between the price paid for carbon in the country of production and the price of carbon allowances in the EU ETS. This will incentivise non-EU countries to increase their climate ambition and ensure that EU and global climate efforts are not undermined by production being relocated from the EU to countries with less ambitious policies.

A separate deal with member states&nbsp;sets up an EU Social Climate Fund to ensure that the climate transition will be fair and socially inclusive. Vulnerable households, micro-enterprises and transport users who are particularly affected by energy and transport poverty will benefit from the fund. When fully in place, it will be funded from auctioning ETS II allowances up to an amount of €65 billion, with an additional 25% covered by national resources (amounting to an estimated total of €86.7 billion).

As part of the "Fit for 55 " package, thePArliamnet has also adopted during MArch 2024, plans, already agreed upon with Council, to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions from the buildings sector.

The proposed revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive aims to progressively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector, and make it climate neutral by 2050. It also aims to have more worst-performing buildings renovated and improve information-sharing on energy performance.

More info:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19003/energy-efficiency-of-buildings-meps-adopt-plans-to-decarbonise-the-sector">https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19003/energy-efficiency-of-buildings-meps-adopt-plans-to-decarbonise-the-sector</a>

Fit for 55

The Republic of Ireland covers five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The north-eastern part of the island is Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom. There are 11 members of the European Parliament from Ireland.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;plenary is&nbsp;commemorating&nbsp;the 25th anniversary of the Northern Ireland peace agreement on 29 March.&nbsp;&nbsp;Presidents Metsola, Michel and von der Leyen will take the floor, followed by a round of political groups interventions.

EU - Ireland

Croatia officially joined the EU on 1 July 2013.&nbsp;Croatia became&nbsp;the 20th&nbsp;member of the eurozone on January 1, 2023&nbsp;with the adoption fo the euro.

Croatia borders Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia and has been an independent country since 1991. Croatia is a parliamentary republic in which the prime minister and the president represent the executive power and the state at home and abroad.

Croatia has 11 MEPs in the European Parliament.

EU - Croatia

MEPs elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) on January 2022 as President of the European Parliament until 2024.

Roberta Metsola won the election in the first voting round, where she received an absolute majority of 458 votes out of 690 cast in the remote secret vote, among three candidates.&nbsp;

President Metsola is leading the Parliament in the second half of the current legislative term, until a new Parliament is constituted following the 2024 European Elections.

Born in Malta in 1979,&nbsp; Roberta Metsola who has been an MEP since 2013, is the youngest EP President ever elected. She became First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022.

She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after Simone Veil (1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999- 2002).

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament 2022-2024

In July 2024&nbsp; MEPs re-elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) as President of the European Parliament until 2027, with 562 votes in the first round. Roberta Metsola won the election in the first round of voting, where she received an absolute majority of 562 votes cast out of 699 by secret paper ballot, among two candidates. She will continue to lead Parliament for the first two and a half years of the 10th legislative term.

Born in Malta in 1979, Roberta Metsola has been an MEP since 2013.&nbsp;She was elected First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022. On 18 January 2022,&nbsp;she was elected President&nbsp;for the second half of the 9th legislative term. She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after&nbsp;Simone Veil&nbsp;(1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999-2002).

Addressing the House after she was elected, President Metsola said: “Together, we must stand up for the politics of hope, for the dream that is Europe. I want people to recapture a sense of belief and enthusiasm for our project. A belief to make our shared space safer, fairer, more just and more equal. A belief that together we are stronger and we are better. A belief that ours is a Europe for all.”

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament 2024-2027

On 1 January 2007 Bulgaria joined the EU.

Bulgaria applied for membership of the European Union on 18th December 1995 and started its accession negociations in February 2000. The negociations were successfully concluded in December 2004 and the Accession Treaty was signed in April 2005.

EU - Bulgaria

The Euroscola programme in Strasbourg brings together pupils aged 14 and over from the 27 EU Member States, candidate countries and former Member States to simulate the work of the European Parliament by debating, taking sides, negotiating, amending and voting on real European issues. Pupils get an opportunity to exchange views with Members of the European Parliament and experts from this institution, to familiarise themselves with the workings of the European Union, to discuss democracy, fundamental rights, European values and to express their personal opinions on the decisions taken at the European Union level.

Euroscola

Minimum wages in all EU countries should allow for decent living and working standards, and member states should promote collective bargaining for pay.&nbsp; With 505 votes in favour, 92 against and 44 abstentions, Parliament adopted&nbsp;new legislation&nbsp;on adequate minimum wages in the EU during September plenary.

The EU law, agreed with the Council in June, aims to improve working and living conditions for all workers in the EU, as well as promoting economic and social progress. To this end, it establishes minimum requirements for the adequacy of statutory minimum&nbsp;wages as provided by national law and/or collective agreements, and enhances the effective access of workers to minimum wage protection.

The new directive will apply to all EU workers who have an employment contract or employment relationship. The EU countries in which the minimum wage is already protected exclusively via collective agreements will not be obliged to introduce these rules nor to make these agreements universally applicable.

EU wants to improve workers’ rights and working conditions across Europe, from working hours and parental leave to health and safety at work. The EU has put in place a set of labour rules to ensure strong social protection. They include minimum requirements on working conditions - such as working time, part-time work, workers’ rights - to information about important aspects of their employment and the posting of workers. They have become one of the cornerstones of Europe's social policies.&nbsp;

Working conditions

In June 2023 Parliament adopted its position for negotiations with member states on rules to integrate human rights and environmental impact into companies’ governance. Companies will be required to identify, and where necessary prevent, end or mitigate the negative impact of their activities on human rights and the environment such as on child labour, slavery, labour exploitation, pollution, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.

They will also have to monitor and assess the impact of their value-chain partners including not only suppliers but also sale, distribution, transport, storage, waste-management and other areas.

The European Parliament has consistently called for more corporate accountability and mandatory due diligence legislation. The European Commission proposal was introduced on 23 February 2022. It complements other existing and upcoming legislative acts, such as the deforestation regulation, conflict minerals regulation and draft regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour.

Corporate Responsibility

Italy is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the prime minister - appointed by the president and a head of state - the president. The Parliament is composed of 2 houses: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic.

Italy is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 1999 and of the Schengen area since 26 October 1997. There are 75&nbsp;members of the European Parliament from Italy.

EU - Italy

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;©Eugene_Photo / AdobeStock

The global economy is changing rapidly, requiring decisive action to safeguard and strengthen Europe's competitiveness, prosperity, and fairness, including in relation to other global actors. The recently-proposed&nbsp;Automotive Industry Plan, announced on 5 March 2025, it is intended to support the European automotive sector as it deals with high manufacturing costs, the low-carbon transition, and increased competition from China.&nbsp;

European competitiveness

The EP’s Press Service holds a press briefing with Parliament’s political group spokespersons  

Plenary preparations. The political groups are preparing for the 31 March - 3 April plenary session, where MEPs will assess the outcome of the 20 March European Council, which focused on competitiveness, Ukraine, defence and security, migration and the EU's long-term budget. MEPs will also be debating and adopting their position on the EU’s common foreign, security and defence policy, and scrutinising the new EU internal security strategy. Other items on the April 2025 plenary agenda include a vote on the action plan for the automotive industry, a discussion on how to support energy-intensive industries, and a debate on the importance of the EU’s trans-European transport infrastructure for economic growth and security. In addition, MEPs will outline their priorities for the EU’s 2026 budget, consider the EU Roma strategy, and vote on whether to fast-track postponement of new social and environmental reporting and due diligence requirements.

Pre-session briefing on April Plenary session

Roberta METSOLA, EP President Official visit to Zagreb (Croatia)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President Official visit to Dublin (Ireland)

At a conference entitled "Affordable Housing - addressing the housing crisis in the European Union”, the Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the EU launches the debate on the causes of this crisis, how the EU can help EU countries tackle it and what measures could be taken at European level. The event, hosted jointly by Parliament and the Commission gathers experts and representatives of EU institutions, and national and regional authorities.

Affordable Housing conference: Joint conference of the EU Parliament and the EU Commission on the EU Housing Crisis

EP President takes part in the European Council, followed by a press conference.

EU leaders meet to discuss the following (provisional agenda):

Ukraine
Middle East
Competitiveness
Next Multiannual Financial Framework and new Own Resources
Migration
Oceans
External relations

EP President, Roberta METSOLA takes part in the European Council meeting

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs holds its regular debate with European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde. MEPs are likely to question her on the US shift to protectionism and its impact on the euro area economy, and on the recent decision to lower interest rates, among other issues

ECON: Monetary Dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, ECB President

EP President, Roberta METSOLA meets with Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, ahead of the European Council of 20 March 2025. Christodoulides is a politician, diplomat, and academic who has served as the 8th President of Cyprus since 2023.

EP President, Roberta METSOLA meets with Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus

EP President, Roberta METSOLA meets with Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General

International Criminal Court (ICC) President Judge Tomoko Akane speaks to the Human Rights subcommittee and the Legal Affairs committee on the impact of the Court’s recent decisions, and its fight against impunity in cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity

DROI- exchange with the President of International Criminal Court (ICC)

President Metsola addresses the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Society for the Award of the International Charlemagne Prize

EP President, Roberta METSOLA participates to 75th anniversary of the Charlemagne Prize

MEPs and the Commission debate its recently-proposed Automotive Industry Action Plan. Announced on 5 March 2025, it is intended to support the European automotive sector as it deals with high manufacturing costs, the low-carbon transition, and increased competition from China. A resolution will be put to a vote during the April plenary session.

Debate on the Action plan for the automotive industry

On Tuesday, MEPs and the Commission debate changes to EU rules on the returns of people who have no legal right to remain in Europe.

The proposal for a new legal framework on so-called “returns”, announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in July 2024, is expected to be formally unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday.

During the plenary debate, MEPs scrutinise the proposal, which is intended to increase the return rate of third-country nationals not entitled to stay in the EU. Parliament is likely to emphasise the importance of cooperation with third countries, including on the readmission of their own nationals, as well innovative measures such as the establishment of return hubs in third countries.

Debate on the new EU approach on migrant returns

Four women fighting for freedom, peace and justice in their home countries – from Belarus, leader of the country's democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and Palina Sharenda Panasiuk; and Lenie Umerova and Tata Kepler from Ukraine – have all been invited to address plenary., Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of Belarus’ democratic forces, 

will speak to MEPs at a solemn session on Tuesday at noon. 

In the early afternoon, MEPs and Council and Commission representatives will debate the Commission’s “Roadmap for Women’s Rights” (expected to be adopted by the Commission on Friday 7 March). The discussion is expected to focus on the EU’s role in safeguarding and advancing women’s rights and the principles and measures outlined in the Roadmap. Key issues will include the implementation of EU legislation, such as the first ever EU rules to combat violence against women, the rules on improving gender balance on corporate boards, and binding pay transparency measures. MEPs are also likely to discuss the need for women’s equal participation in the economy and society, including in politics, and the impact of shifting political dynamics on women’s rights and gender equality.

International Women's Day Celebration

Event in the European Parliament to support to Belarusian political prisoners in the presence of EP President Roberta METSOLA

Event in the European Parliament to support to Belarusian political prisoners

EP President, Roberta METSOLA  addresses the EU Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism event

On Tuesday, Parliament assess the outcome of the 6 March Special European Council with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen and discuss the need to bolster Europe’s security.

In a joint debate on European security, MEPs assess the results of the 6 March special European Council convened by President António Costa to discuss Ukraine and European defence and attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At a critical time for Ukraine and European security, as President Donald Trump’s new US administration has paused support for Kyiv and raised questions about future US defence engagement in Europe, MEPs will hear from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on how the EU plans to strengthen its defence capabilities.

On Tuesday morning, MEPs also outline their expectations for the 20 -21 March EU summit, which is expected to focus - besides Ukraine - on the Middle East, Europe’s competitiveness, trade policy, and migration management.

In a separate debate on Tuesday afternoon, MEPs and representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission discuss the upcoming white paper on the future of European defence, set to be unveiled by the Commission and the European External Action Service in mid-March 2025. The white paper will address defence sector capability issues, industrial competitiveness and investment needs. It should also frame the overall approach to EU defence integration, and outline how best the EU can respond to security threats. Plenary will wind up the debate with a vote on a resolution on Wednesday.

Debate on the EU summits and on the urgent need to bolster Europe’s security architecture

Last minute briefing on March EP Plenary

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 10 - 13 March session, where MEPs will mark International Women’s Day, debate the future of European defence, and draw their conclusions from the Special European Council meeting of 6 March while outlining their demands and expectations for the 20-21 March EU summit. MEPs will also discuss new Commission proposals on returns of third country nationals with no right to stay, and the Critical Medicines Act, and will debate accelerating the phase-out of Russian gas and dealing with Russian frozen assets. Political groups will prepare a resolution on the EU’s continued support for Ukraine, discuss the European Semester for economic, employment and social policy coordination, and explore ways to support the reconstruction of Syria.

Pre-session press briefing. The EP’s Press Service holds a press briefing with the Parliament’s political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels).

Pre session briefing on March EP Plenary

Study visit for Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina .

Batteries are vital to the EU’s clean energy transition, industrial future, and strategic autonomy. While the sector benefits from strong R&D support, it faces challenges such as reliance on third countries, high costs, and competition from regions with lower environmental standards. Sustainable value chains and recycling could help, but uncertainty remains over the EU’s ability to meet future demand. Rising costs, market slowdowns, and gigafactory setbacks, including Northvolt’s collapse, raise concerns. To secure a resilient battery supply chain, the EU focuses on strategic coordination, regulatory frameworks, and funding, offering key lessons for industrial policy.

Battery supply chain

The digital information sphere has become the main space for public debate, shaping opinions and access to information. In the past decade, it has also become a geostrategic battleground, with authoritarian states manipulating public opinion to weaken democracies. At the same time, corporate rivalry over emerging technologies, particularly AI, has intensified. AI-driven disinformation poses growing risks to democratic information ecosystems. Strengthening information integrity is crucial to safeguarding human rights and freedom of expression. Multilateral efforts to enhance resilience align with the EU’s planned European Democracy Shield, building on existing measures and fostering new partnerships.

Information Manipulation and the EU response

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.


The number of MEPs elected varies between countries: bigger countries get more seats than smaller ones. Due to changes in the size of the population, some EU countries will get extra seats in the upcoming elections compared to the outgoing Parliament. In total 15 seats will be added.


There are also differences in other aspects of voting, for example regarding the minimum voting age or the rules about voting from abroad.

EU Elections 2024

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.

Map European elections 2024

Online shopping, take-away food, coffee to go... Packaging waste is growing. Find out how much is being produced and how the EU wants to reverse the trend

How to reduce packaging waste in the EU

With war having returned to the European continent, measuring the level of threats to peace, security and democracy around the world – as the 'Normandy Index' does – is more important than ever. The annual Index was presented for the first time at the Normandy Peace Forum in June 2019, as a result of a partnership between the European Parliament and the Region of Normandy. The Index has been designed and prepared by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), in conjunction with and on the basis of data provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace. This paper sets out the findings of the 2023 exercise, which draws on data compiled in 2022, and explains how the Index can be used to compare peace – defined on the basis of a given country's performance against a range of predetermined threats – across countries and regions. It is complemented by 61 individual country case studies, derived from the Index. The paper forms part of the EPRS contribution to the 2023 Normandy World Peace Foru

Mapping threats to peace and democracy worldwide: Normandy Index 2023

Discover key figures about the repatriation of migrants and proposed changes to EU law.
The EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum includes new rules and the revision of existing legislation, such as the Return Directive.
In a draft resolution on the Return Directive adopted in December 2020, MEPs stressed the importance of protecting individual fundamental rights as well as respect for procedural safeguards.

Repatriation: how many migrants in the EU are sent back?

Over the past 30 years the single market has brought unity and opportunities to Europeans.

30 years of EU single market: benefits and challenges

Find out about the top cyber threats in 2022, the most affected sectors and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

The digital transformation has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats. During the coronavirus pandemic, companies had to adapt to remote working and this created more possibilities for cybercriminals. The war in Ukraine has also affected cybersecurity.

In response to the evolution of cybersecurity threats, Parliament adopted a new EU directive introducing harmonised measures across the EU, including on the protection of essential sectors.

Cybersecurity: main and emerging threats

With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed. Find out more about the environmental impact and what the EU is doing about it.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices.

To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

The impact of textile production and waste on the environment

Find out about the economic inequalities that continue to persist between women and men in the EU.

It has been more than 25 years since the adoption of the UN’s Beijing Declaration, which aims to promote equality between men and women. The same goal lies behind the creation of UN Women - dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women - and the inclusion of gender equality in the Sustainable Development Goals.
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So where do we stand? Progress has been made, but inequality between men and women persists, including on the labour market. On average, women in the EU are paid less than men.

Gender pay gap in Europe: facts and figures

Every year 2.2 billion tonnes of waste are generated in the EU. More than a quarter of it (27%) is municipal waste: everyday waste collected and treated by municipalities, which is mainly generated by households. Data shows that the amount of waste and the way it is managed varies a lot across EU countries, but there has been a shift to more recycling and less landfilling.

To reduce waste and its impact on the environment, the EU has adopted ambitious targets on recycling and landfill and is working on packaging waste. The goal is to promote the shift towards a more sustainable model known as the circular economy.

Waste management in the EU: infographic with facts and figures

Pre-session briefing

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Ordinary meeting

ECON

Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee Ordinary meeting

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Ordinary meeting

AGRI

Special committee on the European Democracy Shield Ordinary meeting

EUDS

Committee on Culture and Education Extraordinary meeting

CULT

Panel for the Future of Science and Technology Panel on "Accelerating the Rollout of EU Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure"

Press point by Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), Chair of HOUS, following the EP/EC Joint conference "Addressing the housing crisis in the Union"

Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly Ordinary meeting

DLAT

Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean Ordinary Meeting

DMED

Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union Ordinary meeting

HOUS

HOUS - Affordable Housing - addressing the housing crisis in the European Union - Press point

HOUS - Affordable Housing - addressing the housing crisis in the European Union

Earth Hour Day 2025: the European Parliament in Strasbourg switches off its lights on the occasion of the Earth Hour Day 2025.

Stockshot - Bulgaria joining the Schengen area.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with  Lorenzo FONTANA, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Paulo RANGEL,l Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal

European Council

INTA - Exchange of views with Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency

SEDE - Exchange of views with Radmila Shekerinska, NATO Deputy Secretary General, on deterrence and defence, defence spending and defence industry.

SANT - Exchange of views with Oliver VARHELYI, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare

Monetary Dialogue with Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Petteri ORPO, Finnish Prime Minister

LUX European Audience Film Award 2025 - Screening of Flow

AGRI - Exchange of views with Commissioner Christophe Hansen on the Vision for Food and Agriculture

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES, President of the Republic of Cyprus - Press Point

SEDE - Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy

On 13 and 14 June 2025, thousands of young people will take over the European Parliament in Strasbourg for EYE2025 (European Youth Event), to engage, get empowered and connect with thousands of young people, experts, activists, content creators and decision-makers. The EYE is a unique opportunity for 16- to 30-year-olds to inspire and get inspired, to debate directly with Members of the European Parliament and other European decision-makers, and to exchange views on Europe.

EYE2025 – Registration process for groups sponsored by the European Parliament

EYE2025 – Registration process for individual participants

Tutorial : webstreaming – how to download a clip from the Plenary website?

Webstreaming – how to download a clip from the Plenary website?

2024 was a year of elections and change, a year where we found hope in the darkness of war, a year of standing together and finding ways forward. Watch President Roberta Metsola’s New Year’s address: "Europe will continue to be a light in the world and we will continue to work to make people’s lives a little bit easier, safer and more prosperous."

New Year’s message of the European Parliament President Roberta METSOLA

The European Parliament has awarded the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia.

During the ceremony at December’s plenary session in Strasbourg, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola paid tribute to their fight to restore democracy in Venezuela.

Parliament recognises the opposition as the legitimate winners of Venezuela’s July 2024 presidential election, and condemns the electoral fraud and rights violations carried out by the Maduro regime that stayed in power despite mass protests.

The Sakharov Prize is the EU’s highest award for human rights defenders. The other finalists from 2024 were Azerbaijani anti-corruption activist Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and the Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace movements, which promote reconciliation and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.

Read more on the 2024 Sakharov Prize winners: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20240913STO23909/sakharov-prize-2024-goes-to-venezuelan-opposition-leaders

Parliament hands 2024 Sakharov Prize to Venezuelan opposition

Europa-Parlamentet har tildelt Sakharov-prisen for Tankefrihed 2024 til den venezuelanske oppositionsleder María Corina Machado og den valgte præsident Edmundo González Urrutia.

Under ceremonien ved decembers plenarforsamling i Strasbourg, hyldede Europa-Parlamentets formand Roberta Metsola deres kamp for at genoprette demokratiet i Venezuela.

Parlamentet anerkender oppositionen som den retmæssige vinder af Venezuelas juli 2024 præsidentvalg og fordømmer valgsvindlen og brud på menneskerettighederne, der blev begået af Maduro-regimet, som blev ved magten trods massive protester.

Sakharov-prisen er EU's højeste udmærkelse til menneskerettighedsforkæmpere. De andre finalister fra 2024 var den aserbajdsjanske antikorruptions-aktivist dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu og bevægelserne Women of the Sun og Women Wage Peace, som fremmer forsoning og forståelse mellem Israel og Palæstina.

Læs mere om vinderne af Sakharov-prisen 2024: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/da/article/20240913STO23909/sakharovprisen-2024-gar-til-venezuelanske-oppositionsledere

Parlamentet giver Sakharov-prisen 2024 til den venezuelanske opposition 9:16

The European Parliament has awarded the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia.

Parliament recognised the opposition as rightful winners of July 2024’s presidential election and rejected the widespread electoral fraud and the proclaimed victory of Nicolas Maduro.

With the EU’s highest honour for human rights defenders, Parliament pays tribute to Ms Machado and Mr González Urrutia’s fight to restore democracy, and stands with those defending freedom against authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Read more on the 2024 Sakharov Prize winners:

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20240913STO23909/sakharov-prize-2024-goes-to-venezuelan-opposition-leaders

European Parliament honours María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia

One of the European Parliament's most important roles, beside legislating and deciding on the EU budget, is to hold the European Commission to account. How does that work? It starts with the election of the European Commission President, followed by the investiture of the entire College of Commissioners. In addition to its role in the appointment of the Commission, one of Parliament's strongest scrutiny tools is a motion of censure.

EPRS - The European Parliament’s role in the appointment of the Commission

Each year, the European Union decides how to allocate billions of euros to key areas like the digital and green transitions, agriculture or regional development. How does this budget get approved? Who checks whether the money is well spent? That’s where the European Parliament steps in! In this video, we explain how this process works in a nutshell. We also take a closer look at the discharge of the European Commission.

EPRS - The European Parliament’s role in the annual EU budget and its discharge

Roberta Metsola, formand for Europa-Parlamentet, deler sine tanker om Parlamentets forpligtelse til at fremme ligestilling mellem kønnene.  

Parlamentets formand om ligestilling mellem kønnene  

Efter nøje at have udspurgt kandidaterne har jeres repræsentanter i Europa-Parlamentet godkendt den næste EU-Kommission, unionens udøvende organ.
Ursula von der Leyen præsenterer sit nye hold efter at være blevet genvalgt som Kommissionens formand i juli. Parlamentsmedlemmerne gav det grønt lys efter en debat i Strasbourg den 27. november.
Tidligere i november udspurgte MEP'erne de kommende kommissærer ved en særlig høring for at evaluere deres kvalifikationer og erfaring.
Kommissionen arbejder med at foreslå politikker og love af central betydning for 450 millioner europæeres liv. Parlamentet vil nu nøje følge Kommissionens medlemmer for at sikre, at de lever op til vælgernes behov og forventninger.

Hvordan Europa-Parlamentet godkendte den nye EU-Kommission 16:9

Efter nøje at have udspurgt kandidaterne har jeres repræsentanter i Europa-Parlamentet godkendt den næste EU-Kommission, unionens udøvende organ.
Ursula von der Leyen præsenterer sit nye team efter at være blevet genvalgt som Kommissionens formand i juli. Parlamentsmedlemmerne gav det grønt lys efter en debat i Strasbourg den 27. november.
Tidligere i november udspurgte MEP'erne de kommende kommissærer ved en særlig høring for at evaluere deres kvalifikationer og erfaring.
Kommissionen arbejder med at foreslå politikker og love af central betydning for 450 millioner europæeres liv. Parlamentet vil nu nøje følge Kommissionens medlemmer for at sikre, at de lever op til vælgernes behov og forventninger.

Hvordan Europa-Parlamentet godkendte den nye EU-Kommission 9:16

Lina Gálvez, formand for Parlamentets udvalg for kvinders rettigheder og ligestilling, fortæller om den seneste lovgivning og programmet for Den Europæiske Ligestillingsuge i 2024. 

Ligestilling mellem kønnene: udfordringerne i dag – Lina Gálvez (S&D, ES)

Antonella Sberna, European Parliament vice-president, invites you to find out what Parliament is doing to ensure gender equality across the EU.

Gender equality: the way forward - Antonella SBERNA (ECR, IT)

You vote for Members of the European Parliament who take important decisions that impact everyone. But with hundreds of MEPs, from different parties and countries all around Europe, how do they manage to cooperate on the things that matter to you? Find out in our explainer video how Parliament’s political groups help make this possible!

Representing you: How political groups work in the European Parliament

Changemakers deals with the various approaches and strategies used by contemporary art to address social and political issues that concern European citizens. In Brussels, Changemakers will be exhibited in two different but close venues. Parlamentarium’s temporary exhibition room will host works and proposals related to the themes “Freedom of expression, freedom of gesture and language” and “Ethics and political freedom, democracy and voting”. Later, in KULT XL Ateliers, a venue that belongs to the Commune d'Ixelles, another part of the exhibition will illustrate the topics: “Migration: integration and European identity” and “Caring for the most vulnerable”.

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