Getting involved in political life: standing for elected office, joining a political party, or following the news; is at the heart of what it means to live in a democracy. People with disabilities are active citizens, keen to participate given the right opportunities. However, they face legal, administrative, institutional and accessibility barriers to taking part. Several EU initiatives encourage people with disabilities to participate in politics. With the 2024 European elections on the horizon, the European Parliament is committed to helping them take part.

EPRS Policy Podcast - People with disabilities and the European elections

Parlamentul European și deputații săi aleși sunt vocea cetățenilor în Uniunea Europeană. De aceea, dorim ca Parlamentul să fie accesibil pentru toți. Știrile pe scurt vă prezintă succint principalele subiecte ale zilei în toate limbile oficiale ale Uniunii. Acest program vă este prezentat de Parlamentul European. Puteți găsi mai multe programe aici:

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The European Parliament has adopted the mandate of a special committee to look into the EU’s authorisation procedure for pesticides.

The special committee is a response to concerns raised about the risk posed by the herbicide substance glyphosate. The herbicide had its marketing licence renewed by EU member states for five years in November 2017.

Use of pesticides

The Roma are Europe's largest ethnic minority. Out of an estimated total of 10-12 million in Europe, some 6 million live in the EU, and most of them are citizens of an EU country. &nbsp;The estimated share of the Roma in EU countries in 2012 ranges from 10.3% in Bulgaria, 9.1% in Slovakia, 8.3% in Romania, 7% in Hungary, 2.5% in Greece, 2% in Czechia and 1.6% in Spain, to less than 1% in most of the other countries.

Excessive force, police brutality and misconduct against Romani people continue to be reported across the EU, in line with the&nbsp;2020 findings&nbsp;of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

The FRA report also revealed that Romani people are subject to widespread poverty, inadequate living conditions, poor health, exclusion from the labour market and harassment.&nbsp;

Romani people in the EU

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on 10 July 2019, following the appointment of their members in the plenary sitting of 3-4 July. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate. The newly set up committees will then start holding their regular meetings during the week of 22 July.

PECH - Committee on Fisheries

On May 25, 2014 a debate was organised at EP in Brussels between the five candidates to EC Presidency: Jean-Claude JUNCKER (EPP), Martin SCHULZ (PES), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE), Ska KELLER (Green Party) and Alexis TSIPRAS (Party of the European Left). The debate was moderated by Monica MAGGIONI.

2014 Eurovision debate between candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission

Following the alleged use of the Pegasus surveillance spyware against journalists, politicians, law enforcement officials, diplomats, lawyers, business people, civil society actors and other citizens, the European Parliament decided in March to establish a new committee of inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and other surveillance spyware, and whether this use has breached EU law and fundamental rights.

PEGA committee chair Jeroen Lenaers&nbsp;said: “We have seen many cases where innocent people such as journalists and lawyers have been targeted by spyware, and this is a huge problem for democracy and the rule of law. We will now gather information about the use of Pegasus and other equivalent software, and channel these findings into useful recommendations.”

The Committee is scheduled to submit a final report after 12 months.

PEGA - Committee to investigate the use of Pegasus surveillance spyware

The European Parliament is strongly opposed to the death penalty, a position it has expressed repeatedly in various resolutions, for example in its December 2018 resolution on the annual EU report on human rights and democracy in the world in 2017.

While most countries in the world have abolished capital punishment, death sentences continue to be handed down and carried out in a number of countries. The Union uses its diplomatic and political weight to encourage these countries to join the abolitionist ranks, or at the very least to respect international minimum standards. It funds campaigns to increase awareness of the need to end capital punishment, and restricts trade in substances that could be used for executions.

Death penalty

Pedro SANCHEZ, Spanish Prime Minister, is the fifteenth EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs, in plenary session in Strasbourg.

The Europeans want the EU to change. This is why the European Parliament is taking the leadership over a reform of the EU.

Parliament set out its vision for the future of Europe in three resolutions voted in plenary session on 16 February 2017. MEPs suggested, among other things: turning the Council of Ministers into a genuine second legislative chamber, and its configurations into preparatory bodies similar to Parliament’s committees, appointing an EU finance minister and giving the EU Commission the power to formulate and give effect to a common EU economic policy, backed up by a euro-area budget, and creating a fiscal capacity consisting of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and specific additional budgetary capacity for the euro area, funded by its members as a part of the EU budget.

Debate on the Future of Europe with Pedro SANCHEZ, Spanish Prime Minister

The values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and the respect for human rights are fundamental to the European Union. These values are shared by the Nobel Peace Prize.

The European Parliament had the honour of welcoming and receiving several laureates of Nobel Peace Prize within its walls. Moreover four laureates of the European Parliament’s Sakharov prize for freedom of thought also won the Nobel Prize, and in 2012 the EU was awarded the Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

In 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded&nbsp;the russian human rights organisation Memorial, European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2009. In 2018, Nobel Peace prize was awarded to Denis Mukwege, European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2014, and Nadia Murad, European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2016.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and the EP

Northern Ireland was affected by inter-community violence for several decades, known as the ‘Troubles’. The ‘Good Friday Agreement’ or Belfast Agreement of 1998 set a path towards peace, where the British and Irish governments and society north and south overwhelmingly agreed upon a power-sharing arrangement that would put an end to violence and segregation.

Following the signing of the ‘Good Friday Agreement’, the European Union has played an increased role in supporting the peace process in Northern Ireland. This support has taken two main forms. Firstly, the European Union forms the general political framework for relations between the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Secondly, the European Union’s cohesion policy has given special attention to Northern Ireland over the years in order to support economic and social development in the context of the peace process.

In 1998, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to John Hume (PES, UK) and to David Trimble who are the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process.

John Hume (1937-2020)

The lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists (PES), Frans Timmermans, 57, was nominated by the members’ congress in Lisbon on 7-8 December 2018.

Frans TIMMERMANS (PvdA, Netherlands) currently serves as First Vice-President of the European Commission. He was first elected to the second chamber of the Dutch Parliament in 1998. From 2007 to 2010 he served as Secretary of State for European Affairs, and from 2012 to 2014 as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mark Rutte’s cabinet. Mr Timmermans holds a degree in French language and literature from Radboud University.

#EUelections2019 - Frans TIMMERMANS, lead candidate for the PES

Plans to boost trust in the EU approval procedure of pesticides, by making it more transparent and accountable, were put forward by Parliament on 16 January 2019.

The European Parliament, on 6 February 2018, set up a special committee on the European Union’s authorization procedure for pesticides (PEST). MEPs want the public to be granted access to the studies used in the procedure to authorize a pesticide, including all the supporting data and information relating to the applications.&nbsp; Parliament is of the opinion that vulnerable groups should be more protected.

#EUelections2019 - Use of pesticides in the EU

Press conference by Ciarán CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), rapporteur on the energy performance of buildings directive

Press conference: Energy performance of buildings

Plans to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions from the buildings sector are debated by plenary. 

The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, agreed with the Council in December, aims to substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector by 2030, and have it achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The new rules also mean more of the worst-performing buildings will undergo renovation, and information-sharing on energy performance will be improved.
New buildings must be zero-emission as of 2030, and new buildings occupied or owned by public authorities must be zero-emission as of 2028. For residential buildings, member states have to put in place measures to ensure a reduction in the average level of primary energy used of at least 16% by 2030 and at least 20-22% by 2035.

Member states also have to adopt measures to decarbonise heating systems and phase out fossil fuels in heating and cooling with fossil fuel boilers being completely phased e out by 2040.

Plenary Debate - Energy performance of buildings

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) -  Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

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

Press points following the Eurovision Debate 2024 
- Nicolas SCHMIT, Lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists (PES)
- Terry REINTKE, Lead candidate of the European Greens 
- Walter BAIER, Lead Candidate of the European Left

Press points following the Eurovision Debate 2024

Briefing S&D by Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, President

Delegation for Relations with the People's Republic of China

Press conference by Ciarán CUFFE, rapporteur on the energy performance of buildings directive

Briefing S&D by Pedro MARQUES, Vice-President

Press conference by Sarah WIENER, rapporteur on Sustainable use of pesticides

Press conference by Bas EICKHOUT, rapporteur on CO2 emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles

PECH - ENVI

PECH

ENVI

Press conference by Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, S&D President, on Outcome of vote on Nature Restoration Law

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Berlin (Germany) - Round-table discussion with young people

EP Plenary session - Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting with José Pedro AGUIAR-BRANCO, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal and Visit at the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal

Pernille WEISS in the hemicycle in Strasbourg

CULT - Exchange of views with young people on the Committee’s .achievements in the 9th Legislature

CULT - Exchange of views with young people on the Committee’s achievements in the 9th Legislature - #Engaged4YOUth – bringing young people to the forefront of EU policy making

CULT - Exchange of views with young people on the Committee’s achievements in the 9th Legislature - Presentation of the Commission Communication on a blueprint towards a European degree and the two accompanying Council Recommendations

Presentation of the YMCA Europe’s Root for Peace Award to Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Cyprus - Participation to a round-table discussion with young people

ITRE - Exchange of views with Mr Timo Pesonen, Director-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS), on Defence Strategy and the EDIP proposal

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Austria - Town Hall discussion with young people

DEVE workshop on Opportunities and challenges of the green transition for pastoralism and indigenous people in Africa ?

Press conference on the energy performance of buildings directive

BUDG CULT extraordinary joint meeting - Making Erasmus+ accessible to people with fewer opportunities

EP Plenary session - Definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures

EP Plenary session - Energy performance of buildings

Eurovision Debate 2024 between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency: Spotlight - Ursula von der LEYEN, European People's Party

Eurovision Debate 2024 (Clean feed): Spotlight - Ursula von der LEYEN, European People's Party

Arrival and doorstep by Nicolas SCHMIT, Lead Candidate of the Party of the European Socialists (PES) prior to the Eurovision debate between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Eurovision debate 2024 - Arrivals and doorsteps: Nicolas SCHMIT, Lead Candidate of the Party of the European Socialists (PES)

Arrival of Ursula VON DER LEYEN, Lead Candidate of the European People's Party (EPP) prior to the Eurovision debate between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency.

Eurovision debate 2024 - Arrivals and doorsteps: Ursula VON DER LEYEN, Lead Candidate of the European People's Party (EPP)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, visits a school in Zaventem for the 'townhall event' with young first time voters in presence of Annelies VERLINDEN, Belgian Minister for the Interior, Institutional Reform and Democratic Renewal. This news item shows extracts from the arrival, discussion with Q&A and family photo during her official visit.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium): extracts from the meeting with young people

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, visits the European Parliament Liason Office (EPLO) in Berlin, Germany and holds a round-table discussion with young students. This news item shows extracts from the arrival, round-table discussion and family photo during her official visit.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Berlin: extracts from the round-table discussion with young people

EP President Roberta Metsola, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former EP President Pat Cox, and former Commission President Romano Prodi participate in a formal sitting of Parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement round along with representatives from the ten countries that joined the EU 20 years ago. During the ceremony, the guests answer questions from a group of young people born on or around 1 May 2004 from the Member States, who are invited to attend the sitting.

20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement: Ode to Joy, performed by the Voix de Stras' acapella choir

EP President Roberta METSOLA visits the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. This news items shows her arrival, her meeting with José Pedro AGUIAR-BRANCO, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal and the visit to the Centro Interpretativo do Parlamento. .

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Visit at the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal: arrival and meeting with José Pedro AGUIAR-BRANCO, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal

Leading up to the European Parliament elections in June 2024, Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, intends to tour all EU Member States, urging citizens to participate in the voting process. President Metsola holds a round-table discussion with young people at the EU House of Nicosia during her official visit to Cyprus. This news item delivers external shots of European Union House, where the discussion is taking place, arrival of President Metsola, and discussion with young people. The main topics of the discussion were upcoming European Elections and the campaing.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Cyprus - participation to a round-table discussion with young people

How does Europe affect our everyday lives? How does it impact on our jobs, our families, our health care, our journeys and our consumer choices? And how is Europe present in our towns, cities and regions? As European citizens, no matter where we live, how we make our living, or how we spend our time, the EU has an impact on our daily lives. The website 'What Europe does for me' presents a wide range of short, easy-to-read texts drawn up by the European Parliamentary Research Service, focusing on what the European Union does and the impact it has on us all. It explores EU actions from the individual’s point of view, with many examples of projects and support.

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Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Kerkrade (Netherlands) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Zaventem (Belgium) - Meeting with young people