Every year around 9 May, ‘Europe Day’, the European Parliament&nbsp;organizes events in the three places of work as well as in the Member States. These open door events (in the case of the EP, taking place in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg) are an opportunity for the institutions to open their doors to citizens, invite them in and showcase what they are, what they do and what they stand for.

This year the EP opens to citizens on the 27th April in Strasbourg, 4th May in Brussels and 9th May in Luxembourg.

Europe days 2024

Belgium is a founding member of the European Union

Belgium is member of the Schengen area since 26 March 1995 and of the Eurozone since 1 January 1999.

The country's capital, Brussels, is together with Luxembourg City and Strasbourg, one of the three official seats of the European institutions. Belgium is a constitutional monarchy in which the King is head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of the government.

EU - Belgium

Situated in the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and to the south of Turkey, Cyprus is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean as well as being the third smallest country in the EU, after Malta and Luxembourg. 

Cyprus’s main export partners are Greece, the UK and Israel, while its main import partners are Greece, Israel and the UK. 
There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Cyprus.

EU - Cyprus

The work of CONT committee&nbsp;involves controlling and monitoring the correct, targeted use of the budget (some EUR 166 billion in 2019). The main responsibility for budget management lies with the European Commission, which distributes the lion's share of the funds. Some 80% of the money goes to the Member States, around 13% is invested around the world, and roughly 7% is spent on administration.

The Committee on Budgetary Control is supported in its work by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) in Luxembourg. The remit also covers the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). CONT is also involved in all legislative procedures concerning issues relating to the proper management of the budget and the safeguarding of the EU's financial interests. The Committee is also committed to having a robust European Public Prosecutor's Office.

CONT - Committee on Budgetary Control

With a landmass that stretches from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea in the north to the Alps in the south, Germany has the largest population of any EU country.

Germany borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France and Luxembourg to the southwest, and Belgium and the Netherlands to the northwest. There are 96 members of the European Parliament from Germany.

EU - Germany

Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 1999 and of the Schengen area since 26 March 1995.

Luxembourg City, together with Brussels and Strasbourg, is one of the three official seats of the European institutions. There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Luxembourg.

EU - Luxembourg

To celebrate Europe Day, the EU institutions open their doors to the public on 5 May in Brussels, 5 and 9 May in Luxembourg and 10 June in Strasbourg.

The Open Day is your chance to get closer to the people you elect to represent you and see how they work to defend your interests in the European Union.

2018 Open Day in the EP in Brussels

His Royal Highness Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg was born at Berg Castle on 5 January 1921.

On 5 January 1939, the crown prince came of age and from then on, as heir presumptive to the crown of the Grand Duchy, he assumed the title of Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He became Grand Duke of Luxembourg on 12 November 1964. After 36 years of reign, he abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Hereditary Grand Duke Henri, on 7 October 2000.

Grand Duke Jean passed away on 23 April 2019.

JEAN, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Xavier Bettel, Luxembourgish Prime Minister, is the sixth EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, on Wednesday morning.

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:

<ul>
	<li>turning the Council of Ministers into a genuine second legislative chamber, and its configurations into preparatory bodies similar to Parliament’s committees,</li>
	<li>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</li>
	<li>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.</li>
</ul>

Debate on the Future of Europe with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Mini

On 20 April, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi will present the results of the first seven months of the EPPO’s operations to the Budget Control and Civil Liberties committees.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the new independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.

These include several types of fraud, VAT fraud with damages above 10 million euro, money laundering, corruption, etc. The EPPO undertakes investigations, carries out acts of prosecution and exercises the function of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating Member States, until the case has been settled.

Before only national authorities could investigated and prosecuted these crimes, but their powers stopped at the borders of their country. Organisations like Eurojust, OLAF and Europol do not have the necessary powers to carry out such criminal investigations and prosecutions.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is composed of two levels: the central level and the decentralised (national) level. The central level, with its headquarters in Luxembourg, consists of: the European Chief Prosecutor; 22 European Prosecutors (one per participating EU country), two of whom function as Deputies for the European Chief Prosecutor; and the Administrative Director. The decentralised level consists of the European Delegated Prosecutors (EDPs) in the 22 participating EU Member States.

The central level supervises the investigations and prosecutions carried out by the EDPs at the national level, which operate with complete independence from their national authorities. The EPPO officially started its operational activities on 1 June 2021

European Public Prosecutor's Office - EPPO

Every year around 9 May, ‘Europe Day’, the European Parliament&nbsp;organizes events in the three places of work as well as in the Member States. These open door events (in the case of the EP, taking place in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg) are an opportunity for the institutions to open their doors to citizens, invite them in and showcase what they are, what they do and what they stand for.

This year the EP opens to citizens on the 6th May in Brussels and 9th May in Strasbourg.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Europe Days 2023

The Schuman Declaration was presented by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950.

It proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, whose members would pool coal and steel production.
The ECSC (founding members: France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) was the first of a series of supranational European institutions that would ultimately become today's "European Union".
On 9 May 1950, the Salon de l’Horloge in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on Quai d’Orsay in Paris was transformed into a press room and Robert Schuman gave his speech. Since 1985, Europe Day has been celebrated on 9 May every year.

Schuman Declaration - 9 May 1950

On 10 May, President Metsola travelled to Luxembourg for the inauguration of Parliament’s Konrad Adenauer building, in the presence of His Royal Highness the Grand-Duke of Luxembourg and Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.

On the existing Konrad Adenauer Building (KAD) from the 1980s, a new building complex has been built up. The building complex will make it possible to bring together 3,000 employees in the various interconnected buildings to ensure integrated functionality between all departments.

Inauguration of the Konrad Adenauer building of the EP in Luxembourg

On 9 May, Europe Day, the EU commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. An ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union. The importance of working for peace in Europe is all the more evident, as we highlight our unity and solidarity with Ukraine.

The EP is organising a wide range of online and on-site activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. As the 2022 European Year of Youth shines a spotlight on Europe’s young people and with citizens’ voices amplified by the Conference on the Future of Europe there’s never been a better time to come together, discuss the challenges we all face and create a better future for Europe that works for everyone.

Europe Day 2022

The Santer Commission was the European Commission in office between 23 January 1995 and 15 March 1999.

The administration was led by Jacques Santer (former Prime Minister of Luxembourg). The body had 20 members and oversaw the introduction of the euro. It was cut short when the Commission became the first to resign en masse due to allegations of corruption. Some members continued under Manuel Marín until the Prodi Commission was appointed.

Appointment of the Santer Commission

The Juncker Commission is the European Commission in office since 1 November 2014 and is due to serve until 2019.

Its president is Jean-Claude Juncker, who presides over 27 other commissioners (one from each of the states composing the European Union, except Luxembourg, which is Juncker's state).

In July 2014, Juncker was officially elected to succeed José Manuel Barroso, who completed his second five-year term in that year.

Appointment of the Juncker Commission

President Metsola is in Luxembourg, she meets the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, Claude Wiseler, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden and holds a debate with young people.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg

Inauguration of the artwork “L’Aire d’un Souffle” placed in the proximity of Luxembourg Station in presence of the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Mr Rainer WIELAND, arrives to the venue of the ceremony and greets H.E. Ms Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions of the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as Mr Rudi VERVOORT, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Inauguration of the artwork “L’Aire d’un Souffle”

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Townhall Discussion with Young People

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Meeting with European Parliament Staff

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Meeting with Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Chamber of deputies (Luxembourgish Parliament)

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Meeting with members of the Bureau and Committees

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Bilateral with Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Luxembourgish Parliament

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Claude WISELER, President of Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Luc FRIEDEN, Prime Minister of Luxembourg - Press Point

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Luc FRIEDEN, Prime Minister of Luxembourg

Speech by President Metsola at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School Luxembourg

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) - Rainbow flag next to the EP building in Luxembourg.

Handover ceremony of replica of Sigismund of Luxembourg Roma Decree to the House of European History

EP Plenary session - This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier BETTEL

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourg Prime Minister - Press conference

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourg Prime Minister

One year anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine - Raising of the Ukrainian flags outside the EP building in Luxembourg

Tilly METZ official portrait - 9th Parliamentary term

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - ' Orange your world ', UN campaign to end violence against women and girls. Orange flag nest to the EP building in Luxembourg

Official visit to Luxembourg - Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Chamber of deputies (Luxembourgish Parliament)

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

Composition of Parliament

Composition of political groups

Negotiations ahead of Parliament's first reading (Rule 71) (action taken)

Children forcibly deported from Ukraine and the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel (debate)

Statement by the President - 80th anniversary of the Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto

Composition of committees and delegations

Voting time

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

Keeping people healthy, water drinkable and soil liveable: getting rid of forever pollutants and strengthening EU chemical legislation now (topical debate)

Markets in Crypto-assets (MiCa) - Information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (recast) (debate)

Digital euro (debate)

Dieselgate: suspected widespread use of defeat devices in cars to reduce effectiveness of pollution control systems (debate) (debate)

EU Global Health Strategy (debate)

Universal Decriminalization of Homosexuality, in light of recent developments in Uganda (debate)

The crackdown on the right to education and education rights activists in Afghanistan, including the case of Matiullah Wesa

Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Aleksei Navalny

The risk of death penalty and execution of singer Yahaya Sharif Aminu for blasphemy in Nigeria

Plenary session

Resilience of critical entities (debate)

Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (debate)

Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges

Ceremony of the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament

2023 budgetary procedure: joint text (debate)

System of own resources of the European Union (debate)

Question Time (Commission) - Future legislative reform of the Economic Governance Framework in times of social and economic crisis

Delegated acts (Rule 111(6))(action taken)

Question Time (VPC/HR) - The impact on third countries of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in relation to the “Black Sea Grain Initiative” agreement

EU-China relations (debate)

EU response to the increasing crackdown on protests in Iran (debate)

Promoting regional stability and security in the broader Middle East region (debate)

New EU strategy for enlargement (debate)

Situation in Libya (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Closure of the sitting

Presentation of final proposals followed by the expression of positions taken by the European Parliament, Council, Commission and National Parliaments components

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary

Presentation of National Events

Intervention by invited Stakeholders

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary I : Opening, Agenda, Interactive presentations of National Events and stakeholders interventions

Press Point by Fernand ETGEN, President of the Chambre des Députés and Roberta METSOLA, EP President - State Visit of the President of the European Parliament to Luxembourg

Digital transformation - Presentation of the Recommendations by European Citizens’ Panel 1 and related National Panels

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary 4: Digital transformation

Opening by the Co-Chairs and agenda as proposed by the Executive Board

European Citizens’ Panels - presentation by the Co-Chairs and the representatives from the European Citizens’ Panels followed by discussion

Amendment of the agenda 

Report by the Representatives from National Panels and Events on the National panels and events being held

Report from the European Youth Event

Multilingual Digital Platform - presentation by the Co-Chairs of the interim reports and state of play followed by discussion

Closing of the Conference Plenary meeting

Purpose and expectations of the Conference including European Citizens' Panels, National Panels/events and Multilingual Digital Platform: presentation and general discussion

Calendar of Conference Plenaries, European Citizens’ Panels and European Citizens’ Event, and Co-chairs proposal on the organisation of thematic working groups: presentation and discussion

Inaugural plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe

Press Point - A. TAJANI - EP President and by Xavier BETTEL, Prime Minister of Luxembourg

UNKN

Debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, on the Future of Europe (debate)

Review of the Luxembourg Presidency (debate)

Jan Philipp ALBRECHT, Marju LAURISTIN - LIBE rapporteurs - Félix BRAZ - Luxembourgish Minister of Justice - and Věra JOUROVÁ - EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality

M. SCHULZ - EP President - A. TSIPRAS - Greek Prime Minister - J. ASSELBORN - Luxembourg Presidency - D. AVRAMOPOULOS - Member of EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship

Martin SCHULZ - EP President - Xavier BETTEL - Prime Minister of Luxembourg - & Jean-Claude JUNCKER - President of EU Commission

Programme of activities of the Luxembourg Presidency

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets and exchanges views on European Union with young people, at the Town Hall, during her official visit to Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg). This footage shows extracts from the Town Hall discussion with young students of a local high-school.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg): extracts from the Town Hall discussion

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, pays an official visit to Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) and meets Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister, during her official visit to Luxembourg. This footage shows the arrival of President Metsola and welcome by Prime Minister Frieden, their bilateral and roundtable.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) - Meeting with Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister: extracts from the arrival, meeting and roundtable

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, pays an official visit to Luxembourg. This footage shows her press point with Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Chamber of deputies (Luxembourgish Parliament). This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Chamber of deputies (Luxembourgish Parliament)

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, visits the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourgish Parliament) and meets with Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Luxembourgish Parliament, and with members of the Bureau and Committees of Foreign and European affairs during her official visit to Luxembourg. This news item shows extracts from the bilateral with Speaker Wiseler, from the meeting with members of the Bureau and Committees and from the press point.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Luxembourg - Visit to the Luxembourgish Parliament: bilateral with Claude WISELER, Speaker of the Luxembourgish Parliament, meeting with members of the Bureau and Committees and press point

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets with Luc FRIEDEN, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, in the European Parliament in Brussels. This news item shows extracts from the arrival of Luc Frieden and welcome by Roberta Metsola, handshake and family photo.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, meets with Luc FRIEDEN, Prime Minister of Luxembourg

Robert METSOLA, EP President, and Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister hold a press conference following Frieden´s official visit to the European Parliament in Brussels. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check agaist delivery.

Press point by Robert METSOLA, EP President and Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

On Thursday 16 November 2023, the conference 'AI in Archives' organised by the Archives of the European Parliament took place in Luxembourg. Speakers from universities, national archives and EU institutions presented their innovative approaches to using AI in the preservation and study of historical memory.

Conference: AI in Archives

This news item shows extracts from the address of Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School during her visit to Luxembourg, and ambience shots from the atmosphere of the conference room.

Visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, in Luxembourg: extracts from the speech at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School Luxembourg, and atmosphere shots

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School during her visit to Luxembourg. Opening statements. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, in Luxembourg: opening speech at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School Luxembourg

On Wednesday 11 October 2023, the event of the donation and handover of the original document Proposal of a Manifesto to the Archives of the European Parliament took place in the EP Library Reading Room in Brussels. In the presence of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, the Spinelli Group entrusted the Proposal of a Manifesto in its first English edition to the European Parliament Archives in Luxembourg.

Event of the donation of the Proposal of a Manifesto to the European Parliament Archives

To mark Ukraine Independence Day on the 24th August 2023, the European Parliament lights up its "Station Europe" buidling, on Place du Luxembourg in Brussels, in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

European Parliament building in Brussels illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag to mark Ukraine Independence Day

On the occasion of IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia) on 17th May 2023, rainbow flags are displayed at the entrance of the European Parliament buildings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. Extracts. Today's rainbow flag has six colors - one meaning for each color: red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), turquoise (magic/art), indigo (serenity) and violet (spirit).

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT): Rainbow flags flown at the entrance of the European Parliament buildings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg

This clip highlights the "This is Europe" debate with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister (19/04/2023).

Clip "This is Europe" with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

MEPs debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier BETTEL their views on Europe’s challenges and future.

This is Europe - Debate with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister: MEPs debate

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel discusses with MEPs his views on Europe’s challenges and future. Closing statement by Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

This is Europe - Debate with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister: closing statements

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel discusses with MEPs his views on Europe’s challenges and future. One round Political group leaders

This is Europe - Debate with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister: one round Political group leaders

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier BETTEL discusses with MEPs his views on Europe’s challenges and future. Opening statement by Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

This is Europe - Debate with Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister: opening statement by Xavier BETTEL, Luxembourgish Prime Minister

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel discusses with MEPs his views on Europe’s challenges and future. Introduction by Roberta METSOLA, EP President. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

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