At a glance: Commissioner Marta Kos discusses EU enlargement with MEPs; Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee reviews Europol report on terrorism threats; applications are open for 2025 Charlemagne Youth Prize.

News in Brief – 16/01/2025 - English

At a glance: President Metsola’s visit to Portugal, the EU Youth Strategy survey and a competition for the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe.

News in Brief – 03/07/2024 - English

At a glance: ‘Sisterhood Pathways’ from Lithuania won the 2024 European Charlemagne Youth Prize; applications for Schuman traineeships are now open and the European Solidarity Corps.

News in Brief – 13/05/2024 - English

At a glance: the Europe Day celebrations continue; the 2024 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism; and the award ceremony of the 2024 European Charlemagne Youth Prize.

News in Brief – 06/05/2024 - English

At a glance: the European Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the last plenary session of this legislative term; the achievements of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender  Equality; and the European Youth Week.

News in Brief – 17/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the special European Council; the last Eurobarometer survey before the June European elections; and the European Youth Event.

News in Brief – 16/04/2024 - English

At a glance: Parliament wants to make the right to abortion an EU fundamental right; the ECB Annual Report for 2023; and European Youth Week 2024.

News in Brief – 15/04/2024 - English

At a glance: just 70 days to the European Elections; the presentation of a European Commission action plan to tackle labour and skills shortages; and the 2024 Charlemagne Youth Prize.

News in Brief – 27/03/2024 - English

Compared to the rest of the world, Europe has the best levels of social protection and also ranks highly in terms of quality of life and wellbeing. However, it faces a wide range of challenges, including impact of the COVID situation.

The EU has only limited competence when it comes to social issues as most of it is up to national governments. The responsibility for employment and social policies lies mostly with the member states and their governments. This means that national governments - and not the EU - decide on issues such as wage regulations, including minimum wage, the role of collective bargaining, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been working on social issues throughout the European integration process and come up with a series of instruments in the social sector. These include EU laws, funds and tools to better coordinate and monitor national policies. The EU also encourages countries to share best practices on issues such as social inclusion, poverty and pensions.

One of the supporting tools is the European Social Fund+, with a total budget of €88 billion for next 7 years. It will play an important role in the implementation of the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights and in countering the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. It integrates the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) into one fund.

Social Europe

Since the onset of the economic crisis, the EP has strongly supported the creation of a Youth Guarantee scheme, which was finally adopted in April 2013 as the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI).

The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 25 years receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship, traineeship, within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.

The Youth Guarantee has become a reality across the EU and has helped to improve the lives of millions of young Europeans.

Youth Employment

European Youth Event (EYE) 2018 takes place on on 1 and 2 June 2018 in the European Parliament's seat in Strasbourg. It is a unique opportunity for young Europeans to make their voices heard.

The topics covered in this compendium are divided into the five main themes of the programme of EYE 2018, namely:

Young and old: Keeping up with the digital revolution 
Rich and poor: Calling for a fair share 
Apart and together: Working out for a stronger Europe 
Safe and dangerous: Staying alive in turbulent times 
Local and global: Protecting our planet

EYE2018

During November plenary MEPs approved&nbsp;the deal on next year’s EU budget that addresses the fallout from the Ukraine war and the pandemic recovery process more effectively. The proposal prioritise recovery, health, youth and climate action.

MEPs wanted&nbsp;the 2023 EU budget to be a “future-oriented budget that matches the Union’s political priorities of ensuring a stronger Health Union, making a success of the green and digital transitions, and fostering a fair, inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery, including increased support for small and medium-sized enterprises. Next year’s budget should also invest in promoting the rule of law, EU values, and fundamental rights and their application, as well as contribute to greater opportunities for all, most notably young people, and ensure a stronger Union as a foreign policy actor".

Parliament fought for and obtained better support - over €1 billion on top of the Commission’s original proposal - for tackling the consequences of the war in Ukraine, energy, climate and the recovery from the pandemic in the 2023 EU budget. The preliminary figures are €186.6 billion in commitment appropriations and €168.7 billion in payment appropriations.

EU Budget 2023

Roberta METSOLA, EP President addresses the Meta pan-European Youth Summit

Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

CULT- Exchange of views with 2025 European Youth Capital - Lviv, Ukraine

Press point by Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA, Germany), Chair of CULT, following the confirmation hearing of Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

Plenary opening session of the kick-off event of the European Youth Week 2024

Official visit to Athens (Greece) - Speech by President Metsola at the Plenary Hall of the Hellenic Parliament, Joint meeting of the Committees for European Affairs; National Defense and Foreign Affairs; Cultural and Educational Affairs; Equality, Youth and Human Rights, at the Hellenic Parliament

Official visit to Athens (Greece) - Speech by Pres

European Youth Hearing

Press point by Cristian-Silviu BUŞOI, Chair of ITRE and Sabine VERHEYEN, Chair of CULT, following the hearing of Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth

Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Meta Pan-European Youth Summit

EP Plenary session - Silent crisis: the mental health of Europe’s youth

Sakharov Youth Seminar

CULT - Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, European Commissioner-designate for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport - Press point

CULT - Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, European Commissioner-designate for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Tram Talk with Portuguese youth and Carlos MOEDAS, Mayor of Lisbon

Lux Youth Seminar

European Youth FORUM - LEVELUP! 2024

The fifth meeting of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) takes place in Brussels. Members exchange views on the Future of EU-UK foreign and security policy cooperation, Youth Opportunities, and Trade, customs and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Sandro GOZI (Renew, FR) and Marsha DE CORDOVA (MP, UK) hold a press point on the 5th EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.

Press point by Sandro GOZI (Renew, FR) and Marsha DE CORDOVA, Co-Chairs of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (EU-UK PPA) on the 5th EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

EP President, Roberta METSOLA, addresses the Meta pan-European Youth Summit at the Square Convention Centre in Brussels. The conference titled "Youth Safety in a Digital World" focuses on how to support parents and young people to safely navigate online spaces.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Meta Pan-European Youth Summit: extracts from the address

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

Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, DE), Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) holds a press point after the Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press point by Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, DE), Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)

Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) of the European Parliament. Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) are also invited to participate as joint committees. At the end of the confirmation hearing, Glenn MICALLEF makes a closing statement followed by the one from the Committee Chair. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport: closing statement by Glenn MICALLEF and Committee Chair

Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) of the European Parliament. Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) are also invited to participate as joint committees. During the confirmation hearing, Glenn MICALLEF answers questions by committee members.

Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport: Questions / Answers (part 5 - Political groups in reverse order)

Confirmation hearing of Glenn MICALLEF, Commissioner-designate, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport: Questions / Answers (part 4 - Invited Committees)

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