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

European elections represent a crucial moment: they give EU citizens a say in the political direction of the European Union. After declining ever since the first European direct elections in 1979, electoral turn out increased in the 2019 elections to reach 50.6 % largely due to youth participation (according to a post-election Eurobarometer survey). Echoing the 2019 motto 'This time I'm voting', the 2024 one might be: 'I did it again!' The 2024 European elections could be a turning point for youth engagement for several reasons

EPRS Policy Podcast - Young Europeans go to the polls: Issues to watch in 2024

Today: the deal on the ‘breakfast directives’; the bids to host the headquarters of the EU’s new Anti-Money Laundering Authority; and the 2024 Charlemagne Youth Prize.

News in Brief – 01/02/2024 – English

Established in 2008, the European Charlemagne Youth Prize is an award run jointly by the European Parliament and the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. This year, first place went to ‘AILEM’ from Belgium, the first-ever language app tailored to refugees and asylum seekers.

2023 European Charlemagne Youth Prize

2022 is the European Year of Youth, which means that this year the policy area of education will be an important part of the European Parliament’s agenda. From the continuation of the Erasmus programme to plans for a European Education Area, there are some hurdles to cross along the way. Here is a brief overview of what the European Union is currently working on with regards to education.

Education and the European Year of Youth 2022 - EN

I live at the crossroads of East and West My childhood and teenage years were spent under communism, and my youth and adult years under democracy. What will the future bring us? On our My House of European History platform, we invite people from all over Europe to share their personal stories. Magdalena’s story is one of great changes in Europe, the peaceful end of communism and the transition from captivity to freedom. It is a call for freedom and democracy; a rallying cry for strong women in European society. [This podcast contains an excerpt from the speech of Wojciech Jaruzelski of 13 December 1981. © Copyright "Telewizja Polska S.A. – TVP. All rights reserved."]

EN ‘Living at the crossroads of East and West’ – a story of the desire for freedom under communist oppression

We live in an era of fake news and false narratives, but since 2015 one radio project has been relating what is really happening in the EU. It’s name is Europhonica. Europhonica was created in 2015, and is part-funded by the Commission. It is a network of roughly one hundred university radio stations in six EU countries. Many of them are based in Italy and have combined to form ‘RadUni’. This year’s Charlemagne Youth Prize goes to the Italian Europhonica project of Raduni. The following audio programme is a tribute to all colleagues who participate in this project.

Raduni EN

It’s not always easy for young people to find a job. They are moreIt’s not always easy for young people to find a job. They are more likely to be unemployed than people in other age groups, and more vulnerable to job insecurity likely to be unemployed than people in other age groups, and more vulnerable to job insecurity.

This is what Europe is doing to tackle youth unemployment

Are you 18 years old? Fancy the chance to travel across Europe for free? Then here’s some good news: in 2018, the European Union (EU) launched the DiscoverEU travel pass programme. In the first round, more than 100 000 people applied. The 15 000 successful applicants were given a free travel pass. How does it work?

This is what Europe does for 18-year-olds who want to travel

Youth workers play a key role in society and are sometimes at the forefront of youth education. Here are a few examples of what the EU does for them.

This is what Europe does for youth workers

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

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

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

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

The Conference on the Future of Europe is a series of citizen-led debates and discussions that enable people from across Europe to share their ideas and help shape our common European future. The European Citizens´panels are an integral part of the CoFoE.

The European Citizens’ Panel on "EU in the world / Migration" will meet at the European Institute for Public Administration in Maastricht and online to deliver its recommendations. In March, the Panel’s report - on the EU’s self-reliance and stability, its place in the world, and all aspects of migration-related issues - will be debated in a Conference Plenary session.

The panels bring together people from different walks of life. Citizens have been chosen randomly by specialist contractors on behalf of the EU institutions, using methodologies that ensure that they are representative of the EU's diversity in terms of geographic origin, gender, age, socioeconomic background and level of education. Young people between 16 and 25 make up one-third of each panel.

These citizens come up with ideas and recommendations that will feed into the overall Conference deliberations, in particular into the Conference Plenaries, and ultimately into the report on its final outcome. The European Citizens’ Panels kicked&nbsp;off with the first 200-citizen meeting 17-19 of September in Strasbourg.

The first sessions of all four Panels took&nbsp;place on&nbsp;Parliament’s premises in Strasbourg and began&nbsp;working on draft recommendations within each Panel’s remit. This first European Citizens’ Panel focused on a stronger economy, social justice, jobs/education, youth, culture, and sport/digital transformation, based on citizens’ contributions collected from across Europe on a Multilingual Digital Platform, as well as support and presentations from prominent academics. The second European Citizens’ Panel focused&nbsp;on European democracy/values, rights, the rule of law, and security. The third panel´s agenda was&nbsp;climate change, environment and health. The fourth on the EU in the world/migration.

Also, the Panels are meeting in four European academic institutions (Dublin, Florence, Natolin/Warsaw, and Maastricht) to finalise their recommendations so they can be discussed at the Conference Plenary.

From 25-27 February&nbsp;the final European Citizens' Panels covering ‘A stronger economy, social justice and jobs / Education, culture, youth and sport / Digital transformation' was held in Dublin. The recommendations will be debated at the Conference Plenary in early March, alongside recommendations from the Panel on 'EU in the world / migration', and from national panels and events.

European Citizens’ Panels

On Europe Day, the Presidents of the European Parliament, Commission and Council received the final report with proposals to reform the EU. During a closing ceremony  in Strasbourg, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, on behalf of the Council Presidency, President Emmanuel Macron, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen received from the Co-Chairs of the Conference Executive Board the final report on the outcome of the Conference.
This one-year journey of discussion, debate and collaboration between citizens and politicians culminated in a report centred around 49 proposals that include concrete objectives and more than 320 measures for the EU institutions to follow up on under nine topics: climate change and the environment; health; a stronger economy, social justice and jobs; EU in the world; values and rights, rule of law, security; digital transformation; European democracy; migration; education, culture, youth and sport. The proposals are based on recommendations made by citizens who met within the European Citizens’ Panels, National Citizens’ Panels and contributed their ideas on the Multilingual Digital Platform.

President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said: "Citizens - especially young people - are at the heart of our vision for the future of Europe. They have directly shaped the outcome of the Conference. We are at a defining moment of European integration and no suggestion for change should be off-limits. We should not be afraid to unleash the power of Europe to change people’s lives for the better."

Conference on the Future of Europe: closing event

The EYE (European Youth Event) brings together at the European Parliament in Strasbourg and online&nbsp;thousands of young people from all over the European Union and the world, to&nbsp;share and&nbsp;shape&nbsp;their ideas&nbsp;on Europe’s future. It is a unique opportunity for&nbsp;16 to 30 year olds to&nbsp;interact,&nbsp;inspire&nbsp;each other and&nbsp;exchange&nbsp;their views with experts, activists, influencers and decision-makers, right in the heart of European democracy.

EYE2023, the fifth edition of the event is taking &nbsp;place on&nbsp;9&nbsp;and&nbsp;10 June&nbsp;2023 and will feature both&nbsp;in-person&nbsp;and&nbsp;hybrid&nbsp;activities in Strasbourg. During the event, participants will take part in activities&nbsp;co-created&nbsp;with institutions, international organisations, civil society, youth organisations and participants themselves, offering a space for&nbsp;discussions and networking. In light of the European and global context and ahead of the&nbsp;European elections 2024, part of the programme will focus on the role of democracy and youth engagement.&nbsp;

Ask your questions to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1902996146723166/1902996166723164/?active_tab=about" target="_blank">speakers on Facebook</a>

EYE2023

The 2022 the European Year of Youth is a response to the difficult situation for young people during the pandemic, with consequences on their education, employment, social life, health and wellbeing. It also pays tribute to and takes inspiration from many young people who showed intergenerational solidarity to mitigate the impact of the crisis on society as a whole. The overall objective of the European Year of Youth is to reinforce the efforts of the Union, the Member States, regional and local authorities to support and engage with youth in a post-pandemic perspective. The European Year of Youth will go hand in hand with NextGenerationEU, which reopens perspectives for young people, including quality jobs and education and training opportunities for the Europe of the future, and supports young people's participation in society. The Year of Youth will seek synergies and complementarity with other EU programmes targeting youth across the policy spectrum - from rural development programmes focussed on young farmers to research and innovation programmes, and from cohesion to climate change actions - including EU programmes with international outreach or of a transnational nature. Apart from Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, with budgets of €28 billion and 1€ billion respectively for the current financial period, the EU's Youth Guarantee and Youth Employment Initiative are creating more opportunities for young people. Also In 2022, a new programme called ALMA will be launched to support cross-border professional mobility for disadvantaged young people.

European year of youth 2022

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020).

The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda. The programme also supports the European Pillar of Social Rights implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 develops the European dimension in sport. It will improve access to learning and mobility for people who historically have had fewer opportunities to participate – people living with a disability, people living in poverty, in a remote location, people with a migration background, and more. Compared to the previous Erasmus+, the new programme will expand to support mobility for students in adult education.

Erasmus +

The European Solidarity Corps is the European Union programme which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad that benefit communities and people around Europe. It brings together young people to build a more inclusive society, supporting vulnerable people and responding to societal challenges. It offers an inspiring and empowering experience for young people who want to help, learn and develop.

The 2021-2027 European Solidarity Corps (worth more than 1billion Euros) will be a significant upgrade in the value it provides for volunteers compared to previous iterations. The new programme features improvements to the insurance policy and health and safety guarantees covered by the programme, as well as increased requirements for hosts to ensure a meaningful learning experience for participants.The European Solidarity Corps for 2021-2027 will for the first time be a stand-alone volunteering programme with its own budget (activities covered by the programme were previously covered by the 'Youth' section of Erasmus+).

European Solidarity Corps

The Industry, Research and Energy, and Culture and Education committees questioned Iliana Ivanova, Bulgarian candidate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth. Ms Ivanova was nominated to replace Mariya Gabriel, who resigned on 15 May to become Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Bulgaria. During her introductory speech, Commissioner-designate Iliana Ivanova presented her priorities to invest in research and innovation in the EU, boosting skills, promoting the cohesive role of culture and empowering youth.

The EU is a scientific powerhouse, she underlined, however the landscape remains “fragmented” and investments are below the target of 3% of GDP and behind global competitors. She vowed to do the utmost to support the Horizon Europe programme as a tool to ensure that Europe can be “a trailblazer at global level” and attract more resources, including through partnerships, and to facilitate access to funding for SMEs.

The European Parliament during its September session&nbsp;approved the appointment of Iliana Ivanova&nbsp;as Commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth.

Hearing of Iliana IVANOVA, Bulgarian Commissioner-designate

Jean-Claude Juncker served as President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019.

Since taking office on 1 November 2014, the Juncker Commission has dealt with a broad range of important issues, including climate change, Brexit, the Eurozone crisis, youth unemployment, migration, foreign interference in democratic processes and disinformation, attacks on fundamental rights and the rule of law, challenges posed by digitalisation, rising international tensions and numerous armed conflicts close to the EU’s external borders.

Review of the Juncker Commission

European Youth Event (EYE) 2021&nbsp;took&nbsp;place on 8 and 9 October 2021&nbsp;in the European Parliament's seat in Strasbourg. EYE&nbsp;is a unique opportunity for young Europeans to make their voices heard. Between&nbsp;3 000 to 4 000 young people gathered&nbsp;in Strasbourg and online to exchange ideas and contribute to discussions on Europe’s future.&nbsp;

Under the motto “The future is ours”, the European Youth Event (EYE) 2021 featured&nbsp;dozens of activities, debates, and workshops, as well as sports events, artistic performances and concerts. The environment and the fight against climate change, ahead of the COP26 meeting in November 2021, were&nbsp;a central topic for discussion.

EYE is a unique opportunity for 16 to 30 year olds to interact in-person and online, inspire each other and exchange their views with experts, activists, influencers and decision-makers, right in the heart of European democracy.

EYE 2021 is&nbsp;the culmination of the European Parliament’s youth consultation process for the Conference on the Future of Europe.

EYE2021

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

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Merging seven prior programmes, it offers opportunities not only for students, but also for a wide variety of individuals and organisations, helping them develop, share knowledge and have a life-changing experience at institutions and organisations in different countries.

In 2018, Parliament once again stressed the importance of inclusion in the Erasmus+ programme and asked the Commission to draw up a framework by 31 March 2021, along with a set of inclusion measures and guidelines for their implementation.

In late 2019, Parliament approved an amending budget for that same year’s EU budget in order to reinforcecore mobility activities, which are central to the development of a European education area. The amendment increased commitment appropriations for Erasmus+ to support mobility in higher education, and vocational education and training. However, Parliament also pointed out that this will need to be matched by increased payment appropriations.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/erasmus-8th-parliamentary-term_11104_pk">package </a>for the 8th parliamentary term.

Erasmus + (2019-2020)

The European Solidarity Corps is the European Union programme which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad that benefit communities and people around Europe. It brings together young people to build a more inclusive society, supporting vulnerable people and responding to societal challenges. It offers an inspiring and empowering experience for young people who want to help, learn and develop.

The Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 (MFF) proposal follows through a number of issues that the European Parliament had highlighted. The Commission proposes that the European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027 would be a stand-alone programme, with its own budget, and no longer depend on the budget of Erasmus and other EU programmes. The European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027 regulation absorbs the European Voluntary Service, which currently falls under the 'Youth' section of the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 programme.

European Solidarity Corps (2019-2020)

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

Lux Youth Seminar

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

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

Opening of the sitting

The need for a coherent strategy for EU-China Relations (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

Voting time

Energy storage (debate)

Safeguarding labour mobility and social rights of striking lorry drivers from third countries (debate)

Announcement by the President

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

Adoption of the Cyber package proposals (debate)

Question Time (Commission) - Legacy of the European Year of Youth

Situation in Peru (debate)

Guidelines for the 2024 budget - Section III (debate)

The need for European solidarity in saving lives in the Mediterranean, in particular in Italy (debate)

EU relations with Iraq (debate)

EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, EU Battlegroups and Article 44 TEU: the way forward (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Closure of the sitting

Plenary session

Pres conference by Christian EHLER (EPP, DE), Marcos ROS SEMPERE (S&D, ES), Mariya GABRIEL Commissioner for  Culture, Education and Youth and Elisa FERREIRA, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms on n

Press conference by Christian EHLER, Marcos ROS SEMPERE, Mariya GABRIEL Commissioner for  Culture, Education and Youth and Elisa FERREIRA, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms on n

Czech Presidency: European Year of Youth 2022 Closing Event

Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly - Meeting of the Committee on Social Affairs, Youth and Children, Human Exchanges, Education and Culture

DLAT

Establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (debate)

The European Year of Youth 2022 Legacy

Voting time 

Request for waiver of immunity

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting 

Revision of the Medical Devices Regulation – how to ensure the availability of medical devices

Approval of the minutes of the sitting and forwarding of texts adopted

Dates of forthcoming sittings 

Adjournment of the session

Youth Democracy Event - Level Up! - Closing

Youth Democracy Event - Level Up! - Youth Talks

Youth Democracy Event - Level Up! - Opening

Global Youth Leadership Forum - “Europa, un futuro de esperanza” - statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and by Felipe VI King of Spain

Press conference by Dubravka ŠUICA, EC Vice-President for Democracy and Demography and Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for International Partnerships on the Youth Action Plan in EU external action for

Statements by the President

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting : see Minutes

Composition of Parliament

Verification of credentials

Composition of political groups: see Minutes

Composition of committees and delegations

Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71)

Corrigendum (Rule 241)

Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79): see Minutes

Order of business

New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – Sustainable Forest Management in Europe (debate)

Deforestation Regulation (debate)

Surveillance and predator spyware systems in Greece (debate)

Energy efficiency (recast) (debate)

Conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area: conservation and management measures (debate)

The impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU (short presentation)

Interim report on the 2021 proposal for a revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (short presentation)

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Agenda for next sitting: see Minutes

Press conference by Mariya GABRIEL, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth on a new European innovation agenda

European Youth FORUM - LEVELUP! 2024

European Youth Week - Kick-off event

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Prague (Czechia) - Town Hall Discussion with youth

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Youth conference organized by Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Charlemagne Youth

EPP Group Youth Week

ITRE-CULT Committees - Hearing of Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth.- Press point

ITRE-CULT Committees - Hearing of Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth

LUX European Audience Film Award 2023 - Film Academy Youth Seminar

European Youth Event (EYE 2023) - Plenary session

European Youth Event (EYE 2023).- Ambiance shots

European Youth Event (EYE 2023) - EYE village

European Youth Event (EYE 2023) - Workshops

European Youth Event (EYE 2023) - Press briefing on the EYE and One year ahead of the elections

European Youth Event (EYE 2023) - Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Neil AGIUS, Maltese swimmer

EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Carlos MOEDAS, Mayor of Lisbon and young Portuguese. They exchange during the trip between Basilica da Estrela and Belem. At the arrival, Marcelo REBELO de SOUSA, President of Portugal, join them. The tram is decorated with the "go to vote" campaign logo for the European elections.

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

Twelve COD LEX texts are scheduled to be signed on Thursday, 11 April 2024, by President Metsola and Ms Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions, with the exception of two files which will be signed by Ms Valérie DE BUE , Minister for the Civil Service, Tourism, Heritage and Road Safety (Government of Federation Wallonia-Brussels), and Mr Benjamin DALLE, Minister for Brussels, Youth, Media and Poverty Reduction (Flemish Government), on behalf of the Belgian Presidency.

LEX signing ceremony in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Reaching gender equality, protecting victims of gender-based violence and fighting for a fairer society… Across the EU, organisations are working to defend and promote women’s rights.
     
Stella at Women on Top, in Athens, proposes workshops for female entrepreneurs to feel empowered at work and in life. She and her team ensure women are properly skilled, independent and confident.
 
Linda at MARTA Centre, in Riga, is working towards the eradication of gender-based violence and human trafficking. They offer psychological and legal consultations for victims.
    
The European Parliament is acting to defend women’s rights, from ending unequal pay to eliminating gender-based discrimination. EU funds, like Erasmus+, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and European Women on Boards support projects that empower women across the EU.

Advancing women’s rights in the EU: meet Stella and Linda (VT)

Advancing women’s rights in the EU: meet Stella and Linda (INTER)

From hands-on experience of European parliamentary democracy to virtual role-play games, the European Parliament’s youth offer has something for everyone.
You can step into an MEPs shoes, learn how EU decisions are made and present your ideas for Europe’s future.
Connect with like-minded people to stand up for EU democracy and values and get voters out for elections.    
Find out more in our explainer.

Parliament’s youth offer: Connect, learn and stand up for democracy! -16:9 EE24

Parliament’s youth offer: Connect, learn and stand up for democracy! - 4-5 EE24

Parliament’s youth offer: Connect, learn and stand up for democracy! - VT EE24

Leading up to the European Parliament elections in June 2024, Metsola intends to tour all EU Member States, urging citizens to participate in the voting process. Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, delivers a speech during a joint meeting of the Committees for European Affairs, National Defense and Foreign Affairs, Cultural and Educational Affairs, and Equality, Youth and Human Rights, at the Plenary Hall of the Hellenic Parliament, during her official visit to Athens. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Plenary Hall of the Hellenic Parliament

Parliament’s youth offer: Connect, learn and stand up for democracy!

Is it ever too early to want to relive the magic of EYE2021? If you're feeling nostalgic already, we've got something special for you! Take a trip down memory lane with our after movie.

EYE2021– Aftermovie

During her official visit to Portugal, Roberta METSOLA, EP President participates to the conference organised by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. The Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation organizes conferences and debates with the aim to present important insights on issues relevant to Portuguese society, gathering and giving voice to national and international experts. Six months before the European elections, the President and young people discuss on the political participation and the issues that most concern them. The footage shows the extracts from the discussion with young people in the debate "It’s not that simple. Youth and Politics".

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal): extracts from the discussion with young people in the debate "It’s not that simple. Youth and Politics"

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, gives her introductory remark on the Charlemagne Youth Prize. The European Charlemagne Youth Prize is an award that is given to youth-run projects that support democracy in Europe and promote cooperation and understanding both in Europe and internationally. It highlights the daily work by young people in strengthening a shared sense of European identity and rewards their active participation in the development of Europe. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the Charlemagne Youth Prize

As a follow up to 2023’s European Youth Event (EYE2023), young people discuss with MEPs the EYE2023 ideas that gained the most support, in a public hearing and EP President Roberta Metsola delivers the opening speech at the hearing, This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

European Youth Hearing: speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

&lt;p>Democracy on the move - the motto of a joint initiative between the Liaison Office of the European Parliament, the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, the Land of Saxony and the Office of the European Investment Bank in Germany in cooperation with schools in Saxony and Bohemia. Students engage in a discussion with: Matthias Ecke, MEP (SPD), Committee on Regional Development and Committee on Industry, Energy and Research Dr. Peter Jahr, MEP (CDU), Committee on Regional Development, Petitions and Agriculture Mathias Weilandt, State Secretary and Head of Office at the Saxon State Ministry of Justice and for Democracy, Europe and Equality Heike Freimuth, Head of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Office, Germany Georg Pfeifer, Head of the Liaison Office of the European Parliament, Germany Manica Hauptman, Head of the Political Department of the European Comission Representation, Germany&lt;/p>

Democracy on the Move: Cross-border Youth Dialogue

MEPs debate the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe” to ban the rearing and killing of animals exclusively for fur production in the EU. The initiative calls for an EU ban on the keeping and killing of animals for the sole or main purpose of fur production. The organisers also seek to prohibit selling fur from these animals, as well as products containing this fur across the Union. The initiative “Fur Free Europe” collected 1,502,319 valid signatures from all EU countries. Closing statement by Iliana IVANOVA, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

European Citizens' Initiative "Fur Free Europe": closing statement by Iliana IVANOVA, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

MEPs debate the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur Free Europe” to ban the rearing and killing of animals exclusively for fur production in the EU. The initiative calls for an EU ban on the keeping and killing of animals for the sole or main purpose of fur production. The organisers also seek to prohibit selling fur from these animals, as well as products containing this fur across the Union. The initiative “Fur Free Europe” collected 1,502,319 valid signatures from all EU countries. Opening statement by Michal WIEZIK (Renew, SK), author and Iliana IVANOVA, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

European Citizens' Initiative "Fur Free Europe": opening statement by Michal WIEZIK (Renew, SK), author and Iliana IVANOVA, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

The Committees on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) hold a joint public hearing with Ms Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth. Ivanova has been named by the Bulgarian Government to substitute the former Commissioner Maryia Gabriel who left the office on the 15th of may 2023. This memoclip shows footage of the activity of the Commissioner-designate Iliana IVANOVA at the European Parliament.

Memoclip: Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth and the European Parliament

The Committees on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) hold a joint public hearing with Ms Iliana IVANOVA, Commissioner-designate for innovation, research, culture, education and youth. Ivanova has been named by the Bulgarian Government to substitute the former Commissioner Maryia Gabriel who left the office on the 15th of may 2023. Extracts from the hearing.

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