In June 2024, around 400 million EU citizens go to the polls to elect the Members of the European Parliament's 10th legislature. As the only EU institution that represents EU citizens, elections to the European Parliament are a major democratic event, and the only one at EU level that resembles national democratic electoral consultation. European elections, however, differ from the national version, as they are part of a context of multi-tier government, sometimes perceived as 'second order elections'. The main difference is that the European elections are a rather fragmented exercise, since a great part of the electoral process, including the way in which the right to vote is exercised, remains subject to national rules.

EPRS Policy Podcast - European elections 2024: Rules of a pan-European democratic event

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: in Brussels, Parliament adopted ten legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy; King Philippe of the Belgians addressed MEPs; and Parliament adopted an EU certification framework for carbon removals.

News in Brief – 12/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the plenary session is ongoing in Brussels. MEPs have voted on revising the pharmaceutical legislation and adopted their position on new rules to improve the health of European soils and to increase CO2 emission reduction targets for trucks, buses and trailers.

News in Brief – 11/04/2024 - English

At a glance: in Brussels, the plenary session is ongoing; MEPs will vote on the reform of the EU electricity market; the agreement on the extension of temporary trade measures for Ukraine; and approximately EUR 5 million in EU aid for displaced workers in Germany and Denmark.

News in Brief – 10/04/2024 - English

It’s time to vote! Between 6 and 9 June this year, millions of EU citizens will help shape the future of the European Union by voting in the European elections. The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU body and the European elections are one of the biggest democratic events in the world. Join us in this episode as we take a closer look at how the voting system works. Don’t miss this chance to find out how your vote counts!

The European elections explained: how does the voting system work?

At a glance: the plenary session starts tomorrow in Brussels. MEPs will vote on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules, a revision of the ‘breakfast directives’ and new rules on the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water.

News in Brief – 09/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the Committee on Development will take stock of the progress made on the UN Sustainable Development Goals; the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy will look at the main achievements during this legislative term; and the signing of the European Declaration on Cycling.

News in Brief – 08/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the political groups are preparing for the next plenary session, which will take place in Brussels on 10 and 11 April; proposed mandatory training for MEPs to prevent conflict and harassment in the European Parliament; and just 60 days to go until the European elections.

News in Brief – 05/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the political groups are preparing for the next plenary session, which will take place in Brussels on 10 and 11 April, and the Committee on Development is set to take stock of the progress made on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

News in Brief – 04/04/2024 - English

At a glance: the meeting between European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection; the Committee on Constitutional Affairs is  proposing amendments to Parliament’s internal rules to strengthen its way of working; and EP President Metsola’s visit to Cyprus.

News in Brief – 03/04/2024 - English

At a glance: a plan has been developed to improve trainees’ working conditions, the European Chief Prosecutor will attend the next meetings of the committees on Budgetary Control and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and the European elections are just 65 days away.

News in Brief – 02/04/2024 - 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

At a glance: MEPs discussed the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe; new rules on bank failures and a workshop on the EU as a Union of Equality.

News in Brief – 26/03/2024 - English

At a glance: European Parliament President Roberta Mestola addressed the Heads of State and Government before the European Council meeting; the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade; and the upcoming ceremony for the 2024 LUX Audience Award.

News in Brief – 25/03/2024 - English

At a glance: first green light for new EU rules on the employment status of platform workers; an exchange of views with European Commissioner Thierry Breton on the European Defence Industrial Strategy; and support for displaced German and Danish workers.

News in Brief – 22/03/2024 - English

At a glance: extension of trade liberalisation measures for Ukraine, initial green light for new bill on firms’ impact on human rights and the environment, and MEP support for comprehensive reform of EU pharmaceutical policy.

News in Brief – 21/03/2024 - English

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

<div style="padding-top: 10px;">House of European History - a place to debate, question and reflect on Europe's history: opening on 6 May. 
Its exhibits are available in all 24 official European Union languages and entrance is free. Tailored resources are available for schools, families and groups, offering a fascinating experience for all. </div>

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The House of European History is located in Parc Léopold, in the heart of the European district, close to the European Parliament in Brussels. The 25-acre park is on the site of the former Royal Zoological Garden and was opened to the public in 1880. The building itself has been painstakingly renovated in line with its 1930s origins, when it was a dental clinic for disadvantaged children.

House of European History

The rapid development of social media and the rise of geopolitical tensions turn the EU into a target for foreign interference and disinformation. 

In 2024, the EU and many other democracies around the world will elect their next leaders. Malicious entities or states try to take advantage of this to undermine trust in elections or democracy.

The European Parliament has adopted a number of legislative acts to protect EU citizens and societies from disinformation and foreign interference. It has also been working to strengthen cooperation between&nbsp;elections authorities,&nbsp;public disinformation specialists,&nbsp;European fact-checkers&nbsp;and independent disinformation specialists, and has developed closer ties with&nbsp;Nato, in order to step up the efforts on fighting disinformation. 
 
This series of videos is part of an effort to raise awareness among EU citizens about disinformation ahead of the European elections, in June. Parliament’s communication team explains the most commonly used tactics and give tips to spot and avoid them.

Disinformation explained

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

Full gender equality is far from being achieved, and this has implications for the lives and life chances of individual women, girls, boys and men, the communities they live in and the EU as a whole. The European Parliament has consistently taken a strong, proactive stance on advancing gender equality, stressing the need to deliver on EU commitments.

The EP´s Committee of Women´s rights and Gender equality (FEMM) is in the heart of these discussions.

Options for further EU involvement could include better implementation and enforcement of existing legislation, moves to modernise it, fill gaps in protection and address emerging issues, and non-legislative measures such as data collection and monitoring, awareness-raising, and support for national and grassroots initiatives.

Promoting equal economic independence for women and men, closing the gender pay gap, advancing gender balance in decision making, ending gender based violence and promoting gender equality beyond the EU are the concrete areas of interest for the EU.

Gender balance

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

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

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

Poland is a member of the EU since 1st of May 2004 and member of the Schengen area since 21st December 2007.

Poland is a parliamentary republic with a Head of government - the Prime Minister - and a Head of state - the President. The government structure is centred on the council of Ministers. The country is divided into 16 provinces, largely based on the country’s historic regions. Administrative authority at provincial level is shared between a government-appointed Governor, an elected regional Assembly and an executive elected by the regional Assembly.

There are 51 members of the European Parliament from Poland.

EU - Poland

Latvia joined the European Union on 1 May&nbsp;2004 and has been a member of the Schengen area since 21 December 2007. It became a member of the Euro area on 1 January 2014.

Latvia is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - who chooses the council of ministers and a head of state - the President - who has a largely ceremonial role and nominates the Prime Minister.

The government is subject to Parliament's approval throughout each term.

The country is subdivided into 110 one-level municipalities and 9 cities. These each have their own city councils and municipal administrations.

There are 8 Members of the European Parliament from Latvia.

EU - Latvia

Worldwide, forests are being lost at the alarming rate of 800 football fields per hour. With deforestation being a critical contributor to climate change and a leading cause of biodiversity loss, it is becoming increasingly clear that a sustainable future cannot be achieved without tackling deforestation and taking measures to protect- and sustainably manage forests.&nbsp; The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)&nbsp;estimates&nbsp;that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. It is estimated that&nbsp;EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation.

&nbsp;In October 2020, Parliament made use of its&nbsp;prerogative in the Treaty&nbsp;to ask the Commission to&nbsp;come forward with legislation to halt EU-driven global deforestation.

MEPs have already called for strengthening the overall climate benefits from forests and the forest-based value chain, namely CO2 absorption and carbon storage in wood-based products. Parliament also emphasises the need to increase funding for research into the substitution of fossil fuels and fossil-fuel materials. Forests and the entire forest-based value chain are fundamental to further develop of the circular bio-economy, which delivers important climate change mitigation and adaptation services.Parliament wants binding targets to protect and restore forest ecosystems, especially primary forests (those that have not been been affected by people's actions in recent times).

Forest protection

Every five years EU citizens choose who represents them in the European Parliament, the directly-elected institution that defends their interests in the EU decision-making process. The next European elections will take place in 2019.

 
From 23 to 26 May 2019, people in the EU vote for the next European Parliament. By voting in the European elections, people living in the EU get to choose the 705 members that will represent them in the European Parliament until 2024.

European elections 2019

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

Euroscola

The European Parliament has repeatedly advocated press freedom and media pluralism in the EU and abroad.&nbsp; World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the&nbsp;Declaration of Windhoek&nbsp;is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.

Already in 2018 the EP adopted a resolution on media pluralism and media freedom in the EU, noting the political developments in various members states, that have led to increased pressures on and threats against journalists.&nbsp; The European Parliament has also&nbsp;launched the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism.&nbsp;

The prize commends outstanding journalism revolving around the principles and values of the European Union. On the field of legislation, Parliament wants to reinforce protection of journalists and activists in the EU against unfounded and abusive lawsuits aimed to silence them.&nbsp;

MEPs also gave their final green light to new legislation to protect EU journalists and media from political or economic interference during the March Plenary session.

Under the new law, adopted by 464 votes in favour to 92 against and 65 abstentions, member states will be obliged to protect media independence and all forms of interventions in editorial decisions will be banned.

More info:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19014/media-freedom-act-a-new-bill-to-protect-eu-journalists-and-press-freedom">https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19014/media-freedom-act-a-new-bill-to-protect-eu-journalists-and-press-freedom</a>

Press freedom

The European Parliament has its seat in Strasbourg in France but the bulk of its political work is done at its site in Brussels where the parliamentary committees should meet as well as additional part-sessions.

Find in this package, audiovisual content of the activities of the European Parliament in Brussels such as atmosphere inside and outside the buildings or&nbsp;parliamentary work.

The European Parliament in Brussels

Finland joined the EU on 1st January 1995. 

Finland is one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the EU and is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east. Finland has 13 seats in the European Parliament.

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EU - Finland

2 years anniversary of Russian aggression against Ukraine.- Ukrainian and EU flags in front of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Athens (Greece) - Speech at the Plenary Hall of the Hellenic Parliament

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Athens (Greece) - Bilateral Meeting with Constantine TASSOULAS, Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance From a Parliamentary Perspective.- Plenary session II

Othmar KARAS meets with Andrija Mandic, Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance From a Parliamentary Perspective - Plenary session I

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance From a Parliamentary Perspective - ECON ICM

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance From a Parliamentary Perspective - EMPL ICM

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance From a Parliamentary Perspective - BUDG ICM

European Parliamentary Week - EU Economic Governance from a Parliamentary Perspective - Opening session

LIBE Committee - Trilogue on the Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Transfer of judicial proceedings in criminal matters

EP Plenary session - Oral question - Calling on the Council to take all necessary steps to reach an agreement on the European cross-border mechanism file and open negotiations with Parliament

Quaestors' meeting

Meeting of the European Parliament's Bureau

Former Members Association Management Committee meeting

2024 European elections campaign banner on the Agora Simone Veil of the European Parliament in Brussels

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

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)

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Plenary sessions II

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Plenary sessions I

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Committee on Budgets - Interparliamentary Committee Meetings

BUDG

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Committee on Employment and Social Affairs - Interparliamentary Committee Meetings

EMPL

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs - Interparliamentary Committee Meetings

ECON

European Parliamentary Week 2024 - Opening session

Official visit to Tallinn (Estonia) - Roberta METSOLA, EP President addresses the Riigikogu, Estonian Parliament

20240207-0900-PLENARY

Opening of the sitting

Composition of political groups

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

Empowering farmers and rural communities - a dialogue towards sustainable and fairly rewarded EU agriculture (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

This is Europe - Debate with the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis (debate)

Voting time

Composition of committees and delegations

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

The fight against hate speech and disinformation: responsibility of social platforms within the Digital Services Act (topical debate)

Need to fight the increase of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred (debate)

Automated data exchange for police cooperation (“Prüm II”) (debate)

The EU priorities for the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

Implementation report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (debate)

Implementation report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (debate) (continuation of debate)

New wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members

Increased number of executions in Iran, in particular the case of Mohammad Ghobadlou

Recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria

Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Abbé Pierre's appeal on addressing homelessness in the context of persisting poverty and social exclusion (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Closure of the sitting

Plenary session

Conclusions of the European Council meetings, in particular the special European Council meeting of 1 February 2024 (debate)

Motions for resolutions - The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Statement by the President

Plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed (debate)

Calling on the Council to take all necessary steps to reach an agreement on the European cross-border mechanism file and open negotiations with Parliament (debate)

EU2040 climate target (debate)

Water crisis and droughts in the EU as a consequence of the global climate crisis and the need for a sustainable, resilient water strategy for Europe (debate)

Corrigendum (Rule 241)(action taken)

Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union (debate)

Limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates (debate)

Quality traineeships in the EU (debate)

Further repression against the democratic forces in Venezuela: attacks on presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado (debate)

State of play of the implementation of the Global Gateway and its governance two years after its launch (debate)

Amendments to the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and to the Directive relating to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITSD) (debate)

Approval of the minutes of the previous sittings

Composition of Parliament

Verification of credentials

Corrigendum (Rule 241)

Signature of acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 78)

Order of business

Situation of prisoners in Hungarian jails, including the case of Ilaria Salis (debate)

Instant payments in euro (debate)

State of EU solar industry in light of unfair competition (debate)

Measures for a high level of public sector interoperability across the Union (Interoperable Europe Act) (debate)

Union-wide effect of certain driving disqualifications (debate)

Situation in Haiti on the eve of the deployment of the United Nations Multinational Security Support Mission (debate)

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

European Parliament and Council joint public hearing for hosting the seat of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA)

LIBE

Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly

DLAT

Joint committee on Development and committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality and in association with the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and the Delegation to the Caribbean-EU Parliamentary Assembly

DEVE

FEMM

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

Delegation to the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

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

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 14-15 December 2023 and preparation of the Special European Council meeting of 1 February 2024 - Situation in Hungary and frozen EU funds (joint debate – European Council meetings)

Review of the economic governance framework (debate)

Quality jobs in a competitive future-oriented social market economy (topical debate)

Norway's recent decision to advance seabed mining in the Arctic

Improving the socio-economic situation of farmers and rural areas, ensuring fair incomes, food security as well as a just transition

Extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime (debate)

Situation of fundamental rights in the EU in 2022 and 2023 (debate)

Rule of Law and media freedom in Greece (debate)

Situation in Serbia following elections (debate)

Geothermal energy (debate)

Gender aspects of the rising cost of living and the impact of the energy crisis (debate)

Addressing urgent skills shortages and finding the right talents to boost job creation (European Year of Skills) (debate)

The ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China, notably the case of Mr Ding Yuande

The threat of famine following the spread of conflict in Sudan

Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Belgian Presidency (debate)

Keeping commitments and delivering military assistance to Ukraine (debate)

Announcement

Empowering consumers for the green transition (debate)

Transparency and accountability of non-governmental organisations funded from the EU budget (debate)

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need to reach a ceasefire and the risks of regional escalation (debate)

EU-India relations (debate)

Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future? (debate)

Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2022 (debate)

Implementation of the Treaty provisions on national parliaments – Implementation of the Treaty provisions on EU citizenship (joint debate – Implementation of the Treaty provisions)

Fight against the resurgence of neo-fascism in Europe, also based on the parade that took place in Rome on 7 January (debate)

State of emergency in Ecuador (debate)

Building a comprehensive European port strategy (short presentation)

Implementation of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) (short presentation)

Event Illuminations : One month to go - EP buildings

Open Days at the European Parliament in Luxembourg

In the European Union, democracy may seem obvious to us today. But this has not always been the case. Not so long ago, millions of Europeans lived through times when they could not vote or even speak up freely. When their very lives could be in danger simply for being different, for holding different beliefs or for wanting a different life. Democracy is a precious gift passed on to us from previous generations. They aspired towards it and fought for it. Now it is up to us to maintain it, to make it stronger and pass it on to the generations to come. The most effective way to do so is by voting - because the more people vote, the stronger democracy becomes. On June 6-9 2024: Use your vote or others will decide for you.

© ANDCO A/S, 2024. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Parliament under conditions. Use or reproduction is prohibited without prior explicit permission from the respective right holders.

Use your vote – European elections 2024 video – Trailer 4 Dubbed 16:9 - Turkish

"In the European Union, democracy may seem obvious to us today. But this has not always been the case. Not so long ago, millions of Europeans lived through times when they could not vote or even speak up freely. When their very lives could be in danger simply for being different, for holding different beliefs or for wanting a different life. Democracy is a precious gift passed on to us from previous generations. They aspired towards it and fought for it. Now it is up to us to maintain it, to make it stronger and pass it on to the generations to come. The most effective way to do so is by voting - because the more people vote, the stronger democracy becomes. On June 6-9 2024: Use your vote or others will decide for you.

© ANDCO A/S, 2024. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Parliament under conditions. Use or reproduction is prohibited without prior explicit permission from the respective right holders."

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