News in Brief – 12/11/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs debate future EU budget and warn against cuts to key programmes; Parliament outlines priorities for new EU gender equality strategy and calls for tougher action on violence and pay gaps; a new European Parliament office opens in Moldova, reaffirming support for country’s EU accession.

News in Brief – 11/11/2025 - English

Alcide De Gasperi, born in 1881 in a predominantly Italian area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was a staunch opponent of fascism. In 1943, he founded the Christian Democracy Party and became the first Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, leading the country until 1953. Together with Konrad Adenauer and Robert Schuman, he played a key role in promoting European integration.

Alcide De Gasperi, a founding father of the EU

At a glance: Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs reviews progress made on Work-Life Balance Directive; MEPs debate youth and fairness priorities with Commissioner Micallef; and a public hearing takes place on the human rights situation in Sudan.

News in Brief – 10/11/2025 - English

At a glance: Parliament and the Council strike deal to boost EU defence investment; MEPs back citizens’ call for safe and accessible abortion across Europe; and the Committee on Civil Liberties warns of deepening rule of law crisis in Hungary.

News in Brief – 07/11/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs push for faster green pest-control approvals; MEPs warn that Arctic militarisation threatens security; and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs approves proposal to allow MEPs to vote in plenary by proxy.

News in Brief – 06/11/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs review EU defence readiness with Commissioner Kubilius; Parliament marks 25 years of UN Women, Peace and Security agenda; and the European Commission to present its first report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the EU.

News in Brief – 05/11/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs to quiz EU Budget Commissioner on next long-term budget; voting to take place on releasing EU Solidarity Fund money for Spain and France following natural disasters; and Commissioners to discuss the Connecting Europe Facility proposal with MEPs.

News in Brief – 04/11/2025 - English

Italy is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the prime minister - appointed by the president and a head of state - the president. The Parliament is composed of 2 houses: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic.

Italy is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 1999 and of the Schengen area since 26 October 1997. There are 75&nbsp;members of the European Parliament from Italy.

EU - Italy

MEPs elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) on January 2022 as President of the European Parliament until 2024.

Roberta Metsola won the election in the first voting round, where she received an absolute majority of 458 votes out of 690 cast in the remote secret vote, among three candidates.&nbsp;

President Metsola is leading the Parliament in the second half of the current legislative term, until a new Parliament is constituted following the 2024 European Elections.

Born in Malta in 1979,&nbsp; Roberta Metsola who has been an MEP since 2013, is the youngest EP President ever elected. She became First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022.

She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after Simone Veil (1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999- 2002).

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament 2022-2024

In July 2024&nbsp; MEPs re-elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) as President of the European Parliament until 2027, with 562 votes in the first round. Roberta Metsola won the election in the first round of voting, where she received an absolute majority of 562 votes cast out of 699 by secret paper ballot, among two candidates. She will continue to lead Parliament for the first two and a half years of the 10th legislative term.

Born in Malta in 1979, Roberta Metsola has been an MEP since 2013.&nbsp;She was elected First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022. On 18 January 2022,&nbsp;she was elected President&nbsp;for the second half of the 9th legislative term. She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after&nbsp;Simone Veil&nbsp;(1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999-2002).

Addressing the House after she was elected, President Metsola said: “Together, we must stand up for the politics of hope, for the dream that is Europe. I want people to recapture a sense of belief and enthusiasm for our project. A belief to make our shared space safer, fairer, more just and more equal. A belief that together we are stronger and we are better. A belief that ours is a Europe for all.”

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament 2024-2027

Lithuania is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - and a head of state - the President - who appoints the Prime Minister.

The Parliament is a single-chamber legislative body. The country is divided into 60 municipalities, with directly-elected mayors.

There are 11 members of the European Parliament from Lithuania.

Lithuania joined the EU on 1 May 2004 - and the euro area on 1 January 2015.

EU - Lithuania

President Metsola meets with business leaders organised by MEDEF, with Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate and with Arthur Mensch, CEO of Mistral AI 
President Metsola also meets with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Paris (France)

President Metsola attends a Ceremony to pay tribute to the victims of the November 2015 terrorist attacks and the inauguration of the November 13th Garden

MEPs assess the outcome of the October European Council meeting, in a debate with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen. During their meeting, EU leaders focused on Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, housing and migration

EP Plenary debate on October European Council

MEPs and Commission and Council representatives discuss the architecture and governance of the EU’s 2028-2034 long-term budget (multiannual financial framework - MFF). Lead MEPs have warned that setting the spending ceiling at 1.26% of the EU-27’s gross national income, as proposed by the Commission in July, will force cuts to flagship programmes. The proposal also falls short of Parliament’s expectations regarding democratic oversight and scrutiny, the EU’s agriculture and cohesion policy, and the need for more regional and local authority involvement.

EP Plenary debate on the new 2028-2034 MFF: architecture & governance

Press Briefing on protection of minors

As many women and girls continue to face barriers in accessing affordable menstrual products, menstrual poverty remains a significant socioeconomic issue. To combat it, the EU Value Added Tax (VAT) Directive now allows Member States to apply reduced or zero VAT rates to sanitary products. On 4 November 2025, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) will hold a public hearing on this issue in light of the Parliament's Gender Equality Week.

VAT rates on tampons across the EU

This briefing provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the current 10th parliamentary term (2024-2029) who had held public office at local, regional and/or national level before taking up their mandates (or, in some cases, continue to hold sub-national level public posts).

MEPs' public-office experience before being elected in 2024

Attracting young people to agriculture has been a goal of the European Union's (EU) common agricultural policy (CAP) since the 1980s. However, EU farmers are getting older – 57 % of farm managers are over 55 years of age, while only 12 % are under 40. Young farmers ensure continuity of agricultural production and bring vitality to rural areas.

Generational renewal in EU agriculture

Maternity leave and voting procedures for Members of parliaments differ widely across the European Union (EU). Maternity-related absences are considered justified for Members of the European Parliament, but the current rules do not permit remote voting, proxy voting or temporary substitution. Maternity leave for parliamentarians is generally permitted across the EU's Member States, although legal frameworks and practical arrangements differ.

Maternity leave and voting procedures in EU national parliaments

This infographics summarises the results of integrated assessments of Baltic Sea's pressures and status. It illustrates the proportion of the Baltic Sea, based on square kilometers, in different assessment status categories. The assessment was carried out during the period 2016-2021.

State of the Baltic Sea environment

Care work, whether provided in institutional settings such as childcare centres and healthcare facilities, or in home settings, is largely invisible, undervalued and carried out by women. The resulting gender care gap has profound consequences for the European Union's (EU) labour market and competitiveness as well as the well-being and cohesion of society. This briefing seeks to support the European Parliament's committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) in their preparation of an own-initiative report on addressing the gender care gap.

Addressing the gender care gap: Potential European added value

With the growing weaponisation of trade, the EU's trade defence toolbox is increasingly relevant. The importance of the EU's trade defence arsenal is underscored, among other factors, by persistent global overcapacity in a range of sectors, which has significant distorting effects on international markets, and by the weaponisation of trade, including through economic coercion amid growing geopolitical tensions.

Understanding the EU trade defence toolbox

Military mobility, defined as the capacity of armed forces to swiftly move troops and equipment across the European Union (EU), is a crucial but long-overlooked aspect of European defence. After decades of underinvestment and unresolved obstacles, there is a need to intensify coordinated and integrated efforts at EU, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Member State level to increase resources and address physical, legislative, and regulatory barriers that continue to cause delays and disruptions for military forces. Failure to act would leave armed forces unprepared in the face of threats, and undermine the security of citizens. This briefing looks within and beyond the current framework and explores the potential impact of additional investment of between €75 billion and €100 billion until 2035 to improve the current state of infrastructure. Our analysis finds that the added value associated with a larger amount of funds invested collectively leads to benefits which are almost three times higher (€21 billion additional GDP per year in 2035) than when Member States invest separately and in an uncoordinated way.

CEF military mobility funding by transport mode

One of the first, and boldest, measures taken by Western countries as a response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the immobilisation of the Russian central bank assets held under their jurisdictions, the value of which could be around €300 billion worldwide, according to recent estimations. As the war is well into its fourth year, the debate on how to use the immobilised assets to sustain Ukraine's reconstruction efforts – a cost estimated at US$524 billion – has evolved.

Frozen Russian assets: where are they immobilised?

Euroscola

Press seminar for French journalists

Sabine VERHEYEN meets with Sigitas MITKUS, Minister for Europe of the Republic of Lithuania

Speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at Mattei Plan and Global Gateway: A new Model for Europe-Africa Relation.

ENVI - Presentation by Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy of the Commission proposal on the Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards certain obligations of operators and traders

ENVI - Exchange of views with Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy and Wopke Hoekstra , Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, on the financing for climate and environment under the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034

ENVI-SANT  - Exchange of views with Exchange of views with Commissioner Hadja LAHBIB

REGI - Public hearing on Shaping the Future of Cohesion Policy: Insights on the MFF Post-2027

Roberta Metsola, EP President gives a speech at the symposium The Quest for the Rule of Law, organised by the AFCO Committee. The event focuses on how the rule of law forms the foundation of the European Union. Although EU treaties affirm principles such as democracy, human rights and judicial independence, the meaning and application of the rule of law still vary widely among Member States due to different legal cultures, constitutional structures and approaches to fundamental rights. These differences can weaken the EU’s integrative power and challenge the idea of "unity in diversity.” While recent EU instruments, such as the annual Rule of Law Report and the 2021 conditionality mechanism, address certain issues, broader conceptual debates remain limited. The symposium aims to explore which mechanisms and strategies could help overcome legal-cultural differences and support the development of a more shared understanding of the rule of law across Europe.

Speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, at The Quest for the Rule of Law, symposium by the AFCO Committe

This infoclip shows the activities at reception and orientation centre, the One-Stop Shop for Migrant Reception - SUAM, and daily life scenes of migrants at the Casal Morena Centre. The Pact on Migration and Asylum establishes new EU rules for managing migration and creating a unified asylum system, aligning with European values. It builds on previous proposals to create a comprehensive approach that strengthens policies on migration, asylum, border management, and integration. The pact aims to manage migration fairly and sustainably, offering flexibility for EU countries to address their unique challenges while ensuring protections for those in need. After being adopted by the European Parliament and Council, the new rules will take effect on 11 June 2024, with full implementation two years later, ensuring secure borders and safeguarding rights across the EU.

Infoclip: Social assistance for migrants – Rome (Italy)

This News items shows extracts of the participation of EP President Roberta METSOLA with Maia SANDU, President of Moldova in a European Youth dialogue

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova) - Participation with Maia SANDU, President of Moldova in a European Youth dialogue

This News items shows extracts of the meeting between EP President Roberta METSOLA and Alexandru MUNTEANU, Moldovan Prime Minister, on the occasion of the EP President's official visit to Chișinău, Moldova.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova) - Meeting with Alexandru MUNTEANU, Moldovan Prime Minister: arrival and extracts from the meeting

EP President Roberta METSOLA and President of Moldova Maia SANDU hold a press conference after their meeting. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Maia SANDU, President of Moldova

This news items shows extracts from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, and Maia SANDU, President of Moldova. It also includes extracts from their press conference. The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, discuss Moldova's progress towards EU membership and mention that Moldova has consistently chosen the European path, as evidenced by recent elections and a referendum.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova) - Meeting with Maia SANDU, President of Moldova: arrival, meeting and extracts from the press conference

On the occasion of her official visit, EP President Roberta METSOLA comes to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Igor GROSU, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament makes some introductory remarks and the assistance listens to National and European Anthems.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova): arrival in the plenary hall, welcome and introductory remarks by Igor GROSU, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament and National and European Anthems

This news items shows extracts from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, and Igor Grosu, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, cutaways of President Metsola signing the Guest's Book and extracts from her formal address to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. President Metsola has emphasized that the European Parliament's unwavering support for Moldova's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova) - Visit at the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova: arrival, meeting with Igor GROSU, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament and extracts from the address

On the occasion of her official visit, EP President Roberta METSOLA addresses to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. This transciprtion is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chișinău (Moldova): formal address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

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