According to the European Environment Agency, in 2022, water scarcity affected 34% of the EU population and 40% of its land area.
Southern European countries like Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain are particularly hard hit by water scarcity, but the crisis is spreading northward, impacting areas previously considered water secure. In Europe, water stress is already a serious issue, and climate change is expected to make it worse in the future. That’s why the EU is trying to find a common solution to this challenge.

From scarcity to security: how the EU is working for a water-resilient future

At a glance: in Strasbourg, MEPs vote to extend EU post-pandemic recovery funding beyond 2026; a resolution on the Clean Industrial Deal; and the EU’s first-ever rules on the welfare of cats and dogs.

News in Brief – 20/06/2025 - English

At a glance:  during the plenary session, MEPs outlined their expectations for the upcoming NATO summit; King Abdullah II of Jordan addressed the European Parliament; MEPs agreed to update the EU-Ukraine road transport agreement.

News in Brief – 19/06/2025 - English

At a glance: the update to EU legislation on child sexual abuse crimes; the Schengen Agreement’s 40th anniversary; and the agreement on suspending short-stay visa-free travel.

News in Brief – 18/06/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs are set to lay out their expectations for next week’s NATO summit; freedom of assembly in Hungary and the rule of law in Spain are also on the plenary agenda.

News in Brief – 17/06/2025 - English

Sracfhéachaint: cuirtear tús leis an suí iomlánach in Strasbourg inniu. Pléifidh na Feisirí an Comhshocrú Eorpach nua um an Aigéan; tá an Pharlaimint chun síneadh a chur leis an gcomhaontú idir an tAontas agus an Úcráin faoi chúrsaí iompar ar bhóithre; beidh plé ag na Feisirí leis an gComhairle agus an Coimisiún faoi athbhreithniú ar an gcomhaontú idir an tAontas Eorpach agus Iosrael.

News in Brief – 16/06/2025 - English

At a glance: Parliament opens its doors in Strasbourg for the EYE event; a new plenary session kicks off on Monday; and the multilingualism student competition.

News in Brief – 13/06/2025 - English

At a glance: Parliament’s political groups are preparing for next week’s plenary session in Strasbourg; MEPs attend the UN Ocean Conference; and the 2025 edition of the European Youth Event kicks off tomorrow.

News in Brief – 12/06/2025 - English

At a glance: Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the next plenary session, which will start on Monday in Strasbourg; a public hearing on media freedom and journalist protection will take place; and the European Youth Event 2025 is just around the corner.

News in Brief – 11/06/2025 - English

At a glance: a public hearing on media freedom and the protection of journalists at Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; a workshop on generative AI and copyright; and the agreement reached between Parliament and the Council to tackle non-sustainable fishing by non-EU countries.

News in Brief – 10/06/2025 - English

Despite growing awareness and efforts to recycle, a significant amount of plastic waste in the EU still isn’t recycled. Over the past few years, the EU has been moving towards a circular economy for plastics. But the journey towards a plastic-free future is a long one, and we all need to do our bit.

How the EU is fighting plastic pollution: from single-use bans to microplastics

At a glance: the new EU Preparedness Union Strategy; the first-ever EU Soil Monitoring Law; and MEPs deplore continued democratic backsliding and repression in Georgia.

News in Brief – 06/06/2025 - English

At a glance: EU Parliament leaders visited Copenhagen to discuss priorities for the next Danish EU Council Presidency; MEPs approved and extension of  the EU-Ukraine road transport deal to support trade and aid; Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture backed the first-ever EU rules on dog and cat welfare and traceability.

News in Brief – 05/06/2025 - English

At a glance: President Metsola and Parliament’s political group leaders were in Copenhagen to prepare for the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; Yulia Navalnaya and leading members of Russia’s opposition will address MEPs; and a public hearing on artificial intelligence at the workplace.

News in Brief – 04/06/2025 - English

At a glance: the Foreign Affairs Committee will assess reform efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, and Georgia; a delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee concludes its visit in Slovakia; at the EuroLat in Peru, MEPs push for stronger EU-Latin American ties.

News in Brief – 03/06/2025 - English

At a glance: the vote on the first-ever Soil Monitoring Law; The Hungarian Forum Europaeum wins the 2025 European Charlemagne Youth Prize; an exchange of views on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

News in Brief – 02/06/2025 - English

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

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

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every six months. During this six-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council.

The Polish government has declared that its second EU Presidency arrives "at a time of uncertainty and concern," highlighting the ongoing repercussions of Russia’s three-year war against Ukraine, escalating geopolitical tensions, migration pressure, and weakening European competitiveness. Under the slogan "Security, Europe!" Poland aims to strengthen European security across multiple dimensions, including external, internal, informational, economic, energy, food, health and security.

Polish Presidency

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on 10 July 2019, following the appointment of their members in the plenary sitting of 3-4 July. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate. The newly set up committees will then start holding their regular meetings during the week of 22 July.

TRAN - Committee on Transport and Tourism

This package contains the events between 1st July 2019 and 31 December 2020. For latest events, see related links.

The ECB President takes part in a regular monetary dialogue with Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central institution of the Economic and Monetary Union and has been responsible for conducting monetary policy for the euro area since 1 January 1999. The ECB and the national central banks of all EU Member States constitute the European System of Central Banks.

On 2 July 2019, Christine Lagarde was nominated by the European Council to succeed Mario Draghi as President of the European Central Bank on 1 November 2019.

Monetary dialogue (2019-2020)

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) takes part four times a year in a monetary dialogue with Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) to report on monetary policy and answer question from MEPs.&nbsp;Although guaranteed independence under the Treaty, the ECB is accountable for its actions towards the European Parliament, and more precisely the ECON Committee. The European Central Bank is the central institution of the Economic and Monetary Union and has been responsible for conducting monetary policy for the euro area since 1 January 1999 The ECB and the national central banks of all EU Member States constitute the European System of Central Banks.

Monetary dialogue

The EYE 2025 will take place on the 13 and 14 of June in Strasbourg. The EYE (European Youth Event) brings together thousands of young people from across the European Union and beyond, right at the heart of European democracy. The event 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 with experts, activists, and content creators.

 

The use, reproduction, copying, or downloading of photos and videos featuring identifiable private person(s) by third parties is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the person(s) depicted. The European Parliament disclaims any liability for the unauthorised use of such materials by third parties.

EYE2025

Montenegro is one of the Western Balkan countries.

In 2008, Montenegro applied for EU membership, and accession negotiations began in 2012. Montenegro has opened all 33 negotiation chapters, three of which have been provisionally closed. Public opinion surveys show that 75 % of the population support the country’s accession to the European Union.

EU - Montenegro

The EU's passport-free travel space, known as the Schengen area, is one of the most tangible achievements of European integration. The Schengen area is one of the pillars of the European project.

The border-free Schengen Area guarantees free movement to more than 400 million EU citizens, along with non-EU nationals living in the EU or visiting the EU as tourists, exchange students or for business purposes (anyone legally present in the EU).

Free movement of persons enables every EU citizen to travel, work and live in an EU country without special formalities. Schengen underpins this freedom by enabling citizens to move around the Schengen Area without being subject to border checks.

Schengen area

Oceans need to be managed sustainably in order to conserve our fragile marine ecosystems.

Although oceans are essential to us in many ways, the state of marine biodiversity remains little known. What we do know, however, is that human activities create a number of pressures such as (over-)exploitation, carbon emissions, and pollution, including marine litter.

It is estimated that there are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world's seas and that, without significant action, there may be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the sea by 2050. Some marine litter consists of microplastics; these originate from the breaking down of larger plastic pieces or are released directly into the environment.

Ocean protection

Hungary officially joined the EU on 1 March 2004 and the Schengen Area in December 2007.

The Hungarian EU accession negotiations started on 31 March 1998. Hungary had successfully concluded negotiations on its accession at the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002. Hungary has 22 MEPs, 12 votes in the Council and has chaired the Council of the European Union from January to June 2011.

EU - Hungary

The European Union's enlargement policy is based on established criteria and fair and rigorous conditionality.

Progress along the European path is an objective and merit-based process which depends on the concrete results achieved by each individual country, with the rule of law, justice and fundamental rights being an utmost priority. A credible enlargement perspective requires sustained efforts and irreversible reforms. The EU Enlargement is an investment in peace, security and stability in Europe: a prospect of EU membership has a powerful transformative effect on the partners in the process, embedding positive democratic, political, economic and societal change.

Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidate countries.The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova in June 2022.

Negotiations are held with each candidate country to determine their ability to apply EU legislation (acquis) and examine their possible request for transition periods.

Enlargement

Threats to bee health and market competition make the economic viability of apiculture a critical matter.

Profitability is crucial for the sustainability of the apiculture sector. Like other agricultural producers, beekeepers must cope with production and market challenges. When it comes to production, various factors can affect productivity in a eekeeping enterprise. Outbreaks of animal diseases, exposure to chemicals, losses in plant diversity, adverse climatic conditions or the deterioration of bees' natural habitats owing to natural or human factors can all threaten the productive capacity of beehives. These factors can also be among the causes of the bee health problems and high bee mortality rates registered in recent decades.

EU apiculture sector

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

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

Grand Duke Jean passed away on 23 April 2019.

JEAN, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

The obectives of the air transport's market rules are to set up a single air transport market in Europe, ensure its proper functioning, and extend it to certain third countries as far as possible.

More than twenty years after the entry into force of the ‘third package’ (in 1992), the functioning of the Single Aviation Market is, of course, still perfectible, as is illustrated by such factors as: the flaws in the slot allocation system; the fact that the vast majority (80%) of routes departing from EU airports are still served by only one (60%) or two carriers (20%); the financial difficulties that several airlines and secondary airports are facing; or the complicated oversight of air carriers now operating in several Member States. Nevertheless, the primary objective has been fully reached: from 1995 to 2014, while the number of passenger-kilometres within the EU-28 increased by around 23%, for air transport it jumped by about 74%. Over the same period, aviation’s share of total passenger transport increased from 6.5% to 9.2%, which is by far the strongest growth of all modes of transport in the EU. Source: <a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/131/air-transport-market-rules">Air transport: market rules</a>.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/air-transport_5203_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Air transport

European Council, 26-27 June 2025: Provisional agenda: 

1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Ukraine
3. Middle East
4. European defence and security
5. EU in the world
6. Competitiveness
7. Migration

European Council meeting: 26-27 June 2025

The Transport and Tourism Committee adopts its positions on two draft bills on passenger rights. Among the different provisions, MEPs will vote on travellers’ rights in the case of disruptions, including when a journey involves different modes of transport, a common form of compensation, the dimensions of free hand luggage, and the protection of persons with disabilities

TRAN: VOTE on two draft bills on Passenger rights

Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee quiz Christine Lagarde, European Central Bank President, during their quarterly meeting with her. MEPs are expected to ask about the economic ramifications of recent international developments as well as about the ECB's general monetary policy stance. They have also chosen the topic of crypto assets as a key topic to delve into more deeply

ECON: Monetary Dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, ECB President

President Roberta Metsola meets the Speaker of the Federal National Council, Saqr Ghobash before addressing the country’s Federal National Council and the Speakers of the Gulf Cooperation Council

Roberta METSOLA, EP President: Official visit to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland)

MEPs lay out their expectations for the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague on 24-26 June, in a debate with the Council and the Commission.

At their gathering in The Netherlands, leaders from NATO countries are expected to discuss how to ramp up defence spending in the context of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine and calls from US President Donald Trump for European countries to invest more and take a greater responsibility for their defence. 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently warned that Russia could be ready to use military force against the Western alliance within five years and said that NATO allies must have a creditable defence. Ahead of the summit, he has urged NATO members to commit to spending 5% of their national income on defence, a call that is expected to feature prominently in the summit deliberations.

Debate on the upcoming NATO summit on 24-26 June 2025

Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East
Risk of further instability in the Middle East following the Israel-Iran military escalation
Review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East

The King of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, addresses MEPs during a formal sitting in Strasbourg

This will be King Abdullah II’s sixth visit to the European Parliament, following his previous visits in 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015 and 2020. In his address, he is expected to focus on a range of issues, including the devastating war in Gaza and its consequences.

Formal sitting with Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola receives His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France). Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, born on 30 January 1962, is the King of Jordan. He took the throne on 7 February 1999. Belonging to the Hashemite family, which has ruled Jordan since 1921, he is regarded as a 41st-generation direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Last minute briefing on June EP Plenary session

The EP’s Press Service holds a press briefing with Parliament’s political group spokespersons

Pre-session briefing on June Plenary session

Parliament welcomes around 8,500 young people to Strasbourg for EYE2025 (the European Youth Event). Young citizens are able to engage in discussions with MEPs, Commissioners and other EU decision-makers as well as with experts, activists, and content creators.

European Youth Event 2025

Roberta METSOLA, EP President visits Queen Fabiola Children’s University Hospital on International Day of Play

President Metsola participates in a Fireside Chat with Business Representatives at the European American Chamber of Commerce. She then delivers a Keynote Speech at the US Council on Foreign Relations. Then the President meets with the Clinton Foundation and then with  the leadership of the NY Stock Exchange.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to New York (United States)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President delivers a speech at the Commemoration of the Victims of the Soviet Mass Deportations

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives the Prime Minister of Moldova, Dorin Recean

The European Parliament's Conference of Presidents visit to Copenhagen ahead of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The EP group leaders and its President are the political body in Parliament and, among other things, are responsible for the organisation of Parliament’s business and legislative planning, deciding the responsibilities and membership of committees and delegations, relations with other EU institutions, the national parliaments and non-EU countries.

Conference of Presidents in Copenhagen (Denmark)

A delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) visits Bratislava, Slovakia, from 2-3 of June in order to discuss and gain insight into the latest developments as regards the situation of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights in Slovakia. This is a follow up on two sessions which the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG) of the LIBE Committee held recently on the situation in Slovakia. The delegation is composed of five political groups in the European Parliament. The LIBE delegation aims to hold meetings with representatives from the Slovak Government, representatives of the Slovak National Assembly, representatives of the judiciary and of other relevant authorities, organisations and stakeholders.

LIBE/DRFMG delegation in Slovakia

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Speech at the Grand European Picnic & Public Performance of the ‘Ode de Joy’

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Interview

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Meeting with Dariusz JOŃSKI, Member of the European Parliament and Hanna ZDANOWSKA, Mayor of Łódź

The widespread use of military drones spans reconnaissance, strikes, logistics and naval operations, with both state and non-state players increasingly relying on unmanned systems. The European Union (EU) has prioritised drone development and countermeasures, funding and coordinating research and capability development through the European Defence Fund and Permanent Structured Cooperation. The EU is also fostering synergies between the civilian and the defence sectors, addressing strategic dependencies and collaborating with NATO. Meanwhile, drone regulation remains fragmented: civilian drones are subject to comprehensive EU rules, while military drone use falls under international law. The European Parliament has called for transparency, adherence to international law and a ban on LAWS, while supporting defence innovation and proposing an EU drone package to stimulate joint procurement and industry participation.

Most common drone uses

Enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is under way. The European Commission has launched formal proceedings against three major providers of core platform services. The Commission's preliminary findings suggest breaches of EU rules. To date, two of these preliminary findings have been confirmed, resulting in non-compliance decisions and fines for the companies in April 2025.

Digital Markets Act enforcement: Gatekeeper designation

Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems and ultimately, of our planet. Nearly 90 % of the world's wild flowering plant species depend on pollination, along with more than 75 % of the world's food crops and 35 % of global agricultural land. Without pollination, many interconnected species and processes functioning within the ecosystem would collapse.

Bees and pollinators

EU competence does not extend to recognition of marital or family status. In this area, national regulations vary, with some Member States offering same-sex couples the right to marry, some allowing alternative forms of registration, and others not providing any legal status for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples may or may not have the right to adopt children and to access assisted reproduction. Combating discrimination has become part of EU internal and external policies, and is the subject of numerous resolutions of the European Parliament.

Same sex unions and adoption rights

Russia's war on Ukraine has been a wake-up call for many EU Member States' defence budgets. Rising from €218 billion in 2021 to €326 billion in 2024, a further increase of at least €100 billion is projected by 2027. Despite these significant increases, most experts note that current geopolitical developments will require much more.

EU Member State defence expenditure

For the European Union to compete globally while continuing to ensure progress in environmental, social and fundamental rights, more strategic and collective action is imperative. EU businesses could harness the full potential of the single market and economic and monetary union and challenge competitors in fast-growing and future-oriented economic activities such as digital and clean energy production. This study finds that, compared to a situation where Member States act alone, a coordinated approach at EU level could bring an additional 0.9 % of GDP in 2035. A more ambitious integrated approach could be even more positive, with a benefit estimated at 2.6 % of additional GDP in 2035.

Cost of non-Europe in strategic innovation

Poverty has many dimensions. Following recent crises, not least the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, some of poverty's known dimensions have evolved while new forms have emerged. Addressing poverty remains mainly the responsibility of EU countries' governments acting in complex national social settings. The EU meanwhile seeks to coordinate Member States' efforts and offers support in the form of funding and data. The new European Commission is stepping up efforts to meet the EU's poverty reduction targets.

EU action against poverty

Rare diseases, though seldom recognised and frequently misdiagnosed, affect approximately 36 million people in the EU. Despite their significant collective prevalence, patients with rare diseases are often overlooked by healthcare systems, facing challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and access to advances in research. Researchers are increasingly using networks to share their findings and make better progress, giving new hope to patients.

Rare Diseases: Advances in research give patients new hope

Batteries are vital to the EU’s clean energy transition, industrial future, and strategic autonomy. While the sector benefits from strong R&D support, it faces challenges such as reliance on third countries, high costs, and competition from regions with lower environmental standards. Sustainable value chains and recycling could help, but uncertainty remains over the EU’s ability to meet future demand. Rising costs, market slowdowns, and gigafactory setbacks, including Northvolt’s collapse, raise concerns. To secure a resilient battery supply chain, the EU focuses on strategic coordination, regulatory frameworks, and funding, offering key lessons for industrial policy.

Battery supply chain

The digital information sphere has become the main space for public debate, shaping opinions and access to information. In the past decade, it has also become a geostrategic battleground, with authoritarian states manipulating public opinion to weaken democracies. At the same time, corporate rivalry over emerging technologies, particularly AI, has intensified. AI-driven disinformation poses growing risks to democratic information ecosystems. Strengthening information integrity is crucial to safeguarding human rights and freedom of expression. Multilateral efforts to enhance resilience align with the EU’s planned European Democracy Shield, building on existing measures and fostering new partnerships.

Information Manipulation and the EU response

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.


The number of MEPs elected varies between countries: bigger countries get more seats than smaller ones. Due to changes in the size of the population, some EU countries will get extra seats in the upcoming elections compared to the outgoing Parliament. In total 15 seats will be added.


There are also differences in other aspects of voting, for example regarding the minimum voting age or the rules about voting from abroad.

EU Elections 2024

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.

Map European elections 2024

Online shopping, take-away food, coffee to go... Packaging waste is growing. Find out how much is being produced and how the EU wants to reverse the trend

How to reduce packaging waste in the EU

With war having returned to the European continent, measuring the level of threats to peace, security and democracy around the world – as the 'Normandy Index' does – is more important than ever. The annual Index was presented for the first time at the Normandy Peace Forum in June 2019, as a result of a partnership between the European Parliament and the Region of Normandy. The Index has been designed and prepared by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), in conjunction with and on the basis of data provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace. This paper sets out the findings of the 2023 exercise, which draws on data compiled in 2022, and explains how the Index can be used to compare peace – defined on the basis of a given country's performance against a range of predetermined threats – across countries and regions. It is complemented by 61 individual country case studies, derived from the Index. The paper forms part of the EPRS contribution to the 2023 Normandy World Peace Foru

Mapping threats to peace and democracy worldwide: Normandy Index 2023

Discover key figures about the repatriation of migrants and proposed changes to EU law.
The EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum includes new rules and the revision of existing legislation, such as the Return Directive.
In a draft resolution on the Return Directive adopted in December 2020, MEPs stressed the importance of protecting individual fundamental rights as well as respect for procedural safeguards.

Repatriation: how many migrants in the EU are sent back?

Over the past 30 years the single market has brought unity and opportunities to Europeans.

30 years of EU single market: benefits and challenges

Find out about the top cyber threats in 2022, the most affected sectors and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

The digital transformation has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats. During the coronavirus pandemic, companies had to adapt to remote working and this created more possibilities for cybercriminals. The war in Ukraine has also affected cybersecurity.

In response to the evolution of cybersecurity threats, Parliament adopted a new EU directive introducing harmonised measures across the EU, including on the protection of essential sectors.

Cybersecurity: main and emerging threats

With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed. Find out more about the environmental impact and what the EU is doing about it.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices.

To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

The impact of textile production and waste on the environment

Euroscola

DG FINANCE REUNION D'INFORMATION MEMBERS' TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES

Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America, including the EU-Central America Association Parliamentary Committee Ordinary meeting EU-Central America APC preparatory meeting

DCAM

Committee on Budgetary Control Ordinary meeting

CONT

Delegation to the Pacific-EU Parliamentary Assembly Ordinary Meeting – Election of 2nd Vice-Chair

DPAC

Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee Ordinary Meeting

DSCA

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Ordinary meeting CJ52 EMPL-IMCO Joint Committee Meeting

EMPL

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

FEMM

Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting

SEDE

Committee on Budgetary Control HEARING CONT Committee meeting

DNAT

Subcommittee on Human Rights Ordinary meeting - Jointly with the Committee on Foreign Affairs

DROI

Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Ordinary meeting

Subcommittee on Human Rights Ordinary meeting

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Honorary doctorate ceremony at Lodz University of Technology

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Meeting with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

Participation of Roberta Metsola, EP President at the Informal Question and Answer Session of the Global Hotel Alliance Annual CEO Committee Meeting

Strasbourg's Plenary session through the lens. Week 25.

EP Plenary session - Protecting bees: advancing the EU's New Deal for Pollinators

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - The United Kingdom accession to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters

Conference of Presidents

D-BR Interparliamentary Meeting

Demography Intergroup meeting - Demographic Winter in Europe, Diagnosis and Solutions

EP Plenary session - Institutional and political implications of the EU enlargement process and global challenges

EP Plenary session - Digital Markets, Digital Euro, Digital Identities: economical stimuli or trends toward dystopia

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150)

EP Plenary session - Rise in violence and the deepening humanitarian crisis in South Sudan

EP Plenary session - Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system

Delegation for relations with Mercosur (DMER) meeting

In the EU, big online platforms have a responsibility to protect us from disinformation, illegal content and unfair practices. 
They need to play by the rules set out in the Digital Services Act, the world’s first comprehensive legislation aimed at ensuring a safe, fair digital world and upholding freedom and democracy. 
In a plenary debate in September 2024, Members of the European Parliament debated with the European Commission about its enforcement.   
Read more about the Digital services Act: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20211209STO19124/eu-digital-markets-act-and-digital-services-act-explained

How are the EU’s digital rules being put into practice? 9:16

Since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union has continued to stand by Ukrainian people, welcoming refugees, providing defence equipment and financial aid. The war has had devastating effects across Ukrainian society and for many young Ukrainians, it has severely disrupted their education. 
 
With the support of EU funding, Kamil, an IT professor in Czechia, has been setting up the Digital University platform to allow Ukrainian students to continue learning online.
And Olena has continued her education in the EU as an Erasmus+ student and a young European ambassador in Gdańsk, Poland.

Ensuring education for Ukrainians in times of war: Meet Kamil and Olena - 9:16

Since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union has continued to stand by Ukrainian people, welcoming refugees, providing defence equipment and financial aid. The war has had devastating effects across Ukrainian society and for many young Ukrainians, it has severely disrupted their education. 

With the support of EU funding, Kamil, an IT professor in Czechia, has been setting up the Digital University platform to allow Ukrainian students to continue learning online.

And Olena has continued her education in the EU as an Erasmus+ student and a young European ambassador in Gdańsk, Poland.

Ensuring education for Ukrainians in times of war: Meet Kamil and Olena

The European Parliament is encouraging people from across the EU to get involved in the democratic process.

Together.eu is a community powered by the European Parliament where you can meet - online and offline - people who care about democracy and make your voice heard on European issues.

Like Mireya in Madrid and Cille in Denmark, together.eu volunteers from across the EU meet, debate, exchange ideas and organise events to highlight what EU institutions do for citizens and why democratic participation is vital.

Meet your community and join them on together.eu.

Get involved in strengthening EU democracy! Meet Mireya and Cille

What’s better than a chat about democracy? A chat about democracy with a free coffee!
Meet Cille, a together.eu volunteer who set up a coffee truck in Copenhagen to encourage democratic participation in the EU. 
Together with her team, she organises EU-related events throughout the year to get people talking about what the EU can do for them and how EU institutions play a role in everyone’s life. 
Together.eu is a community of people who care about the EU and its future. By supporting the together.eu community, the European Parliament is encouraging people from across the EU to get involved in the democratic process.

Boosting democratic participation with Cille, a together.eu volunteer 9:16

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and high inflation across Europe. The European Parliament wants to ensure the EU is resilient enough to face other crises in the future. That’s why it is supporting bold, visionary projects to make our economies and societies stronger.

Erik helped Swedish companies Amokabel and Bennesveds Åkeri set up the country’s first self-sufficient hydrogen station: Uppvidinge Vätgas. It provides clean fuel produced using local wind power. 

In Ireland, Hannah is a carbon specialist with Bord na Móna, a company that went from extracting peat for fuel to becoming a leader in clean energy production. She’s helping to rehabilitate the country’s peatlands, which can store huge amounts of carbon, helping the EU meet its climate goals.

Initiatives like these, funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, are at the heart of a stronger, more responsive Europe.

Building EU's economy of the future: meet Erik and Hannah

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and high inflation across Europe. The European Parliament wants to ensure the EU is resilient enough to face other crises in the future. That’s why it is supporting bold, visionary projects to make our economies and societies stronger.

Erik helped Swedish companies Amokabel and Bennesveds Åkeri set up the country’s first self-sufficient hydrogen station: Uppvidinge Vätgas. It provides clean fuel produced using local wind power. 

In Ireland, Hannah is a carbon specialist with Bord na Móna, a company that went from extracting peat for fuel to becoming a leader in clean energy production. She’s helping to rehabilitate the country’s peatlands, which can store huge amounts of carbon, helping the EU meet its climate goals.
 
Initiatives like these, funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, are at the heart of a stronger, more responsive Europe.

Building EU's economy of the future: meet Erik and Hannah - 9:16

In June, millions of Europeans turned out to vote in the world's largest transnational election. Now the votes have been counted and new MEPs elected, let’s see what the new European Parliament looks like. How many MEPs are there in each political group? How many MEPs are there per country? Who did they elect as President of the European Parliament and European Commission?

What is the composition of the new European Parliament?

In June, millions of Europeans turned out to vote in the world's largest transnational election. Now the votes have been counted and new MEPs elected, let’s see what the new European Parliament looks like. 
 
How many MEPs are there in each political group? How many MEPs are there per country? Who did they elect as President of the European Parliament and European Commission?

What is the composition of the new European Parliament ? - 9:16

In July 2024, the European Parliament confirmed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as Commission President. She’ll lead a team of commissioners – one from each EU country – who will propose and monitor the implementation of EU laws over the next five years.    
 
Electing the President of the European Commission is one of the first jobs of the Parliament after the European elections. 
    
The leaders of EU countries nominate a candidate for Commission President taking into account the results of the European elections.    
   
The candidate needs to receive approval from Parliament with the support of a majority of its component Members plus one in a secret vote.   
   
If the candidate does not receive the required majority, the European Council must propose an alternate candidate within a month.   
   
To learn more: https://elections.europa.eu/en/commission-president/

European Parliament re-elects von der Leyen as Commission President

Who is Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament who was elected for a second time in July 2024? How was she chosen and what is her role? 
 
Every two and a half years, the European Parliament selects someone to represent it when dealing with other EU institutions and the wider world. Parliament’s President is elected in a secret ballot that takes place in the first plenary session after the elections.
 
The candidate who receives the absolute majority of the votes cast gets the post. 
 
The President also directs Parliament’s activities, chairs plenary sessions and declares the EU budget finally adopted. The role also includes setting out Parliament’s point of view at the beginning of every European Council meeting. 
 
Check our article to learn more: https://elections.europa.eu/en/parliament-president/

Roberta Metsola: meet the President of the European Parliament

In 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande urged European countries to share the responsibility of hosting asylum seekers.
 
The EU was dealing with an unprecedented migration wave that year, with hundreds of thousands of people entering the EU through irregular channels, many fleeing war in Syria. Most of them headed to Germany and a handful of other countries.
 
During a historic joint address to the European Parliament, Merkel and Hollande called for joint action to tackle the root causes of the crisis.

*Watch the full speech on the European Parliament’s Multimedia channel: http://epfacebook.eu/SpeechMerkelHollande

Merkel and Hollande speeches on the migration crisis | European Parliament

&lt;p>Pelagie fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo in fear for her life. With the help of the charity Refugees Welcome Italia, she found a new home in Rome. Todor is a lawyer at the Center for Legal Aid Voice in Bulgaria, an NGO helping refugees integrate and providing them with legal support. With initiatives like the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the EU is helping migrants and asylum seekers and the EU countries hosting them. The European Parliament backs an EU-wide approach to the challenges posed by migration.&lt;/p>

Rising to the challenges of migration in the EU: Meet Pelagie and Todor

Meet Mireya, a together.eu volunteer whose main goal in the last few months has been to spread the word on EU elections!

Everyone’s voice counts in the upcoming vote, this is why, with her teammates, she organised an event to let people air their concerns, hopes and dreams for the EU.

Together.eu is a community of people who care about the EU and its future. By meeting, discussing and organising, people like Mireya and other together.eu volunteer can exchange views with like-minded people.

Getting the vote out in Madrid with Mireya, a together.eu volunteer! - 9:16 EE24

A global pandemic, war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living crisis: the 2019-2024 European Parliament stepped up as people faced unprecedented challenges.

Parliament responded with measures that strengthened the EU and its economy while standing up for European values.

June’s European elections will decide how Parliament will deal with the challenges of the future.

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