In January 2025, the Commission presented the Competitiveness Compass, the first major initiative of the second Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen. The Compass provides a strategic and clear framework to define the Commission’s work. It sets a path for Europe to become the place where future technologies, services and clean products are invented, manufactured and put on the market, while achieving climate neutrality.

A competitiveness compass for the EU

At a glance: MEPs wrap up their visit to Hungary, which focused on EU values and fundamental rights; in Paris, MEPs from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs push for stronger economic and financial governance in the EU; meanwhile, in Austria, a delegation from the Committee on Petitions assessed the impact of the EU deforestation law.

News in Brief – 16/04/2025 - English

At a glance: a delegation from the Committee on International Trade is in Indonesia to assess the economic partnership agreement; Meanwhile, MEPs from Parliament’s Committees on Economic and Monetary Affairs and on Budgets are in Greece to review the implementation of the national recovery plan; The fight against drug smuggling is the focus of a visit to Antwerp and Rotterdam by MEPs from the Committee on Civil Liberties.

News in Brief – 15/04/2025 - English

At a glance: new measures to enhance toy safety in the EU; a delegation from the Committee on Civil Liberties is in Hungary to assess the state of the rule of law and fundamental rights there; MEPs from the Committee on Budgets are visiting Latvia.

News in Brief – 14/04/2025 - English

At a glance: a new EU law to have healthy European soils by 2050; a first debate on a new EU approach to migrant returns; and Kosovo and Serbia’s path to join the EU.

News in Brief – 11/04/2025 - English

At a glance: MEPs and Ukrainian parliamentarians discuss shaping a common European future; new screening rules for foreign investments in the EU; and the cost of living, climate change and job opportunities are the main concerns for young people across the EU.

News in Brief – 10/04/2025 - English

Simone Veil, “the mother of Europe” and first elected President of the European Parliament, was essential in creating European unity and advancing human rights. She advocated for women’s rights, was a key figure in legalizing abortion in France, and paved the way for women in leadership. As a Holocaust survivor, she knew how important European unification is. Veil's legacy continues to inspire, embodying the EU's motto of "unity in diversity" through her commitment to justice and human rights.

Simone Veil, the mother of Europe

At a glance: MEPs travel to Washington DC to discuss transatlantic relations with US counterparts; a draft report on the future of agriculture in the EU; the recommendations for the upcoming European Water Resilience Strategy.

News in Brief – 09/04/2025 - English

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 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.

LIBE - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

In September 2018, the Article 7(1) TEU procedure was triggered. In this case, the European Parliament voted a resolution calling the Council to determine the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach of EU values in relation to Hungary. This resolution was preceded by numerous others adopted by the Parliament between March 2011 and May 2017, and it made reference to concerns related mainly to judicial independence, freedom of expression, corruption, rights of minorities, and the situation of migrants and refugees in Hungary.

Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights (DRF). Article 7 TEU establishes two mechanisms (preventive and sanctions) to enforce EU values in cases of systemic violations and to sanction Member States departing from them.

See also the previous <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/rule-of-law-in-hungary-8th-parliamentary-term_5702_pk">package</a> on the rule of law in Hungary.

Rule of law in Hungary (2019-2020)

Rule of law is laid down in the EU treaties as one of the values on which the Union is based. It means that governments should be bound by law&nbsp;not to take arbitrary decisions, and that citizens should be able to challenge their actions in independent courts.

It also enshrines the fight against corruption, which unfairly favours some to the detriment of others, and the safeguarding of media freedom, thus ensuring that the public is properly informed about the work of government.

The EU has existing tools at its disposal to protect the rule of law. In&nbsp;September 2020, the European Commission published the first annual rule of law&nbsp;report monitoring both positive and negative developments with regard to the rule of law in all member states. In July 2021 the second edition of the report was published.

There is also&nbsp;dialogue on the rule of law in the Council.

If the Commission deems that a member state is violating EU law, it can start infringement proceedings that may lead to financial sanctions determined by the European Court of Justice. Another procedure, under Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union, allows the Council to make recommendations or decide by unanimity on sanctions against a member state, including the suspension of membership rights.&nbsp;MEPs have argued that existing tools are insufficient.

​Under the new regulation, effective from January 2021, EU budget payments can be witheld from countries where established breaches of the rule of law compromise management of EU funds. At the same time, the EU ensures that final beneficiaries do not end up paying the bill.

Rule of law

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee travels to Budapest to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021. MEPs meet with members of parliament (MPs) and representatives from the government, the judiciary, and local authorities, as well as from civil society across all areas of concern. Press conference on Wednesday at 14.30, local time.

LIBE delegation in Budapest

EP President Roberta METSOLA, meets with US Congress delegation

LIBE delegation Rule of Law mission in Budapest, Hungary

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

Euroscola

ECON delegation mission in Paris, France

ECON delegation mission in Paris, France.

Visit of US Congressional Delegation - House of Democracy Partnership

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives a delegation from the US Congress

IMCO Trilogue on Safety of Toys

BUDG Extraordinary Committee - Voting session

This news item shows the meeting of the LIBE delegation with with Barna György SENYEI, President of the Hungarian National Office for the Judiciary, and with Tamás LÁNCZI, President of the Hungarian Sovereignty Protection Office, in Budapest. The Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation mission to Budapest has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): meeting with Barna György SENYEI, President of the National Office for the Judiciary, and with Tamás LÁNCZI, President of the Sovereignty Protection Office

The members of the LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest hold a press conference. The Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation mission to Budapest has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021. This transcription is a result of an authomatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by the Members of the LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary), chaired by Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA, NL)

This news item shows the meeting of the LIBE delegation with Meeting with Barna Pál ZSIGMOND, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of European Union Affairs. The Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation mission to Budapest has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): meeting with Barna Pál ZSIGMOND, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of European Union Affairs

This news item shows the meeting of the LIBE delegation with the LGBTIQ intergroup of the Hungarian Parliament “Sokszínű Magyarországért”, the meeting with the Committee on Justice and a meeting with Zoltán TESSELY, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the Hungarian National Assembly, in Budapest. The Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation mission to Budapest has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): extracts from the meetings with the LGBTIQ intergroup of the Hungarian Parliament, with representatives of the Committee on Legal Affairs and with the Committee on European Affairs

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary)meets with representatives of the National Judicial Council of Hungary and Csaba Pecsenye, his President. The Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation mission to Budapest has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): extracts from the meeting with representatives of the National Judicial Council

This news item shows the arrival of the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation to the town hall and the meeting with Gergely KARÁCSONY, Mayor of Budapest, during the LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary). The mission has the goal to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): meeting with Gergely KARÁCSONY, Mayor of Budapest

This news item shows the arrival of the LIBE delegation at the European Parliament Liason Office in Budapest, a statement by Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA, NL), head of the delegation and two meetings with NGOs and organisations. A Civil Liberties Committee delegation travels to Budapest to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021. MEPs meet with members of parliament and representatives from the government, the judiciary, and local authorities, as well as from civil society across all areas of concern.

LIBE rule of law mission to Budapest (Hungary): arrival of the delegation, statement by Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA, NL), head of the delegation and meeting with NGOs and organisations

European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the United States meets Representatives of the US Congress. The visit by MEPs takes place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of sweeping tariffs on global trade partners. The delegation, led by Brando benifei (S&D, Italy), meets with representatives of the US Congress, in part to prepare for the next Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD), a forum of leading lawmakers designed to strengthen relations between the European Parliament and Congress.

European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the United States meets Representatives of the US Congress: extracts from the visit and statements by the members of the delegation

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives a delegation from the US Congress. Scheduled meeting at the request of a US Congressional Delegation involving Representatives of the House Democracy Partnership. The 8 Members delegation led by Codel BUCHANAN will be meeting Members of the European Parliament across the political spectrum including the Vice-President responsible for Human Rights and Democracy Support and several DEG Members. The House Democracy Partnership is the closest counterpart of the EP's Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG). Family photo with Vern BUCHANAN, Norman THATCHER, Andy OGLES, Dina TITUS, Lloyd DOGGETT, Anna Paulina LUNA, Ted LIEU, Neal DUNN, Ihlan OMAR, Seth BLAYLOCK, Derek LUYTEN, Courtney BUTCHER

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