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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 03/04/2024 - suomi

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 02/04/2024 - suomi

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 27/03/2024 - suomi

Transatlanttinen orjakauppa on synkkä luku ihmiskunnan historiassa. Orjakauppa kesti yli 400 vuotta, ja siitä kärsi yli 15 miljoonaa ihmistä. Orjuus lakkautettiin, mutta rasistisia ideologioita esiintyy edelleen. Ne näkyvät syrjivinä asenteina ja käytösmalleina. YK:lla on kansainvälinen orjuuden uhrien ja transatlanttisen orjakaupan muistopäivä. EU:lla puolestaan on rasismin torjuntaa ja monimuotoisuutta edistävä viikko. Tällaisilla aloitteilla pyritään lisäämään tietoisuutta, edistämään tasa-arvoa ja luomaan osallistavampi yhteiskunta.

Orjuuden uhrien ja transatlanttisen orjakaupan muistopäivä

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 26/03/2024 - suomi

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 25/03/2024 - suomi

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 22/03/2024 - suomi

EU on yksi maailman runsasmetsäisimmistä alueista: maa-alasta on metsien peitossa noin 40 prosenttia. Metsät ovat olennaisen tärkeitä terveydellemme ja hyvinvoinnillemme sekä koko maapallon terveydelle. Ne ovat biologisesti erittäin monimuotoisia ja valtavan tärkeitä ilmastonmuutoksen torjunnassa. EU on tietoinen siitä, millainen rooli metsillä voi olla tulevaisuudessa. Siksi vuonna 2021 hyväksyttiin uusi metsästrategia 2030.

EU:n metsästrategia 2030

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.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 21/03/2024 - suomi

Aleksei Navalnyi oli Venäjän merkittävin oppositiojohtaja, joka tunnettiin korruption paljastamisesta ja presidentti Vladimir Putinin kiihkeästä arvostelusta. Hän kuoli epäselvissä olosuhteissa 16. helmikuuta 2024 arktisen alueen syrjäisessä rangaistussiirtolassa. Vuonna 2021 Euroopan parlamentti myönsi hänelle mielipiteenvapauden Saharov-palkinnon.

Aleksei Navalnyi, vuoden 2021 Sakharov-palkinnon saaja

At a glance: the agenda of the next European Council meeting; the 2023 ECB Annual Report on supervisory activities presented to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs; and MEPs from the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee attending the 68th UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 20/03/2024 - suomi

At a glance: EU enlargement policy and two meetings with the Ukrainian Parliament, or Verkhovna Rada, on the sanctions against Russia and on a vote on the proposal for a regulation on imports, exports and transit measures for firearms.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 19/03/2024 - suomi

At a glance: the agreement between Parliament and the Council on the creation of a European Health Data Space, the need for humanitarian aid for Gaza and human rights breaches in Afghanistan and Venezuela.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 18/03/2024 - suomi

Kansainvälistä kuluttajan oikeuksien päivää vietetään joka vuosi 15. maaliskuuta. Tarkoituksena on lisätä tietoisuutta kuluttajien oikeuksista ja suojasta eri puolilla maailmaa. Euroopan parlamentilla on tärkeä rooli kuluttajien oikeuksien suojaamisessa kaikkialla Euroopan unionissa. EU:ssa on yli 450 miljoonaa kuluttajaa, joten oikeudenmukaisen kohtelun, avoimuuden ja turvallisuuden varmistaminen markkinoilla on olennaisen tärkeää. Katsotaanpa tarkemmin, miten kuluttajien oikeuksia suojellaan EU:ssa.

Kansainvälinen kuluttajan oikeuksien päivä

At a glance: the landmark Artificial Intelligence Act; MEPs call for tougher rules to reduce textile and food waste in the EU; and the fourteenth debate in the ‘This is Europe’ series with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 15/03/2024 - suomi

At a glance: the European Media Freedom Act; the debate on Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia; and the ceremony marking International Women’s Day.

Uutisia lyhyesti – 14/03/2024 - suomi

From July to December 2021, Slovenia holds the Presidency of the EU Council, following the Portuguese Presidency and preceding the French Presidency. This is the second time Slovenia holds the Presidency.The last time was in 2008.

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work. Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. This system was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18-month period. On the basis of this programme, each of the three countries prepares its own more detailed 6-month programme.

Under the slogan “Together. Resilient. Europe.”,&nbsp;the Slovenian presidency wants to&nbsp;focus on recovery and resilience, translating ambitious green goals into binding legislation, strategic autonomy, the digital transition, rule of law and the protection of external borders.

Slovenian Presidency

The Conference on the Future of Europe was a citizen-led series of debates and discussions enabling&nbsp;people from across Europe to share their ideas and help shape a common European future.
This one-year journey of discussion, debate and collaboration between citizens and politicians on the future of Europe culminated in a report submitted on 9 May to the Presidents of the EU institutions. The report outlines 49 proposals and more than 320 measures including concrete objectives. It is now up to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission to follow up, each according to their own area of competence.

Conference on the Future of Europe

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

To support its publications, the European Parliamentary Research Service is producing a wide range of informative, timely and varied audio-visual products. These products include content-rich videos and animations, and also regular monthly podcasts, such as policy podcasts and science and technology podcasts. They are based on EPRS' independent, objective and authoritative analysis of, and research on, policy issues relating to the European Union, so empowering Members and committees in their parliamentary work and supporting parliamentary outreach to the wider public.

Restrictions: © The material of this package may not be edited and single videos must be shown in its entirety.

EPRS Multimedia Centre

Compared to the rest of the world, Europe has the best levels of social protection and also ranks highly in terms of quality of life and wellbeing. However, it faces a wide range of challenges, including impact of the COVID situation.

The EU has only limited competence when it comes to social issues as most of it is up to national governments. The responsibility for employment and social policies lies mostly with the member states and their governments. This means that national governments - and not the EU - decide on issues such as wage regulations, including minimum wage, the role of collective bargaining, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been working on social issues throughout the European integration process and come up with a series of instruments in the social sector. These include EU laws, funds and tools to better coordinate and monitor national policies. The EU also encourages countries to share best practices on issues such as social inclusion, poverty and pensions.

One of the supporting tools is the European Social Fund+, with a total budget of €88 billion for next 7 years. It will play an important role in the implementation of the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights and in countering the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. It integrates the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) into one fund.

Social Europe

In March 2021, the European Commission adopted the Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030. The Strategy builds on the results of the previous European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, which paved the way to a barrier-free Europe and to empower persons with disabilities so they can enjoy their rights and participate fully in society and economy.

Despite the progress made in the past decade, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers and have a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The objective of this Strategy is to progress towards ensuring that all persons with disabilities in Europe, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation enjoy their human rights, have equal opportunities, equal access to participate in society and economy, are able to decide where, how and with whom they live, move freely in the EU regardless of their support needs and no longer experience discrimination.

The EU and its Member States are committed to improving social and economic situation of disabled people building on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and on the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. The European Union and all its Member States are party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

European Disability Strategy

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

Since October 2020, the EU has&nbsp;progressively imposed restrictive measures&nbsp;against Belarus in response to the fraudulent nature&nbsp; presidential elections in&nbsp;2020, and the&nbsp;intimidation and violent repression&nbsp;of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.&nbsp;

The democratic opposition, including the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was awarded the&nbsp;2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Belarusian regime has became an ally&nbsp;with Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine. This includes the so-called referendum reinstating the country’s nuclear status, but also that Belarus has allowed Russian troops and weapons to move through its territory, use its airspace, refuel and store military ammunition.

Therefore, the EU has extended the sanctios package against Russia to Belarus. The EP has recently called that "all EU sanctions issued against Russia must be strictly mirrored for Belarus and implemented appropriately".

EU - Belarus

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

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

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

The common agricultural policy (CAP) is one of the oldest common policies in the EU. Its significance is reflected in the proportion of the EU's budget devoted to it, representing approximately 40% of the total. Developed at a time when Europe was unable to meet most of its own food needs, it was necessary to encourage farmers to produce food by means of guaranteed prices. The policy has undergone regular reform and has evolved over the years.

As part of the preparation of the EU budget for 2021-2027, the European Commission put forward a new set of regulations to shape the future CAP on 1 June 2018. The proposal for a regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the CAP provides the legislative framework for adapting the financing, management and monitoring rules to a new CAP delivery model.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/common-agricultural-policy-8th-parliamentary-term_6503_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Common agricultural policy (2019-2020)

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

Use your vote – European elections 2024 video – Original subtitled 16:9

Parliament is set to approve new rules aiming to protect the environment in the EU through criminal law.

Following a debate on Monday, MEPs are expected to give their final green light to a new directive on environmental crime, as agreed with the member states in November 2023, on Tuesday. The new law provides an updated list of environmental crimes including illegal timber trade, depletion of water resources or breaches of EU chemicals legislation. It also introduces the so-called qualified offence of causing the destruction of an ecosystem, such as large-scale forest fires, and thus comparable to ecocide.

Individual offenders, including company representatives, can face prison sentences of up to five or ten years depending on the severity of the crime. They will also be required to reinstate the environment they destroyed and compensate for the damage. Companies can also face fines of up to 5% of their worldwide turnover or 40 million euro.

Background

The new legislation aims to tackle the rising number of environmental crimes in the EU. Environmental crime is the fourth largest criminal activity in the world and is one of the main sources of income for organised crime alongside drugs, weapons and human trafficking.

Press conference -  Environmental crime directive

Press conference - Outcome of the MFF revision vote

To improve road safety and support the digital transition, MEPs debate and vote (on Wednesday) on updating driving licence rules, introducing mobile licences and mandatory health checks.

Plenary debate - New rules on driving licences

MEPs debate with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde inflation, efforts to curb it, and possible interest rate cuts. During the annual plenary debate, MEPs concentrate on what happens next once inflation settles at the ECB’s 2% target and pay particular attention to the continuing significant divergences in inflation rates between member states. This is the last debate in the European Parliament for Ms Lagarde before the 6-9 June  European elections.

Plenary debate - European Central Bank: annual report 2023

Parliament’s Spokesperson holds a press briefing on the plenary session.

Last-minute briefing

EP Press Service organizes a technical briefing for media on how to cover the 6-9 June European elections. It includes information on the Elections Press Tool Kit, “unfinished business” and first milestones of the next legislature, “What Europe Does For Me” database, European election data and the election days and night

100 days to the European elections

EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (D-RU) exchange views on the inhuman detention and death of Alexei NAVALNY, 2021 Sakharov Price Laureate.

MEPs also discuss the state of Russia’s democratic opposition movement ahead of the country’s presidential elections scheduled for 15-17 March 2024, as well as the situation of all those Russian opposition voices currently behind bars.

The following guests give testimonies to MEPs: Leonid Volkov, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, Anti-Corruption Foundation: Evgenia Kara-Murza, Advocacy Director at the Free Russia Foundation, wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza: Vladimir Milov, Vice-President of the Free Russia Foundation, former Vice-Minister of Energy of Russia

AFET/DROI debate on Alexei Navalny´s death

EP President Metsola meets the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze

EP President Roberta Metsola, meets with Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic and they speak to the press. She meets with Ms Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the Hellenic Republic and Mr Constantine Tassoulas, President of the Hellenic Parliament. She delivers the keynote speech "The EU ahead of the European Elections" at the Hellenic Parliament and holds a Town Hall Discussion with young people, at the Athens Conservatory.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Athens (Greece)

Roberta Metsola, EP President, visits to ARQ group in Birkirkara and the Atelier del Restauro in Naxxar.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta

EP President Roberta Metsola meets the Mayor of Gdansk, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people and visits the European Solidarity Centre. The President also  meets Lech Wałęsa, former President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and lays flowers at the Monument of Fallen Shipyard Workers.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Gdansk)

ECON debate with ECB President Christine Lagarde

EP President Roberta Metsola visits the Warsaw Rising Museum,meets the Prime Minister of Poland and jointly speak to the press. She also meets the Marshal of the Senate of Poland, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska,  addresses the Senate of Poland,  meets the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, Szymon Hołownia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski and participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people.The President also inaugurates the Europe Experience in Warsaw and delivers the Keynote Address of the Academic Year at the College of Europe in Natolin.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw)

President Metsola meets the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová Adamová and they jointly speak to the press. She then meets the President of the Senate of Czech Republic, Miloš Vystrčil, the President of Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala and they hold a press point. She also participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Czech Republic

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee votes on an update to EU rules on the safety of toys to better protect children and tackle the new challenges brought about by e-commerce and new technologies such as AI. The proposed regulation introduces new bans on the most harmful chemicals such as endocrine disruptors and a digital product passport to facilitate safety checks

IMCO vote on Toy safety

AGRI Committee MEPs debate with EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on the impact of trade in EU agriculture.

AGRI debate on the impact of trade in EU agriculture

AFET MEPs discuss on a joint debate with DEVE MEPs on the recent allegations against UNWRA staff and the impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

AFET debate on the recent allegations against UNWRA staff and the impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza

President Metsola meets the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas and they jointly speak to the press. She then meets the President of the Parliament of Estonia, Lauri Hussar and delivers a keynote speech at the Parliament. She also meets the President of Estonia, Alar Karis and participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Estonia

Fottball tournament with player Amadou Onana

Committee on Petitions

PETI

Press conference by Tomas TOBÉ (EPP, SE), Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Birgit SIPPEL (S&D, DE) and Malin BJÖRK (The Left, SE) rapporteurs on Migration Pact files (Second part)

Press conference by Sophie IN ’T VELD, Fabienne KELLER, Matjaž NEMEC and Jorge BUXADÉ VILLALBA rapporteurs on Migration Pact files (First part)

Joint committee on Foreign Affairs and committee on Budgets

BUDG

AFET

Committee on Culture and Education

CULT

Joint committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and committee on Legal Affairs

LIBE

JURI

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Committee on Development in association with DACP and DAFR - Started earlier at 10:13 in the main DEVE event

DACP

DEVE

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Committee on Regional Development

REGI

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

ITRE

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

ENVI

Committee on Fisheries

PECH

Joint committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and committee on Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee on Development

Committee on Transport and Tourism

TRAN

Joint committee on International Trade and committee on Industry, Research and Energy

INTA

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Situation in Haiti

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - EU-Egypt strategic and comprehensive partnership and agreements with key third countries

EP Plenary session - Commission Statement - Attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society

EP Plenary session - Withdrawal of the Union from the Energy Charter Treaty

Press conference on the Gigabit Infrastructure Act and the abolition of intra-EU calls surcharge

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - The use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction

CCC meeting

Press conference on Parliament's vote on the Late Payments regulation

Press conference on the Final vote on the right to repair

EP Plenary session - Joint Debate - Disability cards

EP Plenary session - Commission Statement - EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip

Press conference on the adoption of the Forced Labour Regulation

Press briefing S&D Group

Inauguration ceremony of the Welcome Pavilion

EP Plenary session - Combating violence against women and domestic violence

EP Plenary session - Voting Session

INTA Committee family photo

Press briefing Greens/EFA

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a temporary instrument that is the centrepiece of the NextGenerationEU, the EU’s plan to emerge stronger and more resilient from the current crisis. This program of interventions included in the Italian National RRF for the part under the Ministry of Education's responsibility. Thanks to a total investment of 17.59 billion schools have the opportunity to be able to really play that strategic educational role for the country's growth. It is at school that student accompanied in building competencies and acquiring skills, prepare for the future. This infoclip shows educational robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality, STEM/STEAM disciplines design thinking, modelling and craft 4.0, use of artificial intelligence in education, innovative teaching methodologies, solar-powered system and electrolysis of the last classroom, and pathway to study water cycle.

Infoclip: laboratories to enhance students' skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) – Recovery and Resilience Facility - Brindisi (Italy)

From 2020 to 2022, the European Union has faced a public health threat with the COVID-19 pandemic. On 10 March 2022, the European Parliament established a new special committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, composed of 38 members. After more than a year of work, the final report is voted and presents its recommendations for the future, based on the lesson learned. This clip illustrates two years of pandemic through footages of lockdowns, testings, masks distributions, vaccinations, digital certificates but also comes back on the work of the COVI Committee with extracts of past meetings.

Memoclip: COVID-19 pandemic - lessons learned and recommendations for the future

MEPs from the Agriculture Committee adopted a report on the reform of EU rules for registering and protecting geographical indications (GIs) for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, and quality schemes for agricultural products. This infoclip illustrates several EU products such as ham, wine, olive oil and cheese.

Infoclip: Geographical indications for wine and agricultural products

European citizens have repeatedly demanded an end to the harmful use of animals in cosmetics and other chemical tests, as well as an ambitious plan to bring all experiments on animals to an end. The Save cruelty free cosmetics European Citizens' Initiative closed on 31 August 2022 with 1,413,383 signatures collected in one year. This is the second ECI on this issue that has surpassed the one million signature mark, the first being Stop Vivisection in 2015. This infoclip shows cosmetics and cruelty free logos in a make-up store and a drugstore, close-ups of different types of cosmetics and a professional make-up artist at work.

Infoclip: Cruelty free cosmetics

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a temporary instrument that is the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU funds - the EU’s plan to emerge stronger and more resilient from the current crisis. Spain has received 69.5 billion euros from these funds, becoming the EU Member State receiving the most funds. The country has invested 796 million euros of the RRF in the acquisition of high-tech equipment in hospitals for the recovery of the National Health System under the Investment Plan for High-Tech Equipment (INVEAT). The incorporation of the equipment has made it possible to improve the diagnostic safety for patients, especially in cardiovascular imaging and nuclear medicine. This infoclip illustrates new equipment purchased at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid, financed with the RRF: a MRI, two Spectral CT and an angiography.

Infoclip: Acquisition of equipment in hospitals - Recovery and Resilience Facility - Madrid (Spain)

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a temporary instrument that is the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU funds - the EU’s plan to emerge stronger and more resilient from the current crisis. Denmark has has received 1.551 million euros from these funds. Out of these, 26.8 million euros will be invested in the conversion of municipal ferries into electric ferries. This will allow cleaner travel among the Danish islands and a considerable reduction in the local CO2-emissions.This infoclip illustrates an example of an electric ferry bus currently operating in central Copenhagen and the Agersø Omø ferries that are to be become electric by 2030.

Infoclip: Electric ferries - Recovery and Resilience Facility - Copenhagen (Denmark)

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. The funding for the period 2014-2020 allowed investments in a smarter, greener, more connected and more social Europe that is closer to its citizens. The specific investment allocated to the Milan's Municipality is of 4 million euros creates a cycling axis that crosses the city from the centre northward, from City Hall 1 to City Hall 8, attractive and safe. This infoclip shows the Eurovelo 5 cycling itinerary in the area of Milan (Italy). In particular, the footage illustrates the construction works of the bicycle line next at Naviglio Pavese, Duomo Sempione, Molino Dorino, and Percorso Nord.

Infoclip: Construction of Eurovelo 5 cycling itinerary - European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - Milan (Italy)

This infoclip illustrates the use of artificial intelligence: the use of ChatGPT e.g. to create photos - people using virtual equipment and a dog-robot.

Infoclip: Artificial intelligence

This infoclip illustrates the packaging and packaging waste regulation. The proposed regulation would apply to all packaging and to all packaging waste. It would set out requirements for substances in packaging (e.g. restrictions on the presence of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium). Furthermore, all packaging would have to be recyclable. Some packaging must be compostable by two years after the entry into force of the regulation (such as filter coffee pods and sticky labels attached to fruit and vegetables). Furthermore, packaging must be designed to minimise its weight and volume. The proposal would also introduce requirements for packaging to be considered reusable. The footage shows plastic and and recyclable packaging adn different efforts to reduce waste and encourage recycling.

Infoclip: Packaging and packaging waste

On 27 April, ENVI Members vote on the own-initiative report on the Sustainable Textiles Strategy. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is an integral part of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It sets out to create a coherent framework to facilitate the transition of the textiles industry to a more sustainable and climate-neutral model by 2030. Specific ambitions include ensuring that textile products placed on the EU market are durable, recyclable and made largely of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in full respect of human and workers.

Infoclip: Circular economy: sustainable textile strategy (updated version)

This infoclip shows the activities at the centre for asylum seekers and refugees of Casa Suraya (Milan, Italy). The centre currently hosts 99 people from African and Asian Countries who sought refuge in Europe in the 2023. The footage includes: accommodation, food, distribution of clothing and personal hygiene products, health care, legal and psychological assistance, language classes, educational and recreational activities for kids.

Infoclip: Immigration and asylum – Milan (Italy)

This infoclip shows images of Belfast (Northern Ireland), historic building, goverment buildings, street views, city traffic, graffiti and banners of IRA related events, and voxpops of Belfast's residents about the Good Friday Agreement.

Infoclip: 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement - Illustrations in Belfast and voxpops

This infoclip illustrates the trade of shark and ray fins in the EU, including the import, export and transit of fins.

Infoclip: End of the trade of shark and ray fins in the EU

An area larger than the EU was lost to deforestation from 1990 to 2020, with EU consumption causing around 10% of losses. A new law on deforestation-free products will make obligatory for companies to issue a so-called “due diligence” statement that goods on the EU market have not led to deforestation or forest degradation anywhere in the world. The largest share of EU-driven deforestation commodities are: palm oil (33,95%), soy (32,83%), wood (8,62%), cocoa (7,54%), coffee (7,01%) and beef (5,01%. This infoclip shows footgae of a person unpacking common groceries deriving from these commodities, a child consuming chocolate spread without palm oil as well as footage of deforestaion in Brazil.

Infoclip: Common products associated with deforestation and forest degradation

This infoclip shows the situation of about 150 refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Syria, and African countries that are currently living in tents on the street in front of the so-called Petit Chateau, headquarter of the Belgian federal agency for refugees Fedasil. This extraordinary situation is a result of the incapacity of the Brussels region's authorities to providing a shelter for people who have already been registered as asylum seekers in the country.

Infoclip: Immigration and asylum – Brussels (Belgium)

The city of Lviv, Ukraine welcomes the Forum "United for Justice" during 3 days (3-5 March). Its aim is the need to ensure a comprehensive system of accountability for serious violations of international law arising out of Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as the fair furtherance of remedy and reparation for the injury caused call for establishment of the ad hoc Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and International Compensation Mechanism. This infoclip illustrates the city of Lviv.

Infoclip: City of Lviv, Ukraine - illustrative shots

This infoclip illustrates energy poverty with a gender perspective: explosion of energy poverty that is particularly affecting single mothers and single women. Illustrations with NGO with volunteers, preparing and distributing hot meals for people in need, at home woman saving money, reducing heat, fuel station filling car's tank.

Infoclip: Gender aspects of energy poverty

Moldova applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. This Infoclip shows views of Chisinau, capital of Moldova.

1 004 tulosta