At a glance: MEPs to discuss Ukraine support and Russia’s repression of democratic opposition in plenary; experts briefed MEPs on climate and biodiversity challenges; and the EU affirms its commitment to ending female genital mutilation.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 07/02/2025 - suomi

At a glance: Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the upcoming plenary session; Next week, MEPs will discuss the EU’s support for Ukraine, the Commission’s work programme for 2025 and the consequences of the US’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 06/02/2025 - suomi

At a glance: Metsola calls for more investment and unity in European defence; Polish ministers outline justice and home affairs goals; European Parliament and Commission will host the third EU Tax Symposium.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 05/02/2025 - suomi

At a glance: delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection to visit the United States to strengthen transatlantic digital cooperation; key policy talks between Parliament’s Subcommittee on Tax Matters and Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra; World Cancer Day: Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan bolsters the EU’s commitment to fighting cancer.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 04/02/2025 - suomi

At a glance: European Parliament President Metsola will address geopolitical challenges at the 2025 EU Ambassadors’ Conference; the Subcommittee on Tax Matters will explore reforms for EU financial sector integration and digitalisation; and MEPs discussed digital sovereignty and cybersecurity with European Commission Executive Vice-President Virkkunen.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 03/02/2025 - suomi

Ainakin miljardin aterian verran syömäkelpoista ruokaa haaskataan joka päivä kotitalouksissa ympäri maailmaa. Määrästä saisi yhden aterian päivässä maailman jokaiselle nälänhädästä kärsivälle henkilölle. Kun heitämme ruokaa roskiin, kaikki sen tekemiseen käytetty energia ja resurssit menevät myös hukkaan. Ympäristövaikutukset, kuten kasvihuonekaasupäästöt, ovat edelleen olemassa, mutta siitä ruoasta ei kukaan saa ravintoa. Siksi EU:n jätehuoltopolitiikalla pyritään vähentämään jätteiden ympäristö- ja terveysvaikutuksia.

Elintarvikejäte EU:ssa: haasteet ja tavoitteet

At a glance: the European Parliament marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day; a meeting on the performance of InvestEU; and the future of EU agriculture.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 31/01/2025 - suomi

At a glance: Poland sets its priorities for its presidency of the Council of the EU, with ‘Security, Europe!’ as its motto; MEPs discuss an EU water resilience strategy and an EU blue deal in a public hearing; the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality examine social media’s impact on young girls’ mental health.

Uutisia Euroopan parlamentista – 30/01/2025 - suomi

Malta joined the European Union 1st May 2004 and it has been a member of the Schengen area since 21st December 2007.

Malta is a single-chamber parliamentary republic with a head of government - the prime minister - and a head of state - the president - whose role is largely ceremonial. The country is divided into 5 regions. Each has its own regional committee, which serves as the intermediary between local and national government.

There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Malta.

EU - Malta

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

On 24 February Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Shortly before&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized&nbsp;two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine&nbsp; as independent.&nbsp;The Conference of Presidents of the EP condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. "Ukraine is an independent and sovereign nation and its territorial integrity is non-negotiable. The invasion is unjustified and illegal. It is a threat to European and regional stability, as well as to the rules-based world order. The attack targets our model of democratic society. It cannot go unanswered, " says declaration of the COP.

"The Russian invasion into Ukraine is part of President Putin’s destabilisation agenda. It is a path that will bring the Kremlin in direct confrontation with Europe and the rule-based world-order. It is a path that pits authoritarianism against democracy. It is a path that we cannot allow him to walk unchallenged," said EP President Roberta Metsola.

European Union leaders met for a special European Council in Brussels on 24 February&nbsp;and adopted a set of sanctions related to the the financial sector, the energy and transport sectors,dual-use goods, exports, Russian individuals etc.&nbsp;

Ukraine is a priority partner for the European Union (EU). The EU supports Ukraine in ensuring a stable, prosperous and democratic future for its citizens and is unwavering in its support for Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Association Agreement (AA), including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) signed in 2014, is the main tool for bringing Ukraine and the EU closer together. Since 2014, the EU and the Financial Institutions have mobilised more than €15 billion in grants and loans to support the reform process in the country, with strong conditionality on continued progress.

As a result of the cooperation with Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada in the field of democracy support, European Parliament launched on 11 March the website “<a href="https://ukraine.europarl.europa.eu/en/home.html" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">The EU stands with Ukraine</a>” (in English and Ukrainian) provides the latest news, videos and podcasts, relevant legislation and resolutions to show how the EU is helping Ukraine. Content from the Ukrainian Parliament could also be shared on the site. Actively supporting EU efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the world is one of Parliament's core responsibilities.

EU - Ukraine

MEPs review the new US administration’s recent decision to pull back from a number of international organisations and agreements.

Following his inauguration on 20 January 2025, President Trump signed a large number of executive orders setting the priorities of the new US administration, including the country’s withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation. Alongside Commission representatives, MEPs will discuss the impact of these decisions internationally and on the EU’s future involvement in these global initiatives.

Background

This is the second time the US has initiated the process of withdrawing from both the WHO and Paris Agreement.

During the first Trump administration (2017-2021), the US gave formal notice of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in November 2019 (which then took 12 months to take effect). Shortly after taking office, President Biden revoked the decision, with the US formally rejoining the agreement in February 2021. President Trump also started the withdrawal process from the WHO in 2020, but it was never finalised and the decision was reversed by the Biden administration.

Debate on the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, WHO and USaid

MEPs examine the Kremlin’s continued repression of Russia’s political opposition a year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. Mr Navalny, one of Russia’s most well-known anti-corruption activists, an opposition politician, and an ardent critic of Vladimir Putin, died under mysterious circumstances in a remote penal colony in the Russian Arctic on 16 February 2024, while serving a long prison sentence on trumped-up charges. After his death, the European Parliament adopted a resolution holding the Russian state, and President Putin in particular, responsible for his death.

Debate on the one year after the murder of Alexei Navalny and the continued repression of the democratic opposition in Russia

Ursula von der Leyen presents the Commission’s 2025 work programme, outlining its key policy actions and legislative initiatives planned for this year.

Debate on the Commission’s 2025 work programme with Ursula von der Leyen

MEPs assess the impact of three years of Russia’s war against Ukraine and its repression of dissent following Alexei Navalny’s murder.

In a debate on Tuesday morning, with representatives of the European Commission and the Council, MEPs will mark three years since Moscow launched its brutal military invasion of Ukraine. A resolution will be put to a vote during the March plenary session.

In a resolution adopted in January 2025, Parliament reiterated its firm support for Kyiv, called on Russia to immediately terminate all military activities, and withdraw from Ukraine. MEPs also called on the EU to expand its sanctions against Russian media outlets conducting disinformation and information manipulation campaigns justifying the Kremlin’s war of aggression.

In a separate debate on Wednesday morning, MEPs will examine the Kremlin’s continued repression of Russia’s political opposition a year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. Mr Navalny, one of Russia’s most well-known anti-corruption activists, an opposition politician, and an ardent critic of Vladimir Putin, died under mysterious circumstances in a remote penal colony in the Russian Arctic on 16 February 2024, while serving a long prison sentence on trumped-up charges. After his death, the European Parliament adopted a resolution holding the Russian state, and President Putin in particular, responsible for his death.

On Wednesday afternoon, Parliament will debate the need for targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission.

Debate on the continuing unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s war of aggression

Visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Meeting at KPMG Malta

EU – Kyrgyzstan Parlamentary Cooperation Committee

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

FISC - Exchange of Views with Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra on Key Priorities in the Taxation Area

Former Members Association Management Committee meeting

Exchange of views on the Working Group’s Recommendation on “the selection procedure and appointment of the PA UfM Secretary-General and the Accountant”

FISC - Exchange of Views with Laura Kövesi, European Chief Prosecutor, and Yannic Hulot, Chair of Eurofisc, on ' The Role of the EPPO and Eurofisc in Tackling VAT Fraud in the EU '

Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula DKOR meeting

LIBE Committee - Presentation of the Polish Presidency of the Council

EMPL - Opening trilogue on Amending Directive 2009/38/EC as regards the establishment and functioning of European Works Councils and the effective enforcement of transnational information and consultation rights

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, visits KPMG Malta, which is part of a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. This news item shows extracts from the arrival of President Metsola, the meeting and KPMG Malta event.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President visit to Malta: extracts from the meeting at KPMG Malta

This infoclip contains footage to illustrate the EU-MERCOSUR Trade relations. In particular, it contains shots showing capital cities of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as well as European products (mainly food and drinks) in supermarkets.

Infoclip: EU-MERCOSUR Trade relations

As a sign of European solidarity and out of respect for the victims of the attack at the education centre in Örebro, Sweden, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has decided that the European and Swedish flags should be flown at half-mast in front of all the Parliament buildings and in the EPLO in Stockholm, from 05 February at 12:00 p.m. until 06 February at 08:00 a.m.

European and Swedish flags at half-mast in front of EP buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg as sign of solidarity for the victims of the attack at the education centre in Örebro, Sweden

Keynote speech by Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament at the EU Foreign Policy that Delivers Ambassadors Conference. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EU Foreign Policy that Delivers Ambassadors Conference

This news item shows atmosphere shots of the first constitutive meeting of the European Parliament's Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS). MEPs elected its chair Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), her vice-chairs and launched officially its political mandate, which will include as main goal the monitoring of the so-called “Democracy Shield” initiative, included in the Commission’s 2024-2029 political guidelines, and other initiatives designed to counter malicious interference in democratic processes.

Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS): atmosphere shots of the constitutive meeting and statement by Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), newly elected Chair of EUDS Special Committee

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, gives a statement ahead of Informal EU leaders' retreat in Brussels. EU leaders discuss European defence during an informal meeting at the Palais d’Egmont with the Secretary-General of NATO, Mark Rutte, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Arrival doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament

EP President Roberta METSOLA participates in the Informal EU Leaders' retreat at the Egmont Palace in Brussels.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, participates in the Informal EU Leaders' retreat: arrival, doorstep and round table

Roberta METSOLA, EP President participates in the 'Beyond Conference: Our Role in Shaping the Future' (Luxembourg).

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, participates in the 'Beyond Conference: Our Role in Shaping the Future' (Luxembourg): extracts from the event

The New Special Parliamentary Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, comprising 33 members, holds its constitutive meeting to elect their Chairs and Vice-Chairs and launch their activities. This news item shows extracts from the constitutive meeting, the election of the Chair and the statement hold by Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), newly elected Chair of HOUS Special Committee.

Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (HOUS): atmosphere shots of the constitutive meeting and statement by Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), newly elected Chair of HOUS Special Committee

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