Platform work is an umbrella concept covering a heterogeneous group of economic activities completed through a digital platform. As platform workers' rights are not enshrined in EU labour law, this increasingly leads to problems related to various aspects of their work and human development. To remedy this situation, the European Commission has proposed a directive aimed at improving the working conditions of platform workers, clarifying their employment status, and supporting the sustainable growth of digital labour platforms in the EU.

EPRS policy podcast - Improving the working conditions of platform workers

For two decades, the EU has sought to modernise its preferential trade relationship with the sub-Saharan African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and establish free trade areas with regional groupings under so-called economic partnership agreements (EPAs). These are free trade agreements that allow ACP countries to continue exporting their products to the EU duty free and quota free, while ensuring full compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. EU goods should also benefit gradually from full liberalisation, though with numerous exceptions related to goods ACP countries wish to protect from external competition, particularly agricultural products.

EPRS policy podcast - EU economic partnership agreements with ACP countries: Which way forward?

At least 80 % of European citizens should have the possibility to use a digital identity to access key public services by 2030 and to do so across EU borders. The updated European digital identity framework would also allow citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online (via their European digital identity wallet) without having to resort to commercial providers, a practice that raises trust, security and privacy concerns.

EPRS policy podcast - Updating the European digital identity framework

Quantum technologies could be a game changer in the digital transformation of healthcare. By enabling much faster and more complex data analysis, they could open the door to accelerated discovery and development of novel therapeutics, improved diagnostics and treatments including for rare and complex diseases, true personalised medicine, and better data-driven health policy planning.

EPRS Science and Technology podcast - What if quantum technologies revolutionised healthcare?

Antimicrobial-resistant infections are predicted to become the second biggest cause of death worldwide by 2050. Despite increasing investment in the development of new antimicrobials, awareness campaigns on antimicrobial misuse and abuse, and monitoring of antimicrobial use and resistance in animals, humans and the environment, antimicrobial resistance continues to grow and the last three decades have not seen even one novel antimicrobial class reach the market. Could the answer lie in a 'Trojan horse' strategy to disrupt a natural physiological process common to all bacteria?

EPRS STOA podcast - What if a 'Trojan horse' strategy could help address antimicrobial resistance?

The European Commission proposed to expand the scope of the existing EU rules on the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS) in road transport to cover new and emerging challenges and to make essential ITS services mandatory across the EU. The proposal seeks to resolve problems stemming from the lack of interoperability and continuity of the existing applications and services, but also from the low level of availability and sharing of the data supporting ITS services. Finally, it aims to ensure effective concertation and cooperation among stakeholders.

EPRS policy podcast - Intelligent road transport systems

The European Commission outlined various approaches to capture and store or isolate carbon dioxide emissions, or capture already released carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere to reduce the concentration and thereby its warming effect. Various solutions, both technology- and nature-based, are being brought forward to this end. A key challenge will be to ensure permanence of carbon dioxide removals, whether in underground geological storage or through actively managed natural processes, such as carbon farming and management practices in the land use, land-use change and forestry sectors.

EPRS policy podcast - Sustainable carbon cycles: Promoting removal, storage and recycling

The proposed EU data act lays down harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data. The aim is to remove barriers before consumers and businesses' access to data in a context in which the volume of data generated by humans and machines is increasing exponentially and becoming a critical factor for innovation by businesses (e.g. algorithm training) and by public authorities (e.g. shaping of smart cities).

EPRS policy podcast - The Data act

The European Union's outermost regions (ORs) qualify for special treatment owing to structural difficulties – such as remoteness, difficult topography and economic dependence on a few products – that can severely hamper their development. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has hit their economies particularly hard. While these regions are quite different from one another, they have levels of unemployment and GDP significantly worse than EU and national averages. Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides for specific measures to support the ORs, including the tailored application of EU law and access to EU programmes.

EPRS policy podcast - Outermost regions of the EU

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

The media situation in Belarus has never been easy. Over the years various laws have lessened the rights of independent journalists and imposed limits on both traditional and electronic media. Following the August 2020 presidential election, which ignited a brutal crackdown against the democratic opposition, the situation has worsened. The European Union, and the European Parliament in particular, actively support independent media and civil society in Belarus, and the Council of the EU and the Parliament both address the challenges to media freedom in the country. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely. Dig deeper into the Belarusian media environment in and what the EU does to support press freedom on our blog: https://epthinktank.eu/2022/02/11/media-environment-in-belarus/

EPRS - Media environment in Belarus

Russia’s war on Ukraine has brought geopolitics, security and defence back to the fore of global conversations. And just like all actors around the world, the European Union is also reflecting on the future of its security and defence policy. Launched in 2020, developing the Strategic Compass entails a complex strategic reflection, threat analysis and strategic dialogue among Member States. It started with unprecedented exercise: a joint threat assessment by the 27 EU Member States. A process aimed at bringing clarity, guidance and incentives to completing the common security and defence policy, the Strategic Compass is a first for the European Union. It aims to set a strategic vision of the entirety of European security and defence policy and the way it will look in the 2030... Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - A Strategic Compass for the EU

As part of the 'Fit for 55' package, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal to review the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). The aim of the review is to align the EU ETS Directive with the EU target set out in the European Climate Law to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55 % by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. To this end, the amount of emission allowances would be reduced, fewer allowances would be allocated for free, and the ETS would be extended to maritime transport. This would reduce emissions in the ETS sectors by 61 % by 2030, compared to 2005. A separate new emissions trading system would be established for fuel distribution for road transport and buildings. The Innovation Fund and the Modernisation Fund would be enlarged, and Member States would be obliged to spend all of their ETS revenues on climate action. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Review of the EU ETS

33 000 people die in Europe every year from untreated infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This number could increase tenfold by 2050. By then, antibiotic resistance will surpass cancer as the second biggest cause of death worldwide. Without working antibiotics, we could return to a “pre-antibiotic era”, where infections from surgeries or cancer treatments, and even simple infections would no longer be possible to treat.Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics when we use the wrong antibiotic or abuse antibiotics to treat an infection. We can acquire antibiotic-resistant bacteria from eating meat from animals treated with antibiotics or by being exposed to contaminated water. Antibiotic resistance also impacts livestock, agriculture and food production, causing a serious economic burden that costs the EU €1.5 billion per year... Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Fighting antibiotic resistance

According to a 2017 Eurobarometer survey, seven out of ten Europeans – women and men – think that women earn less that men (69 %). Nine out of ten Europeans think that it is unacceptable that women are paid less than men for the same work or work of equal value (90 %). European workers agree with pay transparency: more than two-thirds of them have said they are in favour of the publication of average wages by job type and gender at their company (64 %)... Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Equal pay for equal work between men and women

On 14 July 2021 the European Commission adopted the 'fit for 55' package, a set of legislative proposals to meet the new EU objective of a minimum 55% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. The fit for 55 package is part of the Commission's European Green Deal, which aims to set the EU firmly on the path towards net zero GHG emissions (climate neutrality) by 2050. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

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Vidéos (72)

EPRS - Media environment in Belarus

EPRS - A Strategic Compass for the EU

EPRS - Review of the EU ETS

EPRS - Fighting antibiotic resistance

EPRS - Equal pay for equal work between men and women

EPRS - Social climate fund

Images (122)

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

EPRS Report Presentation : Secularism in the balance - The Freedom of Thought Report 2022

Audios (119)

EPRS policy podcast - Improving the working conditions of platform workers

EPRS policy podcast - EU economic partnership agreements with ACP countries: Which way forward?

EPRS policy podcast - Updating the European digital identity framework

EPRS Science and Technology podcast - What if quantum technologies revolutionised healthcare?

EPRS STOA podcast - What if a 'Trojan horse' strategy could help address antimicrobial resistance?

EPRS policy podcast - Intelligent road transport systems

EPRS policy podcast - Sustainable carbon cycles: Promoting removal, storage and recycling

EPRS policy podcast - The Data act

EPRS policy podcast - Outermost regions of the EU