EU leaders meet&nbsp;for a European Council summit on 23-24 March 2023. The main items on the agenda are the ongoing war in Ukraine, the competitive of the European single market and the economy, as well as energy prices and logistics.

In a debate with Presidents Michel and von der Leyen, MEPs&nbsp;outlined their expectations for the 23-24 March European Council.

President of the European Council Charles Michel acknowledged Ukraine’s urgent need for more weapons and ammunition and confirmed that EU leaders will work on a proposal by High Representative Borrell to offer Kyiv assistance.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported back from her meeting with US President Joe Biden, saying there is “a striking symmetry between the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the European Green Deal,” since both aim to fight climate change and boost investment and growth.

European Council, 23-24 March 2023

Have a look at the 2021 and 2022&nbsp;stockshots with illustrative pre-edited broadcast quality video footage. These editable stockshots are clean (raw), with natural sound (no voice-over), produced to illustrate priority EU dossiers and parliamentary work. They are intended to help audiovisual media produce their own programs, for example, editing of news reports or documentaries.

Infoclips - Illustrative footage

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.

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

Faced with a growing international terrorist threat, the European Union (EU) is playing an ever more ambitious role in counter-terrorism.&nbsp;Even though primary responsibility for combating crime and ensuring security lies with the Member States, the EU provides cooperation, coordination and (to some extent) harmonisation tools, as well as financial support, to address this borderless phenomenon.

EU spending in the area of counter-terrorism has increased over the years and is set to grow in the future, to allow for better cooperation between national law enforcement authorities and enhanced support by the EU bodies in charge of security, such as Europol and eu-LISA.

The action plan to reinforce the fight against the financing of terrorism focuses on two main strands of action: tracing terrorists through financial movements and preventing them from moving funds or other assets and disrupting the sources of revenue used by terrorist organisations, by targeting their capacity to raise funds.

In April the European Parliament adopted a new regulation that will target content such as texts, images, sound recordings or videos, including live transmissions, that incite, solicit or contribute to terrorist offences, provide instructions for such offences or solicit people to participate in a terrorist group. It will also cover material that provides guidance on how to make and use explosives, firearms and other weapons for terrorist purposes.

Hosting service providers will have to remove or disable access to flagged terrorist content in all member states within one hour of receiving a removal order from the competent authority. Member states will adopt rules on penalties, the degree of which will take into account the nature of the breach and the size of company responsible.

Fight against terrorism

The Banking Union (BU) was created as a response to the financial crisis and is an essential complement to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the internal market, which aligns responsibility for supervision, resolution and funding at EU level and forces banks across the euro area to abide by the same rules. In particular, these rules ensure that banks take measured risks and that failing banks can be resolved in an orderly manner, with as little impact as possible on the real economy and public finances of the participating EU countries.

The Banking Union&nbsp;currently has two elements, the&nbsp;Single Supervisory Mechanism&nbsp;(SSM) and the&nbsp;Single Resolution Mechanism&nbsp;(SRM). The SSM supervises the largest and most important banks in the euro area directly at European level, while the purpose of the SRM is to resolve failing banks in an orderly manner with minimal costs for taxpayers and for the real economy.

The EP is currently following the recent developments on the EU and US markets with&nbsp;the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank and the implications for financial stability in Europe or the UBS’s rescue of the Bank Credit Suisse in Switzerland.

Banking sector

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. Therefore, on 11 December 2019 the Commission presented a communication on a European Green Deal that sets out a detailed vision to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, safeguard biodiversity, establish a circular economy and eliminate pollution, while boosting the competitiveness of European industry and ensuring a just transition for the regions and workers affected.

Parliament has played an important role in pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation and declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019.&nbsp;

The European Climate Law writes&nbsp;into law the goal to become climate neutral by 2050 and attain the intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels).&nbsp;After 2050 the EU will aim for negative emissions.

On 14 July 2021 the European Commission presented its “Fit for 55 in 2030” package-the legislative tool to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate law.&nbsp;

On March 2023, Parliament adopted draft measures to the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The proposals&nbsp;&nbsp;aim to substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector by 2030, and make it climate neutral by 2050. They also aim to increase the rate of renovations of energy-inefficient buildings and improve information-sharing on energy performance.

European Green Deal

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

On 24 February 2022,&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;began a&nbsp;military invasion&nbsp;of Ukraine, in a major escalation of the conflict that had begun in 2014. Shortly before, on 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.&nbsp;

Since then, the EU and its international allies have rallied firmly behind the Kyiv government. This support has resulted in unprecedented levels of financial aid, assistance, weapons deliveries to Ukraine, sweeping sanctions against Moscow, and the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.

On 1&nbsp;March&nbsp;the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels to assess Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&nbsp;and the Speaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Ruslan Stefanchuk spoke live from Kiev.&nbsp;The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was in Kyiv on 1 April&nbsp;to express the European Union´s support of&nbsp;the Ukrainian people and to condemn the Russian attack. On&nbsp;8 June&nbsp;Stefanchuk adressed Parliament in the Strasbourg hemicycle.

Following the atrocities carried out by Vladimir Putin’s regime against Ukrainian civilians, the European Parliament has&nbsp;recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in a resolution on November 2022.

On 9th February 2023, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy&nbsp;addressed the European Parliament during an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels.

Russian aggression against Ukraine

Kofi ANNAN was a former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winner. In 2003, the United Nations staff and Secretary General Kofi Annan were honoured with the Sakharov Prize.

Kofi Annan

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, comes to Parliament on 13 September to review the year and announce new initiatives in a debate with MEPs.

The State of the European Union debate - SOTEU - is an annual event that kicks off the new political season after the summer break. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, addresses Parliament to give an account of what the Commission has done in the past 12 months and also announce its plans for the coming year. The speech and the discussion with MEPs that follows provide an opportunity to reflect on the challenges facing Europe, including Brexit negotiations, security concerns and prospects for a closer economic union.

State of the Union 2017

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, comes to Parliament on 14 September to review the year and announce new initiatives in a debate with MEPs.

The State of the European Union - SOTEU - is an annual speech and debate during which MEPs review what the European Commission has done over the past year as well as to assess its objectives for the year to come.

State of the Union 2016

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, delivers his State of the Union Address on 9 September 2015.

It is his first State of the European Union speech since Parliament elected him to the post following the EU elections in May 2014.

State of the Union 2015

A propososal for a regulation adopted by the Commission on 19 December 2017 aims to strenghten controls by nationals market surveillance and customs authorities to ensure that products are safe and comply with the Union rules.

The legislation covers a large proportion of products marketed in the EU in more than 20 industrial sectors, including electro-technical products, machinery, radio/telecoms equipment, toys, medical devices, construction products and high speed rail systems.

The package consists of two regulations and a decision designed to remove barriers to the free movement of goods while improving consumer safety.

Goods package and safer products

José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, presents his flagship plans to Parliament in his annual State of the Union speech on 12 September.

He outlines how the Commission envisages fighting the economic crisis by boosting growth, reducing unemployment and winning democratic support. A banking union, revamping the single market, and ideas for treaty changes are expected to feature prominently in this strategy.

State of the Union 2012

José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, delivers his State of the Union Address to the European Parliament on 28 September.

He sets out the European Commission's strategic priorities in his annual State of the Union address to Parliament, which is followed by a debate in which MEPs set out their thoughts on and requests for the future work of the Union.

State of the Union 2011

José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, delivers his first State of the Union Address to the European Parliament.

The State of the Union is an annual speech and debate during which the members of Parliament review the European Commission’s achievements over the past year as well as assess its objectives for the year to come.

State of the Union 2010

Alexis TSÍPRAS, Greek Prime Minister, visited the European Parliament (EP) in Strabourg on 8 July 2015. He participated at the debate on the conclusions of the European Council (25 - 26 June 2015) and the euro summit on 7 July including the current situation in Greece.

Greece and the best way to resolve the ongoing crisis were hotly debated in plenary on 8 July in the presence of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. While some MEPs criticised him for his lack of concrete proposals, others praised him while some urged him to take his country out of the eurozone. The debate also took into account the conclusions of the recent European Council on 25-26 June and the euro summit on 7 July.

Debate on situation in Greece with Alexis TSIPRAS at the European Parliamen

Greece’s economy returned to growth in 2017, expanding by 1.4%, driven by a surge in investment and accumulation in inventories, on the back of improving economic sentiment.

According to the Spring 2018 Commission (COM) forecast, real GDP growth is to accelerate to 1.8% in 2018 and 2.3% in 2019.

The Eurogroup of 22 June 2018 stated that the Greek authorities have completed all the agreed prior actions of the final review of the ESM (European Semester Spring) programme.

The Eurogroup has agreed on a debt relief package to safeguard Greece’s debt sustainability, expressed in terms of Gross Financing Needs.

Economic situation in Greece

Bosnia and Herzegovina - along with other Western Balkans countries – was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in June 2003.

Since then, a number of agreements between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina have entered into force - visa facilitation and readmission agreements (2008), Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related issues (2008). The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) has been ratified and entered into force on 1 June 2015.

Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in February 2016.&nbsp;The European Council granted the&nbsp;candidate status to the country on December 2022.

EU - Bosnia and Herzegovina

The European Union’s relations with South Africa focus mainly on respect for human rights, freedom, equality, justice, democracy and the rule of law.

A range of dialogues between the EU and South Africa allow us to share experiences in areas of common interest, or where we face common challenges. In addition to the areas of cooperation mentioned in the following sections, the following are also covered by these dialogues: Peace and Security, Human Rights, Good Governance, Migration, Social Cohesion, Energy, Innovation.

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