At a glance: the EU continues its diplomatic efforts concerning the situation in the Middle East; ECB President Christine Lagarde meets with Parliament’s Committee of the Economic and Monetary Affairs for the second monetary dialogue; and new rules to better protect travellers purchasing package holidays.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 25/06/2025 - Gaeilge

At a glance: Parliament’s Committees are hosting several hearings this week; the Committee on Employment will focus on the new EU anti-poverty strategy; the Committee on Development will examine the draft report on humanitarian aid; and the Committee on International Trade hold a public hearing on the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 21/06/2025 - Gaeilge

De réir na Gníomhaireachta Eorpaí Comhshaoil, in 2022, bhí tionchar ag ganntanas uisce ar 34% de dhaonra an Aontais agus ar 40% dá thalamh.
Tá deisceart na hEorpa: an Chipir, an Ghréig, an Iodáil, Málta, an Phortaingéil agus an Spáinn buailte go dona ag ganntanas uisce, ach tá an ghéarchéim ag leathadh ó thuaidh, ag dul i bhfeidhm ar limistéar a measadh roimhe seo go raibh slándáil uisce ann. San Eoraip, is fadhb mhór cheana féin é an strusuisce, agus meastar go ndéanfaidh an t-athrú aeráide an scéal níos measa amach anseo. Sid é an fáth a bhfuil an tAontas ag iarraidh don dúshlán seo a réiteach.

Ó ghanntanas go slándáil: conas a oibríonn an tAontas ar son todhchaí athléimneach ó thaobh uisce de

At a glance: in Strasbourg, MEPs vote to extend EU post-pandemic recovery funding beyond 2026; a resolution on the Clean Industrial Deal; and the EU’s first-ever rules on the welfare of cats and dogs.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 20/06/2025 - Gaeilge

At a glance:  during the plenary session, MEPs outlined their expectations for the upcoming NATO summit; King Abdullah II of Jordan addressed the European Parliament; MEPs agreed to update the EU-Ukraine road transport agreement.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 19/06/2025 - Gaeilge

At a glance: the update to EU legislation on child sexual abuse crimes; the Schengen Agreement’s 40th anniversary; and the agreement on suspending short-stay visa-free travel.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 18/06/2025 - Gaeilge

At a glance: MEPs are set to lay out their expectations for next week’s NATO summit; freedom of assembly in Hungary and the rule of law in Spain are also on the plenary agenda.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 17/06/2025 - Gaeilge

Sracfhéachaint: cuirtear tús leis an suí iomlánach in Strasbourg inniu. Pléifidh na Feisirí an Comhshocrú Eorpach nua um an Aigéan; tá an Pharlaimint chun síneadh a chur leis an gcomhaontú idir an tAontas agus an Úcráin faoi chúrsaí iompar ar bhóithre; beidh plé ag na Feisirí leis an gComhairle agus an Coimisiún faoi athbhreithniú ar an gcomhaontú idir an tAontas Eorpach agus Iosrael.

Blúiríní Nuachta – 16/06/2025 - Gaeilge

On Wednesday 10 July, the Committe on Development (DEVE) met for the first time in its new composition and elected as its Chair Swedish MEP Tomas TOBÉ (EPP). The Committee also elected four Vice Chairs: Pierrette HERZBERGER-FOFANA (Greens/EFA), Norbert NEUSER (S&amp;D), Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU (Renew Europe), Erik MARQUARDT (Greens/EFA). The next meeting of the Committee will take place in the morning of 24 July and is set to discuss the state of play of development cooperation, the 2020 budget and the future partnership with ACP countries. The Finish EU Council Presidency will set out its priorities, in particular in humanitarian aid.

DEVE - Committee on Development

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

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.

INTA - Committee on International Trade

European Council, 26-27 June 2025: Provisional agenda: 

1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Ukraine
3. Middle East
4. European defence and security
5. EU in the world
6. Competitiveness
7. Migration

European Council meeting: 26-27 June 2025

Development/Bill Gates. The Development Committee hosts Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, to discuss development assistance and innovation as key drivers for improving health and living standards in the Global South.

DEVE: Exchange of views with Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation

The Transport and Tourism Committee adopts its positions on two draft bills on passenger rights. Among the different provisions, MEPs will vote on travellers’ rights in the case of disruptions, including when a journey involves different modes of transport, a common form of compensation, the dimensions of free hand luggage, and the protection of persons with disabilities

TRAN: VOTE on two draft bills on Passenger rights

Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee quiz Christine Lagarde, European Central Bank President, during their quarterly meeting with her. MEPs ask about the economic ramifications of recent international developments as well as about the ECB's general monetary policy stance. They have also chosen the topic of crypto assets as a key topic to delve into more deeply

Monetary Dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, ECB President

DEVE Extraordinary meeting - Exchange of views with Bill GATES, Chair of the Gates Foundation

The widespread use of military drones spans reconnaissance, strikes, logistics and naval operations, with both state and non-state players increasingly relying on unmanned systems. The European Union (EU) has prioritised drone development and countermeasures, funding and coordinating research and capability development through the European Defence Fund and Permanent Structured Cooperation. The EU is also fostering synergies between the civilian and the defence sectors, addressing strategic dependencies and collaborating with NATO. Meanwhile, drone regulation remains fragmented: civilian drones are subject to comprehensive EU rules, while military drone use falls under international law. The European Parliament has called for transparency, adherence to international law and a ban on LAWS, while supporting defence innovation and proposing an EU drone package to stimulate joint procurement and industry participation.

Most common drone uses

Enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is under way. The European Commission has launched formal proceedings against three major providers of core platform services. The Commission's preliminary findings suggest breaches of EU rules. To date, two of these preliminary findings have been confirmed, resulting in non-compliance decisions and fines for the companies in April 2025.

Digital Markets Act enforcement: Gatekeeper designation

Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems and ultimately, of our planet. Nearly 90 % of the world's wild flowering plant species depend on pollination, along with more than 75 % of the world's food crops and 35 % of global agricultural land. Without pollination, many interconnected species and processes functioning within the ecosystem would collapse.

Bees and pollinators

EU competence does not extend to recognition of marital or family status. In this area, national regulations vary, with some Member States offering same-sex couples the right to marry, some allowing alternative forms of registration, and others not providing any legal status for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples may or may not have the right to adopt children and to access assisted reproduction. Combating discrimination has become part of EU internal and external policies, and is the subject of numerous resolutions of the European Parliament.

Same sex unions and adoption rights

Russia's war on Ukraine has been a wake-up call for many EU Member States' defence budgets. Rising from €218 billion in 2021 to €326 billion in 2024, a further increase of at least €100 billion is projected by 2027. Despite these significant increases, most experts note that current geopolitical developments will require much more.

EU Member State defence expenditure

For the European Union to compete globally while continuing to ensure progress in environmental, social and fundamental rights, more strategic and collective action is imperative. EU businesses could harness the full potential of the single market and economic and monetary union and challenge competitors in fast-growing and future-oriented economic activities such as digital and clean energy production. This study finds that, compared to a situation where Member States act alone, a coordinated approach at EU level could bring an additional 0.9 % of GDP in 2035. A more ambitious integrated approach could be even more positive, with a benefit estimated at 2.6 % of additional GDP in 2035.

Cost of non-Europe in strategic innovation

Poverty has many dimensions. Following recent crises, not least the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, some of poverty's known dimensions have evolved while new forms have emerged. Addressing poverty remains mainly the responsibility of EU countries' governments acting in complex national social settings. The EU meanwhile seeks to coordinate Member States' efforts and offers support in the form of funding and data. The new European Commission is stepping up efforts to meet the EU's poverty reduction targets.

EU action against poverty

Rare diseases, though seldom recognised and frequently misdiagnosed, affect approximately 36 million people in the EU. Despite their significant collective prevalence, patients with rare diseases are often overlooked by healthcare systems, facing challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and access to advances in research. Researchers are increasingly using networks to share their findings and make better progress, giving new hope to patients.

Rare Diseases: Advances in research give patients new hope

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

Euroscola

Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Extraordinary meeting 107th High-level Rose-Roth Seminar co-organised by the EP (DNAT/SEDE) and the NATO PA

DNAT

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Bill GATES, Chairman of the Gates Foundation

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives the De Sanctis Europa Award

European Science Media Hub (ESMH) Summer School 2025

Press travel for French speaking podcasts creators

INTA committee meeting - Public hearing on the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

BUDG - Public hearing on Management and preparedness to extreme weather events and natural disasters in the EU budget

TRAN - Exchange of views with Mr Axel Krein, Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking

Sakharov Fellowship

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, receives the De Sanctis Europa award during a ceremony at the Embassy of Italy in Brussels. This news item shows extracts from the De Sanctis Europa Award ceremony, extracts from the speech of President Metsola and atmophere shots in the presence of President Christine Lagarde, Commissioner Raffaele Fitto, and the Former Belgium King Albert II and Former Queen Paola. Organised by the De Sanctis Foundation in collaboration with the Italian Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium and the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels, the prize is awarded each year to European excellence in the artistic, humanistic and scientific fields.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President receives the De Sanctis Europa Award: extracts from the ceremony

Space holds promise for both economic prosperity and the attainment of strategic goals. The EU's future role in space is contingent on fast-changing geopolitical dynamics, which can range from peaceful cooperation to heightened competition or conflict among global powers. Given the importance of this subject, the European Commission has announced plans to propose an EU space act in the second quarter of 2025. This paper aims to describe the geopolitical context of space activities that affect the EU's current and future capabilities, with a specific focus on the use of space for security and defence and the response to space-related risks. Four distinct future scenarios present contextual conditions that may shape the EU's ambitions in space. The scenarios also highlight challenges and opportunities, while considering policy considerations for EU action.

EPRS - EU capabilities in space: Scenarios for space security by 2050

The Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) votes on the draft reports of two proposals of the Passengers Rights Package: the enforcement/omnibus proposal and passenger rights in the context of Multimodal journeys. Both proposals aim to improve the experience of passengers and travellers by strengthening their rights. The enforcement/omnibus proposal, aims at strengthening the enforcement mechanisms and introduces rules for air passengers who have booked their flights through an intermediary, including on reimbursement. Extracts from the vote and statements by Matteo RICCI (S&D, IT), Andrey NOVAKOV (EPP, BG), and by Jens GIESEKE (EPP, DE), Rapporteurs.

EU Passenger rights rules: extracts from the vote and statements by Matteo RICCI (S&D, IT), Andrey NOVAKOV (EPP, BG), and by Jens GIESEKE (EPP, DE), Rapporteurs

During her official visit to Abu Dhabi, Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, held a high-level bilateral meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. The meeting was part of a broader diplomatic mission aimed at deepening ties between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, and enhancing the European Parliament’s engagement with key partners in the Gulf region.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Abu Dhabi (UAE) : extracts from the meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Sandro GOZI (Renew, FR), and Tiemo WÖLKEN (S&D, DE), hold a press conference on the reaction to the cancellation of the last trilogue on green claims directive, as co-rapporteurs. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Sandro GOZI (Renew, FR), and Tiemo WÖLKEN (S&D, DE), co-rapporteurs, on the reaction to the cancellation of the last trilogue on green claims directive

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) holds this year’s second monetary dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank (ECB). At this occasion, the ECON Committee and the ECB President discuss the quarterly assessment of the ECB's monetary policy. Aurore LALUCQ (S&D, FR), ECON Committee Chair, and Christine LAGARDE, make the opening statements. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Monetary dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, President of the ECB: opening statements by Aurore LALUCQ (S&D, FR), ECON Committee Chair, and Christine LAGARDE

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) holds this year’s second monetary dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank (ECB). At this occasion, the ECON Committee and the ECB President discuss the quarterly assessment of the ECB's monetary policy. Extracts

Monetary dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, President of the ECB: extracts

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, is paying an official visit to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, where she will participate in a high-level interparliamentary meeting with the Speakers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. The Gulf Cooperation Council is a regional political and economic union comprising six countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to Abu Dhabi: meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council Speakers

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, pays an official visit to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates where she addresses the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates): address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Federal National Council

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