The Eurovision debate between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency takes place on Thursday 23 May from 15.00-16.45 in Parliament’s plenary chamber in Brussels.

Eurovision debate between lead candidates for the Commission presidency

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visits Ukraine on 9 May 2024, on the occasion of Europe Day. The aim of her visit is to show the European Parliament’s continued support and commitment to Ukraine and its European path. During her visit, President Metsola meets with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addresses the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and meets its Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, as well as meets and discusses with young Ukrainians. Presidents Zelenskyy and Metsola speak to the press present after their meeting.

Visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President in Kyiv (Ukraine) for Europe Day

On 8 and 9 May, landmark buildings across the EU will be illuminated to mark Europe Day and “one month to go” to the last day before voting.

European Elections 2024 - One Month to Go, illumination of landmark buildings across the EU

Elections campaign/”One month to go”. On 8 and 9 May, landmark buildings across the EU will be illuminated to mark Europe Day and “one month to go” to the last day of voting.

Europe Day commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. This was an ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union. In 2024, Europe Day takes on even greater significance as it comes exactly one month ahead EE2024. The EU institutions propose a wide range of activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Europe Day 2024 - Event in Brussels

Europe Day commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. This was an ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union.  

In 2024, Europe Day takes on even greater significance as it comes exactly one month ahead EE2024. The EU institutions propose a wide range of activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Europe Day 2024 - Brussels

Briefing for media on the 2024 European Elections. Parliament’s Press Service will organise a briefing for media on the practical details for covering the elections. It will cover Parliament’s main legislative achievements during its ninth term, as well as unfinished business to be dealt with by the new Parliament. Media will also be provided with practical information on the three key events in the run-up to the elections: One month to go (9 May); Eurovision debate with the lead candidates for the EU Commission Presidency (23 May); and Election night (9 June). (Monday 29 April, from 10.00-11.00).

Briefing for media on the 2024 European Elections

Europe Day 2024 - Strasbourg

MEPs discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, the need for de-escalation and for an EU response and vote on a resolution on Thursday.

EP President Roberta Metsola described Iran’s direct drone and missile attack on Israel on 20 and 21 April as a major escalation in the region and warned it risks igniting further chaos across the Middle East.

Plenary debate- Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel

EP President Roberta Metsola, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former EP President Pat Cox, and former Commission President Romano Prodi participates in a formal sitting of Parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement round along with representatives from the ten countries, that joined the EU 20 years ago.

During the ceremony, the guests answer questions from a group of young people born on or around 1 May 2004 from the new member states, who are invited to attend the sitting.

Formal sitting commemorating the 20th anniversary of the EU's biggest enlargement

EP Plenary- Voting session

Press conference by Lara WOLTERS rapporteur on the first EU due diligence rules for companies

Press conference on first EU due dilligence rules for companies

Press conference by Elisabetta GUALMINI, rapporteur on the Platform Work Directive.

Press conference on Platform work directive

MEPs evaluate the results of the most recent European Council meetings, including the Special European Council of 17-18 April 2024.

Plenary debate- Outcome of European Council meeting

Following a final plenary vote, rapporteurs Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D, PT) and Samira Rafaela (Renew, NL) discuss new rules banning products made with force labour.

Press conference on Forced labour regulation

Following the final vote on the new rules promoting the right to repair for consumers, rapporteur René Repasi briefs media on its scope and answer questions.

Press conference on the right to repair

In a plenary debate, MEPs discuss the EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza.

In March, Parliament adopted a resolution warning about the desperate food insecurity and impending starvation in Gaza. MEPs deplored the catastrophic impact of attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries and civilians in Gaza, particularly on children, urged all parties to immediately cease these attacks, and demanded an independent international investigation.

More than 33 000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October 2023 as part of Israel’s response to the attack during which Hamas militants killed some 1 200 people, mainly civilians, in southern Israel and kidnapped around 250 others.

Plenary debate -   EU’s response to the continuous killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip

Parliament’s Spokesperson will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 17.00

Last minute briefing

MEPs debate on Monday evening and vote on Tuesday on the provisional agreement reached with member states on the so-called “right to repair” for consumers, which aims to promote the repair of goods within and beyond the legal guarantee period. Beyond the legal guarantee, consumers will have a new right to claim repair for products that are technically repairable under EU law (e.g. washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and smartphones). To encourage repair and to revitalise the EU repair market, the rules put in place a European online platform to find local repair shops or sellers of refurbished goods. They also allow access to spare parts, tools, and maintenance information, and ban the use of hardware and software practices that obstruct repairs.

Plenary debate on Right to Repair

President Metsola meets the President of the Assembleia da República of Portugal, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco? the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luís Montenegro and they hold a press conference. President Metsola also meets the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal

Political groups prepare for the 22-25 April plenary, the last session of this legislature. 
MEPs hold debates and final votes on, among other things, the right to repair, prohibiting products made with force labour, fighting violence against women, new “ecodesign” rules, combating trafficking in human beings and protecting victims, a new EU Ethics Body, economic governance, establishing the European Disability Card, and on anti-money laundering. 
They hold final votes on packaging and packaging waste, working conditions for platform workers, due diligence rules for companies, ambient air quality and clean air for Europe, plants obtained with new genomic techniques, the European Health Data Space and on the Net Zero Industry Act. MEPs also debate the 20th anniversary of the largest ever round of EU enlargement in 2004 with Council and Commission.

Pre-session briefing

Parliament publishes its last Eurobarometer survey before the 6-9 June elections, covering, among other issues, citizens’ interest in and awareness of the elections as well as their likelihood to vote. The survey will also report on the image citizens have of the EU and Parliament, their priorities for the electoral campaign, and the core values they want to defend (Wednesday at 7.00).

European Parliament Eurobarometer - Spring 2024

The special European Council is expected to discuss the new European competitiveness deal and relations with Türkiye.

Special European Council, 17-18 April 2024

The LUX European Audience Film Award ceremony takes place in Parliament’s hemicycle in Brussels. 

Press conference with the winner takes place immediately afterwards. 

Parliament and the European Film Academy award the LUX prize to help the distribution of European films with significant artistic merit that reflect cultural diversity in Europe and beyond.

2024 LUX European Audience Film Award and Press conference with the winner

MEPs debate and take a final vote on the reform of the EU electricity market to protect consumers from sudden price shocks and on new rules to facilitate the uptake of renewable and low-carbon gases, including hydrogen, on the EU’s gas market.

Plenary debate - Reform of the energy and electricity markets

Parliament quizes the Council and the Commission about how they intend to address the controversial reform proposals made by Robert Fico’s government. 

MEPs are expected to reiterate concerns about the Slovak government’s plans for criminal code reform and changes in the functioning of the country’s public-service media. MEPs say the ongoing reform, which led to the dissolution of Slovakia’s Special Prosecutor’s Office on 20 March and reduces penalties and limitation periods for financial crimes, threatens Slovakia’s ability to fight corruption and protect the EU budget. They are also likely to stress that the plans for the public broadcaster will have to be assessed in light of the EU’s recently-adopted Media Freedom Act. The proposed Act on Slovak Television and Radio is facing widespread criticism for giving the government direct control over public media, and curtailing their independence.

Plenary debate - Rule of Law in Slovakia

MEPs discuss the EU’s role in protecting the Roma language and culture, following a statement by President Roberta Metsola.

Statement of EP President on International Roma Day

Voting session

EP President Metsola meets the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb

The European Parliament press services holds a last-minute online press briefing.

Online last minute session briefing

His Majesty King Philippe, King of the Belgians, addresses  MEPs in a formal sitting.

This will be first time King Philippe will have addressed the European Parliament. One of his predecessors, King Baudouin, appeared before MEPs in 1987, during a plenary session in Strasbourg.

Formal sitting - Address by His Majesty King Philippe

MEPs discuss and vote on Wednesday on ten new bills updating the EU asylum and migration rules, emphasising cooperation and mandatory but flexible solidarity. 

Plenary wraps up this term’s legislative work in the field of migration and asylum with a debate with the Belgian Council Presidency and the Commission on the outcome of negotiations over the Migration and Asylum Pact. The already agreed texts aim to improve cooperation among European states and enhance the EU’s response in case of crises. 

The Pact encompasses a new framework for a comprehensive asylum and migration policy based on solidarity, fair responsibility sharing, and updated rules on criteria and mechanisms to determine the member state responsible for examining an application for international protection (formerly known as the Dublin rules). Member states will be able to choose between relocating asylum applicants to their territory, making financial contributions or providing operational and technical support to member states under migratory pressure. 

There will be specific rules for crisis situations, and the rules on reception standards for asylum applicants will be updated. The amended qualification rules will set uniform standards across the EU to recognise people applying for international protection, as well as their rights. There will be a faster common procedure –including provisions on inadmissible claims and more expedited returns- across the EU to grant and to withdraw international protection, following an initial pre-entry screening and registration of fingerprints and facial images in a common database (Eurodac). Finally, a new EU framework for resettlement will regulate the opportunities for refugees in third countries to come to the EU, based on member states’ voluntary participation

Plenary debate - EU migration and asylum rules

MEPs debate the consequences of the undemocratic presidential elections in Russia on 18 March, including their illegitimate extension to the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Plenary Debate - Russia´s undemocratic presidential elections

EP  President Metsola meets the President of Slovakia, Zuzana Čaputová

MEPs quiz Council and Commission representatives on the premature release of frozen EU funds, the lack of progress in the Article 7 procedure, and other threats to EU values.

MEPs discuss the President’s decision (based on a recommendation of the Committee on legal Affairs) to ask the Court of Justice of the EU to clarify the Commission’s role in and margins of discretion around the unfreezing of EU cohesion funds for Hungary. They will also look into the continuing threat to EU values, institutions, and funds posed by the Hungarian government, including the lack of progress on the Article 7(1) procedure initiated by Parliament in 2018. Last January, MEPs asked the European Council to determine whether Hungary has committed “serious and persistent breaches of EU values” under the more direct Article 7(2) procedure.

MEPs are likely to raise the upcoming Hungarian Presidency of the Council of EU (in the second half of 2024), Hungary’s repeated abuse of the right of veto and blackmail in the European Council, and the Commission’s launch of an infringement procedure concerning the country’s “sovereignty law”.

Plenary debate - Hungary: threats to rule of law.

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

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee holds an exchange of views on the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, independent experts and industry representatives. The discussion will focus on the first assessment of compliance, mostly as regards to self-preferencing and app stores

IMCO Debate on the Digital Markets Act

EP President Metsola meets the President of the National Assembly of Slovenia, Urška Klakočar Zupančič and she addresses the National Assembly of Slovenia. President Metsola and President Klakočar Zupančič speak to the press. She also meets the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar and the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob. The EP President and Prime Minister Golob speak to the press.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Slovenia

EP President Roberta Metsola, participates in the European Council, followed by a press conference

EP President Roberta METSOLA, at the European Council

EP President Roberta Metsola meets the Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution of Austria, Karoline Edtstadler and the President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, Wolfgang Sobotka. She also meets the Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer and they speak to the press.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Austria

President Metsola meets the Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa. in Brussels

Official meeting of President Metsola and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa

President Metsola meets the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyha

Official meeting of President Metsola and Ukranian Prime Minister Denys  Shmyhal

EP  President Metsola participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people. She meets the Speaker of the Parliament of Sweden, Andres Norlén and representatives of the political groups in the Parliament. She also meets the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson and they jointly speak to the press

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Sweden

Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo speaks to MEPs to outline his vision on Europe’s challenges and future.

Before the debate, EP President Roberta Metsola holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Orpo, followed by a press point at 10.20 (still to be confirmed).

Thirteen EU heads of state or government have discussed the future of the EU in the plenary in “This is Europe” debates.

Plenary Debate - This is Europe debate with the Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo

Press conference by Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur on European Media Freedom Act

Press conference on European Media Freedom Act

Press conference by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT) and Dragos TUDORACHE (Renew, RO), co-rapporteurs on AI Act plenary vote

Press conference on Artificial Intelligence vote

Press conference by Marion WALSMANN (EPP, DE), rapporteur for safety of toys

Press conference on Toys' safety

New EU rules to reduce emissions from passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers is debated and voted by MEPs.

The regulation governing the type-approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles (Euro 7), provisionally agreed with the Council in December 2023, aims to support the EU’s transition towards clean mobility and improve air quality.

For passenger cars and vans, the current Euro 6 exhaust emissions limits and test conditions will be maintained, while stricter limits would be applied for buses and trucks. The Euro 7 standards also tackle non-exhaust emissions (microplastics from tyres and particles from brakes) and include requirements concerning battery durability.