Together, the European Parliament and the national parliaments determine how best to organise and promote effective and regular interparliamentary cooperation within the EU. This cooperation takes many forms. In this podcast, we’ll provide a brief overview of the relations between the European Parliament and the national parliaments.

Relations between the European Parliament and the national parliaments

At a glance: Parliament’s July plenary session is under way. MEPs will debate and vote on distributing EUR 280 million of flood relief to Austria, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova; controlling the influx of parcels from outside the EU; and stepping up preparations for the wildfire season.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 08/07/2025 - Malti

Id-delegazzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew huma gruppi uffiċjali ta’ Membri tal-PE li għandhom l-għan li jiżviluppaw relazzjonijiet mal-parlamenti ta’ pajjiżi terzi kif ukoll ma’ reġjuni jew organizzazzjonijiet terzi. Dawn id-delegazzjonijiet iżommu l-kuntatti internazzjonali tal-Parlament, jiżviluppawhom u jikkontribwixxu għat-tisħiħ tar-rwol tal-Unjoni Ewropea u l-viżibbiltà tagħha madwar id-dinja.

Ir-rwol tad-delegazzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew

Minbarra li jattendu għas-sessjonijiet plenarji tal-Parlament Ewropew, il-Membri tal-PE jagħmlu parti mill-kumitati parlamentari. Dawn il-kumitati huma numerużi u kull wieħed minnhom huwa speċjalizzat f’suġġett. Imma kif jaħdmu?

Ir-rwol tal-kumitati parlamentari

Li tkun Membru tal-Parlament Ewropew ma jfissirx biss li tivvota u tieħu sehem fid-dibattiti waqt is-sessjoni plenarja. Il-Membri tal-Parlament Ewropew jistgħu jkunu responsabbli għat-tfassil ta’ rapport li jirrappreżenta l-opinjoni tal-Parlament dwar proposta jew dwar kwalunkwe suġġett ieħor: dan huwa r-rwol tar-rapporteur.

Ir-rwol tar-rapporteur

Fl-1989, Jozef Mad'ar u l-crew televiżiv tiegħu mill-Jugoslavja ntbagħtu biex jiġbdu filmati tal-protesti ċivili għal-libertà u d-demokrazija fl-eks Ċekoslovakkja. Ejjew nisimgħu t-tifkiriet tiegħu aħna u nimxu miegħu fit-toroq ta' Bratislava.

Iċ-ċwievet għal-libertà - tifkiriet ta' cameraman mir-Rivoluzzjoni tal-Bellus fiċ-Ċekoslovakkja

At a glance: Parliament’s July plenary session starts today. MEPs assess the latest developments in the Middle East; a debate on the Commission’s proposal for a new 2040 EU climate target; and the Parliament and Commission Presidents discuss the next long-term EU budget.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 07/07/2025 - Malti

L-Artikolu 7 huwa għodda legali li tfasslet biex tipproteġi l-valuri li fuqhom hija mibnija l-Unjoni Ewropea. Dan l-artikolu hu minqux fit-Trattat u jippermetti lill-Unjoni Ewropea tieħu azzjoni f’każ li Stat Membru jwettaq ksur serju jew ikun f’riskju li jwettaq ksur serju ta' dawn il-valuri ewlenin.

Nissalvagwardjaw il-valuri tal-Unjoni Ewropea: ħarsa lejn l-Artikolu 7

The European Parliament has a range of supervisory and control powers. These allow it to exercise oversight over other institutions, to monitor the proper use of the EU budget and to ensure the correct implementation of EU law.

Interinstitutional relations

The EU and China are comprehensive strategic partners. Each year, the leaders of EU and China meet in the format of the EU-China Summit . The Summit is prepared through a network of bilateral high-level dialogues. These include the EU-China Strategic Dialogue between the EU High Representative/Vice President and the State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.&nbsp;

The European Union and China are two of the biggest trading partners in the world. The EU is committed to open trading relations with China and wants to ensure that China trades fairly, respects intellectual property rights, and meets its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

&nbsp;The EU-China Human Rights Dialogue was launched in 1995.&nbsp;Parliament strongly condemned in the past&nbsp;the Chinese government-led system of forced labour – in particular the exploitation of Uyghur, ethnic Kazakh and Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minority groups – in factories within and outside internment camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

EU - China

Launched in 1962, the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between agriculture and society, and between Europe and its farmers. It aims to: support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, ensuring a stable supply of affordable food; safeguard European Union farmers to make a reasonable living; help tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources; maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU; keep the rural economy alive by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors.

The CAP is a common policy for all EU countries. It is managed and funded at European level from the resources of the EU’s budget. CAP 2023-27 To consolidate the role of European agriculture for the future, the CAP has evolved over the years to meet changing economic circumstances and citizens’ requirements and needs.

The CAP 2023-27 entered into force on 1 January 2023.&nbsp;Support for farmers and rural stakeholders across the 27 EU countries is based on the CAP 2023-27 legal framework and the choices detailed in the&nbsp;CAP Strategic Plans, approved by the Commission. The approved Plans are designed to make a significant contribution to the ambitions of the&nbsp;European Green Deal,&nbsp;Farm to Fork Strategy&nbsp;and&nbsp;Biodiversity Strategy.

Common agricultural policy (CAP)

Following the tabling of a motion of censure against the European Commission, plenary will hold a debate on Monday 7th July and the subsequent vote on Thursday 10th July.&nbsp; According to&nbsp;<a data-analytics-event-attached="true" href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/RULES-10-2025-01-20-RULE-131_EN.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Parliament’s Rules of Procedure</a>, a motion of censure in respect of the Commission may be submitted to the President by one 10th of the component Members of Parliament, i.e. 72 MEPs.

President Metsola announced to the Conference of Presidents (a meeting of the European Parliament President and political group leaders) that an&nbsp;<a data-analytics-event-attached="true" href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-10-2025-0319_EN.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">admissible motion</a>&nbsp;had been filed, and asked group leaders to inform their members. The plenary debate – one round of political group speakers – is scheduled for Monday, and the vote, by roll call, will take place on Thursday. To be adopted, a motion must secure a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing a majority of the component Members of Parliament.

&nbsp;MEPs elected the College of Commissioners as a whole by roll-call vote. 370 MEPs voted in favour, 282 against, and 36 abstained.&nbsp;

This is Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as Commission President, following the approval of her&nbsp;first Commission by MEPs in November 2019.

2024-2029 Commission

In two debates on Wednesday morning, MEPs assess the outcome of June’s EU summit with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen. On Tuesday morning, they will  and look ahead to the EU-China summit.

At their meeting in Brussels, EU heads of state or government focussed on ways to bolster EU competitiveness. They also discussed how the EU can continue supporting Kyiv against Russia’s aggression, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, how to strengthen the EU’s defence capabilities, and the EU’s response to the escalation in the Middle East. Leaders also discussed migration and the situation in the Western Balkans.

Plenary debate on the outcome of June’s EU summit with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen

MEPs assess the latest developments in the Middle East, in particular in Iran, and what the EU can do to help restore peace.

Parliament reviews the latest events in the region, including the US airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities at the end of June 2025, and Israel’s earlier attacks on Iranian targets, which led to Iran launching missiles at Israeli cities. In a plenary debate on 16 June, the EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, said that Iran, as the main source of regional instability, must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. She also defended diplomacy as the best way to address Iran's nuclear programme in the long run.

MEPs are also expected to repeat their calls for an end to the deplorable humanitarian situation in Gaza, for a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and for a hostage release agreement.

Plenary debate on the situation in Middle East

Confeence of Presidents: 

Exchange of views with Ms VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework

Conference of Presidents: Exchange of views with Ursula VON DER LEYEN, EC President on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework

On Tuesday, MEPs adopt their opinion on Bulgaria’s bid to become the newest member of the euro area from 1 January 2026.

The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee adopted a favourable opinion on 24 June, with 46 votes in favour, 3 against and 5 abstentions. This opinion has now been tabled for a vote in plenary.

With Bulgaria joining the euro area, 21 of the EU’s 27 member countries will have the euro as their currency.

A press conference with the rapporteur Eva Maydell (EPP, Bulgaria) is held at 14:00 CET on Tuesday in the European Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room in Strasbourg.

Vote on the adoption by Bulgaria of the euro on 1st January 2025

EP Plenary session - EU - China relations

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

Press conference on the future of agriculture and the post-2027 common agricultural policy

Press briefing EPP

EP Plenary session - Arbitrary sentencing of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and journalist Christophe Gleizes

EP Plenary session.- EU action plan for deinstitutionalisation, family- and community-based care

ENVI - Exchange of views with Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, and presentation of the Water Resilience Strategy

EP Plenary session - Product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports

AGRI - The future of agriculture and the post-2027 common agricultural policy

EP Plenary session - Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2024

This infoclip illustrates how the heatwaves impact the daily-life of Europeans. It stages people hiding in the shade in a public park, eating ice-creams, buying bottles of water, sipping cold-drinks and playing with water fountains on a public place.

Infoclip: Heatwave

Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, holds a press conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France). She addresses the journalists by explaining the reasons behind the position of her group on the vote of censure against the Commission, and by highlighting the political priorities for the monts to come (including the position on the upcoming MUltiannual Financial Framework negotiations and on the Green Claims directive). This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Socialists and Democrats (S&D) press briefing by Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader

In a second debate with Council and Commission, MEPs outline their expectations for the upcoming EU-China summit, set to take place in China in July and which will mark 50 years of bilateral diplomatic relations. They also discuss how to tackle China’s critical raw materials export restrictions. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Council and Commission statements - EU-China Relations: opening statement by Marie BJERRE, Danish Minister for European Affairs

Carmen Crespo Díaz (EPP, ES), rapporteur, holds a press conference on the future of agriculture and the post-2027 common agricultural policy

Press conference by Carmen CRESPO DIAZ (EPP, ES), rapporteur, on the future of agriculture and the post-2027 common agricultural policy

Council and Commission statements - EU-China Relations: opening statement by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission

Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group President, holds a press conference covering several topics, including: the priorities of the Danish Presidency of the EU, the vote on a motion of censure against the European Commission, US tarifs, defense, competitiveness, climate.

European People Party (EPP) press briefing by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group President

MEPs hold a debate on the motion of censure against the European Commission. According to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, a motion of censure in respect of the Commission is submitted to the President by one 10th of the component Members of Parliament, i.e. 72 MEPs. To be adopted, a motion must secure a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing a majority of the component Members of Parliament. One round of political group speakers

Motion of censure on the European Commission: one round of political group speakers

A motion of censure against the European Commission, requiring support from at least 72 MEPs, has been filed, prompting a plenary debate. President Metsola confirmed the motion's admissibility and notified group leaders. For the motion to pass, it needs a two-thirds majority of votes cast, representing most MEPs. During the debate, Ursula von der Leyen defended her leadership, emphasizing the Commission's achievements and addressing transparency allegations. She urged MEPs to vote against the motion to ensure continuity and stability for Europe's future. This news item shows extracts from the motion of censure on the Commission, including cutaways during the session.

Motion of Censure on the Commission: extracts from the debate

MEPs hold a debate on the motion of censure against the European Commission. According to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, a motion of censure in respect of the Commission may be submitted to the President by one 10th of the component Members of Parliament, i.e. 72 MEPs. . To be adopted, a motion must secure a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing a majority of the component Members of Parliament. Opening statement by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

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