At a glance: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to present the priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU; Parliament to hold a debate on affordable housing in Europe and on how to boost security at the EU’s external borders.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 08/10/2024 - Malti

At a glance: Parliament’s plenary session starts today in Strasbourg. Tomorrow, MEPs will focus on the situation in the Middle East. They will also outline Parliament’s priorities for the October European Council meeting and are set to approve over EUR 1 billion in EU Solidarity Fund aid for five EU countries.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 07/10/2024 - Malti

At a glance: the hearings of the Commissioners-designate, the results of the Eurobarometer Survey and the Clean Transition Dialogues.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 04/10/2024 - Malti

At a glance: the European Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the next plenary session; European Parliament President Roberta Metsola met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 03/10/2024 - Malti

At a glance: Parliament will publish the first Eurobarometer survey since the elections; a workshop on food price inflation; and the Committee on Culture and Education will hear a presentation about the House of European History Museum.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 02/10/2024 - Malti

Il-ħames films finalisti għall-Premju LUX tal-Udjenza 2025 huma:  Animal, Dahomey, Flow, Intercepted u Julie Keeps Quiet.
Il-Premju LUX jixħet dawl fuq films li jittrattaw temi soċjali u politiċi. L-għan tiegħu huwa li jinkoraġġixxi d-dibattitu u r-riflessjoni, filwaqt li juża l-films biex jgħin fil-bini ta’ identità Ewropea aktar b’saħħitha.

LUX - Il-Premju Ċinematografiku Ewropew tal-Udjenza 2025

At a glance: preparations are ongoing for the hearings of the Commissioners-designate; discussions have taken place on the financial assistance package for Ukraine; the Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has met with members of Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 01/10/2024 - Malti

At a glance: the first Monetary Dialogue of the 10th parliamentary term with ECB President Christine Lagarde; the Reform Agendas of the Western Balkans countries seeking EU membership; and breast cancer awareness month.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 30/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: the announcement of the nominees for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought; a financial assistance package for Ukraine; and the Subcommittee on Public Health will mark World Heart Day.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 27/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: the exchange of views between the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Hungarian State Secretary for Environmental Affairs; mobilising the EU Solidarity Fund for five Member States; and Multilingualism Day at the European Parliament.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 26/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: The nominations for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought; the European Researchers’ Night; and the European Week of Sport.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 25/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: President Metsola concludes her visit to the UN General Assembly in New York; the Subcommittee on Human Rights discusses the situation in Bangladesh; and a new study on EU oceans and fisheries policy.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 24/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: MEPs want EU countries to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons systems against military targets in Russia; EU Solidarity Fund to be mobilised to support five EU countries; and an exchange of views with a member of the European Central Bank’s Executive Board.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 23/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: in Strasbourg, MEPs discussed the threat droughts and extreme weather events pose to EU agriculture; no residues of pesticides banned in the EU allowed for imported agricultural products; and the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 20/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: During the plenary session, MEPs focused on the devastating floods that ravaged Central and Eastern Europe;  Mario Draghi outlined his blueprint for improving Europe’s competitiveness; and the five shortlisted films for the Lux Award 2025.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 19/09/2024 - Malti

At a glance: Ursula von der Leyen presents the Commissioners-designate; the latest developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; and the outcome of Venezuela’s presidential election.

L-Aħbarijiet fil-Qosor – 18/09/2024 - Malti

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the first legally binding international instrument on this issue. It establishes a comprehensive framework of measures for preventing such violence, supporting victims and punishing perpetrators.&nbsp;

MEPs have voted during May 2023 plenary to approve the European Union’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, concluding Parliament’s role in the process. Six years after the EU signed the Istanbul Convention - it has still not been ratified because of the refusal of a few member states, despite&nbsp;Parliament’s multiple calls to this end.

However, the EU&nbsp;Court of Justice’s opinion of 6 October 2021&nbsp;confirmed that the European Union can ratify the Istanbul Convention without having the agreement of all member states. The Court found that the appropriate scope for the EU’s accession is asylum, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and obligations of the EU institutions and public administration.

The EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt member states from ratifying it themselves, MEPs have repeatedly said, urging the remaining six countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia - to ratify the Convention without delay, so that it can protect women to the full extent of the Convention’s intended scope

Violence against women

Climate change remains a key challenge. The EU and the European Parliament are working to ensure a more sustainable society and economy through ambitious policies at home and close cooperation with international partners. It is already on track to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2020, and has put forward a plan to further cut emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

By 2050, Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent. Alongside reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the EU is also taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. By 2050, Europe aims to be a climate-resilient society. Climate action is at the heart of the European Green Deal – an ambitious package of measures ranging from drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, to preserving Europe’s natural environment.

Climate change

COP29 takes place from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku (Azerbaijan). A Parliament delegation will attend the gathering between 18 and 22 November. COP29 aims to provide an overview of current progress on its climate goals, as well as financial support for global climate action while countries are in the process of developing new climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, which have to be communicated in early 2025.

In a draft proposal&nbsp;MEPs want all countries to agree on a new post-2025 collective goal on climate finance. They want COP29 to send an “unambiguous signal” as a follow-up to the COP28 commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. They encourage all countries to phase out all direct and indirect fossil fuels subsidies as soon as possible and reallocate these resources towards climate action.

copyright: Jon Le-Bon/AdobeStock

COP 29

Plastics are everywhere in our daily life: they are used in packaging, buildings, cars, electronics, agriculture and other sectors. On 3 July 2021, the EU ban on disposable plastics comes into effect. This will concern straws, cups, cutlery, plates, but also balloon rods.

Single-use plastic products are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away. The impacts of this plastic waste on the environment and our health are global and can be drastic. Single-use plastic products are more likely to end up in our seas than reusable options.

The 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU. According to the directive on single-use plastics where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the markets of EU Member States. This applies to cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and sticks for balloons.

It will also apply to cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and on all products made of oxo-degradable plastic. The EU aims to become a forerunner in the global fight against marine litter and plastic pollution. EU rules aim to reduce the volume and impact of certain plastic products on environment.

Plastics production is 20 times higher than in 1960s, and is forecast to almost quadruple by 2050. Although there are thousands of types of plastics, 90% of plastics are derived from virgin fossil fuels. About 6% of global oil consumption is used to produce plastics; by 2050, this share could reach 20%. In Europe, about 40% of post-consumer plastic waste is incinerated with energy recovery, and the rest is either landfilled or recycled. About half of the plastic waste collected and recycled is treated in the European Union; the other half is exported, mainly to China.

EU Strategy for Plastics and packaging

Oceans need to be managed sustainably in order to conserve our fragile marine ecosystems.

Although oceans are essential to us in many ways, the state of marine biodiversity remains little known. What we do know, however, is that human activities create a number of pressures such as (over-)exploitation, carbon emissions, and pollution, including marine litter.

It is estimated that there are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world's seas and that, without significant action, there may be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the sea by 2050. Some marine litter consists of microplastics; these originate from the breaking down of larger plastic pieces or are released directly into the environment.

Ocean protection

On 1 January 2007 Bulgaria joined the EU.

Bulgaria applied for membership of the European Union on 18th December 1995 and started its accession negociations in February 2000. The negociations were successfully concluded in December 2004 and the Accession Treaty was signed in April 2005.

EU - Bulgaria

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 progress of&nbsp;digital transformation&nbsp;has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats.&nbsp;Also the COVID19 crisis has again exposed the cyber vulnerabilities of some critical sectors, in particular healthcare, while teleworking and social distance has increased our dependency on digital technologies and connectivity.

As&nbsp; a consequence, in December 2020 the European Commission launched a new EU Cybersecurity Strategy&nbsp;to make physical and digital critical entities more resilient.

The European Parliament and the Coucil reached a deal on&nbsp;May 2022 on the new rules to&nbsp;strengthen EU-wide resilience

The agreed text&nbsp;sets tighter cybersecurity obligations in terms of risk management, reporting obligations and information sharing. The requirements include incident response, supply chain security, encryption and vulnerability disclosure, among other provisions.

Cybersecurity

2025&nbsp; EU budget was signed into law by European Parliament’s President Metsola during the plenary in November. In February 2024, during the revision of the EU's long-term budget, Parliament secured substantial increases for key priorities, such as support for Ukraine, additions which MEPs were able to maintain for 2025’s budget. They also ensured the financing of the repayment costs for the European Recovery Instrument (EURI), which are almost twice the amount initially forecast for 2025, while at the same time protecting funding for essential programmes like Erasmus+ or research.

MEPs also obtained further funding for essential programmes in the 2025 annual budget. They successfully negotiated an additional €230.7 million beyond the Commission's initial draft proposal, focusing on key initiatives including research, health, education, young farmers, coordination of social security schemes, crisis response to natural disasters, climate action, humanitarian aid, military mobility and border management. On top of this extra funding, major increases sourced from previous savings will benefit the 2025 budget, including €422 million for Erasmus+ and €20 million for Horizon Europe.

EU Budget 2025

Parliament holds debates on human rights, democracy and rule of law topics.

Human rights are fundamental values of the entire international community. More than 70 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first comprehensive international human rights document to set common standards to which all UN members should aspire, human rights have become a cornerstone of the international system and have reached almost universal recognition. However, much remains to be done in practice so that every human being can enjoy their fundamental rights.

Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

Exposing and eradicating discrimination on the grounds of gender and sex remains a priority for the European Parliament. Through the&nbsp;FEMM Committee and plenary debates, MEPs frequently discuss&nbsp;the impact on women of social and economic changes.

The European Parliament aims to address and denounce events and policy that breach or threaten the rights of women,&nbsp;both within the EU and abroad.

During the last week of October 2023, the European Parliament holds its fourth European Gender Equality Week,&nbsp;at the initiative of the Women’s Rights Committee. Several committees will hold debates with a gender perspective to discuss policy shortcomings and achievements, and how to advance women's rights in all EU policy areas.

Women's rights

EP President Metsola made&nbsp;a statement at the opening of the February session, followed by a full debate on the emergency humanitarian aid the EU can provide to Türkiye and Syria after the catastrophic earthquake, which cost the lives of more than 30 000&nbsp;people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Turkey has been candidate for EU membership since 1999. Accession negotiations started in 2005. In recent years the EU is often criticizing the backsliding of the country in certain areas. As a major emerging economy and a member of NATO and G20, Türkiye&nbsp;is recognised as an active regional foreign policy player, with a strategic location, including for the EU's energy security. Turkey is a key strategic partner of the EU on issues such as migration, security, counter-terrorism, and the economy, but according to the EU has been backsliding in the areas of democracy, rule of law and fundamental right.

EU - Türkiye

Finland joined the EU on 1st January 1995. 

Finland is one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the EU and is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east. Finland has 13 seats in the European Parliament.

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EU - Finland

Hungary officially joined the EU on 1 March 2004 and the Schengen Area in December 2007.

The Hungarian EU accession negotiations started on 31 March 1998. Hungary had successfully concluded negotiations on its accession at the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002. Hungary has 22 MEPs, 12 votes in the Council and has chaired the Council of the European Union from January to June 2011.

EU - Hungary

During the plenary session in November II 2019, Ursula von der Leyen,&nbsp;President-elect of the EC, presents her team and programme. Parliament voted the entire list of candidates proposed by the President-elect and the Council by simple majority in a roll call vote. The college of Commissioners and their programme is approved. Results of the vote: 461 in favour, 157 against and 89 abstentions.

Parliament’s Conference of Presidents declared the Commissioner-designate hearings process complete on Thursday 21 November 2019.

The new European Commission officially takes up its duties on 1 December 2019.

Election of the 2019-2024 Commission

Mario&nbsp;Draghi, formerly the President of the European Central Bank and Prime Minister of Italy, was tasked by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with presenting ideas on the future of European competitiveness. The report calls the challenge facing policy makers an “existential” one and warns that procrastination will lead to hard choices having to be made. It proposes far-reaching changes to numerous areas such as an “unprecedented” boost to public investment, including through the issuance of new EU common debt, a reform of the EU’s cohesion policy, an overhaul of competition policy, and a new industrial policy with at its core a strategy for reducing Europe’s high energy prices.

European competitiveness

MEPs discuss with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the programme for Hungary’s six-month Council Presidency that started on 1 July 2024.The Hungarian government has announced the following priorities for its six month Presidency: A new European competitiveness deal; Boosting European defence policy; A consistent and merit-based enlargement policy; Stemming illegal migration; Shaping the future of cohesion policy; A farmer-oriented EU agricultural policy; Addressing demographic challenges.


During the 2019-2024 legislative period, Parliament repeatedly denounced the Hungarian government’s deliberate and systematic efforts to undermine EU values and the threat it poses for EU institutions and funds. MEPs have expressed serious concerns about the Orbán government’s ability to credibly fulfil its role leading the Council. According to Parliament, the situation has worsened since the activation of the Article 7(1) procedure - to the point that Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Hungarian Presidency

MEPs discuss the declining state of democracy in Georgia with EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, ahead of a vote on a related resolution scheduled for Thursday. As the country prepares for parliamentary elections on 26 October, concerns have arisen over the ruling Georgian Dream party's increasingly authoritarian policies, particularly regarding media freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Despite being granted EU candidate status in December 2023, the party has faced criticism for its crackdown on pro-democracy protests and for advancing a law labeling Western-funded media and NGOs as "foreign agents." If Georgian Dream secures a significant majority in the upcoming elections, there are fears that the multi-party system and political pluralism in Georgia could be further jeopardized.

Threats to political pluralism in Georgia

MEPs wengage in a debate with EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell regarding Russian attempts to interfere in Moldova's upcoming presidential elections. Following this discussion, a resolution addressing these concerns will be put to a vote on Thursday.

Moldova is set to hold its presidential election on 20 October 2024, coinciding with a referendum on EU membership. Senior Moldovan officials have raised alarms about Moscow's use of hybrid tactics aimed at undermining the country's pro-European government, led by President Maia Sandu, as it seeks to advance its EU integration following the granting of EU candidate status in June 2022.

Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference

MEPs address the ongoing crisis in the EU’s automotive industry, focusing on enhancing competitiveness and preventing potential plant closures. This discussion arises as the sector grapples with challenges stemming from the shift to low-carbon technologies, supply chain disruptions, heightened competition from Asia, and a decline in demand for electric vehicles. MEPs will engage with representatives from the Commission and the Hungarian Presidency to explore measures aimed at revitalizing the automotive sector.

The EU automotive industry, a historically significant sector employing 13.8 million people and contributing 8% of European manufacturing value, is currently at a pivotal moment. The transition towards electrification, with all new vehicles mandated to be zero emissions by 2035, alongside digitalization and global competition, necessitates a swift adaptation of business models. In 2023, while the EU produced 14.8 million vehicles, the industry faces the challenge of competing against emerging leaders like China. MEPs are expected to propose a resolution in a future session to address these urgent concerns and secure the future of this vital sector.

The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry

Parliament evaluates the escalating violence in the Middle East and the latest developments in Lebanon with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. This discussion follows the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis on 7 October 2023, and which has since triggered ongoing conflict in Gaza and broader regional instability.

As Israel intensifies ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, around 100 Israeli hostages remain unaccounted for, and casualty numbers in Gaza continue to rise. In response to the conflict, Iran has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. High Representative Borrell has emphasized the EU's commitment to prevent a regional war. MEPs have previously called for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian aid access, with reports from the Gaza Health Ministry indicating that approximately 40,000 Palestinians have died since October 2023 due to Israel's response to the attack by Hamas.

Escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon

MEPs convene to discuss the priorities for the upcoming October European Council, assessing the latest developments in the ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict in the Middle East with the Commission and the Hungarian Presidency. As the summit approaches on 17-18 October in Brussels, MEPs will deliberate on how the EU can enhance its support for Ukraine amidst Russian aggression and respond effectively to the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza and Lebanon, alongside Iran's missile strikes on Israel.

Additionally, EU leaders will address strategies to bolster the European economy's competitiveness, inspired by Mario Draghi’s report advocating for increased public investment and extensive economic reforms. Migration management and border protection will also be key topics on the agenda, reflecting the EU's ongoing commitment to addressing complex challenges within the region.

Preparation of the European Council of 17-18 October 2024

MEPs will engage in a debate with the Commission focused on media pluralism, independent journalism and on combating the rising tide of disinformation. With fake news and coordinated disinformation campaigns increasingly used as tools for political interference the urgency of this discussion is heightened by recent incidents surrounding the June 2024 European elections and various national elections. The surge in disinformation has also been exacerbated by significant events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Ursula von der Leyen announced the introduction of a new European Democracy Shield aimed at countering foreign information manipulation.

The European Parliament has taken proactive steps to safeguard citizens from disinformation and foreign interference through legislative measures like the anti-SLAPP directive and the Media Freedom Act. The latter aims to protect editorial freedom from political interference while offering enhanced safeguards for journalists and their sources. The EU's broader strategy seeks to address the challenges posed by disinformation by strengthening cooperation among member states, enhancing accountability for online platforms, and establishing a robust regulatory framework under the Digital Services Act. This comprehensive approach aims to preserve democratic integrity and foster public trust amidst an increasingly complex information landscape.

Facing fake news, populism and disinformation in the EU

MEPs engage with the Commission to address the urgent need to combat gender-based violence in Europe. Amid ongoing high-profile trials in Italy and France related to violent crimes against women, discussions will likely emphasize the importance of establishing a common EU definition of consent. MEPs are also expected to request an update on the implementation of the recently adopted EU directive aimed at enhancing protections for victims and preventing violence, particularly domestic violence.

The new legislation includes provisions to prohibit female genital mutilation and forced marriage, along with measures targeting online offenses. With a commitment to prioritizing equality, MEPs will urge the Commission to ensure effective transposition of these rules across member states, highlighting the necessity for accessible healthcare, sheltered accommodations for victims, and enhanced public awareness campaigns regarding consent and non-consensual acts.

Need to fight the systematic problem of gender based violence in Europe

MEPs debate the reintroduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area and its impact on EU free movement in a session with the Commission on Monday. Recent decisions by Germany and other Schengen members to reinstate checks have sparked concerns about the future of the Schengen zone and its ability to maintain open borders.

The reintroduction of internal border controls in a number of Member States and its impact on the Schengen Area

On Monday afternoon, MEPs debate with the Commission the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis on 7 October 2023 and triggered the current war in Gaza and wider Middle East destabilisation.

One year after the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party from 2020 until 2024 and Prime Minister of the UK since July 2024, has a background as a human rights lawyer and is the former Director of Public Prosecutions.

EP President Roberta Metsola meets with Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer.

The Conference of Presidents will meet to discuss the confirmation hearings of Commissioners-designate, a crucial step in the approval process of the new European Commission. On Tuesday, the Conference of Committee Chairs will finalize the structure and schedule of these hearings, including common questions and the division of responsibilities among parliamentary committees and a proposal will be made to the Conference of Presidents.

The Conference of Presidents, led by the EP President and political group leaders, oversees Parliament's legislative planning, committee responsibilities, and relations with EU institutions. This meeting play a key role in setting the Parliament’s agenda.

Meeting of the Conference of Presidents

On Monday, 30 September 2024, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) holds its first Monetary Dialogue of the 10th parliamentary term with Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank (ECB). This important session focuses on the ECB's recent monetary policy decisions, following the ECB Governing Council's move on 12 September to lower the key interest rate by 25 basis points, marking a continued shift in policy since June.

In addition to monetary policy, the dialogue will also cover the Capital Markets Union (CMU) and its significance for the ECB's strategies. The Capital Markets Union (CMU) is an initiative aimed at creating a single, integrated capital market across all EU member states. Its primary goal is to make it easier for businesses to access funding, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by diversifying sources of finance beyond traditional banking systems. The CMU seeks to connect savings more effectively with investment opportunities, promote cross-border investments, and deepen financial integration within the EU.

Economic Dialogue with Christine LAGARDE, ECB President - EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is in New York for the 2024 United Nations General Assembly, actively promoting the EU's global agenda. From the critical importance of international parliamentary cooperation in addressing global challenges and tackling inequalities to supporting sustainable development and highlighting sport’s role in fostering economic and social development, Metsola's presence in New York underscores the European Parliament’s active role in shaping multilateralism, global governance, and sustainable development at the UN General Assembly.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to New York (United States)

On Thursday morning, MEPs discuss the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that deemed Ireland’s tax arrangements with Apple as illegal state aid. The court's decision requires Ireland to recover €13 billion in taxes from Apple and overturns a previous General Court ruling that was favorable to Apple. This ruling is final and definitive.

Representatives from the Commission and Council will provide insights on the potential impact of the ECJ’s verdict. The Chair of Parliament’s tax subcommittee has described the ruling as "historic," highlighting its significance for European tax policy.

This debate will explore the broader implications of the ruling for EU state aid regulations and international tax practices.

The historic CJEU ruling on the Apple state aid case and its consequences

On Thursday MEPs debate how droughts and extreme weather events pose significant threats to local communities and EU agriculture amid climate change. Increasingly frequent and severe droughts are straining water resources, impacting crop yields, and threatening food security across Europe. Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, further exacerbate these challenges by causing crop failures, soil erosion, and damage to infrastructure.

Addressing these issues is essential not only for protecting the livelihoods of communities dependent on farming and rural economies but also for safeguarding agricultural productivity.

Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change

On Wednesday, MEPs will address the worsening situation for women in Afghanistan following the adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”. This law significantly restricts women's presence in public life, curbing their freedom of movement and expression, and imposing strict regulations on their behavior and dress. The new provisions reinforce existing limitations on women’s rights, such as the requirement for women to fully cover themselves, including their faces, and the ban on traveling without a male relative. Additionally, the law places further constraints on media by prohibiting the publication of images of human beings.

The deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the EU's response to the mpox outbreak and the need for ongoing action with the European Commission. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and nearby regions a "public health emergency of international concern" on August 14, 2024. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a risk assessment on August 16, stating that the overall risk to Europe's general population is low. Currently, the EU has one antiviral treatment and one vaccine authorized for mpox. The Commission, through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, is managing vaccine procurement and donation to affected African countries. MEPs are expected to urge a coordinated EU response to contain the outbreak in Africa and prevent the virus from spreading to Europe.

EU response to the Mpox outbreak and the need for continuous action

AGRI - Exchange of Views on Gender equality and diversity : challenges for farming and food”, organised in the framework of the Gender Equality Week 2024

LIBE Interparliamentary Committee meeting on the situation of the Rule of Law

Committee on Budgetary Control

CONT

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

ECON

Committee on Development

DEVE

Joint committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection

IMCO

ENVI

Subcommittee meeting on Human Rights

DROI

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

FEMM

Committee on Legal Affairs - Interparliamentary committee meeting E-Justice

JURI

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee on Transport and Tourism

TRAN

Subcommittee meeting on Security and Defence

SEDE

Committee on Fisheries

PECH

Joint committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

AGRI

Committee on Legal Affairs

Joint committee on Foreign Affairs and committee on Budgets

BUDG

AFET

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with content creators

AFET and inter-parliamentary cooperation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine joint meeting on EU sanctions against Russia and its allies as well as on the use of Russian frozen assets

FISC - Exchange of views with Ms. María José Garde, Chair of the Code of Conduct Group on Business Taxation

PETI - hearing of the candidates for the office ofthe EU Ombudsman - Hearing of Ms Julia LAFFRANQUE

INTA - Public hearing entitled The Draghi report: competitiveness and economic security from a trade angle

EMPL -  Public Hearing on ' Fostering employment for persons with disabilities '

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Rachid TALBI EL ALAMI, Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - Event ' Workplace Accessibility in the European Parliament '

IMCO - TikTok compliance with Digital Services Act (DSA)

PETI - hearing of the candidates for the office of the EU Ombudsman - Hearing of Marino FARDELLI

CULT - Presentations on the European Capitals of Culture 2024

PETI - hearing of the candidates for the office of the EU Ombudsman - Hearing of Mr Emilio DE CAPITANI

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with disability rights advocates on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

AGRI - Exchange of views on the inclusion of people with disabilities in the agricultural sector

EMPL - Exchange of views with Lieve VERBOVEN, Director of the ILO Office for the European Union and the Benelux countries

CULT - Presentation of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council

PETI - hearing of the candidates for the office of the EU Ombudsman - Hearing of Ms Teresa ANJINHO

Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (DLAT)

11th EU – Republic of Tajikistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

L-attivista għad-drittijiet tal-bniedem Nadia Murad qalet lill-Parlament Ewropew fl-2016 li l-ġlidiet kontra t-terroriżmu u r-razziżmu jmorru id f'id. Id-diskors tagħha twassal hekk kif ġiet ippremjata l-Premju Sakharov għal-Libertà tal-Ħsieb 2016 flimkien ma' Lamiya Aji Bashar. Il-par, mill-komunità Yazidi tal-Iraq, kienu nbiegħu fl-iskjavitù sesswali mill-grupp terroristiku tal-Istat Iżlamiku fl-2014. Murad irnexxielha taħrab u ssoktat biex tappoġġja vittmi tal-vjolenza sesswali u t-traffikar ta' bnedmin. Fl-2018 hija rebħet il-Premju Nobel għall-Paċi. *Ara d-diskors sħiħ fuq il-kanal tal-multimedia tal-Parlament Ewropew. *Ara aktar vidjos mill-premjijiet Sakharov tal-passat: http://epyoutube.eu/Sakharov_Prize_playlist

Diskors ta' Nadia Murad dwar il-ġlieda kontra l-estremiżmu | Il-Parlament Ewropew

Discover Europe in the heart of the European quarter in Luxembourg by visiting our visitors' center, Europa Experience

Europa Experience Luxembourg: promotional video (FR version)

Europa Experience Luxembourg: promotional video (DE version)

Europa Experience Luxembourg: promotional video (EN version)

Misleading information can throw any of us off course. Both misinformation – mistakes without ill intent – and disinformation – created and spread with the aim of fooling people – can make it hard to take informed decisions. Fast evolving technologies – including deepfake video and audio – make it too easy to produce and spread deceptive content very rapidly. Many of us worry about the effect: some 85 % of people worldwide are concerned about the impact of disinformation on their fellow citizens; 87 % think disinformation has already affected political life in their country (Unesco/Ipsos 2023); and 38 % of EU citizens list false and/or misleading information as a threat to democracy (Eurobarometer 2023). These tips will help you steer around falsehoods.

EPRS - Fact-checking compass: how to spot information manipulation

Pelagie ħarbet mir-Repubblika Demokratika tal-Kongo għax ħasset li ħajjitha kienet fil-periklu. Bl-għajnuna tal-organizzazzjoni tal-karità Refugees Welcome Italia, hija sabet dar ġdida f’Ruma.Todor huwa avukat fi ħdan is-Center for Legal Aid Voice in Bulgaria, NGO li tgħin lir-refuġjati jintegraw ruħhom u li tipprovdilhom appoġġ legali.B’inizjattivi bħall-Fond għall-Ażil, il-Migrazzjoni u l-Integrazzjoni, l-UE qed tgħin lill-migranti u lil dawk li jfittxu ażil kif ukoll lill-pajjiżi tal-UE li jospitawhom.Il-Parlament Ewropew jappoġġja approċċ estiż mal-UE kollha għall-isfidi li ġġib magħha l-migrazzjoni.

Naffrontaw l-isfidi tal-migrazzjoni fl-UE: Ejja niltaqgħu ma’ Pelagie u Todor

One week before the European elections in 2024 the Citizens' Garden of the European Parliament organised the evening event Poets for Democracy. Slam poets at the European Parliament “Poets for Democracy” event will address topics that show the manifold advantages of democracies. These include praising freedom of expression, tolerance, solidarity, togetherness, a common EU future, as well as flagging disruptive forces that could endanger our democratic achievements such as the misfits of social media, Artificial Intelligence or the advent of a more polarised, more self-absorbed society. This poetry slam intends to display diverse voices of democracy and foster reflections on why it is important to speak up, to take part in participative democracy and stand up for it.

Poets for Democracy , 'Without Knocking' Marie Darah (Belgium) - 2021 European Poetry Slam Champion (French Speaking Community)

One week before the European elections the Citizens' Garden of the European Parliament organised on 30 May a slam event: Poets for Democracy. Slam poets at the European Parliament “Poets for Democracy” event will address topics that show the manifold advantages of democracies. These include praising freedom of expression, tolerance, solidarity, togetherness, a common EU future, as well as flagging disruptive forces that could endanger our democratic achievements such as the misfits of social media, Artificial Intelligence or the advent of a more polarised, more self-absorbed society. This poetry slam intends to display diverse voices of democracy and foster reflections on why it is important to speak up, to take part in participative democracy and stand up for it.

Poets for Democracy, 'I am a poet a poet am I' - Joonas Veelmaa (Estonia) - 2023 European Poetry Slam Champion

Poets for Democracy, 'War' - Dani Orviz (Spain) - 2012 European Poetry Slam Champion

Poets for Democracy - 'Free Word Rhythm Remix' - Péter Molnár (Hungary) - 2018 European Poetry Slam Champion

Poets for Democracy , 'My grandmother’s Garden' - Lisette Ma Neza - 2017 European Poetry Slam Runner-Up Champion and Audience Award - First Public Poet Brussels 2024

Poets for Democracy , McMigration Memories - Elif Duygu (Austria) - 2022 Austrian Poetry Slam Champion

Former Sakharov Prize laureates join the #UseYourVote campaign ahead of the European Parliament elections on 6-9 June. Svetlana TICHANOVSKAJA, Oleksandra MATVIICHUK, Lorent SALEH, Louise XIN and Leonid VOLKOV have a message for European citizens.

European elections 2024: Sakharov Prize laureates send a message to European citizens

Meet Mireya, a together.eu volunteer whose main goal in the last few months has been to spread the word on EU elections!

Everyone’s voice counts in the upcoming vote, this is why, with her teammates, she organised an event to let people air their concerns, hopes and dreams for the EU.

Together.eu is a community of people who care about the EU and its future. By meeting, discussing and organising, people like Mireya and other together.eu volunteer can exchange views with like-minded people.

Getting the vote out in Madrid with Mireya, a together.eu volunteer! - 9:16 EE24

A global pandemic, war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living crisis: the 2019-2024 European Parliament stepped up as people faced unprecedented challenges.

Parliament responded with measures that strengthened the EU and its economy while standing up for European values.

June’s European elections will decide how Parliament will deal with the challenges of the future.

Six big issues the European Parliament dealt with in the last five years - 9:16

Six big issues the European Parliament dealt with in the last five years

Five candidates for the European Commission presidency gathered in the European Parliament, in Brussels, to debate issues that affect everyone in the European Union, from jobs and migration to climate, innovation and security.

The Eurovision debate was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and moderated by Martin Řezníček (Czech TV) and Annelies Beck (VRT, Belgium).

The following candidates took part:

Walter Baier (Austria, European Left)
Sandro Gozi (Italy, Renew Europe Now)
Ursula von der Leyen (Germany, European People’s Party)
Terry Reintke (Germany, European Greens)
Nicolas Schmit (Luxembourg, Party of European Socialists)

The position of each candidate on the stage, the first speaker on each topic and the order of the ‘spotlight’ interviews were decided on 16 May by a draw organised by the EBU in the European Parliament.

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