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.

Nieuwsflits – 18/06/2025 - Nederlands

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.

Nieuwsflits – 17/06/2025 - Nederlands

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.

Nieuwsflits – 16/06/2025 - Nederlands

At a glance: Parliament opens its doors in Strasbourg for the EYE event; a new plenary session kicks off on Monday; and the multilingualism student competition.

Nieuwsflits – 13/06/2025 - Nederlands

At a glance: Parliament’s political groups are preparing for next week’s plenary session in Strasbourg; MEPs attend the UN Ocean Conference; and the 2025 edition of the European Youth Event kicks off tomorrow.

Nieuwsflits – 12/06/2025 - Nederlands

At a glance: Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the next plenary session, which will start on Monday in Strasbourg; a public hearing on media freedom and journalist protection will take place; and the European Youth Event 2025 is just around the corner.

Nieuwsflits – 11/06/2025 - Nederlands

At a glance: a public hearing on media freedom and the protection of journalists at Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; a workshop on generative AI and copyright; and the agreement reached between Parliament and the Council to tackle non-sustainable fishing by non-EU countries.

Nieuwsflits – 10/06/2025 - Nederlands

Čoraz viac ľudí si uvedomuje, že selektívny zber a recyklácia plastového odpadu je veľmi dôležitá. Napriek tomu sa veľká časť plastového odpadu v EÚ stále nerecykluje. V posledných rokoch sa Únia v oblasti plastov posunula smerom k obehovému hospodárstvu. Cesta k svetu bez plastov je však ešte dlhá. A cieľ dosiahneme len vtedy, ak všetci prispejeme svojou troškou.

Ako Európska únia bojuje proti znečisťovaniu plastmi – od zákazu jednorazových výrobkov po mikroplasty

Israel is a key and strategic ally of the European Union. Political, economic and social cooperation - as well as trade, cultural and scientific exchanges - with Israel date almost to the origins of the EU itself.&nbsp;

President of the EP Roberta Metsola reacted to the attacks launched by Hamas on Israel&nbsp;during the first weekend of October by stressing that the EP condemned&nbsp;&nbsp;the terror and violence waged against innocent people.

In the statement by MEPs David McAllister and Antonio López-Istúriz White declared:

“We follow with utmost concern the news of terrible violence in Israel. We strongly condemn the heinous attack launched against Israel by Hamas terrorists on this Sabbath morning. We affirm the right of Israel to defend itself, and express our solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments.

We must not let opponents of peace ruin the chances of reconciliation and peaceful co-existence in Israel and Palestine. We call on all partners for peace to be present and active in order to bring the peace process back on track.”

EU - Israel

The Delegation for relations with Palestine is concerned with developments in the Middle East Peace Process and the European Union's policy and actions concerning the establishment of the two state-solution. The European Parliament has repeatedly expressed its strong support for the two-state solution, with the State of Israel and an independent, sovereign, free, contiguous and viable Palestinian State with living side-by-side in peace. Delegation Members assess the situation in Palestine regularly, meeting with Palestinian authorities, Palestinian Legislative Council counterparts, and political and community leaders as well as NGOs.

EU - Palestine

In a&nbsp;joint statement&nbsp;on 10 May, the leaders of the EPP, S&amp;D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and The Left political groups in the European Parliament, expressed serious concern over the threat of further military escalation by the Israeli government in the Gaza Strip. They also denounced all violations of international law in the conflict, including statements pointing towards forced territorial or demographic changes in the area.

Thousands have died since Israel resumed its strikes on Gaza on 18 March, following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. The UN has warned that the 10-month-long Israeli blockade of food and medicine deliveries into Gaza has exposed around 2.1 million Palestinians to a&nbsp;"critical risk"&nbsp;of famine. On Sunday, 18 May, Israel announced it would allow a "basic amount of food" to enter Gaza.

It is estimated that Israel has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians since October 2023, in response to the attack by Hamas in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and around 250 people abducted.&nbsp; MEPs have adopted a number of resolutions since the October 2023 Hamas attack, calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and expressing serious concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.&nbsp;Some 58 hostages remain in Gaza, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive.

Situation in Israel and Gaza

&nbsp;EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Polish EU Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka for the Council presidency discussed&nbsp;the situation in the Middle East with MEPs.&nbsp;This debate&nbsp;focused on the risk of further instability in the Middle East following the Israel-Iran military escalation, the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Situation in the Middle East

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland)

MEPs lay out their expectations for the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague on 24-26 June, in a debate with the Council and the Commission.

At their gathering in The Netherlands, leaders from NATO countries are expected to discuss how to ramp up defence spending in the context of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine and calls from US President Donald Trump for European countries to invest more and take a greater responsibility for their defence. 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently warned that Russia could be ready to use military force against the Western alliance within five years and said that NATO allies must have a creditable defence. Ahead of the summit, he has urged NATO members to commit to spending 5% of their national income on defence, a call that is expected to feature prominently in the summit deliberations.

Debate on the upcoming NATO summit on 24-26 June 2025

Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East
Risk of further instability in the Middle East following the Israel-Iran military escalation
Review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East

The King of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, addresses MEPs during a formal sitting in Strasbourg

This will be King Abdullah II’s sixth visit to the European Parliament, following his previous visits in 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015 and 2020. In his address, he is expected to focus on a range of issues, including the devastating war in Gaza and its consequences.

Formal sitting with Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

EP Plenary session - Assassination attempt on Senator Miguel Uribe and the threat to the democratic process and peace in Colombia

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

DG FINANCE REUNION D'INFORMATION MEMBERS' TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES

EP Plenary session - Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East

SEDE extraordinary meeting -  Presentation of the “Defence Omnibus” with Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space

SANT trilogue on the Pharma package

EP Plenary session - Latest developments on the revision of the air passenger rights and airline liability regulations

EP Plenary session - EU framework conditions for competitive, efficient and sustainable public transport services at all levels

EP Plenary session - Two years since the devastating Tempi rail accident

EP Plenary session- 2023 and 2024 reports on Moldova

The Minority Intergroup Meeting

MEPs, Council and Commission discuss risk of further instability in the Middle East following the Israel-Iran military escalation and the launch of a review of the agreement that forms the basis of EU-Israel political and economic cooperation. Israel's compliance with human rights and democratic principles is an essential element of the country’s association agreement with EU, enshrined in article two of the agreement. Reacting to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, EU foreign policy chief Kaja KALLAS announced the launch of a review of article two of the agreement on 20 May 2025. This is the first step in a procedure that could eventually lead to the suspension of the agreement. This news item shows extracts from the joint debate.

Situation in the Middle East: extracts from the joint debate

MEPs complete their review of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report and more recent developments in EU Member States relating to threats to European values. The report prepared in the Committee in Civil Liberties (LIBE) takes stock of the Commission’s findings in its 2024 Rule of Law Report, as well as recent developments in EU member states. Closing statements

The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report: closing statements

MEPs complete their review of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report and more recent developments in EU Member States threatening the European values. This report, prepared in the Committee in Civil Liberties (LIBE), takes stock of the Commission’s findings published in the 2024 Rule of Law Report, as well as of the recent developments in EU Member States. MEPs debate.

The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report: MEPs debate (part 2)

The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs complete their review of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report and more recent developments in EU Member States relating to threats to European values. The report prepared in the Committee in Civil Liberties (LIBE) takes stock of the Commission’s findings in its 2024 Rule of Law Report, as well as recent developments in EU member states . Opening statements by Ana Catarina MENDES (S&D, PT), Rapporteur, Michael MCGRATH, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, and by Representatives of AFET and JURI Committees. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report: opening statements

MEPs, Council and Commission discuss risk of further instability in the Middle East following the Israel-Iran military escalation and the launch of a review of the agreement that forms the basis of EU-Israel political and economic cooperation. Israel's compliance with human rights and democratic principles is an essential element of the country’s association agreement with EU, enshrined in article two of the agreement. Reacting to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, EU foreign policy chief Kaja KALLAS announced the launch of a review of article two of the agreement on 20 May 2025. This is the first step in a procedure that could eventually lead to the suspension of the agreement.

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