EP Plenary session - Situation in the Middle East

CCC Reflection Day

DEVE - Public Hearing on ' Decent and Sustainable Job Creation in Developing Countries:.Measuring the Impact of EU Projects '

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

Study visit for Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina .

Delegation to the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly (DFAR) meeting

DEVE - Exchange of views with Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, and Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships

Information Session - Democracy Support and Election Observation

DEVE - Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships - Press point

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 also 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.

Situation in the Middle East: MEPs debate (part 1)

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. First part of the debate.

Joint Debate - Situation in the Middle East: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs debate on Parliament's vision for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). The parliamentarians aim to a more ambitious long-term EU budget to match EU citizens' expectations in an increasingly complex global landscape. The current budget ceiling of 1% of the EU-27’s gross national income looks insufficient to respond effectively to the growing range of crises and challenges. The text prepared by the Budgets Committee highlights that the United States’ retreat from its global role means EU spending will now have to address Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in addition to a highly challenging economic and social backdrop, a competitiveness gap, and the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis. Parliament’s priorities for the next long-term EU budget are designed to feed into the Commission’s proposal on the next MFF.

A revamped long-term budget for the EU in a changing world: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs, together with Commission and Council representatives, debate the preparations for the first EU-UK summit on British soil since Brexit. EU and UK leaders will meet in London on 19 May for the first institutional bilateral gathering in Britain since the UK left the EU in 2020. Among other topics, they will discuss defence cooperation, opportunities for young people, and trade issues – the latter in the wake of the new US tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on trade partners. In particular, this includes a potential EU-UK security pact that could see the UK participate in the EU’s joint arms procurement scheme.

Preparation of the EU-UK summit: debate

MEPs, together with the European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and Council representatives, debate the preparations for the first EU-UK summit since Brexit. EU and UK leaders will meet in London on 19 May for the first institutional bilateral gathering in Britain since the UK left the EU in 2020. Among other topics, they discuss defence cooperation, opportunities for young people, and trade issues – the latter in the wake of the new US tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on trade partners. In particular, this includes a potential EU-UK security pact that could see the UK participate in the EU’s joint arms procurement scheme.

Preparation of the EU-UK summit: extracts from the debate

In a debate with the EU foreign policy chief, MEPs call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and continuation of the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas. Israel recently resumed its military campaign in Gaza after nearly two months of ceasefire, with the Israeli government blaming the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas for rejecting a new US proposal to extend the truce. Hamas, in turn, has accused Israel of abandoning the original deal agreed in January.

Dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire-hostage release agreement: MEPs debate

MEPs call on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase-out of Moscow’s energy. During the first debate with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission MEPs are set to renew their calls to move from freezing Russian assets to seizing them and using them to support and rebuild war-torn Ukraine. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU, the U.S. and its allies froze over 300 billion U.S. dollars in Russian sovereign assets, with roughly 200 billion dollars held in the Belgium-based securities depository Euroclear. In July 2024, the EU made available the first €1.5 billion transfer of interest generated from immobilised Russian assets to support Kyiv, which was channelled through the European Peace Facility and to the Ukraine Facility to support Ukraine's military and reconstruction efforts.

Russian frozen assets: MEPs debate (part 2)

MEPs debate on the situation in Gaza, following the non-extension of the ceasefire.

ANDREWS, Barry (Renew, IE)

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