On 24 February 2022, Russian forces began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, the EU and its international partners are united in condemning Putin's aggression on Ukraine and providing support to those seeking shelter and fleeing war, providing financial and material aid to Ukraine and&nbsp;sanctioning those responsible for the war.

The European Union has provided Ukraine with €67 billion in economic, humanitarian and military support and the assistance to Kyiv will continue for the duration of the war. On the one year anniversary of the Russian aggression, the EU approved the 10th package of sanctions. The Council decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional&nbsp;87&nbsp;individuals and&nbsp;34&nbsp;entities.&nbsp;Altogether, EU restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine now apply to a total of 1473 individuals and 205 entities.

In a resolution marking one year of Russia’s war against Ukraine, MEPs strongly condemned Moscow’s aggression and reiterate their unwavering solidarity with the people and leadership of Ukraine. Thus, MEPs reiterated their support for the European Council’s decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine and called on Ukraine, the Commission and the Council to work towards the start of accession negotiations this year, while stressing that EU accession also remains a merit-based process with respect for relevant procedures and conditional criteria.

The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was in Kyiv on 1 April 2022 to express the European Union´s support to the Ukrainian people and to condemn the unjustified Russian attack.&nbsp; On 9 February 2023, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the European Parliament during an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels.

Solidarity with Ukraine

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) takes part four times a year in a monetary dialogue with Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) to report on monetary policy and answer question from MEPs.&nbsp;Although guaranteed independence under the Treaty, the ECB is accountable for its actions towards the European Parliament, and more precisely the ECON Committee.

The European Central Bank is the central institution of the Economic and Monetary Union and has been responsible for conducting monetary policy for the euro area since 1 January 1999 The ECB and the national central banks of all EU Member States constitute the European System of Central Banks.

monetary dialogue with the ECB (T)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

LAGARDE, Christine (FR)

9th parliamentary term

Monetary dialogue

Between 1991 and 2017, and especially after 2000, the EU witnessed substantial improvements in terms of road safety, whether measured in terms of fatalities, accidents or injuries.&nbsp; Over a shorter period, between 2001 and 2010, the number of deaths on EU roads decreased by 43 %, and by around another 20 % since 2010.The most recent figures, however, show that progress in reducing the fatality rate is stagnating.

Specific road users or demographic groups are not witnessing the same improvements as the rest of the population.&nbsp;Despite being the safest region in the world, and despite sustained efforts to tackle road safety,&nbsp;around 22 700 people die on EU roads annually, with around 120 000 seriously injured.&nbsp;

Road safety is a shared competence, implying that many measures are primarily dealt with by Member States. However, the EU, has&nbsp;significantly developed the acquis in this area, with the Commission adopting several policy frameworks on road safety.

In 2003, the EU set itself a target in terms of reducing road fatalities, and regularly monitors progress towards this goal. In June 2017, the Council endorsed the Valletta Declaration, which reasserted commitments and targets in the area of road safety. In May 2018, within the context of the third and last 'mobility package', the Commission presented a common framework for road safety for the 2021-2030 period, recalling the EU’s long-term goal of moving as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 ('Vision Zero').

The European Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions regarding or covering road safety, calling notably for more detailed and measurable targets, more account taken of vulnerable users as well as of the safety challenges emerging from the development of connected and automated mobility.

car safety (T)

road safety (T)

Road safety

MEPs elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) on January 2022 as President of the European Parliament until 2024.

Roberta Metsola won the election in the first voting round, where she received an absolute majority of 458 votes out of 690 cast in the remote secret vote, among three candidates.&nbsp;

President Metsola is leading the Parliament in the second half of the current legislative term, until a new Parliament is constituted following the 2024 European Elections.

Born in Malta in 1979,&nbsp; Roberta Metsola who has been an MEP since 2013, is the youngest EP President ever elected. She became First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January.

She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after Simone Veil (1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999- 2002).

MEPs elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) on January 2022 as President of the European Parliament and is leading it for the second half of the current legislative term, until a new Parliament is constituted following the 2024 European Elections.

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

Parliament has condemned Hamas’&nbsp; attacks against Israel while expressing serious concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In the resolution adopted in October&nbsp;with 500 votes in favour, 21 against and 24 abstentions, MEPs strongly condemn the brutal attacks, express their support to Israel and its people and underline the need to “eliminate the terrorist organisation Hamas” .

They also call for the immediate release of all hostages kidnapped by Hamas and recognise Israel’s right to self-defence “as enshrined in and constrained by international law” . As such, any actions by Israel must strictly comply with international humanitarian law, the text states.

Parliament also stresses that both the attacks by Hamas and the Israeli response risk reinforcing a cycle of violence in the region. MEPs therefore call for a “humanitarian pause” of the fighting and stress that attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure, including UN workers, medical workers and journalists, is a serious violation of international law.

Following Hamas’ deadly attack against Israel on 7 October 2023, which claimed the lives of around 1 200 people and resulted in more than 200 people being taken hostage, Israel declared war against the terrorist group. It began striking the Gaza Strip from the air, later sending ground forces into the sealed-off coastal enclave. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 14&nbsp;000 Palestinians have so far been killed.

EP President Metsola visited&nbsp;Israel on Friday 13 October to express solidarity with the victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks, and meet with Israeli leadership. The EP held&nbsp;a solemn ceremony on 11 October in solidarity with victims of the attacks.

EU - Israel (T)

Situation in the Middle East (T)

Situation in Israel and Gaza

Have a look at the 2021 and 2022&nbsp;stockshots with illustrative pre-edited broadcast quality video footage. These editable stockshots are clean (raw), with natural sound (no voice-over), produced to illustrate priority EU dossiers and parliamentary work. They are intended to help audiovisual media produce their own programs, for example, editing of news reports or documentaries.

Stockshots are clean (raw), with natural sound (no voice-over), pre-edited videos

Infoclips (T)

Infoclips - Illustrative footage

The Netherlands is a founding member of the European Union.
The Netherlands is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 1999 and of the Schengen area since 26 March 1995.

The Netherlands is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a head of government - the prime minister - and a head of state - the monarch. There are 26 members of the European Parliament from the Netherlands.

EU - Netherlands

The Euroscola programme in Strasbourg brings together pupils aged 14 and over from the 27 EU Member States, candidate countries and former Member States to simulate the work of the European Parliament by debating, taking sides, negotiating, amending and voting on real European issues. Pupils get an opportunity to exchange views with Members of the European Parliament and experts from this institution, to familiarise themselves with the workings of the European Union, to discuss democracy, fundamental rights, European values and to express their personal opinions on the decisions taken at the European Union level.

Euroscola

Belgium is a founding member of the European Union

Belgium is member of the Schengen area since 26 March 1995 and of the Eurozone since 1 January 1999.

The country's capital, Brussels, is together with Luxembourg City and Strasbourg, one of the three official seats of the European institutions. Belgium is a constitutional monarchy in which the King is head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of the government.

EU - Belgium

As of January 1st, 2024, Belgium will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union.&nbsp;The Kingdom of Belgium has announced that it will be working&nbsp;to strengthen the European Union and make progress in several areas, such as climate change, economic growth and social cohesion;&nbsp;whilst acting as a neutral mediator to lead the legislative work and seek compromises among the EU Member States.

 

<center>Photo credit:© Fredex</center>

Highlights

Solidarity with Ukraine

Monetary dialogue

Road safety

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

Situation in Israel and Gaza

Infoclips - Illustrative footage

Najnovejši kanali

EU - Netherlands

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

Euroscola

Infoclips - Illustrative footage

EU - Belgium

Belgian Presidency

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