This “Question Time” gives MEPs the possibility to question the Commission on specific topical issues decided upon by the Conference of Presidents. Each MEP has one minute to ask their question, followed by an answer of up to two minutes and a possible follow-up question, no longer than 30 seconds, and a second answer by the Commissioner of up to two minutes.

Question Time with the Commission may be held at each part-session for a duration of up to 90 minutes on one or more specific horizontal themes: the topics/questions are sent to the EC the week before the plenary session.

Question time

Greece entered the European Economic Community on 1 January 1981.

Greece is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 2001 and of the Schengen area since 1 January 2000. Greece is a parliamentary republic with a head of government&nbsp; who has the most political power, and the head of state whose duties are largely ceremonial.

EU - Greece

The European Parliament has launched a new series of invitations to EU heads of state and governments under the theme, This is Europe. These exchanges and discussions&nbsp;focus on EU actions. The various topics are being&nbsp;adapted primarily to current events and in close cooperation with the individual leaders.

This is Europe Debates

Croatia officially joined the EU on 1 July 2013.&nbsp;Croatia will become the 20th&nbsp;member of the eurozone on January 1, 2023 with the adoption fo the euro.

Croatia borders Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia and has been an independent country since 1991. Croatia is a parliamentary republic in which the prime minister and the president represent the executive power and the state at home and abroad.

Croatia has 11 MEPs in the European Parliament.

EU - Croatia

The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have two main goals: to create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected and to establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.

The&nbsp;Digital Services Act (DSA)&nbsp;aims to create a safer digital space in which users rights are protected, including rules to tackle illegal content online, enhance the accountability and transparency of algorithms, and dealing with content moderation and targeted advertising.

Digital Markets Act&nbsp; (DMA) sets rules on what big online platforms will be allowed to do and not do in the EU. It&nbsp;blacklists certain practices of large platforms acting as “gatekeepers” and enables the Commission to carry out market investigations and sanction non-compliant behaviour.

Digital Services and Digital Markets Act

Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention.&nbsp;

In&nbsp;September 2020, the Commission proposed a new&nbsp;Pact on Migration and Asylum, which sets out faster procedures throughout the EU’s asylum and migration system and provides new options how member states can show solidarity. The new pact constitutes a revision of the Dublin regulation, which determines the country responsible for processing each asylum claim.

The immigration policy at European level deals both with legal and irregular immigration.&nbsp;Regarding regular immigration, the EU decides on conditions for legal entry and residence. Member states keep the right to rule on admission volumes for people coming from non-EU countries to seek work.

In September 2021 MEPs adopted the reform of the EU Blue Card to facilitate the employment of highly qualified non-EU nationals and help alleviate labour shortages in key sectors.&nbsp;Originally proposed by the Commission in 2016, this will be the only legislative change at EU level in the field of legal labour migration in recent years.

The European Parliament is actively involved, in the adoption of new laws on irregular and regular immigration. It is a full co-legislator together with the Council representing member states on these matters since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

Migration

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The right to health, including sexual and reproductive health, is protected internationally.&nbsp;Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare goods and services is a fundamental component of sexual and reproductive rights.

Under international human rights law and standards, European Union Member States should ensure access to safe and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare.

A range of United Nations (UN) treaties ban discrimination in general terms, effectively outlawing discrimination in sexual and reproductive health and rights. These rights include the right to health and the right to family planning, equal access to service, freedom from violence and the right to life. Specific international treaty protections exist to combat discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability but not sexual orientation or gender identity.

At European level, the Council of Europe protects sexual and reproductive health and rights through the European Convention on Human Rights and through the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).

Sexual and reproductive health and rights

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, 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).

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

Czechia is holding&nbsp;the Presidency of the EU Council from July to December 2022, following the French Presidency and preceding the Swedish Presidency. The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council. Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. This system was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009. The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18-month&nbsp;

Czech Presidency

Moldova formally applied for EU membership on 3 March. The European Commission concluded&nbsp;that the country has a solid foundation in place to reach the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; macroeconomic policies have been reasonably sound and progress has been made in strengthening the financial sector and business environment but key economic reforms remain to be undertaken; the country has established a solid basis to further alignment with the EU acquis. On this basis, the Commission recommended&nbsp;that Moldova be given the perspective to become a member of the European Union.&nbsp;The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country&nbsp; to the Republic of Moldova in June 2022.

Moldova's application for EU membership

During the&nbsp;meeting on 23-24 June 2022, the European Council discussed&nbsp;the wider Europe, Ukraine, EU membership applications from Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, economic issues, the Conference on the Future of Europe and external relations.

The European Council recognised&nbsp;the European perspective of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. The future of these countries and their citizens lies within the European Union.&nbsp;The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova. &nbsp;he Commission is invited to report to the Council on the fulfilment of the conditions specified in the Commission’s opinions on the respective membership applications as part of its regular enlargement package. The Council will decide on further steps once all these conditions are fully met. &nbsp;The European Council is ready to grant the status of candidate country to Georgia once the priorities specified in the Commission’s opinion on Georgia’s membership application have been addressed.

European Council, 23-24 June 2022

The EU and NATO have founded their long-standing partnership, in an environment shaped by common principles and values. The European Parliament and NATO engage frequently in active dialogue in order to deepen mutual understanding and consolidate cooperation. In an increasingly volatile and unstable geopolitical context, the dynamic of cooperation has intensified to face new threats ranging from terrorism to climate change to hybrid warfare.&nbsp;

EU - NATO relations

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The European Union's enlargement policy is based on established criteria and fair and rigorous conditionality. 

Progress along the European path is an objective and merit-based process which depends on the concrete results achieved by each individual country, with the rule of law, justice and fundamental rights being an utmost priority. A credible enlargement perspective requires sustained efforts and irreversible reforms. The EU Enlargement is an investment in peace, security and stability in Europe: a prospect of EU membership has a powerful transformative effect on the partners in the process, embedding positive democratic, political, economic and societal change.

Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidate countries.The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova in June 2022.

Negotiations are held with each candidate country to determine their ability to apply EU legislation (acquis) and examine their possible request for transition periods.

Enlargement

Have a look at the latest stockshots of 2021 and 2022 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.

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Infoclips - Illustrative footage

On 24 February 2022,&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;began a&nbsp;military invasion&nbsp;of Ukraine, in a major escalation of the conflict that had begun in 2014. Shortly before, on 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.&nbsp;On 1&nbsp;March&nbsp;the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels to assess Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Speaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Ruslan Stefanchuk spoke live from Kiev.&nbsp;

The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was in Kyiv on 1 April&nbsp;to express the European Union´s support of&nbsp;the Ukrainian people and to condemn the unjustified Russian attack. She travelled on the invitation of the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk.

Since the beginning of the invasion, the EU has adopted several&nbsp;packages of restrictive measures to Russia’s unprecedented and unprovoked military attack against Ukraine.

On Wednesday 8 June, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk adressed Parliament in the Strasbourg hemicycle.

Russian aggression against Ukraine

Eurobarometer surveys are the official polling instrument used by the European Parliament, the European Commission and other EU institutions and agencies to regularly monitor the state of public opinion in Europe on issues related to the European Union, as well as attitudes on subjects of political or social nature. The Eurobarometer provides quality and relevant data for experts in public opinion, researchers, media and the public. The Eurobarometer project was initiated in 1974 by the European Commission as a means to “reveal Europeans to themselves”. Since then, it has evolved and expanded significantly with different survey tools. In 2007, the European Parliament started its own regular series of Eurobarometer surveys, focussing on topics specific to the European Parliament, including the European elections.

The European Parliament’s spring 2022 Eurobarometer evidences a stronger public support for the EU.&nbsp;Almost two thirds (65%) of Europeans see EU membership as a good thing. This is the highest result since 2007, when it was at 58%. Also,&nbsp;52% of Europeans today have a positive image of the EU, against 12% negative.&nbsp;

Recent events have also shaped the&nbsp;image Europeans have of other major actors on the international scene.&nbsp;Russia is seen positively only by 10% of respondents, down from 30% in 2018. Most citizens perceive the war in Ukraine as fundamental change:&nbsp;61% of Europeans are not confident that their life will continue unchanged.&nbsp;

Eurobarometer

Plans to refill Europe’s gas reserves more quickly to ensure supply during the cold season are discussed&nbsp;by MEPs on Thursday, in the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The new regulation,&nbsp;already agreed upon with EU ministers, sets a mandatory minimum level of gas in storage facilities of 80% by 1 November 2022, but member states and operators should strive to reach 85%.

The target will rise to 90% in subsequent years, to protect Europeans from possible supply shocks. The text urges EU countries to diversify gas supply sources and boost energy efficiency. Under the rules, gas storage facilities will become critical infrastructure. All storage operators will have to undergo new mandatory certification to avoid risks of outside interference and those who fail to secure it will have to give up ownership or control of their EU gas storage facilities. The legislative proposal was tabled by the Commission on 23 March, in the wake of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Parliament&nbsp;decided on 5 April to fast-track&nbsp;it and two days later&nbsp;backed it&nbsp;and set its negotiating position. The energy union strategy aims at building an energy union that gives EU consumers - households and businesses - secure, sustainable, competitive and affordable energy.

Energy union

The European Council received Ukraine's application for EU membership on 28 February. It has asked the European Commission to prepare an Opinion, which will assess the merits of the applications against the EU accession criteria, notably the Copenhagen criteria [focusing on the political and economic criteria].

The European Commission has found that Ukraine overall is well advanced in reaching the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; has continued its strong macro-economic record, demonstrating a noteworthy resilience with macroeconomic and financial stability, while needing to continue ambitious structural economic reforms; and has gradually approximated to substantial elements of the EU acquis in many areas.

On this basis, the Commission recommended that&nbsp;Ukraine be given the perspective to become a member of the European Union. The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country to Ukraine in June 2022.

Ukraine's application for EU membership

As part of the European Green Deal, with the European Climate Law, the EU has set itself a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This requires current greenhouse gas emission levels to drop substantially in the next decades. As an intermediate step towards climate neutrality, the EU has raised its 2030 climate ambition, committing to cutting emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

During June plenary MEPs agreed to increase ambition for emissions reduction in the international aviation sector to achieve EU and global climate goals. Parliament also adopted its position on the effort sharing regulation which sets binding annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions for EU member states and currently regulates roughly 60 % of EU emissions. Parliament supported also a revised CO2 emissions standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.

During June II plenary session MEPs&nbsp;adopted their position on the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System.&nbsp;To incentivise industries to further reduce their emissions and invest in low-carbon technologies, the Emissions Trading System should be reformed and its scope enlarged.

Fit for 55

The EU Digital COVID Certificate aims to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.The certificate should&nbsp;be available in either digital or paper format. It attests that a person has been vaccinated against coronavirus or has a recent negative test result or has recovered from the infection.

&nbsp;A common EU framework is&nbsp;allowing member states to issue certificates that will then be accepted in other EU countries. The EU Digital Covid Certificate regulation should be&nbsp;in place for 12 months. The certificate should&nbsp;not be a precondition to exercise the right to free movement and is&nbsp;not&nbsp;considered a travel document.

Member states should not impose additional travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing, “unless they are necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health”. Member states must accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for persons inoculated with a vaccine authorised for use in the EU by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

It is&nbsp;up to the member states to decide whether they also accept vaccination certificates that have been authorised by other Member States following national authorisation procedures or for vaccines listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use. The Regulation entered&nbsp;into force on&nbsp;1 July 2021.
 Parliament and EU member states’ negotiators have agreed to keep the EU Digital COVID Certificate framework in place for another year, until June 2023

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