At a glance: MEPs debate future EU budget and warn against cuts to key programmes; Parliament outlines priorities for new EU gender equality strategy and calls for tougher action on violence and pay gaps; a new European Parliament office opens in Moldova, reaffirming support for country’s EU accession.

Kratka poročila – 11/11/2025 - slovenščina

Alcide De Gasperi se je rodil leta 1881 v italijanskem delu Avstro-Ogrske. Bil je goreč nasprotnik fašizma. Leta 1943 je ustanovil stranko Krščanska demokracija in postal prvi predsednik vlade italijanske republike. Na tem položaju je ostal do leta 1953. S Konradom Adenauerjem in Robertom Schumanom je bil glavni pobudnik evropskega povezovanja.

Alcide De Gasperi, ustanovitelj Evropske unije

At a glance: Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs reviews progress made on Work-Life Balance Directive; MEPs debate youth and fairness priorities with Commissioner Micallef; and a public hearing takes place on the human rights situation in Sudan.

Kratka poročila – 10/11/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament and the Council strike deal to boost EU defence investment; MEPs back citizens’ call for safe and accessible abortion across Europe; and the Committee on Civil Liberties warns of deepening rule of law crisis in Hungary.

Kratka poročila – 07/11/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: MEPs push for faster green pest-control approvals; MEPs warn that Arctic militarisation threatens security; and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs approves proposal to allow MEPs to vote in plenary by proxy.

Kratka poročila – 06/11/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: MEPs review EU defence readiness with Commissioner Kubilius; Parliament marks 25 years of UN Women, Peace and Security agenda; and the European Commission to present its first report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the EU.

Kratka poročila – 05/11/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: MEPs to quiz EU Budget Commissioner on next long-term budget; voting to take place on releasing EU Solidarity Fund money for Spain and France following natural disasters; and Commissioners to discuss the Connecting Europe Facility proposal with MEPs.

Kratka poročila – 04/11/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament committees mark the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter; MEPs from the Trade and Foreign Affairs Committees meet in Brussels; the European Parliament hosts the sixth annual Gender Equality Week.

Kratka poročila – 03/11/2025 - slovenščina

Nagrado Daphne Caruana Galizia za novinarstvo za leto 2025 je prejela nizozemska platforma za preiskovalno novinarstvo Follow the Money. Novinarji so razkrili, da so zahodni ladjarji ruski floti v senci prodali 230 starih tankerjev in tako zaslužili več kot 6 milijard dolarjev. V preiskavi je sodelovalo 13 medijskih hiš iz Belgije, Danske, Nemčije, Grčije, Italije, Norveške in Združenega kraljestva.
Nagrada je namenjena spodbujanju načel in vrednot Unije, zapisanih v Listini Evropske unije o temeljnih pravicah. Imenuje se po malteški novinarki, blogerki in protikorupcijski aktivistki Daphne Caruana Galizia, ki so jo umorili leta 2017.

Nagrada Daphne Caruana Galizia za novinarstvo za leto 2025

At a glance: MEPs review housing and wildfire response in Madeira, Portugal; Parliament to hold workshop on housing crisis and short-term rentals; EU trade delegation concludes talks in New Delhi on India free-trade deal.

Kratka poročila – 31/10/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: the European Parliament hosts the sixth annual Gender Equality Week; a delegation from the Employment and Social Affairs Committee concludes its visit to Cyprus; and the Commissioner for Enlargement presents the 2025 enlargement package to the Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Kratka poročila – 30/10/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament President Metsola condemns Belarus airspace violations and backs Lithuania’s security; Euronest Parliamentary Assembly meets in Armenia to deepen EU-Eastern Partnership ties; and MEPs conclude DRC mission on sustainable development and governance.

Kratka poročila – 29/10/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: a delegation from Parliament’s Regional Development Committee is visiting north-eastern Poland; MEPs from the Committee on Fisheries assess challenges for French and Spanish fishing fleets in the Bay of Biscay; and MEPs visit Nova Gorica and Gorizia, the first-ever cross-border European Capital of Culture.

Kratka poročila – 28/10/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament sets its climate goals ahead of COP30; MEPs visit Brazil ahead of Mercosur trade deal; economic and investment relations top of the agenda for International Trade Committee delegation visiting India.

Kratka poročila – 27/10/2025 - slovenščina

At a glance: MEPs back stronger 2026 EU budget; Belarus opposition leaders call for continued EU support; the two jailed journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli are the winners of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Kratka poročila – 24/10/2025 - slovenščina

Prejemnika nagrade Saharova za svobodo misli za leto 2025, ki jo podeljuje Evropski parlament, sta zaprta novinarja Andrzej Poczobut iz Belorusije in Mzia Amaglobeli iz Gruzije.

Evropski parlament že od leta 1988 nagrado Saharova podeljuje posameznikom in organizacijam, ki se zavzemajo za varstvo človekovih pravic in temeljnih svoboščin.

Nagrada Saharova za svobodo misli za leto 2025

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on the week from 27th to 31st january 2025. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate.

ENVI - Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on 10 July 2019, following the appointment of their members in the plenary sitting of 3-4 July. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate. The newly set up committees will then start holding their regular meetings during the week of 22 July.

AFCO - Committee on Constitutional Affairs

EMPL - Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

REGI - Committee on Regional Development

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 2022.

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 2022-2024

In July 2024&nbsp; MEPs re-elected Roberta Metsola (EPP, MT) as President of the European Parliament until 2027, with 562 votes in the first round. Roberta Metsola won the election in the first round of voting, where she received an absolute majority of 562 votes cast out of 699 by secret paper ballot, among two candidates. She will continue to lead Parliament for the first two and a half years of the 10th legislative term.

Born in Malta in 1979, Roberta Metsola has been an MEP since 2013.&nbsp;She was elected First Vice-President in November 2020, and was Parliament’s acting President after President Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022. On 18 January 2022,&nbsp;she was elected President&nbsp;for the second half of the 9th legislative term. She is the third female President of the European Parliament, after&nbsp;Simone Veil&nbsp;(1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999-2002).

Addressing the House after she was elected, President Metsola said: “Together, we must stand up for the politics of hope, for the dream that is Europe. I want people to recapture a sense of belief and enthusiasm for our project. A belief to make our shared space safer, fairer, more just and more equal. A belief that together we are stronger and we are better. A belief that ours is a Europe for all.”

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament 2024-2027

The European budget supports citizens, farmers, researchers, businesses and regions across Europe and beyond. It has proven&nbsp;essential for improving the lives of Europeans. Together with NextGenerationEU, it helped overcome a pandemic and energy crisis, while saving millions of jobs during lockdowns and investing in our clean and digital future. The EU budget also provided unprecedented support to Ukraine and the security of Europe, in the face of Russia's war of aggression.<a name="_Hlk189216671"></a>

Next long-term budget&nbsp;will start in 2028. Parliament adopted a&nbsp;<a data-analytics-event-attached="true" href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-10-2025-0090_EN.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">resolution</a>&nbsp;on the future MFF during its May 2025 plenary session, asking for a “significantly more ambitious” budget, and arguing that the current spending ceiling of 1% of the EU-27’s gross national income is not enough. MEPs also rejected the Commission’s idea of replicating the Recovery and Resilience Facility’s "one national plan per Member State" model in the EU’s new long-term budget. Instead, they demand a structure that ensures transparency and parliamentary accountability, and involves regional and local authorities.

The decision on the next long-term EU budget requires unanimous agreement among member states and must also be backed by Parliament, by a majority of its component members.&nbsp;

EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034

ITRE - Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Salih Mahmoud Osman, a Sudanese human rights lawyer working in the Darfur region of Sudan, has been awarded the 2007 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought.

&nbsp;

MEPs from across the political spectrum voted to honour Salih Mahmoud Osman for his work in trying to bring justice to the victims of civil war in the troubled region. Accepting the prize on Tuesday 11 December in Parliament's Chamber in Strasbourg, Salih Mahmoud Osman called for Europe and the international community not to abandon the people of Darfur. 
It is estimated that over 400,000 people have died in the conflict in Darfur - a situation that Mr Salih describes as "genocide".

Salih Mahmoud Osman, Sakharov Prize laureate 2007

On Wednesday 10 July, the Committe on Development (DEVE) met for the first time in its new composition and elected as its Chair Swedish MEP Tomas TOBÉ (EPP). The Committee also elected four Vice Chairs: Pierrette HERZBERGER-FOFANA (Greens/EFA), Norbert NEUSER (S&amp;D), Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU (Renew Europe), Erik MARQUARDT (Greens/EFA). The next meeting of the Committee will take place in the morning of 24 July and is set to discuss the state of play of development cooperation, the 2020 budget and the future partnership with ACP countries. The Finish EU Council Presidency will set out its priorities, in particular in humanitarian aid.

DEVE - Committee on Development

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

Welcoming the peace deal for the Middle East, Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the&nbsp;EU stands ready to help ensure its implementation. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen&nbsp;stressed the importance of providing governance support&nbsp;and support for the reform of the Palestinian Authority. In a&nbsp;statement following his participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, European Council President António Costa said the EU stands ready to participate in the International Peace Board and to support transitional governance, recovery, and reconstruction.

On 11 September 2025, MEPs&nbsp;adopted a resolution,&nbsp;stating that the creation of a Palestinian state is key to peace, Israel’s security, and regional normalisation.

Since the announcement of the peace agreement and the coming into effect of the ceasefire the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for 2,000 Palestinians held by Israel. Key aspects of the peace plan, such as the disarmament of Hamas, withdrawal of Israel’s army, and the future governance of Gaza are yet to be resolved. Since 7 October 2023, when the Israeli military launched a campaign in response to the Hamas-led attack in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage, more than 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Situation in Israel and Gaza

Situation in the Middle East escalated after Israel launched a series of strikes on Iran in&nbsp;&nbsp;"Operation Rising lion".&nbsp;Since then Iran reposted and both countries continue to fire missiles daily with rising number of casualties on both sides. The US has joined Israel later by bombarding three nuclear sites in Iran spraking fears of spreading the conflict even further.&nbsp;&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 during the plenary session in June.&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

On 24 February Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Shortly before&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized&nbsp;two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine&nbsp; as independent.&nbsp;The Conference of Presidents of the EP condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. "Ukraine is an independent and sovereign nation and its territorial integrity is non-negotiable. The invasion is unjustified and illegal. It is a threat to European and regional stability, as well as to the rules-based world order. The attack targets our model of democratic society. It cannot go unanswered, " says declaration of the COP.

"The Russian invasion into Ukraine is part of President Putin’s destabilisation agenda. It is a path that will bring the Kremlin in direct confrontation with Europe and the rule-based world-order. It is a path that pits authoritarianism against democracy. It is a path that we cannot allow him to walk unchallenged," said EP President Roberta Metsola.

European Union leaders met for a special European Council in Brussels on 24 February&nbsp;and adopted a set of sanctions related to the the financial sector, the energy and transport sectors,dual-use goods, exports, Russian individuals etc.&nbsp;

Ukraine is a priority partner for the European Union (EU). The EU supports Ukraine in ensuring a stable, prosperous and democratic future for its citizens and is unwavering in its support for Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Association Agreement (AA), including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) signed in 2014, is the main tool for bringing Ukraine and the EU closer together. Since 2014, the EU and the Financial Institutions have mobilised more than €15 billion in grants and loans to support the reform process in the country, with strong conditionality on continued progress.

As a result of the cooperation with Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada in the field of democracy support, European Parliament launched on 11 March the website “<a href="https://ukraine.europarl.europa.eu/en/home.html" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">The EU stands with Ukraine</a>” (in English and Ukrainian) provides the latest news, videos and podcasts, relevant legislation and resolutions to show how the EU is helping Ukraine. Content from the Ukrainian Parliament could also be shared on the site. Actively supporting EU efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the world is one of Parliament's core responsibilities.

EU - Ukraine

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;

Since then, the EU and its international allies have rallied firmly behind the Kyiv government. This support has resulted in unprecedented levels of financial aid, assistance, weapons deliveries to Ukraine, sweeping sanctions against Moscow, and the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.

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 Zelensky&nbsp;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 Russian attack. On&nbsp;8 June&nbsp;Stefanchuk adressed Parliament in the Strasbourg hemicycle.

Following the atrocities carried out by Vladimir Putin’s regime against Ukrainian civilians, the European Parliament has&nbsp;recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in a resolution on November 2022.

On 9th February 2023, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy&nbsp;addressed the European Parliament during an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels.

Russian aggression against Ukraine

President Metsola meets with business leaders organised by MEDEF, with Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate and with Arthur Mensch, CEO of Mistral AI 
President Metsola also meets with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Paris (France)

President Metsola attends a Ceremony to pay tribute to the victims of the November 2015 terrorist attacks and the inauguration of the November 13th Garden

MEPs assess the outcome of the October European Council meeting, in a debate with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen. During their meeting, EU leaders focused on Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, housing and migration

EP Plenary debate on October European Council

MEPs and Commission and Council representatives discuss the architecture and governance of the EU’s 2028-2034 long-term budget (multiannual financial framework - MFF). Lead MEPs have warned that setting the spending ceiling at 1.26% of the EU-27’s gross national income, as proposed by the Commission in July, will force cuts to flagship programmes. The proposal also falls short of Parliament’s expectations regarding democratic oversight and scrutiny, the EU’s agriculture and cohesion policy, and the need for more regional and local authority involvement.

EP Plenary debate on the new 2028-2034 MFF: architecture & governance

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chisinau (Moldova) 

President Metsola meets the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Igor Grosu.
She then addresses the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
She meets the President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, followed by a press conference.
She meets the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Munteanu.
President Metsola and President Sandu participate in a European Youth dialogue.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Chisinau (Moldova)

Harnessing women’s talent through education, training and employment, to drive economic growth and progress, is the main topic of several events being organised by parliamentary committees this week (Monday to Thursday). 

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola opens the hearing on “Women’s leadership in politics” in the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee on Wednesday.

Every year Parliament holds a Gender Equality Week to take stock of the achievements and identify new measures to advance girls' and women's rights and ensure gender equality. Events are organised by Parliament's committees, delegations, political groups and administration. The first edition was held in 2020, on the initiative of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee.

In 2025 the European Gender Equality Week will focus on talent. The main event will host a discussion on how to ensure women can access the same opportunities as men in order to be able to harness their talents.

Parliament wishes to emphasise that creating the conditions for women to participate fully in the workforce and public life is not only a matter of fairness, but it also brings economic and social benefits.

Gender Equality Week: "Women's leadership on politics"

President Roberta Metsola meets with the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, and addresses the boards of agriculture sector organisations Coldiretti and Confagricoltura. She also speaks at an event organised by Formiche and addresses the opening of the Sigma Summit

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Rome (Italy)

President Metsola’s three-day mission to Washington DC (27–29 October 2025) featured a dense programme of high-level meetings, strategic dialogues, and media engagements. Her visit included exchanges with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senators and Congressman, alongside discussions with representatives from leading global companies including Warner Bros. Discovery, META, Airbus, Spotify, Amazon and Microsoft. The President also took part in a World Economic Forum roundtable on technology and artificial intelligence and delivered a keynote speech with Q&A at Georgetown University.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Washington DC (USA)

The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visits Milan and participates in the event ‘Sport as a Key Factor in European Policy: The Impact of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on our Society’. Twenty years after Turin 2006, the event celebrates the return of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Europe. In the afternoon, in the Council Room of ICE - Agency for the Promotion Abroad and Internationalisation of Italian Businesses, President Metsola participates in a meeting with business representatives and trade associations to discuss the issues of simplification and competitiveness.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Milan (Italy)

European Council

The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. 

Provisional Agenda of 23.10.2025

1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Ukraine
3. Middle East
4. European defence and security
5. Competitiveness and twin transition
6. Housing
7. Migration

Conclusions: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/10/23/european-council-conclusions-23-october-2025/

European Council meeting 23.10.2025

EP Plenary discusses the recent allegations that the Hungarian government has been spying on the EU institutions.

On 9 October, several media outlets published allegations that the Hungarian secret services, posing as diplomats at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, attempted to recruit EU officials as informants in Brussels. The Commission has said it will set up an internal group to investigate the allegations.

In a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the allegations with Commission and Council representatives.

EP Plenary debate on allegations of Hungarian espionage

In a formal sitting, the two prominent opposition leaders from Belarus address plenary.

Sergey Tihanovski was pardoned and released from jail, along with 13 other political prisoners in June. He ran as presidential candidate in 2020 but was arrested and sentenced to 18 years in prison for “organising riots” and “inciting hatred” and then to 18 months extra for “insubordination”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya entered the presidential race in her husband’s place and ran against Alexander Lukashenko, who was declared winner of the fraudulent 2020 elections. In a text adopted in October 2020, the European Parliament noted that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was president-elect in the eyes of the Belarusian people and that her Coordination Council was the legitimate representative of the people of Belarus.

MEPs and Council and Commission representatives discuss the situation in Belarus five years after the fraudulent presidential elections

After the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, the Lukashenko regime launched a brutal and systematic crackdown on peaceful protests against the fraudulent election result. Since then, the Belarusian authorities have pursued a campaign to shut down civil society, silence independent media and eliminate all forms of political opposition. Thousands have been unjustly detained, subjected to torture and ill-treatment, or forced into exile. In January 2025, Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, won a seventh consecutive presidential term. Opposition leaders and activists did not react to the vote, as most had been jailed or gone into exile, and no dissent is tolerated inside the country.

Formal sitting with Sergey Tihanovski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Parliament President Roberta Metsola, announces the laureate of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the EU's highest human rights award. It has been awarded annually by Parliament since 1988, to individuals, groups or organisations in recognition of their outstanding commitment to human rights, freedom of expression or the defence of democratic values.

This year, MEPs from the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Development voted for the following three finalists on 16 October 2025 (in alphabetical order): 

-Imprisoned journalists fighting for your freedom and ours, Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia;
 -Journalists and humanitarian aid workers in Palestine and all conflict zones, represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the Red Crescent, and UNRWA;
 -Serbian students.

After this committee vote, the Sakharov Prize laureate is chosen by the Conference of Presidents, composed of President Metsola and the leaders of parliament’s political groups.

Announcement of  the laureate of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

MEPs look ahead to the 23 October EU summit in a debate with the European Commission and the Danish Presidency.

Ahead of the meeting of Heads of State or Government in Brussels on 23 October, plenary discusses how the EU can continue to support Ukraine against Russia’s aggression, as well as the EU’s response to recent developments in the Middle East, where the release of the remaining hostages and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza followed the first phase of a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel.

At their meeting, EU leaders also focus on strengthening Europe’s economic competitiveness, guided by the Competitiveness Compass and the Draghi Report, which call for higher public investment and wide-ranging economic reforms. They will also address Europe’s housing crisis, defence and security policy, and ways to manage migration flows and ensure border protection.

EP Plenary debate on Parliament’s priorities for the October European Council

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism

The Prize is a tribute to the Maltese investigative journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was assassinated in October 2017. It rewards, on a yearly basis, outstanding journalism that promotes or defends the core principles and values of the European Union, such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights.

The Prize is open to professional journalists and teams of professional journalists of any nationality to submit in-depth stories that have been published or broadcast by a media outlet based in one of the 27 European Union member states. From 21 May to 31 July 2025, more than 300 applications were submitted by journalists from the 27 EU countries for this fourth edition of the Prize.

The Prize itself, and the €20,000 prize money, demonstrate the European Parliament’s strong support for investigative journalism and the protection of journalists around the world.



Follow the Money won the 2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism for exposing the hidden financial networks enabling Russia’s sanction-evading oil trade.

The investigation, coordinated by the platform for investigative journalism “Follow the Money” in collaboration with media from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, revealed how Western shipowners earned over 6 billion dollars selling 230 aging tankers to Russia's shadow fleet.

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize 2025 Award ceremony

A “reparations loan” to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction and defence is the subject of a debate with Commission and Council representatives.

The EU is working on an ambitious initiative to unlock €185 billion in frozen Russian Central Bank assets. Announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month during her State of the Union speech as a “reparations loan”, the assets themselves would not be touched and Ukraine would only reimburse the loan once Russia pays the reparations. EU leaders will be discussing this plan at their summit on 23-24 October.

Background

After Russia launched its full-scale illegal invasion of Ukraine, the international community prohibited all transactions involving the assets and reserves of the Central Bank of Russia. As a result, €260 billion of these assets worldwide are currently “immobilised”, with more than two thirds (about €210 billion) in the EU. Depending on the interest rates, revenues from these immobilised assets can total up to €3 billion annually.

EP Pleanry debate on the stepping up funding for Ukraine and using frozen Russian assets

In a key debate  MEPs and Commission representatives discuss the recent Middle East peace agreement and the role of the EU.

Welcoming the peace deal for the Middle East, Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the EU stands ready to help ensure its implementation. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of providing governance support and support for the reform of the Palestinian Authority. In a statement following his participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, European Council President António Costa said the EU stands ready to participate in the International Peace Board and to support transitional governance, recovery, and reconstruction.

On 11 September 2025, MEPs adopted a resolution, stating that the creation of a Palestinian state is key to peace, Israel’s security, and regional normalisation.

Since the announcement of the peace agreement and the coming into effect of the ceasefire the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for 2,000 Palestinians held by Israel. Key aspects of the peace plan, such as the disarmament of Hamas, withdrawal of Israel’s army, and the future governance of Gaza are yet to be resolved.

EP Plenary debate on the Middle East peace agreement and the role of the EU

The Foreign Affairs and Development Committees votes to shortlist three candidates for the European Parliament’s 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize has been awarded since 1988 and is the highest European award for commitment to and work on human rights

Sakharov Prize 2025: Vote on a shortlist of 3 candidates

AFCO Symposium - The Quest for the Rule of Law

ENVI - Exchange of views with Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy and Wopke Hoekstra , Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, on the financing for climate and environment under the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034

As many women and girls continue to face barriers in accessing affordable menstrual products, menstrual poverty remains a significant socioeconomic issue. To combat it, the EU Value Added Tax (VAT) Directive now allows Member States to apply reduced or zero VAT rates to sanitary products. On 4 November 2025, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) will hold a public hearing on this issue in light of the Parliament's Gender Equality Week.

VAT rates on tampons across the EU

This briefing provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the current 10th parliamentary term (2024-2029) who had held public office at local, regional and/or national level before taking up their mandates (or, in some cases, continue to hold sub-national level public posts).

MEPs' public-office experience before being elected in 2024

Attracting young people to agriculture has been a goal of the European Union's (EU) common agricultural policy (CAP) since the 1980s. However, EU farmers are getting older – 57 % of farm managers are over 55 years of age, while only 12 % are under 40. Young farmers ensure continuity of agricultural production and bring vitality to rural areas.

Generational renewal in EU agriculture

Maternity leave and voting procedures for Members of parliaments differ widely across the European Union (EU). Maternity-related absences are considered justified for Members of the European Parliament, but the current rules do not permit remote voting, proxy voting or temporary substitution. Maternity leave for parliamentarians is generally permitted across the EU's Member States, although legal frameworks and practical arrangements differ.

Maternity leave and voting procedures in EU national parliaments

This infographics summarises the results of integrated assessments of Baltic Sea's pressures and status. It illustrates the proportion of the Baltic Sea, based on square kilometers, in different assessment status categories. The assessment was carried out during the period 2016-2021.

State of the Baltic Sea environment

Care work, whether provided in institutional settings such as childcare centres and healthcare facilities, or in home settings, is largely invisible, undervalued and carried out by women. The resulting gender care gap has profound consequences for the European Union's (EU) labour market and competitiveness as well as the well-being and cohesion of society. This briefing seeks to support the European Parliament's committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) in their preparation of an own-initiative report on addressing the gender care gap.

Addressing the gender care gap: Potential European added value

With the growing weaponisation of trade, the EU's trade defence toolbox is increasingly relevant. The importance of the EU's trade defence arsenal is underscored, among other factors, by persistent global overcapacity in a range of sectors, which has significant distorting effects on international markets, and by the weaponisation of trade, including through economic coercion amid growing geopolitical tensions.

Understanding the EU trade defence toolbox

Military mobility, defined as the capacity of armed forces to swiftly move troops and equipment across the European Union (EU), is a crucial but long-overlooked aspect of European defence. After decades of underinvestment and unresolved obstacles, there is a need to intensify coordinated and integrated efforts at EU, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Member State level to increase resources and address physical, legislative, and regulatory barriers that continue to cause delays and disruptions for military forces. Failure to act would leave armed forces unprepared in the face of threats, and undermine the security of citizens. This briefing looks within and beyond the current framework and explores the potential impact of additional investment of between €75 billion and €100 billion until 2035 to improve the current state of infrastructure. Our analysis finds that the added value associated with a larger amount of funds invested collectively leads to benefits which are almost three times higher (€21 billion additional GDP per year in 2035) than when Member States invest separately and in an uncoordinated way.

CEF military mobility funding by transport mode

One of the first, and boldest, measures taken by Western countries as a response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the immobilisation of the Russian central bank assets held under their jurisdictions, the value of which could be around €300 billion worldwide, according to recent estimations. As the war is well into its fourth year, the debate on how to use the immobilised assets to sustain Ukraine's reconstruction efforts – a cost estimated at US$524 billion – has evolved.

Frozen Russian assets: where are they immobilised?

This EPRS paper analyses how the European Commission is delivering on the policy agenda set by its President, Ursula von der Leyen, and her College of Commissioners, since taking office in December 2024. It provides a first assessment of the delivery of the agenda's seven priorities, on the eve of the first State of the Union address of von der Leyen's second mandate as Commission President. The von der Leyen II Commission has set seven new priorities – none of which continues directly from the six priorities of her first mandate – and has so far announced some 250 initiatives with which to achieve them. Half of these initiatives fall under the first priority, on prosperity and competitiveness.

The European Commission's seven priorities: delivery up to 1 September 2025

Smart and sustainable transport plays a significant role in advancing the EU's green and digital transitions under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the crisis-response instrument the EU launched to boost EU economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. All EU Member States included transport-related measures in their national recovery and resilience plans.

Smart and sustainable transport investments in the national recovery and resilience plans

The College of Commissioners is currently composed of 27 individuals: the President, Ursula von der Leyen, 6 Executive Vice-Presidents and 20 Commissioners. The Executive Vice-Presidents have a dual role; they manage a specific portfolio and coordinate efforts across the main priorities of the Commission's political agenda. The other Commissioners are each responsible for a specific policy area, working under the guidance of the Executive Vice-Presidents. The table below shows for each Commissioner the Vice-President(s) guiding work on their portfolio (in certain cases, Commissioners work directly under the guidance of the President).

European Commission: Political make-up of the College of Commissioners

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. Under the Treaties, its tasks are to 'promote the general interest of the Union', without prejudice to individual Member States, to 'ensure the application of the Treaties' and measures adopted under them, for instance through taking infringement measures against Member States who do not correctly implement EU legislation, and to 'execute the budget'. It also holds a near monopoly on the right of legislative initiative, alone proposing virtually all EU legislation to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. The College of Commissioners is currently composed of 27 individuals: the President, Ursula von der Leyen, 6 Executive Vice-Presidents and 20 Commissioners. The table below shows for each Commissioner the Vice-President(s) guiding work on their portfolio (in certain cases, Commissioners work directly under the guidance of the President).

European Commission: Commissioners' relationships with parliamentary committees

The Council of the European Union – often referred to as the Council of Ministers, or simply the Council – forms one part of the legislature and the budgetary authority of the Union. The Council and European Parliament together adopt much of the EU's legislation and the Union's annual budget, on the basis of proposals put forward by the executive, the European Commission. The Council also takes decisions on specific areas of EU action, in particular in common foreign and security policy (CFSP), where it seeks to coordinate Member States' positions, and concludes – subject to the consent of the Parliament – international agreements, usually negotiated by the Commission on the basis of a mandate from the Council. The Council of the EU is distinct from the European Council, which is a separate institution made up of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States. The European Council is responsible for defining the general political directions and priorities for the Union, but does not have formal legislative functions.

Rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union

As every year, two annual procedures are central to the budgetary work of the European Parliament and the other institutions – agreeing on the 2026 budget, and granting discharge for the implementation of the 2024 budget. In addition, in 2025, the process of agreeing the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the years from 2028 will also get under way. This timeline sets out the main steps in the three procedures up to end 2025.

Timeline for the three key EU budgetary procedures up to end 2025

The EU and its Member States have made efforts and funds available to support the integration of displaced people from Ukraine in terms of employment, housing, education and healthcare. Research indicates that Ukrainian refugees have a high employment rate in host countries, reflecting the circular mobility pattern observed among Ukrainians prior to 2022, when they were the largest non-EU workforce within the EU. However, with no end to the war in sight, the situation of Ukrainian refugees remains uncertain.

Displaced Ukrainians

There are over 210 innovation hubs in the EU, with at least one in every Member State. The scope of innovative European companies could be aligned with the EU's Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), which was established to support European industry and investment in critical technologies. The 28th regime could also help to streamline the public sector's purchasing power and 'European' preference through public procurement. Doing so could help align the strategic scale-up of innovative European companies in relation to society's needs.

Digital innovation hubs

The clean tech sector in the EU is driven to a large extent by the European Green Deal, which aims to support the energy transition and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. At present, the EU is relatively competitive in the development and scale-up of clean technologies and is at the centre of global patenting networks. Yet, urgent and decisive action is needed to ensure the EU's continued leadership, to strengthen its strategic autonomy in access to certain key clean technologies (such as batteries), and to meet the climate neutrality target.

Global trends in clean tech co-patenting

Euroscola

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - ICM

LIBE

Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting ICM

SEDE

Beyond the numbers: the contribution of Article 17 TFEU to an EU Multiannual Financial Framework grounded in ethics, solidarity and inclusion

ENVI - Presentation by Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy of the Commission proposal on the Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards certain obligations of operators and traders

ENVI-SANT  - Exchange of views with Exchange of views with Commissioner Hadja LAHBIB

REGI - Public hearing on Shaping the Future of Cohesion Policy: Insights on the MFF Post-2027

ITRE - Public hearingon Carbon Capture and Storage and Carbon Capture and Utilisation: pillars of industrial decarbonisation

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Ukrainian Delegation to the Ukraine-EU Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC)

EMPL - Exchange of views with Glenn Micallef, Commissioner of Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

EMPL - Gender Equality Week: Work-life balance, including implementation of the work-life balance directive

DROI/DEVE - Public Hearing on the human rights situation in Sudan and the EU Strategy

CULT - Shadow meeting on ' The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 '

REGI - Exchange of views on EESC priorities in next MFF with the newly appointed EESC President Mr Séamus Boland

17th Meeting of the EU-Ukraine PAC

ENVI - Vote on a 2040 EU target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Jason KWON, openAI's Chief Strategy Officer

IMCO - Public hearing - Building an independent, open and healthy digital environment for European consumers

LIBE - EU LGBTIQ equality strategy for 2026-2030

This infoclip shows the activities at reception and orientation centre, the One-Stop Shop for Migrant Reception - SUAM, and daily life scenes of migrants at the Casal Morena Centre. The Pact on Migration and Asylum establishes new EU rules for managing migration and creating a unified asylum system, aligning with European values. It builds on previous proposals to create a comprehensive approach that strengthens policies on migration, asylum, border management, and integration. The pact aims to manage migration fairly and sustainably, offering flexibility for EU countries to address their unique challenges while ensuring protections for those in need. After being adopted by the European Parliament and Council, the new rules will take effect on 11 June 2024, with full implementation two years later, ensuring secure borders and safeguarding rights across the EU.

Infoclip: Social assistance for migrants – Rome (Italy)

This Infoclip illustrates different views of Washington D.C. including its institutions (Capitol, Rayburn House Office, Russel Senate, US Chamber of Commerce, Georgetown University) and key companies (CNN, META, Airibus Experience Center, Microsoft, Brookings Institute).

Infoclip: Washington: General views, institutions and companies

This infoclip shows different public and private buildings of the city of Milan (Italy).

Infoclip: General views of Milan (Italy)

2025 Sakharov Prize laureate Andrzej POCZOBUT, is a journalist, essayist and blogger from the Polish minority in Belarus, a critic of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime and symbolic figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy in the country. Mzia AMAGLOBELI, Georgian journalist and director of media outlets, detained for two years on politically motivated charges, and Georgia's pro-democracy protest movement. The material is offered for editorial use only, for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the Sakharov Prize 2025. No use after December 31st, 2025. No archive. User is prohibited from stripping the AFPTV material from the program initially produced to create a new program. No sublicensing to third parties. For any other uses, please contact AFP – www.afp.com Copyright: © PRCS, 2025 This transcription if the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2025 Laureate - Imprisoned journalists fighting for freedom, Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia

This infoclips shows the activities at an asylum reception centre in Malmö, Sweden and a class learning Swedish at SFI Swedish For Immigrants Academy in Lund, Sweden. The Pact on Migration and Asylum establishes new EU rules for managing migration and creating a unified asylum system, aligning with European values. It builds on previous proposals to create a comprehensive approach that strengthens policies on migration, asylum, border management, and integration. The pact aims to manage migration fairly and sustainably, offering flexibility for EU countries to address their unique challenges while ensuring protections for those in need. After being adopted by the European Parliament and Council, the new rules will take effect on 11 June 2024, with full implementation two years later, ensuring secure borders and safeguarding rights across the EU.

Infoclip: Asylum and migration (Malmö, Sweden)

This infoclip shows different public and private buildings of the city of Riga (Latvian capital).

Infoclip: General views of Riga (Latvia)

This infoclip illustrates plant-based food products sold in shops and being prepared in a restaurant. In October 2025, the European Parliament has voted to ban the use of some words to describe the variants of products which are not meat-based. MEPs decided to introduce a new definition of meat as “edible parts of animals” and specify that names such as steak, escalope, sausage or burger must be reserved exclusively for products containing meat and must exclude cell-cultured products.

Infoclip: Plant-based food

This Infoclip shows civil society (in particular the volunteers of the Non-Governmental Organisation "Salam") support to refugees in Calais (France). Since the demolition of the large "Jungle camp" in Calais in 2016 there has been an administrative policy of "no fixation points" for migrants to settle in, aiming to stop another large camp from forming. Between January and September 2025, according to figures collected by the EU agency Frontex, crossings from Northern France towards the UK via the Channel rose 14% compared to 2024, reaching 54 300 attempts.

Infoclip: Migration and civil society support (Calais, France)

This infoclip shows images from the floods in Valencia and Balearic Islands, reconstruction efforts, rescue teams in action, searches for survivors, and street cleanup. © Images are strictly for journalistic purposes. For any other use, please contact the press office of the Spanish Emergency Military Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias).

Infoclip: Aftermath of the floods in Spain (2024-2025)

This infoclip showcases female artists working in various sector, such as music, dance, theatre, and sculpture. In 2024, there were 7.9 million people in cultural employment across the EU, 3.8% of the total employment. Women’s share in cultural employment was higher than the share of women in total employment (with a share of 49.6% versus 46.4%). In 2024, there was the smallest ever gender gap in cultural employment, with 4.00 million men and 3.93 million women employed in the sector. In 2022, women’s gross hourly earnings in cultural employment were on average 13.5% lower than those of men in the EU (source: Eurostat)

Infoclip: Gender Equality Week - Women in Arts

This infoclip presents footage of Serbian students, for the 2025 Sakharov Prize. Serbian students initiated nationwide protests after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, Serbia, on 1 November 2024. This tragedy, which killed 16 people, was linked to alleged systemic corruption and infrastructural neglect. It triggered silent nationwide protests demanding accountability. The material is offered for editorial use only, for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the Sakharov Prize 2025. No use after December 31st, 2025. No archive. User is prohibited from stripping the AFPTV material from the program initially produced to create a new program. No sublicensing to third parties. For any other uses, please contact AFP – www.afp.com Copyright: © PRCS, 2025

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2025 finalists - Serbian students

This infoclip presents some footage of Journalists and Humanitarian Aid Workers in Palestine and all conflict zones, represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the Red Crescent, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Gaza is identified as the world's deadliest region for journalism, with a high number of Palestinian journalists killed. Humanitarian workers have also endured significant losses during the conflict, with deadly attacks affecting organisations such as the PRCS and UNRWA. The material is offered for editorial use only, for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the Sakharov Prize 2025. No use after December 31st, 2025. No archive. User is prohibited from stripping the AFPTV material from the program initially produced to create a new program. No sublicensing to third parties. For any other uses, please contact AFP – www.afp.com Copyright: © PRCS, 2025

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2025 finalists - Journalists and Humanitarian Aid Workers in Palestine and all conflict zones, represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the Red Crescent, and UNRWA

This infoclip shows images from drones, new systems of warfare, helicopter and drone views of the Lithuania-Belarus border and Romania border. In light of the incidents in which Russian drones and aircraft violated both Polish and Estonian airspace in recent weeks and after drones of unidentified origin caused disturbances at and around civilian airports and military bases in Denmark – events that the Danish authorities have referred to as “concerted hybrid attacks –, the European Union commits to strengthening the EU’s defence industry, promoting joint procurement, and ensuring a credible deterrent against potential aggressors. Drone images alongside tanks and new models of drones are under NATO conditions of use: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/68162.htm

Infoclip: Security challenges - European drone strategy

This infoclip shows city views of Chisinau ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moldova. It includes exterior views of the Casa Guvernului, the official seat of the Government of Moldova, the Parlamentul Republicii Moldova, a polling station, and the City Council. Additional footage focuses on the electoral campaign in the capital, with political party posters displayed across the city, gazebos set up by parties to present their programmes, and campaigners actively canvassing by handing out flyers to citizens. The sequence concludes with general cutaway shots from Chisinau.

Infoclip: Chisinau (Moldova), city views ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary Elections

This stockshot contains drone views of the European Parliament buildings in Strasbourg and of the city of Strasbourg, during daytime.

European Parliament Stockshots: Drone views - Buildings in Strasbourg

This infoclip illustrates various aspects the rule of law, which is one of the EU’s fundamental values, guaranteeing democracy and citizens’ rights and freedoms. The video includes footage of the Court of Justice in Luxembourg and of several Courts across the EU, but also focuses on press freedom and media pluralism. Other important pillars of the rule of law are the right to vote, to peaceful assembly, and freedom of association. In the occasion of the State of the European Union speech (SOTEU) President von der Leyen highlights her priorities for the Union for the year ahead with European thematics such as the Rule of Law and democracy in the EU.

Infoclip: Democracy and Rule of Law

This Infoclip shows illustrations of European defence and security with illustrative shots of troops, soldiers, views of planes on patrol, various navy shots, arms industry, cybersecurity and civil protection. In the annual State of the Union (SOTEU) debate, the President of the European Commission should address the most pertinent topics, including also European defence and security and outline the plans ahead. The annual SOTEU debate allows MEPS to scrutinise the European Commission's work. Footage is courtesy of NATO, see conditions of use: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/68162.htm

Infoclip: European defence and security

This infoclip shows images of wildfires, firefighters extinguishing fires, evacuations of the population in Spain and Italy. In 2025, the wildfire season has been well above average, with a cumulative burnt area in the European Union of more than 1 million hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). It’s the highest value ever recorded inside the European Union since 2006. Between 8 and 19 August, the estimated total burnt area in both Portugal and Spain was over 500,000 hectares, according to EFFIS, making it the countries’ highest value of burnt areas ever recorded in mid-August, comparable to almost twice the size of Luxembourg. © Images of firefighters battling fires in Spain are strictly for journalistic purposes. For any other use, please contact the press office of the Spanish Emergency Military Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias).

1.130 rezultatov