At a glance: celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement; the situation in the Middle East; and the extension of temporary trade liberalisation measures for Ukraine.

Kratka poročila – 25/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance:  President Metsola opens the final plenary session before the European elections; the debate on Europe’s competitiveness; and the ‘right to repair’ for consumers.

Kratka poročila – 24/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: the last plenary session of this term is currently under way. In Strasbourg, Parliament will mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement round, MEPs are set to renew the EU’s commitment to finishing major trans-European transport projects, and there will be a final vote on new rules to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging.

Kratka poročila – 23/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: the final plenary session of Parliament’s ninth legislative term kicks off today. In Strasbourg, the agenda includes a debate on the situation in the Middle East; a vote on banning the sale of goods made using forced labour; and a vote on preventing and addressing plastic pellet losses into the environment.

Kratka poročila – 22/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: the final plenary session of the EP’s ninth legislative term; European Parliament President Roberta Metsola’s address at the Special European Council; and applications for the DiscoverEU programme are open.

Kratka poročila – 19/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament publishes its final Eurobarometer survey before the elections in June; ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ by German director Ilker Çatak wins the 2024 LUX Audience Award and Metsola visits Portugal.

Kratka poročila – 18/04/2024 - slovenščina

Zmagovalec evropske filmske nagrade občinstva LUX za leto 2024 je film Zbornica
Nagrada LUX v ospredje postavlja filme z družbeno in politično tematiko, ki nas spodbujajo k razmisleku in razpravi, prispeva pa tudi k utrjevanju evropske identitete.

LUX – evropska filmska nagrada občinstva za leto 2024

At a glance: the European Parliament’s political groups are preparing for the last plenary session of this legislative term; the achievements of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender  Equality; and the European Youth Week.

Kratka poročila – 17/04/2024 - slovenščina

Getting involved in political life: standing for elected office, joining a political party, or following the news; is at the heart of what it means to live in a democracy. People with disabilities are active citizens, keen to participate given the right opportunities. However, they face legal, administrative, institutional and accessibility barriers to taking part. Several EU initiatives encourage people with disabilities to participate in politics. With the 2024 European elections on the horizon, the European Parliament is committed to helping them take part.

EPRS Policy Podcast - People with disabilities and the European elections

Women continue to be under-represented in EU countries at all levels of political decision-making as well as in political parties. The origins of this situation are complex, but one reason stands out: violence against women active in politics discourages many women from entering the political arena. Women politicians are exposed to two severe and intersecting forms of violence: political violence and gender-based violence. Violence against women in politics takes multiple forms, from physical attacks to psychological and symbolic abuse, including sexual and sexist comments, online hate speech and sexual harassment, etc.

EPRS Policy Podcast - Violence against women active in politics in the EU: A serious obstacle to political participation

In June 2024, around 400 million EU citizens go to the polls to elect the Members of the European Parliament's 10th legislature. As the only EU institution that represents EU citizens, elections to the European Parliament are a major democratic event, and the only one at EU level that resembles national democratic electoral consultation. European elections, however, differ from the national version, as they are part of a context of multi-tier government, sometimes perceived as 'second order elections'. The main difference is that the European elections are a rather fragmented exercise, since a great part of the electoral process, including the way in which the right to vote is exercised, remains subject to national rules.

EPRS Policy Podcast - European elections 2024: Rules of a pan-European democratic event

At a glance: the special European Council; the last Eurobarometer survey before the June European elections; and the European Youth Event.

Kratka poročila – 16/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: Parliament wants to make the right to abortion an EU fundamental right; the ECB Annual Report for 2023; and European Youth Week 2024.

Kratka poročila – 15/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: in Brussels, Parliament adopted ten legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy; King Philippe of the Belgians addressed MEPs; and Parliament adopted an EU certification framework for carbon removals.

Kratka poročila – 12/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: the plenary session is ongoing in Brussels. MEPs have voted on revising the pharmaceutical legislation and adopted their position on new rules to improve the health of European soils and to increase CO2 emission reduction targets for trucks, buses and trailers.

Kratka poročila – 11/04/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: in Brussels, the plenary session is ongoing; MEPs will vote on the reform of the EU electricity market; the agreement on the extension of temporary trade measures for Ukraine; and approximately EUR 5 million in EU aid for displaced workers in Germany and Denmark.

Kratka poročila – 10/04/2024 - slovenščina

Čas je za volitve! Več milijonov Evropejcev bo letos med 6. in 9. junijem glasovalo na evropskih volitvah in tako sooblikovalo prihodnost Evropske unije. Evropski parlament je edini neposredno izvoljeni organ Evropske unije, te volitve pa so eden največjih demokratičnih dogodkov na svetu. V tej epizodi si bomo podrobneje ogledali delovanje volilnega sistema in kako lahko z glasovanjem vplivate na izid volitev.

Evropske volitve: kako deluje volilni sistem?

At a glance: the plenary session starts tomorrow in Brussels. MEPs will vote on the reform of the EU’s asylum and migration rules, a revision of the ‘breakfast directives’ and new rules on the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water.

Kratka poročila – 09/04/2024 - slovenščina

Defying international criticism, Iran has sentenced many protestors to death, and continues to execute people arrested during recent demonstrations.

The demonstrations started in mid-September after a young woman, Mahsa Amini, died in the custody of the ‘morality police’ for, they claimed, breaking the strict hijab rules. Hundreds of people have been killed in the protests that have followed and thousands arrested because of their brutal repression by the government.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called these death sentences “state sanctioned killing”, and said that the Iranian government is using executions to intimidate the population and stamp out dissent.

While the EU is discussing a fourth round of sanctions because of the regime crackdown and Iran's military support for Russia, some member states have called for the classification by the EU of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

EU - Iran

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the first legally binding international instrument on this issue. It establishes a comprehensive framework of measures for preventing such violence, supporting victims and punishing perpetrators.&nbsp;

MEPs have voted during May 2023 plenary to approve the European Union’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, concluding Parliament’s role in the process. Six years after the EU signed the Istanbul Convention - it has still not been ratified because of the refusal of a few member states, despite&nbsp;Parliament’s multiple calls to this end.

However, the EU&nbsp;Court of Justice’s opinion of 6 October 2021&nbsp;confirmed that the European Union can ratify the Istanbul Convention without having the agreement of all member states. The Court found that the appropriate scope for the EU’s accession is asylum, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and obligations of the EU institutions and public administration.

The EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt member states from ratifying it themselves, MEPs have repeatedly said, urging the remaining six countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia - to ratify the Convention without delay, so that it can protect women to the full extent of the Convention’s intended scope

Violence against women

Compared to the rest of the world, Europe has the best levels of social protection and also ranks highly in terms of quality of life and wellbeing. However, it faces a wide range of challenges, including impact of the COVID situation.

The EU has only limited competence when it comes to social issues as most of it is up to national governments. The responsibility for employment and social policies lies mostly with the member states and their governments. This means that national governments - and not the EU - decide on issues such as wage regulations, including minimum wage, the role of collective bargaining, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been working on social issues throughout the European integration process and come up with a series of instruments in the social sector. These include EU laws, funds and tools to better coordinate and monitor national policies. The EU also encourages countries to share best practices on issues such as social inclusion, poverty and pensions.

One of the supporting tools is the European Social Fund+, with a total budget of €88 billion for next 7 years. It will play an important role in the implementation of the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights and in countering the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. It integrates the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) into one fund.

Social Europe

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

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 2023 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.

Situation in Israel and Gaza

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

Pollution harms our health and our environment. It is the largest environmental cause of multiple mental and physical diseases and of premature deaths, especially among children, people with certain medical conditions and the elderly. It&nbsp;is also one of the main reasons for the loss of biodiversity.

The&nbsp;zero pollution vision for 2050&nbsp;is for air, water and soil pollution to be reduced to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems. It includes a series of 2030 targets to speed up reducing pollution at source.

On 12 May 2021, the European Commission adopted the&nbsp;Zero Pollution Action Plan: "Towards a Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil"&nbsp;- a key deliverable of the European Green Deal.&nbsp;

Air pollution

Situated in the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and to the south of Turkey, Cyprus is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean as well as being the third smallest country in the EU, after Malta and Luxembourg. 

Cyprus’s main export partners are Greece, the UK and Israel, while its main import partners are Greece, Israel and the UK. 
There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Cyprus.

EU - Cyprus

Malta joined the European Union 1st May 2004 and it has been a member of the Schengen area since 21st December 2007.

Malta is a single-chamber parliamentary republic with a head of government - the prime minister - and a head of state - the president - whose role is largely ceremonial. The country is divided into 5 regions. Each has its own regional committee, which serves as the intermediary between local and national government.

There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Malta.

EU - Malta

Poland is a member of the EU since 1st of May 2004 and member of the Schengen area since 21st December 2007.

Poland is a parliamentary republic with a Head of government - the Prime Minister - and a Head of state - the President. The government structure is centred on the council of Ministers. The country is divided into 16 provinces, largely based on the country’s historic regions. Administrative authority at provincial level is shared between a government-appointed Governor, an elected regional Assembly and an executive elected by the regional Assembly.

There are 51 members of the European Parliament from Poland.

EU - Poland

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

Lithuania is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - and a head of state - the President - who appoints the Prime Minister.

The Parliament is a single-chamber legislative body. The country is divided into 60 municipalities, with directly-elected mayors.

There are 11 members of the European Parliament from Lithuania.

Lithuania joined the EU on 1 May 2004 - and the euro area on 1 January 2015.

EU - Lithuania

Latvia joined the European Union on 1 May&nbsp;2004 and has been a member of the Schengen area since 21 December 2007. It became a member of the Euro area on 1 January 2014.

Latvia is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - who chooses the council of ministers and a head of state - the President - who has a largely ceremonial role and nominates the Prime Minister.

The government is subject to Parliament's approval throughout each term.

The country is subdivided into 110 one-level municipalities and 9 cities. These each have their own city councils and municipal administrations.

There are 8 Members of the European Parliament from Latvia.

EU - Latvia

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.

In March 2024, &nbsp;MEPs voted to to amend the Commission’s proposal to suspend import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU for another year, from 6 June 2024 to 5 June 2025.&nbsp;

Russian aggression against Ukraine

Ever since Russia launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24&nbsp;February 2022, the EU and the Parliament have supported the country by condemning Russia’s aggression, sanctioning those responsible and providing financial and material aid. Parliament has also been supportive of Ukraine’s efforts to become an EU candidate country and has been calling on EU countries to launch accession talks.&nbsp;

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.

In Joint Statement&nbsp;the Presidents of the European Union Institutions on the occasion of the 2 year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine&nbsp; declared: "The European Union will continue its strong and unwavering political, military, financial, economic, diplomatic and humanitarian support to help Ukraine defend itself, protect its people, its cities and its critical infrastructure, restore its territorial integrity, bring back the thousands of deported children, and bring the war to an end. The European Union has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and will help it on its path towards EU membership. The future of Ukraine lies in the European Union.

The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support. The 50 billion euro financial assistance package for 2024-2027 will help Ukraine meet its immediate needs, rebuild its economy and society, modernise its institutions and consolidate democracy and the rule of law."

Solidarity with Ukraine

The brave people of Ukraine, represented by their president, elected leaders and civil society, are the&nbsp;2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought laureate.

The&nbsp;finalists for the European Parliament’s 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought were WikiLeaks activist Julian Assange, the Ukrainian people and their representatives and the Colombian Truth Commission for the 2022 Sakharov Prize.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded every&nbsp;year by the European Parliament.

The&nbsp;prize was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member may support only one nominee.

Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development (DEVE). A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up through a vote by AFET and DEVE committees, and then submitted to the Conference of Presidents for a final vote.

The winner is always announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December during plenary in Strasbourg. In 2021, the prize went to&nbsp;the Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

Sakharov Prize 2022

In the European elections, people in the European Union vote for Members to represent them in the European Parliament. In 2024, 720 MEPs will be elected.Elections take place every five years. 

The next elections will be from 6 to 9 June 2024. EU countries have elections on different days.

European Elections 2024

Debate of lead candidates ahead of European elections

Lead candidates debate - European Elections 2024

Europe Day commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. This was an ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union. In 2024, Europe Day takes on even greater significance as it comes exactly one month ahead EE2024. The EU institutions propose a wide range of activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Europe Day 2024 - Event in Brussels

Europe Day commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. This was an ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union.  

In 2024, Europe Day takes on even greater significance as it comes exactly one month ahead EE2024. The EU institutions propose a wide range of activities across the EU Member States, as well as in the home of the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Europe Day 2024 - Brussels

Europe Day 2024 - Strasbourg

Press conference by Elisabetta GUALMINI, rapporteur on the Platform Work Directive.

Press conference on Platform work directive

Press conference by Lara WOLTERS rapporteur on the first EU due diligence rules for companies

Press conference on first EU due dilligence rules for companies

EP Plenary- Voting session

EP President Roberta Metsola, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former EP President Pat Cox, and former Commission President Romano Prodi participates in a formal sitting of Parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement round along with representatives from the ten countries, that joined the EU 20 years ago.

During the ceremony, the guests answer questions from a group of young people born on or around 1 May 2004 from the new member states, who are invited to attend the sitting.

Formal sitting commemorating the 20th anniversary of the EU's biggest enlargement

MEPs discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, the need for de-escalation and for an EU response and vote on a resolution on Thursday.

EP President Roberta Metsola described Iran’s direct drone and missile attack on Israel on 20 and 21 April as a major escalation in the region and warned it risks igniting further chaos across the Middle East.

Plenary debate- Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel

In a plenary debate, MEPs discuss the EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza.

In March, Parliament adopted a resolution warning about the desperate food insecurity and impending starvation in Gaza. MEPs deplored the catastrophic impact of attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries and civilians in Gaza, particularly on children, urged all parties to immediately cease these attacks, and demanded an independent international investigation.

More than 33 000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October 2023 as part of Israel’s response to the attack during which Hamas militants killed some 1 200 people, mainly civilians, in southern Israel and kidnapped around 250 others.

Plenary debate -   EU’s response to the continuous killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip

Following the final vote on the new rules promoting the right to repair for consumers, rapporteur René Repasi briefs media on its scope and answer questions.

Press conference on the right to repair

Following a final plenary vote, rapporteurs Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D, PT) and Samira Rafaela (Renew, NL) discuss new rules banning products made with force labour.

Press conference on Forced labour regulation

MEPs evaluate the results of the most recent European Council meetings, including the Special European Council of 17-18 April 2024.

Plenary debate- Outcome of European Council meeting

MEPs debate on Monday evening and vote on Tuesday on the provisional agreement reached with member states on the so-called “right to repair” for consumers, which aims to promote the repair of goods within and beyond the legal guarantee period. Beyond the legal guarantee, consumers will have a new right to claim repair for products that are technically repairable under EU law (e.g. washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and smartphones). To encourage repair and to revitalise the EU repair market, the rules put in place a European online platform to find local repair shops or sellers of refurbished goods. They also allow access to spare parts, tools, and maintenance information, and ban the use of hardware and software practices that obstruct repairs.

Plenary debate on Right to Repair

Parliament’s Spokesperson will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 17.00

Last minute briefing

Political groups prepare for the 22-25 April plenary, the last session of this legislature. 
MEPs hold debates and final votes on, among other things, the right to repair, prohibiting products made with force labour, fighting violence against women, new “ecodesign” rules, combating trafficking in human beings and protecting victims, a new EU Ethics Body, economic governance, establishing the European Disability Card, and on anti-money laundering. 
They hold final votes on packaging and packaging waste, working conditions for platform workers, due diligence rules for companies, ambient air quality and clean air for Europe, plants obtained with new genomic techniques, the European Health Data Space and on the Net Zero Industry Act. MEPs also debate the 20th anniversary of the largest ever round of EU enlargement in 2004 with Council and Commission.

Pre-session briefing

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)

Online shopping, take-away food, coffee to go... Packaging waste is growing. Find out how much is being produced and how the EU wants to reverse the trend

How to reduce packaging waste in the EU

With war having returned to the European continent, measuring the level of threats to peace, security and democracy around the world – as the 'Normandy Index' does – is more important than ever. The annual Index was presented for the first time at the Normandy Peace Forum in June 2019, as a result of a partnership between the European Parliament and the Region of Normandy. The Index has been designed and prepared by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), in conjunction with and on the basis of data provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace. This paper sets out the findings of the 2023 exercise, which draws on data compiled in 2022, and explains how the Index can be used to compare peace – defined on the basis of a given country's performance against a range of predetermined threats – across countries and regions. It is complemented by 61 individual country case studies, derived from the Index. The paper forms part of the EPRS contribution to the 2023 Normandy World Peace Foru

Mapping threats to peace and democracy worldwide: Normandy Index 2023

Discover key figures about the repatriation of migrants and proposed changes to EU law.
The EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum includes new rules and the revision of existing legislation, such as the Return Directive.
In a draft resolution on the Return Directive adopted in December 2020, MEPs stressed the importance of protecting individual fundamental rights as well as respect for procedural safeguards.

Repatriation: how many migrants in the EU are sent back?

Over the past 30 years the single market has brought unity and opportunities to Europeans.

30 years of EU single market: benefits and challenges

Find out about the top cyber threats in 2022, the most affected sectors and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

The digital transformation has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats. During the coronavirus pandemic, companies had to adapt to remote working and this created more possibilities for cybercriminals. The war in Ukraine has also affected cybersecurity.

In response to the evolution of cybersecurity threats, Parliament adopted a new EU directive introducing harmonised measures across the EU, including on the protection of essential sectors.

Cybersecurity: main and emerging threats

With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed. Find out more about the environmental impact and what the EU is doing about it.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices.

To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

The impact of textile production and waste on the environment

Find out about the economic inequalities that continue to persist between women and men in the EU.

It has been more than 25 years since the adoption of the UN’s Beijing Declaration, which aims to promote equality between men and women. The same goal lies behind the creation of UN Women - dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women - and the inclusion of gender equality in the Sustainable Development Goals.
s
So where do we stand? Progress has been made, but inequality between men and women persists, including on the labour market. On average, women in the EU are paid less than men.

Gender pay gap in Europe: facts and figures

Every year 2.2 billion tonnes of waste are generated in the EU. More than a quarter of it (27%) is municipal waste: everyday waste collected and treated by municipalities, which is mainly generated by households. Data shows that the amount of waste and the way it is managed varies a lot across EU countries, but there has been a shift to more recycling and less landfilling.

To reduce waste and its impact on the environment, the EU has adopted ambitious targets on recycling and landfill and is working on packaging waste. The goal is to promote the shift towards a more sustainable model known as the circular economy.

Waste management in the EU: infographic with facts and figures

Euroscola

Briefing for media on the 2024 European Elections

Panel for the Future of Science and Technology

Plenary session

Delegation for relations with Palestine

DPAL

Delegation for relations with Israel

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

EMPL

Press conference by Javi LÓPEZ, rapporteur on Ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe

Press conference by Mounir SATOURI, Tineke STRIK, rapporteurs and Karen MELCHIOR on EU-Egypt: a strategic partnership for whom?

Briefing EPP by Manfred WEBER, President

Predlogi za akt Unije

Doslej največji iranski napad na Izrael, nujno potrebna umiritev razmer in odziv EU (razprava)

Nadaljevanje seje

Čas glasovanja

Sprejetje zapisnika predhodne seje

Napad na okolje in naravo: skrajnodesničarski in konservativni poskusi za uničenje zelenega dogovora in preprečitev naložb v našo prihodnost (tematska razprava)

Sprememba Direktive 2013/36/EU v zvezi z nadzorniškimi pooblastili, sankcijami, podružnicami iz tretjih držav in okoljskimi, socialnimi in upravljavskimi tveganji - Sprememba Uredbe (EU) št. 575/2013 glede zahtev za kreditno tveganje, tveganje prilagoditve kreditnega vrednotenja, operativno tveganje, tržno tveganje in izstopni prag (razprava)

Čas glasovanja (nadaljevanje)

Deklaracija iz La Hulpa o prihodnosti socialne Evrope (razprava)

Skupna prizadevanja za trajnostno prihodnost: ekonomski, socialni in teritorialni izzivi za konkurenčno, trdno povezano in vključujočo Evropo (razprava)

Obrazložitev glasovanja

Dnevni red naslednje seje

Zaključek seje

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Forging a sustainable future together: economic, social and territorial challenges for a competitive, cohesive and inclusive Europe

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - La Hulpe declaration on the future of social Europe

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Oral Questions - The European Parliament's right of inquiry

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Anti Money Laundering

Press conference on the first EU due diligence rules

LEX signing ceremony in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Mathieu MICHEL, Belgian Secretary of State for Digitalisation, on behalf of the Belgian Presidency

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Banking Union

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

Press conference on Ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe

Press conference on EU-Egypt: a strategic partnership for whom?

EP Plenary session - The attack on climate and nature: far right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future

20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement - Interviews

20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement - Arrivals and family photo

EP Plenary session - 20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement

EP Plenary session - Key Debate - Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response

Kako v času polariziranih idej, zelo razširjenega dezinformiranja in čezmejnih konfliktov varujemo integriteto evropskih institucij in demokracije? Raziskovalci in nevladne organizacije po celotni Evropi preučujejo načine za doseganje večje odpornosti družb na krize in tuje akterje, ki poskušajo vplivati na naše demokratične postopke.  

Med takimi raziskovalci sta tudi Julia iz Inštituta Clingendael za mednarodne odnose na Nizozemskem in Katarina iz Centra za demokracijo in odpornost pri Inštitutu GLOBSEC za politiko na Slovaškem. Specializirani sta za države Zahodnega Balkana in države pristopnice EU, kot je Ukrajina. 

Evropski parlament podpira zakonodajo, s katero pomaga spodbujati tovrstne raziskave, in priznava pomembnost neodvisnih organov. Več informacij o tem, kako se Parlament spopada z grožnjami za demokracijo v EU, je na voljo tukaj: https://europa.eu/!rg6kY7.

Ohranjanje neodvisnosti in demokracije v EU: Spoznajte Julio in Kataríno – 9:16 EE24

Ohranjanje neodvisnosti in demokracije v EU: Spoznajte Julio in Kataríno EE24

Ste si kdaj želeli umakniti iz razprave, ker je bil njen ton preveč agresiven in se je vaše mnenje izgubilo med skrajnimi trditvami?

To se običajno zgodi, kadar so najbolj skrajna stališča umetno spodbujena.

Tisti, ki jih razširjajo, nas želijo prek polariziranja razprave prepričati, da so razlike med nami veliko večje, kot so v resnici, ter otežiti sprejemanje kompromisov in doseganje rešitev.

Oglejte si ta videoposnetek, da izveste, kako počnejo to in kako se lahko izognete, da bi se ujeli v to past.

Več o Evropskem parlamentu in evropskih volitvah lahko preberete tukaj:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/portal/sl

Kako delujejo dezinformacije Ep 2: Ustvarjanje razdora - 9:16 EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije Ep 2: Ustvarjanje razdora - EE24

Včasih želijo ljudje z dezinformacijami sejati zmedo in dvom.

Družbena omrežja preplavljajo s številnimi in nasprotujočimi si različicami istega dogodka. Njihov cilj pri tem ni prepričevanje za neko stališče, ampak želijo z njimi spodbuditi splošno nezaupanje in apatijo.

Oglejte si ta video s strokovnjakinjo Evropskega parlamenta, da izveste, kako zaznate tako grožnjo in se spopadete z njo.

Več o Evropskem parlamentu in evropskih volitvah lahko preberete tukaj:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/portal/sl

Kako delujejo dezinformacije | 3. del: preplavljanje informacijskega prostora – EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije | 3. del: preplavljanje informacijskega prostora – 9:16 EE24

Kako lahko EU preoblikuje svoj ekonomski model, da bo ugoden za potrošnike in planet? Na to lahko (delno) odgovorita Aimilios v Belgiji in Laetitia v Franciji.

Aimilios in njegova ekipa v podjetju Watt4Ever obnavljata stare baterije električnih avtomobilov in z njimi ustvarjata nove sisteme za shranjevanje energije, s čimer omogočata novo življenjsko dobo baterij ter zmanjšujeta porabo dragocenih surovin in energije, hkrati pa preprečujeta dodatno onesnaževanje.

Laetitia in organizacija »Halte à l'Obsolescence Programmée« ali HOP (»Ustavimo načrtovano zastarelost«) si prizadevata za daljšo življenjsko dobo in večjo popravljivosti vsakdanjih izdelkov.

Evropski parlament podpira ukrepe na ravni celotne EU, ki spodbujajo krožno gospodarstvo, pravico do popravila in boljše recikliranje surovin, da se prepreči onesnaževanje planeta in  zagotovijo ugodnosti za vašo denarnico.

Programi EU, kot je Obzorje Evropa, ter skladi za razvoj podeželja in regionalni razvoj omogočajo, da taki projekti pridobijo potrebna sredstva.

Prilagajanje gospodarstva vašim potrebam in planetu: spoznajte Aimiliosa in Laetitio – EE24

Kako lahko EU preoblikuje svoj ekonomski model, da bo ugoden za potrošnike in planet? Na to lahko (delno) odgovorita Aimilios v Belgiji in Laetitia v Franciji.

Aimilios in njegova ekipa v podjetju Watt4Ever obnavljata stare baterije električnih avtomobilov in z njimi ustvarjata nove sisteme za shranjevanje energije, s čimer omogočata novo življenjsko dobo baterij ter zmanjšujeta porabo dragocenih surovin in energije, hkrati pa preprečujeta dodatno onesnaževanje.

Laetitia in organizacija »Halte à l'Obsolescence Programmée« ali HOP (»Ustavimo načrtovano zastarelost«) si prizadevata za daljšo življenjsko dobo in večjo popravljivost vsakdanjih izdelkov.

Evropski parlament podpira ukrepe na ravni celotne EU, ki spodbujajo krožno gospodarstvo, pravico do popravila in boljše recikliranje surovin, da se prepreči onesnaževanje planeta in  zagotovijo ugodnosti za vašo denarnico.

Programi EU, kot je Obzorje Evropa, ter skladi za razvoj podeželja in regionalni razvoj omogočajo, da taki projekti pridobijo potrebna sredstva.

Prilagajanje gospodarstva vašim potrebam in planetu: spoznajte Aimiliosa in Laetitio – 9:16 EE24

The European Parliament has acted to ensure the EU economy and society are stronger and fairer in the aftermath of unprecedented challenges.  

The Covid-19 pandemic damaged the EU’s social and economic fabric, while the war in Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and saw the cost of living rise.  

Find out more about how Parliament is ensuring decent pay for workers and equal opportunities, while supporting businesses and making sure the EU is better prepared for future crises.

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - 9:16 EE24

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - EE24

Ali ste že kdaj na družbenih omrežjih prebrali objavo, zaradi katere ste se razjezili ali užalostili? Ali pa se je zdela preveč dobra, da bi lahko bila resnična? Ali ste se ob njej takoj vprašali, ali je resnična?
Ljudje, ki objavljajo dezinformacije, izkoriščajo močne čustvene odzive, prek katerih manipulirajo z nami in razširjajo svoje sporočilo.
Ekipa Evropskega parlamenta za komuniciranje vam pomaga pri lažjem razumevanju, kako taki ljudje počnejo to in kako se lahko izognete, da bi se ujeli v njihovo zanko.

Kako delujejo dezinformacije – izkoriščanje čustvenega odziva – 9:16 EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije – izkoriščanje čustvenega odziva – 16:9 EE24

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the European Parliament has stood by Ukraine and its people. From backing measures to help refugees settle in the EU to multibillion-euro aid packages, Members have vowed to support Kyiv for as long as it takes.

Find out more about Parliament’s support.

A look at how Parliament has been supporting Ukraine (VT)

A look at how Parliament has been supporting Ukraine (INTER)

Okolju prijazno, biološko razgradljivo in podnebno nevtralno … V zadnjih letih so številne korporacije precenile ali napačno razlagale svoje zelene reference ter pri tem potrošnike pogosto zavajale s pretiranimi izjavami glede okolja in trajnosti. Do takšne mere, da se je v praksi uveljavil izraz »zeleno zavajanje«. Parlament je izglasoval prepoved zelenega zavajanja in zagotovil, da so podatki o trajnosti jasni in preprosto dostopni potrošnikom. Več informacij je na voljo v našem kratkem videoposnetku z razlago.

Razlaga novih pravil EU za preprečevanje zelenega zavajanja

Digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, bring exciting opportunities but also potential risks. 
  
The European Parliament has had a crucial role in shaping groundbreaking EU rules to make sure our digital world is safe and fair. 
  
Find out more about how it is protecting Europeans and their rights, while giving business the space it needs to innovate.

The European Parliament’s actions for a safe and innovative digital world

Digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, bring exciting opportunities but also potential risks. 
  
The European Parliament has had a crucial role in shaping groundbreaking EU rules to make sure our digital world is safe and fair.

Premoščanje digitalnega razkoraka, naložbe v raziskave in inovacije … Pri digitalnem prehodu sodelujejo ljudje po vsej EU ne glede na starostno obdobje.  

Heigo in njegova ekipa pri podjetju MindChip v Estoniji razvijata avtonomna plovila in »kapitane« na podlagi umetne inteligence, pri zbiranju podatkov o morju pa jima pomagata univerzi v Talinu in Tartuju. Zagorka je prostovoljka v Simbiozi. To je podjetje, ki premošča digitalni razkorak v Sloveniji prek usposabljanja starejših in mladih za uporabo digitalnih orodij.  

Evropski parlament si prizadeva zagotoviti, da bi digitalni prehod v EU koristil vsem, spodbuja naložbe v projekte od raziskav na področju robotike do digitalizacije v šolah ter zagotavlja orodja in znanje vsem. Programi, kot so Evropski sklad za regionalni razvoj, Obzorje 2020 in Erasmus+, so naložba v inovacije, poleg tega pa regijam zagotavljajo napredek in jih povezujejo.

Prikaz 6.460 rezultatov videoposnetkov za ""

Ohranjanje neodvisnosti in demokracije v EU: Spoznajte Julio in Kataríno – 9:16 EE24

Ohranjanje neodvisnosti in demokracije v EU: Spoznajte Julio in Kataríno EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije Ep 2: Ustvarjanje razdora - 9:16 EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije Ep 2: Ustvarjanje razdora - EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije | 3. del: preplavljanje informacijskega prostora – EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije | 3. del: preplavljanje informacijskega prostora – 9:16 EE24

Prilagajanje gospodarstva vašim potrebam in planetu: spoznajte Aimiliosa in Laetitio – EE24

Prilagajanje gospodarstva vašim potrebam in planetu: spoznajte Aimiliosa in Laetitio – 9:16 EE24

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - 9:16 EE24

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije – izkoriščanje čustvenega odziva – 9:16 EE24

Kako delujejo dezinformacije – izkoriščanje čustvenega odziva – 16:9 EE24

A look at how Parliament has been supporting Ukraine (VT)

A look at how Parliament has been supporting Ukraine (INTER)

Razlaga novih pravil EU za preprečevanje zelenega zavajanja

The European Parliament’s actions for a safe and innovative digital world

The European Parliament’s actions for a safe and innovative digital world

Prednosti digitalnega prehoda EU: spoznajte Heiga in Zagorko – VT