In recent years an increasing number of attacks and threats against journalists have been documented and reported in Europe. Physical attacks against journalists as well as online threats and harassment in reprisal for journalists' work are on the rise in several EU countries. Around the world, the number of dead and wounded journalists is still too high, as is the number of journalists who are detained, imprisoned and mistreated. The most recent Council of Europe assessment of press freedom in Europe reports that war remains a threat to press freedom and the safety of media workers. Reporters without Borders confirms that the situation is particularly dangerous for journalists, who are sometimes deliberately targeted by military fire despite displaying 'Press' identification.

EPRS policy podcast - Protection of journalists in the European Union

At a glance: Gender Equality Week wraps up with a digital focus; the 2024 Gender Equality Index reveals slow progress across the EU; MEPs discuss the future of EU cohesion policy beyond 2027.

Kratka poročila – 13/12/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance:  MEPs are preparing for the next plenary session. In Strasbourg, Parliament will award the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2025 to María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia; MEPs will debate misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms and vote on EU aid for member states affected by natural disasters.

Kratka poročila – 12/12/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance: the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs to address ‘sticky floor’ in labour market; European Commissioner for Equality to discuss gender and health with MEPs; the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development to host a discussion on gender equality in farming.

Kratka poročila – 11/12/2024 - slovenščina

At a glance:  The European Parliament highlights women’s safety in digital spaces during European Gender Equality Week; the Subcommittee on Human Rights marks Human Rights Defenders Day with a high-level conference; and Parliament President Roberta Metsola to meet with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu.

Kratka poročila – 10/12/2024 - slovenščina

Kar dve tretjini mladih Evropejcev si želi na delovnem mestu dejavno prispevati k zelenemu prehodu, a jih skoraj polovica nima zelenih spretnosti. Mladi bi morali biti usposobljeni za spoprijemanje z okoljskimi in podnebnimi izzivi. Zamisel o Erasmusovih zelenih mestih bi jim omogočila, da prostovoljno ali kot plačani praktikanti sodelujejo v lokalnih zelenih projektih.

„Evropska podnebna enota“ za mlade Evropejce

At a glance: Moldova’s reform facility under review by the Committee on Budgetary Control; Gender Equality Week with gender mainstreaming and the gender pay gap.

Kratka poročila – 09/12/2024 - slovenščina

Current state-of-the-art hardware is not optimised for machine learning, and both academic and private sector research is already leading to new designs. At the same time, the need for more time- and energy-efficient machine-learning hardware is increasing as more consumers and companies want access to machine-learning applications. The EU has the opportunity to leverage its strong regulatory framework for AI products as a mark of trust and safety, while also investing to support the next generation of hardware, opening up a new market for Europe's high tech industry. What would happen if the EU formulated a cohesive plan to support these technologies through both research and economic policy?

EPRS Science and Technology podcast - What if Europe championed new AI hardware?

Toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow after Syrian rebels captured Damascus over the weekend of 7-8 December, ending decades of the Assad dynasty’s reign. Before armed fighters launched an offensive in November 2024, Syria’s territory was divided between regime forces (supported by Russia and Iran) and rebel factions – some backed by Turkey and the USA. After a 13-years-long civil war, Syria’s armed opposition said it ultimately plans to form a government based on functioning institutions and a “council chosen by the people”.

While analysts warn of an extremely challenging transition due to the “diverse coalition” of armed fighters, an end to the war could allow millions of refugees scattered across camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to return home after more than a decade.

Situation in Syria

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 leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces and the opposition candidate in the July presidential elections will receive the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola announced the winners of the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in the chamber, following the meeting of the Conference of Presidents, which took the decision.

President Metsola said: “The 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded to María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia for their brave fight to restore freedom and democracy in Venezuela. In their quest for a fair, free and peaceful transition of power, they have fearlessly upheld values that millions of Venezuelans and the European Parliament hold so dear: justice, democracy and the rule of law. The European Parliament stands with the people of Venezuela and with María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia in their struggle for the democratic future of their country. This award is for them.”

The award ceremony for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will take place on 18 December in Strasbourg, during Parliament’s plenary session

Sakharov Prize 2024

Debate on EU-Western Balkans summit

MEPs outline their demands of European leaders ahead of the December EU summit (19-20 December) , which is set to focus on Ukraine and the Middle East, crisis prevention, migration.

Debate on December European Council

EP President Metsola awards the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces, and Edmundo González Urrutia, the President-elect of Venezuela. Press conference with EP President Metsola and the laureates takes place after the ceremony, Ahead of the ceremony.

Award of the 2024 Sakharov prize

MEPs debate with EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas and take stock of the street protests rocking Georgia following the recent disputed elections.

Debate ongoing protests in Georgia

Pre-session briefing

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.


The number of MEPs elected varies between countries: bigger countries get more seats than smaller ones. Due to changes in the size of the population, some EU countries will get extra seats in the upcoming elections compared to the outgoing Parliament. In total 15 seats will be added.


There are also differences in other aspects of voting, for example regarding the minimum voting age or the rules about voting from abroad.

EU Elections 2024

The European elections are the largest transnational elections in the world. There are some common rules that apply in all EU countries but many details vary by country.


Election days range from Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June and it is up to each country to decide when and how they organise the vote.

Map European elections 2024

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

Euroscola

FEMM.- Presentation by EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality) of the Gender Equality Index

LIBE -  Bilateral meeting with the Polish Presidency of the Council

17th EU – Republic of Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee meeting

SANT- Exchange of views with Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality on gender aspects of the health portfolio

AGRI - Exchange of Views on Gender equality and diversity : challenges for farming and food”, organised in the framework of the Gender Equality Week 2024

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with content creators

ECON - Bilateral meeting with the Polish Presidency of the Council

FEMM.- Securing Gender Equality and Women's Rights in the Digital Sphere

This infoclip shows images of María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela's democratic forces, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia during the election campaign in Venezuela. It also highlights scenes of protests against police violence, with demonstrators holding candles and posters in honor of the victims. The European Parliament awards the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, with its EUR 50 000 endowment, at a formal plenary sitting in Strasbourg in December.

Infoclip: María Corina MACHADO, leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, Edmundo GONZALEZ URRUTIA, Venezuelan President-elect and the Venezuelan opposition movement Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

This infoclip shows images of Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, highlighting several historic landmarks, including the National Electoral Council (CNE), the Federal Legislative Palace, the National Assembly, and the Caracas City Council. The footage also captures street views of Avenue México and Avenue Bolívar, with scenes of citizens walking, newspaper stands, and the neighborhood of Petare. The European Parliament awards María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Infoclip: Caracas (Venezuela) - Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, receives the 2024 Forum Europa Prize Ceremony of Award at the Teatro Real of Madrid, Spain. The ceremony is presided over by H.E. Mr. Pedro Rollán Ojeda, President of the Spanish Senate; H.E. Mr. Cándido Conde-Pumpido Tourón, President of the Spanish Constitutional Court; H.E. Mr. José Manuel Albares Bueno, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. Originally scheduled on 30 October, the ceremony had to be postponed following the tragedy caused by severe flooding in Spain. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to Madrid (Spain) - Participation to the 2024 Forum Europa Prize ceremony: Presentation of the Prize and speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

The European Parliament has awarded the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia.

Parliament recognised the opposition as rightful winners of July 2024’s presidential election and rejected the widespread electoral fraud and the proclaimed victory of Nicolas Maduro.

With the EU’s highest honour for human rights defenders, Parliament pays tribute to Ms Machado and Mr González Urrutia’s fight to restore democracy, and stands with those defending freedom against authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Read more on the 2024 Sakharov Prize winners:

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20240913STO23909/sakharov-prize-2024-goes-to-venezuelan-opposition-leaders

European Parliament honours María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia

Marta KOS, European Commissioner for Enlargement, makes a statement opening the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus: Opening statement by Marta KOS, European Commissioner for Enlargement

EP President Roberta Metsola, opens the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus: Opening statement by Roberta Metsola, EP President

Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition makes a statement opening the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus: Opening statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition

This news item shows extracts from the arrival of Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, and meeting with Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, and extracts from the Hight-Level Conference "Standing with the People of Belarus". The meeting is followed by the High-Level Conference, organised jointly by the European External Action Service and the European Parliament, in cooperation with the European Commission. The conference aims to send a clear message of solidarity and commitment, bringing together EU leaders, international partners, think tanks and representatives from Belarusian democratic forces and civil society.

High-Level Conference Standing with the People of Belarus: Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition and Marta KOS Commissioner for Enlargement, extracts from the opening statement

Ceremony of awarding of the European book prize 2024. Karl Schlögel, German historian and writer of 'Ukraine: a nation on the borderland' receives the award in presence of Younous Omarjee,Vice-President of the European Parliament; Pascal Lamy, Former European Commissioner for Trade, and Philippe Sands, President of the Jury. Statements by the laureate and extracts from the ceremony. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

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