Denmark assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July and will hold the office until 31 December 2025. It took over from Poland and will hand the baton to Cyprus, the three countries forming a presidency trio. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This European Parliamentary Research Service paper aims to inform Members on issues related to a forthcoming Commission initiative. It highlights the main choices that may shape the initiative and which Members may wish to explore ahead of formal European Commission adoption. Based on documentary and other sources, it reflects the information available at the time of writing. For further information on this topic, Members and staff of the European Parliament may contact the author. KEY ISSUES AT STAKE • Transport accounts for around a quarter of EU emissions. More sustainable transport in the EU is therefore crucial to achieving the European Green Deal aim to cut net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 % by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, by means of sustainable fuels, modes, and technological solutions. • Uptake of electric vehicles (EV) in the EU has been slow and uneven, due to limited investment in EV charging infrastructure and EV supply issues. Frontrunners, such as the Netherlands, have a better regulatory environment, greater public investment and a more stable and affordable energy market. Business models and value chains are reluctant to adapt before technological solutions are sufficiently developed. • Implementation of initiatives such as the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and CO2 emission standards for new vehicles is challenging, with progress slowing due to uneven roll-out across EU, state, and regional levels, limited electrical grid capacity, and high sustainable fuel production costs. • The European Commission is expected to issue a sustainable transport investment plan in the third quarter of 2025, outlining measures to support the accelerated roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure, as well as dedicated green trade and investment partnerships with third countries on renewable and low-carbon transport fuels. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Draft amending budget No 1/2025 (DAB 1/2025) to the EU's 2025 general budget seeks to enter the €1.35 billion surplus from implementation of the 2024 budget as revenue into the 2025 budget. Including this surplus would lead to a corresponding reduction in Member States' gross national income (GNI) contributions to the 2025 budget. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the Council's position on DAB 1/2025 during the July plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Gas storage provides a valuable reserve in case of strong demand or supply disruption, reducing the need to import additional gas and helping stabilise energy prices. In March 2025, the European Commission proposed an amendment to the Gas Storage Regulation, adopted during the 2022 energy crisis, to extend its validity until the end of 2027. During its July plenary session, the European Parliament will vote on the text agreed in trilogue negotiations with the Council. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Albania has been an EU candidate country since June 2014. On 25 March 2020, the Council decided to open accession negotiations with the country, based on its progress in meeting the political criteria and fulfilling the five priorities that are key for EU membership. Accession negotiations effectively started in July 2022, when the first intergovernmental conference was held. The main challenges are flaws in the functioning of the judiciary, in the fight against corruption, and in the safeguarding of media freedoms and minority rights. The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the European Commission's 2023 and 2024 reports on Albania on 4 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in July. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022 and received candidate status on 14 December 2023, under certain conditions. Since then, the severe democratic backsliding brought about by the ruling Georgian Dream party has resulted in the de facto halt of Georgia's EU accession process. Additionally, the country is currently embroiled in a political crisis following the contested October 2024 parliamentary elections. Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the 2023 and 2024 enlargement Commission reports on Georgia on 4 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in July. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a representative parliamentary system. According to the Constitutional Act (section 3), the monarch and the Parliament jointly constitute the legislative authority, the monarch exercises executive authority, and the courts of justice represent the judicial authority. The monarch, however, mainly has a ceremonial role and appoints the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers, who are responsible for governing the country. The government is formed through the system of 'negative parliamentarism', meaning that the government must not be opposed by a majority in the Parliament. The government and its ministers are accountable to the Parliament. General elections must be held at least every four years, while the Prime Minister can dissolve the Parliament and call for new elections. Powers are separated, but a close link exists between the Parliament and the government due to parliamentarism, with political parties playing a key role. Most of the ministers are usually members of parliament, even if this is not a requirement. The Folketing is the unicameral Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is composed of 179 members elected by general and direct ballot for a period of four years: 135 members are elected through party-list proportional representation in ten constituencies; 40 seats are allocated to ensure proportionality at national level; and, as part of the Danish Realm, Greenland and the Faroe Islands each elect two members. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This briefing analyses the implementation of the new economic governance framework in its first year of application. In particular, after discussing recent economic developments (Section 1), it assess results and roll-out of the new framework of fiscal coordination and surveillance as reported by the Commission in its 2025 Spring Package (Section 2). It also describes the current state of play on the implementation of the national escape clause for defence spending (Section 3) before focusing on the current excessive deficit procedures (Section 4). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Committee of the Regions is made up of 329 members representing the regional and local authorities of the 27 Member States of the European Union. It issues opinions sought on the basis of mandatory (as required by the Treaties) and voluntary consultation and, where appropriate, own-initiative opinions. Its members are not bound by any mandatory instructions. They are independent in the performance of their duties, in the European Union’s general interest. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Council, formed of the heads of state or government of the Member States, provides the necessary impetus for the development of the European Union and sets out the general political guidelines. The Commission President is also a non-voting member. The President of the European Parliament addresses the European Council at the beginning of its meetings. The Lisbon Treaty established the European Council as an institution of the Union and endowed it with a long-term presidency. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The organisation and operation of the European Parliament are governed by its Rules of Procedure. The political bodies, committees, delegations and political groups guide Parliament’s activities. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Together with Parliament, the Council of the European Union is the institution that adopts EU legislation through regulations and directives and prepares decisions and non-binding recommendations. In its areas of competence, it takes its decisions by a simple majority, a qualified majority or unanimously, according to the legal basis of the act requiring its approval. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This study offers an in-depth examination of the European Union’s (EU) trade defence instruments (TDI), focusing on their evolution, implementation and impact on industries, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It takes stock of the European Commission’s trade defence activities and critically examines existing TDI. It highlights procedural complexities, including investigation timelines and provisional measures, alongside the unique challenges SMEs face in accessing TDI. It includes a short empirical analysis of the activity of EU trade defence measures and explores sector-specific dynamics, with examples from steel, ceramics and renewable energy industries, illustrating the protective and adaptive role of TDI against unfair global trade practices such as dumping and subsidies. Comparative insights into international practices from the USA, China and India further contextualise EU approaches. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Foresight is increasingly used to explore future EU policies. Foresight methodology combines an evidence-based approach – including literature review, surveys and trend analysis – with the imagination of possible futures, usually based on expert views and scenarios. The application of foresight to long-term decision-making is usually referred to as strategic foresight. Used in a policy context as 'policy foresight', it is mostly used in agenda setting, strategic planning or to support policy design. Scenarios can be exploratory or normative, aiming at fixed policy outcomes. Because foresight seeks to improve policymaking by anticipating future developments, policy considerations are often part of foresight reports, sometimes followed by strategies. All EU institutions engage in foresight, and so do several Member States. Since 2019, foresight has been part of the portfolio of one or more members of the European Commission. The Commission publishes annual foresight reports, while its Joint Research Centre conducts more in-depth foresight projects. The European Parliament's Policy Foresight Unit and its predecessors have been conducting foresight since 2015. Since 2022, the Council of the EU publishes an annual 'Forward Look', while other EU institutions apply foresight to topics that fall into their remit. Nine EU institutions and bodies cooperate in the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), which holds an annual foresight conference and publishes a Global Trends Report every five years. Recent trend analyses from EU institutions, such as the Global Trends Report, point to challenges for the EU's resilience through social fragmentation, a lack of technological sovereignty and innovation, economic dependencies, environmental risks and geopolitical rivalry. Forward-looking publications search for answers to the 'poly-crisis' in which the EU has found itself since the COVID 19 pandemic. Common objectives of current EU policy foresight, as expressed in reports and strategies, include reducing the EU's external dependencies, increasing the EU's resilience and enhancing its capacity to act. Achieving (open) strategic autonomy – sometimes referred to as 'sovereignty' – runs as a red thread through many EU policy foresight reports. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

As the Treaties make no specific reference to forests, the European Union does not have a common forestry policy. Therefore, it remains primarily a national competence. However, the EU has established a European forest strategy and supports many actions that have a significant impact on forests in the EU and in non-EU countries. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The free movement of goods, services, capital and people across borders is growing continuously. In response, the European Union is enhancing judicial cooperation in civil law matters with cross-border implications, effectively building bridges between diverse legal systems. The EU’s key goals are to ensure legal certainty and easy and effective access to justice. This involves clearly identifying the competent jurisdiction, determining the applicable law and streamlining the procedures for recognition and enforcement of judgments. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) covers Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia. It consists of bilateral policies between the EU and the 10 individual partner countries, plus a regional cooperation framework, the Union for the Mediterranean. The EU boosted support for democratic transformation under the ENP in 2011, in response to the uprisings in its southern neighbourhood. It further reviewed the ENP in 2015. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Equality between women and men is one of the objectives of the European Union. Over time, legislation, case-law and changes to the Treaties have helped consolidate this principle and its implementation in the EU. The European Parliament has always been a fervent defender of the principle of equality between men and women. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

By supporting the Member States in the fight against poverty, social exclusion and discrimination, the EU aims to reinforce the inclusiveness and cohesion of European society and to everyone to enjoy equal access to opportunities and resources. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Europe's culture and cultural heritage are fundamental to EU values and identity, providing space for discussion, engagement and debate. Culture also fosters a European sense of belonging and social cohesion, strengthens communities, and drives innovation and economic competitiveness. The New European Agenda for Culture, which has provided a framework for EU cultural policy since 2018, has become outdated in light of the significant challenges currently facing culture. To address this gap, the priorities of the Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, include the development of an overarching, coherent and ambitious strategic framework for culture. This framework, called a new Culture Compass for Europe, is expected to provide long-term direction for diverse cultural aspects in EU policymaking and to ensure that culture becomes more accessible to all. The Culture Compass can be seen as a new policy approach that places culture at the centre of EU policies, serving as a driver for democracy, security, competitiveness, societal resilience, innovation and international partnerships. The European Parliament has played a crucial role in advancing discussions on culture at the EU level. Parliament has called on the Commission to strengthen EU support for building more crisis-resilient creative and cultural sectors and to provide adequate funding for EU-wide programmes promoting culture. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the core component of Next Generation EU (NGEU). By promoting the sustainable and inclusive recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic that ensures the green and digital transitions make progress, the RRF is consistent with the European Commission's priorities. Belgium's initial maximum contribution to finance its national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) was set to €5 924 million in grants. The amount was updated in June 2022 and reduced to €4 523 million. In addition, the non-repayable allocation for the REPowerEU chapter to reinforce the NRRP's energy dimension is set at €281 million. Belgium also submitted a reasoned request to transfer part of its allocation from the resources of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to the RRF (€228 million). Finally, Belgium requested a loan support of €264 million. The overall EU financial contribution to the amended Belgian NRRP stands thus at €5 298 million; it represents 0.7 % of the entire RRF, and 1.1 % of Belgium's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. The Council approved Belgium's amended NRRP in December 2023. Other targeted revisions took place in 2024 and 2025. In total, Belgium has received €2.46 billion so far: €915.1 million in pre-financing – 13 % of the initial NRRP (€770 million, all grants) in 2021, and 20 % of the REPowerEU chapter (€102.1 million in grants, €43 million in loans) in 2024; and two result-based instalments – one of €631.6 million (all grants) in September 2024, and another of €909 million (of which €40 million in loans) in May 2025. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate of creating a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on RRF implementation and scrutinises the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

EU cooperation with African countries and the African Union (AU) is based on two distinct frameworks: namely (a) the Partnership Agreements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and (b) the Joint Africa-EU strategy.The legal basis for the political, economic and development aspects of the partnership between the EU and the ACP states was established by the Cotonou Agreement in 2000. This was replaced, on 15 November 2023, by the Samoa Agreement, which was negotiated to modernise and upgrade the partnership.The Joint Africa-EU strategy has been implemented through multiannual roadmaps and action plans adopted at each EU-AU summit, which traditionally takes place every three years. At the EU-AU summit held in February 2022 in Brussels, EU and AU leaders agreed on ‘A Joint Vision for 2030’, which aims to consolidate a renewed partnership based on solidarity, security, peace, sustainable development and shared prosperity. The third EU-AU ministerial meeting took place on 21 May 2025, with the participation of the new AU leadership. This meeting reviewed progress on the Joint Vision for 2030, and paved the way for the seventh EU-AU summit, which is set to take place in Africa in 2025, marking 25 years of the partnership since the Cairo summit in 2000.The EU is Africa’s most significant donor of official development assistance. This is mainly funded by the EU’s general budget through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On 18 March 2025, a law was adopted in Hungary restricting the freedom of assembly, by connecting it to a previous controversial law from 2021 that prohibited the public portrayal to children of 'divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality'. An amendment to the Hungarian Constitution adopted on 14 April 2025 further reinforced this. On the basis of this law, Budapest police decided to ban Budapest Pride. While at first some of the police's decisions were annulled by the Hungarian Supreme Court on procedural grounds and required new decisions, the Supreme Court later upheld these decisions and refused to check the law against the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) or make a preliminary reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The Supreme Court considered that this case is not within the CJEU's jurisdiction. The mayor of Budapest announced that Budapest Pride will be held as a municipal event, but the Budapest police have issued a decision prohibiting this. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

While Europeans are adopting TikTok at a remarkable pace, recent headlines on addictive design, data protection violations, election interference, incendiary content and child sexual exploitation incidents are casting a shadow over its success. This briefing maps the key issues associated with the platform and outlines the European Union's (EU) legal framework to facilitate parliamentary discussions on recent developments, inform debates on future legislation such as the digital fairness act, and support the European Parliament's scrutiny of regulatory enforcement. EU investigations into TikTok are ongoing, yet few final decisions are available, and reliable information is sparse. A review of incidents and initiatives in the United States and the United Kingdom provides relevant insights on topical issues relating to TikTok. For instance, hearings and lawsuits linked to the US divest-or-ban law reveal possible national security risks arising from TikTok granting Chinese affiliates access to user data. Lawsuits from at least 16 US attorneys general demonstrate TikTok's potentially addictive features. Parliament will review the results and formulate its position once EU enforcement actions and regulatory preparations conclude. More than 10 EU laws regulate social media operations and services. For instance, rules in the Artificial Intelligence Act, the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation on non-manipulation can be invoked to mitigate risks like addictive design. However, precise legal applications remain unclear without established case law. This creates broad enforcement possibilities, but it also suggests a need for clearer guidelines or additional regulation. While enforcement actions may escalate geopolitical tensions with China, these issues could be eased through collaboration on shared priorities such as child protection, enhancing strategic and operational interdependence, and exploring privacy-enhancing middleware solutions. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Questo studio fa parte di un progetto più ampio, il cui scopo è quello di analizzare, nella prospettiva del diritto comparato, il principio della protezione dell’ambiente in diversi ordinamenti giuridici. Dopo una breve introduzione storica, l’individuazione della normativa applicabile e l’analisi della giurisprudenza formatasi al riguardo, vengono esaminati il contenuto, i limiti e la possibile evoluzione di tale principio. Il presente studio è dedicato al principio della protezione dell’ambiente nell’ordinamento giuridico italiano. La crescente attenzione da parte del legislatore italiano alla protezione dell’ambiente porterà, in epoca recente, all’inserimento di un riferimento alla tutela ambientale nei principi fondamentali e in ulteriori disposizioni della Costituzione, nonché all’adozione di una serie di leggi che, progressivamente, finiranno per imporre sempre più rigorose limitazioni all’esercizio di qualsiasi attività destinata ad incidere sul territorio, rischiando, talora, di pregiudicarne lo sviluppo. Nel contemperamento fra le esigenze di tutela ambientale e l’esercizio di diritti costituzionalmente garantiti, questi ultimi finiscono sovente per essere sacrificati in ragione di esigenze di tutela della sostenibilità ambientale, ancorché i parametri di valutazione utilizzati nel considerarne la legittimità non siano adeguatamente definiti nel diritto positivo ed espongano il loro apprezzamento ad eccessivi margini di discrezionalità, se non addirittura ad arbitrarietà. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, education policies are decided at the level of the individual Member States. The role of the EU is therefore mainly a supporting and coordinating one. The main objectives of Union action in the field of education include encouraging mobility of students and staff, fostering mutual recognition of diplomas and periods of study, and promoting cooperation between higher education institutions.[1] Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Commission is the EU institution that has the monopoly on legislative initiative as well as important executive powers in policies such as competition and external trade. It is the principal executive body of the European Union and is formed by a College of members composed of one Commissioner per Member State. The Commission oversees the application of Union law and respect for the Treaties by the Member States; it also chairs the committees responsible for the implementation of EU law. The former ‘comitology’ system has been replaced by new legal instruments, namely implementing and delegated acts. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU's trade-dependent economy faces uncertainty from global trade policy shifts, prompting calls to strengthen domestic demand. Economic growth forecasts for the years ahead have been downgraded, reflecting this uncertainty. Anticipatory trade to avoid US tariffs peaked in March 2025, as EU exports to the US rose by 59 % in the first quarter of 2025, but has subsided since. The final phase of the Next Generation EU recovery instrument is expected to support public investment and economic activity, but EU countries must step up efforts – in some cases significantly – to ensure full implementation of their national recovery and resilience plans by 31 August 2026. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In response to Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, which started in February 2022, the European Union (EU) and its Member States have provided unprecedented financial, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. According to European Commission figures, Team Europe, consisting of the EU and its Member States, has made available around €150 billion in support to Ukraine. This support encompasses macro-financial assistance, financial support through the Ukraine Facility, humanitarian aid and military assistance from Member States and the European Peace Facility, as well as support to Ukrainian refugees in the EU. The overall support of Team Europe for Ukraine is now greater than the support provided by the United States (US), except in terms of military support allocation. However, Team Europe has provided 83 % of the tanks and 76 % of the air defence systems given to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. The disbursement of EU payments under the Ukraine Facility is conditional on Ukraine implementing the Ukraine Plan – an ambitious reform and investment plan drafted by Ukraine's government and endorsed by the EU. The Commission and the Ukrainian government publish updates on the progress of the reforms and on the disbursal of payments. In addition to the Ukraine Facility, the G7 have agreed upon a further €45 billion loan, with €18.1 billion to be financed by the EU. For this purpose, a Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism has been established, which uses extraordinary revenues originating from Russian sovereign assets immobilised in the G7 member states to repay loans and associated interest costs. The rights, responsibilities and obligations provided for under the Ukraine Facility will apply to the G7 loan to ensure seamless management of both. The European Parliament has repeatedly called for confiscating the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to finance further support for Ukraine and the country's reconstruction, instead of just relying on extraordinary revenues. International financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, play a key role in addressing external financing needs and supporting the country's macroeconomic stability. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Council meeting on 26-27 June has a full agenda. One year into the new institutional cycle, global affairs have grown tense and unpredictable. Although a discussion on the Middle East was not originally envisaged for the June European Council meeting, the rapidly developing situation in the region will require the EU leaders' attention. EU leaders are also expected to discuss Ukraine, European defence and security, the EU in the world, competitiveness, migration, Moldova, the Western Balkans, internal security and EU preparedness. Some further items, such as the rules-based international order, may also feature on the agenda. The discussion on internal reforms in the context of enlargement, envisaged in the Leaders' Agenda for June, seems to have been postponed to a later date. Despite a full agenda, in his invitation letter European Council President António Costa stressed his intention to keep the meeting to one day. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, as laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). In order to ensure that these values are respected, Article 7 TEU provides for an EU mechanism to determine the existence of, and possibly sanction, serious and persistent breaches of EU values by a Member State. It has only been activated in relation to Poland and Hungary so far. The EU is also bound by its Charter of Fundamental Rights and is committed to acceding to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Following the emergence of threats to EU values in some Member States, the EU institutions are strengthening their toolbox to counter democratic backsliding and protect democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, equality and minorities across the Union. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

EU chemicals and pesticides legislation aims to protect human health and the environment, as well as to prevent barriers to trade. It consists of rules governing the marketing and use of particular categories of chemical products, a set of harmonised restrictions on the placing on the market and use of hazardous substances, and protocols for handling major accidents and exports of dangerous substances. The two most important achievements at EU level are the CLP Regulation and the REACH Regulation. Under the European Green Deal and particularly the ‘chemicals for sustainability’, ‘farm to fork’ and ‘biodiversity’ strategies, EU legislation on chemicals and pesticides is undergoing a revision process. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power, ocean and geothermal energy, biomass and biofuels offer cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels. They reduce pollution, broaden our energy options and decrease our dependence on volatile fossil fuel prices. In 2022, renewable energy accounted for 23% of the European Union’s energy consumption. In 2023, lawmakers increased the Union’s target for the share of renewable sources of energy in gross energy consumption from 32% to 42.5% by 2030, aiming for 45%. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) applies to Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. It aims to strengthen prosperity, stability and security in the EU’s neighbouring regions. It is based on shared values, the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The ENP is a bilateral policy between the EU and each partner country, with regional and multilateral cooperation initiatives. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The aim of the EU’s asylum policy is to offer appropriate status to any non-EU national requiring international protection in one of the Member States and ensure compliance with the principle of non-refoulement[1]. To this end, the EU is striving to develop a Common European Asylum System. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP