The implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) raises a series of challenges for scientific research, especially regarding research that is dependent on data. This study investigates the promises and challenges associated with the implementation of the GDPR in the scientific domain and examines the adequacy of the GDPR exceptions for scientific research in terms of safeguarding scientific freedom and technological progress. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

In recent times, there has been much discussion in policy circles, academia and the private sector regarding the tension between blockchains and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’). Whereas, the GDPR is based on an underlying assumption that in relation to each personal data point there is at least one the data controller, blockchains make the allocation of responsibility and accountability burdensome. Further, although the GDPR is based on the assumption that data can be modified or erased where necessary to comply with legal requirements, blockchains, however, render the unilateral modification of data purposefully onerous in order to ensure data integrity and to increase trust in the network. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The meeting on the role and importance of outcome in healthcare had the aim to propose the topic of the evaluation of effectiveness of medical and surgical treatments as a real indicator of healthcare quality. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament is very attentive to the issue of transparency and integrity within the EU institutions. In the past, the EP has commissioned two studies to verify the level of effectiveness and efficiency of the Code of Conduct for Commissioners of the European Commission. This in-depth analysis verifies whether the Code of Conduct of 2018 complies with the requests the EP has made in order to guarantee the best performance in terms of transparency and integrity by the EC Commissioners. Most of the EP requests have been satisfied. However, there is still some room for improvement in terms of transparency of the Independent Ethical Committee, the cooling off period for Commissioners and provisions related to the role of the European Ombudsman within the Code. Moreover, the Code of Conduct, being a soft law instrument, could be upgraded to a hard law instrument having a stronger binding force. Finally, the EP could reiterate the study recommendations concerning stricter provisions on the involvement of Commissioners in the national, regional or local politics. ince the entry into force of the Financial Perspectives of 2007-2013 one decade ago, the EU’s budget has undergone significant change. In 2009, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) agreed at Lisbon came into effect. This significantly modified the powers of the European Union’s institutions. The eruption of the global financial crisis in 2008, followed by the crisis particular to the euro area, led to pressure for austerity in the EU’s Member States and put pressure on the EU’s budget itself. This briefing provides a summary of these developments. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The hearings of the Commissioners-designate before the European Parliament's committees are a necessary ingredient in informing Parliament's decision to give its consent to, or reject, the proposed College. Each Commissioner-designate appears before a single hearing, involving one or more parliamentary committees, after responding to a written questionnaire and presenting his or her declaration of interests. In past hearings, the main points of criticism were some candidates’ lack of specialist knowledge of their portfolio, their vague answers and reluctance to make commitments, the existence of possible conflicts of interests in relation to the assigned portfolio and concerns regarding the integrity of the candidate. From the 2004 investiture on, Parliament has used its role in the appointment of the Commission to press for the replacement of certain controversial candidates and to force adjustments to certain portfolios, although it can only reject or accept the College as a whole. Whilst some experts warn of excessive politicisation of the hearings, others welcome the increased accountability of the Commission to Parliament, and see the deepening political link between the two as a step towards further democratisation of the EU decision-making process. Hearings have become critical for Parliament's holding the Commission to account, and are gaining in significance as a means for Parliament to take a greater role in agenda-setting at EU level. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

During the September 2019 plenary sitting, the European Parliament is expected to vote on a resolution on the candidate (Christine Lagarde) for the position of President of the European Central Bank (ECB), to succeed Mario Draghi, whose term is due to end on 1 November 2019. The President is appointed by the European Council, while Parliament and the Bank’s Governing Council are consulted. Prior to the vote, the candidate will receive a series of questions for written answer, and be invited to a hearing before the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON). The ECB President is a key figure within the Eurosystem when setting monetary policy for the euro area. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Policy Department A provides high-quality expertise, up-to-date analysis and independent research to the committees it supports: ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE and IMCO. This brochure focuses on the Policy Department services for the EMPL Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Policy Department A provides high-quality expertise, up-to-date analysis and independent research to the committees it supports: ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE and IMCO. This brochure focuses on the Policy Department services for the IMCO Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Policy Department A provides high-quality expertise, up-to-date analysis and independent research to the committees it supports: ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE and IMCO. This brochure focuses on the Policy Department services for the ECON Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Policy Department A provides high-quality expertise, up-to-date analysis and independent research to the committees it supports: ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE and IMCO. This brochure focuses on the Policy Department services for the ITRE Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Policy Department A provides high-quality expertise, up-to-date analysis and independent research to the committees it supports: ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE and IMCO. This brochure focuses on the Policy Department services for the ENVI Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Pensions determine the economic independence of their beneficiaries. This briefing provides a summary of the EU gender gap in pensions and explains its evolution and the basic factors for its existence and size. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The budget of the European Union has three pillars: its expenditure, its financing and its audit. This briefing looks at the origins of the budget, its development through multiannual planning and annual budgeting. It does so amid the European Parliament’s changing powers over the budget, and the evolution of its financing and of the audit process. Since the very first European Community in 1952, there has been a tension over budgeting among the European institutions and the Member States, and a close link between reforms to expenditure and those to the financing. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Pilot projects and preparatory actions (PP/PAs) are tools introduced in the European Union (EU) budget that aim at testing new policy initiatives and/or preparing the ground for the adoption of future measures. Such PP/PAs give Members of the European Parliament the possibility to initiate innovative policies and fund them in advance of a legal basis being set. Both new PP/PAs and those continued from previous years must be included in the EU budget through the annual budgetary procedure. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament (EP) and the Council are the budgetary authority of the European Union. The two institutions, assisted by the European Commission, decide on the budget in the annual EU budgetary procedure. The annual EU budget funds EU policies and programmes following the Union's political priorities and legal obligations. The financial year starts on 1 January and ends on 31 December. The European Parliament amends the Council position through the work of its Committee on Budgets (BUDG) and the specialised parliamentary committees. The EP then adopts the Parliament's reading in plenary session. This briefing presents possible scenarios set in the EU Treaties for adoption or non-adoption of the annual budget. It explains differences between the Treaty calendar and the 'pragmatic calendar'. The key actors in establishing the Parliament's position are: the Committee on Budgets and EP specialised committees, in particular the BUDG chair, the annual budget rapporteurs and their shadows, BUDG coordinators and budget rapporteurs in specialised committees. An amendment to the Council's position is a tool enabling Members of the European Parliament to modify the annual budget draft. This briefing sketches the life cycle of such an amendment. The European Parliament and the Council work out an agreement on the annual budget through negotiations consisting of trilogue meetings and conciliation. Last but not least, this briefing explains what happens if there is no agreement on the EU annual budget. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The main highlight of the July II plenary session was the election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. Other highlights included a statement by Viorica Dăncilă, Prime Minister of Romania, on the outcome of that country's Council presidency, and by Antti Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland on the priorities for the current Finnish Council Presidency. Parliament also debated statements by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on implementation of the EU Global Strategy, and the situation in Venezuela (also adopting a resolution), in the Persian Gulf and in Moldova. Debates were also held on Council and Commission statements on humanitarian assistance in the Mediterranean and clean air zones in EU cities. Members also decided on the numerical strength of the interparliamentary delegations. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

While a banking group located in the Banking Union is supervised by a single supervisor (SSM) and no longer by home and host supervisors, subsidiaries are subject to individual requirements with remaining national powers over legal entities of a group. Further integration of banking groups’ risk management has been identified by the Chair of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) as one of the remaining steps to completing the Banking Union. For the Chair of the SSM, there are “still obstacles to the integrated management of bank capital and liquidity within cross-border groups operating in the banking union”. As the SSM put it “the fences should be removed; they are out of place within a banking union where the concept of home and host supervisors has disappeared”. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This study assesses the role of the European Parliament in the field of cohesion policy since the Treaty of Lisbon introduced ‘co-decision’ procedure whereby Parliament and Council have equal powers in agreeing the regulations of the EU Structural and Investment Funds. In addition to the formal processes, the study also considers the informal ones from policy development at the pre-legislative stage to the interinstitutional negotiations as well as the Parliament’s scrutiny role over cohesion policy. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

For 85 years, the US regime for non-viable banks has maintained a high degree of stability and public confidence by protecting deposits, while working to minimize the public cost of that protection. With awareness of the difference in context, EU reformers can draw valuable insights from the US experience. On balance, a review of the US regime supports arguments in favour of harmonization and centralization of bank insolvency proceedings and deposit insurance in Europe’s banking union. A unitary regime would improve on the current EU status quo along multiple dimensions: deposit protection, creditor rights, controlling moral hazard, predictability and operational effectiveness, transparency and accountability, and financial stability. It would help break the bank-sovereign vicious circle in the euro area. The US experience suggests that substantial improvements are achievable in a well-designed system of institutional checks and balances that learns and adapts over time. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament plays an important role in the appointment processes of two European Central Bank bodies: the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board (Chair and Vice-Chair). This paper aims to: a) provide an overview of the relevant procedural provisions, b) present a selection of past appointments; and c) describe the evolving role of the European Parliament in those procedures. This document was prepared by Policy Department A for the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This briefing provides an insight into where banking legislation stands in terms of providing a ‘single rule book’ for the purposes of supervising banks in the Banking Union It also identifies the key areas where further harmonisation would facilitate both supervision and resolution. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This study focuses on the issue of trafficking in human beings in the specific context of hotspots. It analyses the processes in place to facilitate the detection of victims when they arrive by sea on Greek and Italian shores, as well as the protection they are granted. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This study reviews current and emerging issues for Cohesion Policy to support the work agenda of the European Parliament’s Committee for Regional Development during its new mandate for 2019-2024. The analysis focuses on issues relating to the committee’s competences and concludes by highlighting key policy themes and political questions for the debate on Cohesion Policy in 2021-27. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

With the help of cells from a single cow, scientists can produce 175 million hamburgers. What if we didn’t need cows for our beef? Technologies for producing cultured meat and dairy products will help feeding the world in a sustainable way. What if we could produce meat without farming? New technology within reach to produce meat with a very low eco-footprint Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The President of the European Commission has taken on an ever more prominent leading role within the College of Commissioners, with the increasingly presidential system eclipsing the principle of collegiate decision-making. With the European Parliament now more involved in the appointment, the Presidency has not only become a much more politicised office, but the President has also gained greater influence vis-à-vis the other members of the Commission. The Commission President plays a crucial role in relations between Parliament and Commission. Presenting his or her priorities to Parliament prior to election sets the course for the whole term, on which the President will be called to account by Parliament. Building on this, Parliament has an increasingly prominent role in political agenda-setting, shaping the EU's legislative programming together with the Commission and the Council. At the end of President Barroso's second term as Commission President, many had criticised the lack of ambitious initiatives undertaken, whereas others believe that the economic and institutional difficulties which the EU faced made this inevitable. The legacy of President Juncker's mandate can claim, on the one hand, to show progress in trade and defence, although some maintain that more ambition could have been displayed in other areas, for instance on the digital market or monetary union. On the other hand, the Juncker Commission introduced some significant changes in the College's working methods and a more political role for the Commission. Whereas Jean-Claude Juncker had been a Spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) in the European elections, Ursula von der Leyen, nominated as candidate for the Commission presidency by the European Council on 2 July, was not. As none of the Spitzenkandidaten were seen to have a clear majority in Parliament, it remains to be seen whether an 'outsider' from that process can muster the support of the required majority of Parliament's component Members at the time of the election, currently planned for the July II plenary session. This is an updated edition of a 2014 briefing drafted by Eva-Maria Poptcheva. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

On 23-26 May, 2019, European Union citizens elected a more fragmented European Parliament than its predecessor, with the two main political groups – the European People’s Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats losing some ground, and the Liberals, now known as Renew Europe, and the Greens/European Free Alliance strengthening their representation. Gains made by Eurosceptic and populist groups proved more limited than had been predicted. This note brings together commentaries, analyses and studies by major international think tanks and research institutes on the European elections and their aftermath. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

When Walter Hallstein became the first President of the European Economic Community Commission, in 1958, a long career already lay behind him: legal scholar, university professor, research manager, diplomat and German government representative at the conferences drafting the founding treaties of the European Coal and Steel Community and then the European Economic Community. The federalist ideas he developed and the emphasis he placed on supranational institutions remain among his most important legacies. Equally significant was his administrative capacity to build an institution of a completely new type and to anticipate policies that seemed utopian at the time but turned out to be necessary many years later. This impetus to push for further integration earned Hallstein strong opposition from several national leaders, and eventually led to his precipitous departure. This briefing recalls three principal aspects of Hallstein's life: as a scholar and research administrator, as a protagonist of German foreign policy and, of course, as a crucial architect of the early period of European integration. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

L’accord de partenariat entre l’Union européenne et les pays d’Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP) expire en février 2020. Le principal défi pour l’Union européenne est de maintenir ses relations dans la région, tout en restant fidèle aux valeurs promues dans les traités européens. La renégociation de cet « Accord de Cotonou » offre l’opportunité de rationaliser les relations entre les pays ACP et l’Union, en tenant compte des objectifs de développement durable des Nations unies, de la redéfinition des stratégies européennes dans les régions concernées, des nouvelles ambitions des pays ACP et de l’évolution de l’équilibre des pouvoirs au niveau mondial. La question du financement est également sur la table. Favoriser la prospérité, la stabilité et la bonne gouvernance dans les États ACP permettrait, selon les services de l’UE, de mieux faire face aux causes profondes de la migration irrégulière et des déplacements forcés. Le groupe ACP a adopté son mandat de négociation en mai 2018. L’Union européenne a adopté le sien en juin 2018 et propose un socle commun complété par des protocoles spécifiques avec les trois sous-régions. Les négociations ont débuté en septembre 2018. Troisième édition. Les Briefings 'Accords internationaux en marche' sont actualisés à des étapes clés de la procédure de ratification. Pour voir les versions précédentes de ce briefing, voir PE 630.280, novembre 2018. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

In May 2019, European citizens voted on their representatives in the European Parliament for the next five years, to defend their interests in the EU. This year’s election had a turnout of 51%, an increase of 8.3 percentage points from the previous election in 2014. It is also the first time since 1999 that more than half of adult citizens voted. The 751 MEPs elected have an average age of 50 years (with the youngest being 21 and the oldest 82). There is a majority of new MEPs(435). Women represent 40.4% of all MEPs. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The internet has transformed the world into a global village transcending physical borders and palpable distances. Often described as 'fog' or a 'globalised network of networks', cyberspace is extremely complex, accessible to everyone and difficult to pinpoint. While thanks to these characteristics cyberspace has opened countless social, economic and political opportunities, it has also become a source of disruption, conflict and geopolitical rivalries. The European Union has recognised that cyber-security and cyber-defence are critical for both its prosperity and security, and is emerging as an increasingly capable cyber player. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European Parliament's application of scrutiny prerogatives of political oversight of the European Commission increases the democratic legitimacy of the European Union, and the transparency and accountability of the European executive. The update of the 2018 study examines the European Parliament's powers of scrutiny of the European Commission in the last two legislative terms. The cases examined pertain mainly to electoral and institutional issues, motions of censure, parliamentary questions, inquiry committees and special parliamentary committees and reporting, consultation and provision of information. It also touches upon scrutiny in budgetary issues, scrutiny of delegated acts, scrutiny in the legislative procedure, legal proceedings and the EU's external relations. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The quality of European agricultural products often relies on their geographical origins, the traditional recipes used to make them, and the methods used in production and processing. These human and geographical factors are intrinsic to making a product unique. In 1992, the EU developed a quality scheme for foodstuffs, including the designation of their origin. The objectives of the EU quality scheme are to provide consumers with clear information, allowing them to make a more informed choice, and to indicate the added value of a given product. The protection of European local and gastronomic traditions, especially against imitation in third countries, is another important aim of the regulations. Consequently, the EU's engagement in protecting its registered products on the global market is a contentious issue in the negotiation of many trade agreements. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

During the 2014-19 parliamentary term the European Union and notably the European Parliament, through its dedicated Committee on Petitions (PETI), has continued to uphold the right of citizens to petition the EP to raise issues and concerns and to call for redress and action in areas of EU competence, by mobilising institutions and Member States both on issues at the centre of the political debate, and on ‘‘orphan’’ or ‘‘dormant’’ issues. With the aim of better serving EU citizens, the Committee on Petitions has developed a Petitions Web Portal, adopted new and updated Guidelines, created a Petitions Network and a special Working Group on Child Welfare Issues. PETI continued to examine a high number of petitions raising issues in all areas of EU activity. In the 9th legislature, PETI could strengthen its achievements by exploring innovative ways to achieve effective solutions for the petitioners. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

This study explores the context and potential of the FTA negotiations between the EU and Australia and New Zealand. Through an analysis of the status quo, as well as several academic and policy analyses, it highlights the main opportunities for the EU from the negotiations, as well as potential threats and obstacles to agreement. The study explores in detail the likely impacts of market opening on trade in goods and services, as well as the potential in other key areas, including public procurement and investment. It also highlights the current architecture of FTAs which Australia and New Zealand have established, especially the very recent Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), to which both are party. It explores how these agreements impact on the EU’s competitiveness in the Australian and New Zealand markets and how FTAs could be leveraged to improve EU integration with these partners and their broader region. The study also considers how trade and sustainable development (TSD) can be effectively integrated into the agreements, in line with the objectives of the EU’s ‘Trade for All’ strategy. Finally, several potential wider, more political impacts of the FTAs are underlined. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Sovereign bonds, the most common form of sovereign debt, have specific characteristics. They are issued by national debt management offices on the primary market and subsequently traded on secondary markets. Loan agreements signed at the issuance of sovereign bonds on the primary market may include collective action clauses (CACs) aimed at making restructuring more orderly and predictable. CACs have been included in loan agreements and bond contracts since the 1990s. These clauses enable a 'supermajority' of creditors to modify essential payment terms of the contract, thus overcoming the problem posed by holdout creditors. Indeed, while debt restructuring involves benefits for both debtor countries and their creditors, there are also incentives for both parties to delay the process. Certain creditors, for instance, are tempted to hold out, and are therefore referred to as holdout creditors. Their incentive for holding out is the chance that they might recover their investment either in full or in a higher amount than the debtor country has offered in the restructuring agreement. While a holdout can bring creditors great gains, it has significant negative consequences for debtor countries and, in the worst case, can jeopardise the restructuring process. CACs can have one or two 'limbs'. While the EU Member States that are in the euro area decided in 2011 to include two-limb CACs in sovereign debt issued after 2013, the Greek restructuring experience and recent New York court decisions relative to sovereign debt have shown that such CACs can protect sovereign debtors only up to a certain point. Therefore, in the context of the euro-area governance reform, the Eurogroup has proposed that euro-area leaders should work for the introduction of single-limb CACs by 2022, and included this commitment in the draft revised text of the European Stability Mechanism Treaty. Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP