The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) represents the first international treaty negotiated under the authority of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the first global public health treaty. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005. 183 Parties have signed this treaty, covering 90% of the world population. The Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO FCTC will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from the 17th to the 22nd of November 2025, bringing together Parties to advance global tobacco control policies and implementation. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU’s relationship with the Pacific region has political, economic and development dimensions. The EU is the Pacific region’s second largest trading partner. Australia and New Zealand are the EU’s like-minded partners, facing common geostrategic challenges and promoting multilateralism and a global rules-based order. In June 2018, negotiations were launched for a comprehensive EU-Australia free trade agreement (FTA) and the fifteenth round of negotiations took place in April 2023. The EU signed an FTA with New Zealand in July 2023.Under the Samoa Agreement the EU has a partnership with the 15 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) that centres on development, fisheries and climate change. It also has partnerships with the three Pacific Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Budget expenditure is approved jointly by the Council and Parliament. The annual EU budget must respect the expenditure ceilings agreed under the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for different headings, i.e. categories of expenditure, such as those on the single market, cohesion and natural resources. Thematic and non-thematic special instruments ensure that the EU can react in the event of unexpected needs. The use of budgetary guarantees and financial instruments creates a leverage effect as regards EU spending. In addition to the MFF, the total EU expenditure for 2021-2027 includes the temporary recovery instrument NextGenerationEU, which will help the EU economy to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The integrated maritime policy (IMP) of the EU is a holistic approach to all sea-related EU policies. It is based on the idea that the Union can draw higher returns from its maritime space with less impact on the environment by coordinating its wide range of interlinked activities related to oceans, seas and coasts. Hence, the IMP aims at strengthening the so-called blue economy, encompassing all sea-based economic activities. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The common market organisation (CMO) in fishery and aquaculture products was the first component of the common fisheries policy (CFP). Overall, the current CMO aims at protecting producers and ensuring the environmental sustainability and economic viability of the market in fishery and aquaculture products. It improves and strengthens key elements of the CMO such as common market standards, consumer information and producer organisations, and introduces new elements, such as market intelligence. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Parliament plays an important role in shaping European policies by exercising its various powers. Through its participation in the legislative process, its budgetary and control powers, its involvement in treaty revision and its right to intervene before the Court of Justice of the European Union, Parliament helps ensure democratic principles are respected at European level. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Although Norway decided not to join the EU following negative national referendums held in 1972 and 1994, the country has maintained close economic, political, and sectoral relations with the EU for decades, primarily through the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, and an increasing number of other, mostly bilateral, agreements. The EEA Agreement, in force since 1994, brings together EU Member States and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein in the single market, and provides for the free movement of people, services, goods and capital. The agreement also covers competition and State aid regulations, horizontal policies such as consumer protection, energy, environment and social policy, as well as flanking policies such as research, education, culture, public health and entrepreneurship. The EU and Norway have developed extensive trade ties. In 2024, Norway was the sixth largest EU trade partner in goods. Norway is one of the EU's key suppliers of oil, gas and electricity and its largest supplier of fish. The EU and Norway also maintain close and robust political relations. They are aligned on the main foreign policy issues and hold foreign policy dialogues. Cooperating under North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) auspices and beyond, they are equally close partners on security and defence. Moreover, although the EEA Agreement excludes justice and home affairs, Norway participates in key aspects of EU cooperation in this area, primarily through the Schengen Agreement. The European Parliament is closely involved in nurturing EU-Norway relations. It sends a delegation to the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee, holds an annual bilateral interparliamentary meeting with Norway, and meets its Norwegian counterparts in other forums. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU has made welcome commitments to bring its economic and security aims into closer harmony with each other. Despite some advances in this fusion, the EU needs more precisely defined strategies for giving it tangible substance – and also for addressing the tensions that exist between economic and security policies. The present report proposes ten concrete ideas to take this forward. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

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. Female politicians are exposed to two severe and intersecting forms of violence: political violence and gender-based violence. Violence against people active in politics, whether men or women, is a major obstacle to the exercise of political rights and freedoms, and a serious violation of basic human rights. Increasing polarisation in liberal societies has led to rising violence against political actors. However, violence against women in politics is more than a symptom of political polarisation. It targets women because they are women, takes sexist and sexualised forms, and seeks to discourage women generally from taking part in political life. Women surveyed tend to consider its impact significant and feel less ready to defend certain positions and to continue their political career. At EU level, ensuring safe participation of women in politics is a priority of gender equality policies. The European Parliament has recognised the seriousness of the phenomenon in numerous resolutions, has adapted its internal rules to prevent sexist and hate speech in its debates, and has established specific mechanisms to deal with harassment. This briefing updates an earlier version from February 2024. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU's temporary protection regime has provided predictability and legal certainty both to displaced people from Ukraine and to the EU Member States. The situation in Ukraine, as a result of Russia's ongoing war of aggression, still requires a common European response. The EU has therefore decided to extend temporary protection for a fifth year, until 4 March 2027, and adopted a coordinated approach to a smooth transition out of temporary protection, when the circumstances allow. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Highlights of the November I plenary session included debates on the architecture and governance of the new 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework, and on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025. Further debates concerned Parliament's statement commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Islamist attacks of 13 November 2015 in Paris; Council and Commission statements on the illegal unilateral declaration of the secessionist entity created by Türkiye in Cyprus and the continued Turkish military occupation; and protecting EU consumers against the practices of certain e-commerce platforms. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are among the worst forms of violence against children and know no borders. The rise in these crimes is exacerbated by the use of digital technology. Harmonised national laws and international cooperation are essential to improve prevention and protect victims. This is a further update of a publication originally drafted by Ingeborg Odink in November 2024. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Adopted in 1989, the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was the first international instrument to explicitly recognise children as human beings with innate rights. As of 2025, it has been ratified by 196 countries, including all EU Member States, and it has become the landmark treaty on children's rights, outlining universal standards for the care, treatment, survival, development, protection and participation of all children. The promotion and protection of children's rights is one of the key objectives embedded in Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). Moreover, Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU recognises that children are entitled to 'protection and care as is necessary for their well-being'. The same article recognises that the child's best interests should be the primary consideration for public authorities and private institutions. Over the years, the EU has moved from a sectoral approach towards a more coherent policy approach. Whereas initially, children's rights were developed in relation to specific areas – such as the free movement of persons – since 2000 the EU has taken a more coordinated line. The European Parliament has been especially vocal in advocating for children. This briefing offers an overview of the most relevant actions at European level to address and promote children's rights before looking at upcoming challenges. This briefing is an update of a 2022 briefing written by Rosamund Shreeves. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU is facing the challenge of mobilising massive investments required to meet its strategic priorities and must find effective ways to finance them. In response, the European Commission published the savings and investments union (SIU) action plan on 19 March 2025, designed to channel EU savings into productive investments. This briefing presents an overview of the plan. The SIU was launched in the context of the Draghi and Letta reports, which set out recommendations for strengthening the EU's single market and competitiveness. Announced in the Commission's Competitiveness Compass (the January 2025 roadmap to restore and boost the EU's economic dynamism), it places strong importance on mobilising private financing for key EU priorities such as innovation, digitalisation, defence and the green transition. The SIU seeks to further integrate the EU's financial system and make its capital markets more attractive to investors. The SIU is structured around four work strands. The first focuses on the demand side – savers and investors – promoting effective savings instruments that link citizens' savings with productive investments. The second targets the supply side by expanding financing options for firms. The remaining two strands aim to strengthen market infrastructure and advance supervisory convergence, which could, in specific areas, evolve towards a single supervisory framework. Key proposals include amendments to securitisation rules (ongoing), revised rules and products for supplementary pensions, and measures to improve financial market infrastructure. The SIU has received support from the European Parliament through its September 2025 resolution on EU competitiveness, which also makes some remarks and offers further directions for action. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The fourth summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) took place in Santa Marta, Colombia, on 9-10 November 2025. With the adoption of a joint declaration, the EU and CELAC sent a strong signal about defending multilateralism, cooperation and a rules-based international order. The partners agreed, among other things, to fight drug trafficking and organised crime through a new security alliance. The summit was partly overshadowed by the poor participation of leaders, the deadly United States (US) strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and military threats by US President Donald Trump against Venezuela. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This study provides a complementary impact assessment of the proposed Council directive on equal treatment outside of employment on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation. It covers all EU Member States. Moreover, it includes five case studies: Czechia, Germany, Italy, Romania and Sweden. It reviews the necessity of the proposed EU initiative and its added value, considering subsidiarity and proportionality. The study analyses the coherence of the proposed directive with existing and future frameworks and its likely effectiveness in achieving the objectives of increased protection and inclusion, and combating discrimination. It also assesses the proposal's likely costs and benefits. The findings suggest that the proposed directive responds to the need for EU action and complies with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. It is coherent with the existing legal and policy framework and would significantly strengthen fundamental rights and close the protection gap against discrimination. The proposed directive is expected to generate limited costs, mainly relating to reasonable accommodation in education, while delivering significant social and economic benefits, notably through improved access to goods and services. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea has failed to halt fisheries collapse, with four of the seven key stocks critically depleted. Conventional single-species reference points are inadequate under combined pressures from climate change, eutrophication and chronic assessment errors. This briefing highlights ecosystem reference points (ERPs), the ecosystem-adjusted fishing mortality FECO and complementary size- and age-based indicators, exploring how they could be developed in the Baltic Sea setting. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Peace pillar – The European Union (EU) is a long-standing and active partner for peace and governance in Africa, providing both substantial financial and operational support. Cooperation between the EU and Africa in the area of peace and security promotes Africa's ownership – the principle of 'African solutions to African problems' – and recognises the African Union as a central player in this field. EU common security and defence policy missions and operations, together with the European Peace Facility and the Global Europe instrument, back African peace operations, mediation efforts and institutional capacity building. However, this partnership faces increasing challenges from regional fragmentation, shifting alliances, and intensifying geopolitical competition on the continent. This publication is part of a series on the Africa-EU partnership and its four pillars: Prosperity (economy and connectivity; natural resources, health, research and education), Peace (security and governance), People (migration and mobility) and Planet (multilateralism). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

During the November I plenary session, Parliament will vote its position on the Commission proposal of 2 July 2025 to amend the European Climate Law. The proposal seeks to ensure a cost-efficient and realistic pathway to climate neutrality by 2050, by setting an intermediate EU emissions reduction target for 2040. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On 30 July 2025, the European Commission published a proposal for a European fisheries and aquaculture statistics (EFAS) regulation. The proposed regulation modernises and streamlines the legal framework for EU fisheries and aquaculture statistics by repealing five existing regulations whose provisions date back around 30 years. Aside from providing legal simplification, the proposal expands the statistical coverage, reduces the volume of data flagged as confidential, and addresses data inconsistencies. A significant change is the reuse of information from existing EU databases. This includes the reuse of data on catches, collected as part of the fisheries control system, rather than asking Member States for this information again. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Austria's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) was updated for the second time on 8 July 2025. The plan totals €4 187 million, of which €3 961 million is financed through Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) grants and the difference through national resources. To implement the plan, Austria is leveraging further amounts beyond EU support from the national budget. The Austrian economy has been in a slowdown since the end of the second quarter of 2022. A lack of expansionary impetus both domestically and abroad led to a decline in economic output in 2023 and 2024. According to recent estimates, Austrian gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow slightly (by 0.3 %-0.4 %) in 2025 and by 1.2 % in 2026. In Austria's NRRP, 56 % of EU resources are allocated to the green transition, and 36 % to the digital transformation. The plan includes a significant number of reforms with the potential to support lasting structural changes in other areas, such as the primary healthcare system, less red tape for business, and modernisation of the public administration. By the end of October 2025, Austria had received €2 812 million in pre-financing and two result-based payments, which is above the current EU average (56.4 %). Following a positive assessment, the third payment should be disbursed soon. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fourth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This report, requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, examines EU progress on implementing UN CRPD Article 19. It synthesises the EU's 2015 and 2025 UN CRPD reviews, assesses implications of the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 and evaluates Member States' efforts on deinstitutionalisation. Despite policy advances, institutionalisation, inadequate community-based services and lack of meaningful consultation persist. Clear definitions, a minimum dataset and CRPD-compliant investments are among the measures required to realise Article 19. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

African and European Heads of State or Government will meet in Luanda (Angola) on 24 and 25 November 2025 for the Seventh European Union (EU)-African Union Summit. The Africa-EU partnership faces significant challenges, including global geopolitical shifts and shrinking development finance. Central to the EU's new approach, the Global Gateway strategy aims to mobilise €150 billion by 2027 to boost Africa's digital connectivity, transport infrastructure, and energy transition. However, questions remain over ownership and whether African priorities are genuinely reflected. To ensure the partnership remains effective, it must deliver on the commitments made at the 2022 summit and strengthen accountability mechanisms. This means addressing persistent challenges in implementation, such as lack of coordination, inconsistent reporting, and data gaps. The European Parliament has consistently advocated for a people-centred partnership that genuinely benefits both Europeans and Africans. This briefing provides an insight into the broad context that will set the scene for discussions. Detailed specifics of the four pillars of the partnership are discussed in separate publications: Prosperity (economy and connectivity; natural resources, health, research and education), Peace (security and governance), People (migration and mobility) and Planet (multilateralism). It is crucial for the next summit to embody a partnership of equals, supporting sustainable development, peace, and prosperity for both continents. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Prosperity pillar (1/2) – Africa's economic transformation is central to the partnership between Africa and the EU. Unlocking the continent's potential is not only key to its own development but also to boosting global competitiveness for both Africa and Europe. This requires reducing investment risks, strengthening regional value chains, and supporting intra-African trade. Progress depends on improving the mobilisation of domestic resources and addressing unsustainable debt levels. Expanding both physical and digital infrastructure and services across the continent is also key to achieving this transformation. This publication is part of a series on the Africa-EU partnership and its four pillars: Prosperity (economy and connectivity; natural resources, health, research and education), Peace (security and governance), People (migration and mobility) and Planet (multilateralism). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Prosperity pillar (2/2) – Youth and natural resources are key assets for Africa and its partnership with the European Union. To harness these assets, Africa and its European partners need to address climate-related challenges, energy poverty, health system gaps and education shortfalls. Joint initiatives are under way in all these areas; however, the Seventh European Union -African Union Summit will have to tackle asymmetries and tensions over differing priorities. This publication is part of a series on the Africa-EU partnership and its four pillars: Prosperity (economy and connectivity; natural resources, health, research and education), Peace (security and governance), People (migration and mobility) and Planet (multilateralism). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Funding for the fishing sector is one of the oldest components of the EU fisheries policy. The current programme is the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), which is worth EUR 6.108 billion over the 2021-2027 period. The EMFAF aims to support sustainable fishing in order to achieve food security through the supply of seafood products, the growth of a sustainable blue economy and healthy, safe and sustainably managed seas and oceans. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European groupings of territorial cooperation (EGTCs) were set up to facilitate cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation between Member States or their regional and local authorities. EGTCs enable these partners to implement joint projects, share expertise and improve coordination of spatial planning. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The purpose of the EU PEACE PLUS programme is to support peace and reconciliation and to promote social, economic and regional stability and cooperation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Following the adoption of various items of EU legislation, both international and cabotage road haulage and passenger transport services have been gradually liberalised. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This paper examines EU–US economic relations, presenting evidence on trade and investment patterns and analysing transatlantic differences in short-term macroeconomic developments, productivity trends, economic structures, and policy orientations. It outlines three plausible trajectories of the future EU-US economic relations, the risks they entail and the need for EU action. Finally, the paper assesses the adequacy of the current European Parliament oversight framework in monitoring and responding to evolving transatlantic macroeconomic dynamics. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU and Singapore concluded negotiations on a Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) in May 2025. The DTA is a self-standing agreement, separate from – and complementing – the 2019 Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore. Parliament is called on to give its consent during the November I plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The current EU gender equality strategy concludes in 2025. A new strategy is scheduled for early 2026, following the adoption by the European Commission of a roadmap for women's rights and a public consultation. In response, the Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls for a comprehensive framework to address persistent inequalities, with its own-initiative report due for debate during the November I plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

During the November I plenary session, the European Parliament is due to vote on its (non-binding) report on the 2023 proposal for a Council Directive on Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT). The purpose of the proposal is to create a common corporate tax framework for large EU multinationals. For the directive to be adopted, the Council must vote unanimously, after consulting Parliament. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In November, Parliament is expected to adopt its position on a proposal to integrate into EU law a landmark agreement concluded in 2023, under the auspices of the United Nations, for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the high seas. The high seas are of great ecological, economic and geopolitical importance. 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 €177.5 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 for Ukraine provided by Team Europe is larger than the support provided by the United States, including, for the first time, in terms of allocated military support, based on figures provided by the Kiel Institute. The disbursement of EU payments 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 G7 have agreed upon a further €45 billion loan, with €18.1 billion of the whole amount to be financed by the EU, of which €14 billion has already been disbursed to Ukraine. For that 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 European Parliament has repeatedly called for a full confiscation of immobilised Russian sovereign assets with the objective of making Russia pay for the destruction it has brought on Ukraine. The European Commission has proposed to use those assets for a 'reparation loan' to Ukraine. On 23 October 2025, the European Council welcomed the idea, but did not adopt any concrete proposal. It will revert to the issue at its December meeting. This 'state of play' briefing is updated regularly. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP