Following lengthy negotiations, the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 6 March 2024 on rules for more efficient air traffic management and to improve sustainability in the aviation sector. The Council adopted the agreed text on 26 September 2024 and it now needs to be adopted by Parliament. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Regions and cities play an important role in the implementation of EU laws, as many EU policies are executed at local or regional level. Regions and cities are usually the first point of contact between citizens and political authorities. Engaging with them can have a positive impact on the implementation of EU policies, and may also help to bring the EU closer to its citizens, thus enhancing its democratic legitimacy. During the October II plenary session, the European Commission is due to give a statement on the topic. A debate in the European Parliament comes at a time when the future of cohesion policy – the main policy supporting regions and cities – is at stake. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU will provide a new macro-financial assistance (MFA) loan of up to €35 billion to Ukraine as part of a G7 initiative to support Ukraine with a loan of up to US$50 billion (€45 billion). The new Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism will provide revenues originating from immobilised Russian sovereign assets, so that Ukraine can service and repay loans from the EU and other G7 lenders. Parliament is expected to adopt the proposal during its October II plenary sitting. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Hadja Lahbib a member of the Mouvement reformateur (MR) party, which sits with the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, has been serving as Belgian minister for foreign affairs, European affairs and foreign trade, and federal cultural institutions since 2022. She was elected as a member of the Parliament of the Brussels Capital Region in 2024 but is currently on leave to fulfil her ministerial duties. Before joining the Belgian government, she co-led the Brussels bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2030. Born in Belgium in 1970 to a family of Algerian Kabyle origin, Lahbib obtained a master's degree in journalism and communication from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. She then worked as a journalist and presenter for Belgium's French-speaking public broadcasting company and other broadcasters, where she gained international experience in covering conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. She produced several documentaries to highlight injustices, especially those against women in Afghanistan, Kenya and Belgium. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Since 2022, Maria Luís Albuquerque has been independent non-executive director and a member of the Audit, Risk, and Nomination committees at Morgan Stanley and a member of the Operating Team at Horizon Equity Partners. She has been a member of the ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon's Executive Education Advisory Board since 2019. Prior to her current roles, she was an independent non-executive director (chair of the Sustainability Committee) at the asset management firm Arrow Global Group (2016-2021), and a member of the High-level forum on the capital markets union, an expert group within the European Commission (2019-2020). In her political career, she has served as an elected member of the Municipal Assembly of Almada (2017-2021), a member of the Portuguese Parliament (2015-2019), minister of state and finance (2013-2015), and deputy minister for the treasury (2011-2013). Before that, she was director of the Department of Financial Management at the Portuguese Rail Infrastructure Company, and head of the Issuing and Markets Department at the Portuguese Debt and Treasury Management Agency. Born in 1967, Maria-Luís Albuquerque holds a master's degree in financial and monetary economics from the Lisbon School of Financial and Monetary Economics (ISEG), and a degree in economics from the University of Lusíada. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Magnus Brunner has been Austria's federal minister for finance since December 2021. Prior to this role, he served as a state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology from 2020 to 2021. From 2018 to 2020, Brunner was vice-president of the Federal Council of Austria, after having served as a member of this institution from 2009 to 2020. Additionally, he served on the Municipal Council of the Höchst Municipality from 2000 to 2004. From 2009 to 2020 Brunner was a member of the Federal Council of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), affiliated to the European People's Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament. Brunner's earlier professional experience includes serving as the political director of the Austrian Economic Association (2002-2005), as well as holding the position of head of corporate development, communication and strategic development at the Austrian energy company Illwerke VKw Group (2006). He was also on the Board of the Austrian energy company OeMAG (2007-2020). Born in 1972, Brunner is a graduate of King's College London (LLM), the University of Innsbruck and the University of Vienna (where he obtained a PhD in law). This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Andrius Kubilius has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, where he sits in the European People's Party (EPP) group. He has served among other things as a member of the AFET and ITRE committees and of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI). He has also served as chair of the delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and thus also as a member of the Conference of Delegation Chairs, as well as a member of the delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee. Prior to his time in the European Parliament, he served two terms as Lithuania's prime minister (from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2012). From 2003 to 2015, Kubilius chaired the Homeland Union (Lithuanian Christian Democrats) party. From 1992 to 2019, he served as a member of the Republic of Lithuania's national parliament, the Seimas. When not in government, he had various periods when he held the position of leader of the opposition or first deputy speaker, and also had a spell as chair of the Committee on European Affairs. Andrius Kubilius was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1956. He received a degree in physics from Vilnius State University and completed postgraduate studies there too. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Costas (Costantinos) Kadis is a scientist with a solid academic profile who has held ministerial portfolios in health, education and agriculture in various Cypriot governments. Kadis is professor of biodiversity conservation at Frederick University, where he also heads the Nature Conservation Unit and has been appointed as deputy president of the University Council. Between 2014 and 2023, Kadis served in two successive Cypriot governments without belonging to a political party. He was minister for education and culture (2014-2018), and minister for agriculture, rural development and environment (2018-2023). In the latter position, he was also responsible for fisheries and marine research. Born in Nicosia in 1967, Kadis graduated and obtained a PhD in biology from the University of Athens. After several research-related positions in Greece and Cyprus, he joined Frederick University in Cyprus in 2005, where he was appointed associate professor, founded the Nature Conservation Unit, and was Dean of the School of Education. He held these positions until 2014, apart from the period from July 2007 to February 2008 when he served as minister of health (as a member of the centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO). Kadis also chaired the Greek Cypriot Environment Committee from 2008 to 2014 as part of the government's (unsuccessful) efforts to reunify Cyprus. This work did lead to important environmental cooperation agreements with the Turkish Cypriot community. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October to promote awareness and action in support of those who suffer from hunger. What is more, over 2.8 billion people – around one third of the world's population – were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022. The average cost of such a diet continues to increase globally reaching 3.96 purchasing power parity dollars per person per day in 2022. Read our infographic to dig deeper into the topic. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

For her second mandate, European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen has prioritised strengthening EU competitiveness and simplifying existing EU legislation. One focus here is the regulatory burden in taxation within the EU and its potential evolution. On 17 October 2024, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) is due to hold a public hearing on simplicity and transparency in tax policy. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The first plenary session of October 2024 saw Members mark one year since the 7 October Hamas terrorist attack, as well as holding a debate on a statement by the High Representative/Vice President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, on the escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon. Members also held a debate with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, current holder of the Council Presidency. Parliament adopted resolutions on Georgia's increasingly authoritarian trajectory and its effect on the country's EU membership prospects, as well as one condemning Russian interference in Moldova. Members also debated the situation in Sudan and the outcome of the Summit of the Future. And they discussed the preparation of the European Council meeting set for 17 18 October 2024 with the Council and Commission. Debates took place following Commission statements on wildfires in southern Europe, in the Balkans, and in the Amazon. Members also debated Commission statements on: fighting systemic gender-based violence; combating fake news, populism and disinformation; strengthening external border security; preventing drug-related crime; the 2024 annual rule of law report; and protecting the EU budget and ensuring that EU funds do not benefit terrorist entities or individuals. In addition to marking World Mental Health Day, Members debated the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The banking union project has achieved European-level policy integration of microprudential supervision but not of crisis intervention. This largely explains the disappointing progress in the cross-border integration of the banking sector, which we document using data on banks’ assets and also specifically on their sovereign exposures. In a capital markets union, there is no equivalent of the banking crisis intervention framework and related public financial safety net, and therefore supervisory integration can have more direct catalytical impact in that context than in banking. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In the absence of specific rules on claims regarding the 'green' nature of products, how can consumers be sure that such claims are reliable, comparable and verifiable throughout the EU? On 22 March 2023, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a directive on green claims. The proposed directive would require companies to substantiate the voluntary green claims they make in business-to-consumer commercial practices, by complying with a number of requirements regarding their assessment (e.g. taking a life-cycle perspective). In Parliament, the file was allocated jointly to the Committees on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). Parliament adopted its first-reading position on 12 March 2024 and the Council approved a general approach on 17 June 2024. Interinstitutional negotiations are now about to begin. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This is the second in a series of briefings looking into the role of the European Parliament in the development of European citizenship, ranging from the 1972 Paris Summit to the 2003 Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. The present briefing focuses on the period from the 1984 Fontainebleau Summit to the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. This was a pivotal period that shaped the concept of European citizenship as it is understood today. This briefing delves into the critical role played by the European Parliament in shaping the discourse on European citizenship during this time. Building on its earlier work with the 1984 Draft Treaty on European Union, the Parliament sought to elevate European citizenship from a set of market-oriented rights to a cornerstone of a democratic European community. Despite facing resistance, particularly in maintaining the status quo of citizenship as an extension of national rights, Parliament, with the support of key allies such as the European Commission under Jacques Delors and the Spanish government, succeeded in securing the legal establishment of European citizenship in the Maastricht Treaty. This period marked a significant discursive shift, recognising citizenship as more than just a by-product of the internal market, but as a foundational element of the European Union's identity and legitimacy. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The purpose of World Mental Health Day is to improve knowledge, raise awareness and mobilise efforts in support of mental health around the world. This year's theme – 'Mental health at work' – underlines that supportive work environments foster mental health, providing purpose and stability. On the contrary, poor working environments – including excessive workloads, low job security and discrimination – can undermine mental health and lead to decreased performance and absence from work, and can also affect family members. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

At more than one in five, the number of children at risk of poverty in the European Union (EU) remains high. This year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty presents an opportunity to take stock of what the EU is doing to fight child poverty. Even though legal competence for child policy remains primarily with the Member States, the fight against child poverty is a major EU priority. The European strategy on the right of the child now reflects the EU's increasing willingness to tackle child poverty, while the use of European funds is key to success. This is a further update of a publication originally from November 2019. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The provisional agenda for the 17-18 October European Council meeting has three main topics. First, EU Heads of State or Government will address Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the EU's support to Ukraine and its people. Second, they will consider the situation in the Middle East, amid concerns over regional escalation following Israel's targeting of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's missile strikes on Israel. Third, EU leaders will discuss competitiveness, with a first exchange on the report by Mario Draghi on 'The future of European competitiveness'; they will also be called on to endorse the integrated country-specific recommendations, and thus conclude the 2024 European Semester cycle. In addition, EU leaders could hold a strategic debate on migration, and review progress on security and defence initiatives. Discussions could also touch upon developments in Georgia and Moldova, preparations for the COP29 on climate change and the COP16 on biological diversity, as well as the impact of the recent heavy flooding in central Europe. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This paper discusses EU case law developed over the past decade relating to decisions taken by the European Central Bank within the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and within the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM). The cases centre around embracing and solidifying the BU framework, inter alia, with the admissibility to challenge ECB’s supervisory and licence withdrawal decisions, the application of national law by the ECB in its supervisory competence and the methodology attached to the setting of administrative pecuniary penalties. Other cases concern the determination of the ex-ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund, the perimeter of resolution decision-making, and the responsibility of the decision-making bodies involved in the resolution process. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The impact assessment (IA) for this REFIT initiative is based on solid internal and external expertise, notably an evaluation of the current RIS Directive, an extensive tailored support study and broad stakeholder consultation. The intervention logic is clear and consistent, even though the objectives of the initiative could have been defined in a more distinct manner. The IA consistently places the revision of the RIS Directive in the context of other EU legislation in the area of the green and digital transition, highlighting the need for coherence (while also pointing to the limited size of the inland water transport sector). The IA presents 17 measures to tackle the identified problems, grouped into three options. They indicate the overarching decisions to be made, leaving a number of technical implementation aspects aside, as these will be regulated in secondary legislation. The assessment of the options and measures is qualitative and quantitative, the latter based on extensive modelling. While the IA is transparent about the models, methods and underlying assumptions, the presentation of the costs and benefits could have been more coherent and accessible to facilitate the reader's ability to follow and compare them. The IA assesses impacts on and concerns of SMEs, while admitting to a lack of certain data, which is reflected in rather detailed monitoring suggestions for the future. The proposal appears to be in line with the IA's preferred option. For the sake of transparency, a comprehensive bibliography featuring all sources should be a mandatory part of any IA, and all sources should be publicly available at the time of an initiative's publication. In this case, the IA's support study is not clearly identifiable, so that certain aspects, notably the tailor-made modelling tool, cannot be checked. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU automotive sector has a century-old tradition of producing vehicles with internal combustion engines. It enjoys a global reputation for mechanical engineering excellence, quality, design and creativity. Today, the sector is at a crossroads: the green transition, digitalisation and global competition (in particular China's emergence as a leading global auto exporter) have fundamentally altered the competitive environment. The sector must adapt its business model quickly to mitigate the risks associated with these disruptive trends. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The establishment of the Schengen area without checks at internal borders is one of the major achievements of the EU. However, in the past decade, many Schengen states have reintroduced border controls at internal borders to address serious threats to public policy or internal security. To ensure a fully functioning Schengen area, the EU has recently revised the Schengen rules and governance. The reform has yet to produce tangible results. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

During its October I plenary session, the Parliament is due to hear a Commission statement on the rise of religious intolerance in Europe, followed by a debate. The item was included on the agenda in response to increasing concerns among human rights bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and religious communities regarding the situation of religious freedom and tolerance in Europe. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

We discuss the contribution of the Banking Union in its current form to market integration in the euro area. While the introduction of single supervision has fostered banking integration, limited progress in single resolution and the absence of a European deposit insurance scheme undermine further advancements. We argue that a significant obstacle to financial integration lies in the persistence of national interests in regulation, supervision, and politics. We also explore the lessons that can be learned from ten years of the Banking Union for the development of the Capital Markets Union and the integration of capital markets. The successes of the Banking Union in common supervision and rule-setting can provide a path forward. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The global information ecosystem is facing challenges on various levels, necessitating a clear overview of the key issues at stake, the actors involved and possible European Union responses. On a geostrategic level, authoritarian state- and non-state actors, who work to game the open democratic information ecosystems in their favour, have gained the most visibility. At the same time, the tech companies that underpin those open information ecosystems – and that help provide the infrastructure used for information manipulation – are under pressure to take more responsibility. Evolving technologies can exacerbate the risks of information ecosystems working against democracy, rather than for it. Moreover, underlying societal, educational and economic vulnerabilities hamper both individual and collective resilience against information manipulation. The impact on health, societies, economies, democracy, international decision-making, security and human rights has become increasingly visible in recent years. Correspondingly, there is a growing sense of urgency to ensure information integrity, both in the context of elections and beyond. The EU has continued to strengthen its efforts to counter information manipulation and interference, including online disinformation, since 2015. The evolving measures have matured into a growing regulatory framework to address digital information infrastructure vulnerabilities and boost information ecosystems. This, in addition to strengthening societal resilience, involves a high level of cooperation and coordination within and beyond the EU, across all policy areas and with all levels of society. International and multilateral cooperation is therefore key to future-proofing the response. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

EU Member States now have less than 2 years to complete their Next Generation EU (NGEU) investment and reform plans, with implementation advancing at varying rates across the EU. Some countries need to strengthen their administrative capacity to manage the investments. While NGEU offers significant support for the green and digital transitions, the recent Draghi Report on EU competitiveness stresses the need to invest more in strategic Sectors such as energy. As EU businesses face higher energy costs compared with competitors in the US or China, a major focus is likely to be on lowering energy prices. EU inflation, driven sharply upwards in part by rising energy prices, dropped to 2.4 % in August, and the EU economy began to recover in the first half of 2024, growing by 0.75 % compared with the first half of 2023. The latest economic indicators suggest weaker growth momentum in the months ahead. The previous edition of this quarterly infographic was published in June 2024. To access the whole series, go to https://epthinktank.eu/eoq Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This briefing provides a summary of the recent economic developments in the EU Member States and gives an overview of relevant economic projections forecasted by major international and EU institutions. Annex 1 includes latest GDP data and forecasts for all EU Member States and Annex 2 the latest inflation data and developments. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The United Nations Summit of the Future took place in New York from 22 to 23 September 2024 in the absence of the leaders of the five UN Security Council permanent members. The focus was on revitalising multilateralism and adapting UN policies to 'the needs and interests' of current and future generations. In a sign of continuity and commitment to agreed targets, the UN members reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The summit adopted a 'Pact for the Future', a 'Global Digital Compact' and a 'Declaration on Future Generations', despite Russia's last-minute attempts to derail the process. These three 'soft law' milestone agreements place inter-generational responsibility (a key commitment in the 1945 UN Charter) and long-term thinking at the core of the UN's future action and policies. Intense inter-governmental negotiations led by three pairs of co-facilitators (Germany and Namibia for the pact, Sweden and Zambia for the compact and the Netherlands and Jamaica for the declaration) with input from stakeholders including the EU, preceded the summit. This allowed buy-in from both developing and developed countries, ultimately building the widest possible consensus on the pact. The pact now includes 56 actions intended to strengthen the inter-generational bond, anticipate risk and futureproof policies at the UN, regional and national level. Futureproofing policies, an EU priority, made it into the pact. In time, this could lead to increased synergies between the EU and the UN, as it begins to implement the pact. In the run-up to the summit, UN members made progress on institutional reform and bolder language was included on Security Council reform. Institutional reform remains a key long-term challenge, impacting the UN's ability to deliver on its core mission: world-wide development, poverty eradication and peace and stability. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Across the world and especially in developed countries, there has been a decline in trust in democratic institutions, an increase in political discontent and citizen dissatisfaction, and a resulting decrease in voter turnout. Economic crises, climate disruptions and the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated these sentiments. In the late 1980s, participatory budgeting – an approach that allows citizens to directly engage in budgetary decisions – emerged as one of the most promising solutions to this global democratic malaise. By involving citizens in the allocation of public funds, this approach enhances public trust and accountability in governance. It is best described as a co-production process that not only allows citizens and professionals to cooperate and deliberate but also counters populist narratives and educates younger generations on resource prioritisation. Broad public involvement and deliberation are the rule, with the aim being to make budgetary processes inclusive, transparent and democratic. What makes participatory budgeting different from other participatory methods is its focus on financial processes, openness to the public, cyclical nature, reliance on public deliberation and accountability. It is applied in thousands of towns, cities and regions across the world and enjoys the support of governments, civil society and international organisations. It addresses both socio-economic and democratic goals and seeks to enhance public infrastructure and services while promoting political equality and transparency. This democratic innovation allows citizens to shape the space in which they live. Additionally, it reconfigures public governance by redefining the roles and relationships of citizens, civil servants and politicians. It is particularly effective in local governance, but also has a growing application in communities, in schools, community groups and even prisons, for instance. Some of the challenges facing public budgeting include limited participation of marginalised groups, the risk of co-optation by political interests and difficulties in implementation. However, its potential to revitalise democratic engagement and foster inclusive governance makes participatory budgeting a crucial tool in addressing some of the issues that are currently eroding the global democratic order. This briefing updates a 2016 briefing by Gianluca Sgueo. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In a decree issued on 1 July, Tunisian President Kais Saied called a presidential election for 6 October 2024. In doing so Saied is setting himself up for probable re-election, as all but one of the opposition candidates are in prison or have been declared ineligible by the Tunisian electoral commission. A third candidate who had been approved by the electoral commission was handed a 20-month prison sentence on 19 September. Now seeking re-election for a second 5-year term, Saied was first elected to office in 2019 as an anti establishment candidate promising to root out corruption and address poverty. He took full control of the country in 2021, dismissing the elected parliament and deciding to rule by decree, a move the opposition and international community slammed as a coup. A new constitution, approved by referendum in 2022, established a presidential system and paralysed parliament. The EU is now facing a dilemma as to how to support internal democratic processes and advance implementation of the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which prioritises measures against irregular migration. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Energy supply security is often defined as the availability of an adequate supply of energy at a reasonable cost. Even a partial supply disruption can have severe consequences, which the European Union has experienced on several occasions. Over the years, energy market developments have affected the EU's economic situation time and again, from the 1970s oil crisis to the 2009 gas crisis and 2022 energy price crisis following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With the exception of coal, the EU's energy resources are limited, leaving it particularly vulnerable to disruption, particularly for oil and gas supplies. The EU has a relatively high dependency on energy imports (62.5 % in 2022) and this rate has been increasing since 1990. The EU has built a legislative framework to ensure the security of its energy supplies. The electricity sector is subject to a regulation on risk-preparedness that mandates Member States to implement tools for preventing and managing potential electricity crises – and to work together once such crises occur. The Oil Stocks Directive requires Member States to hold a minimum reserve and inform the European Commission about the stock they hold. The EU Regulation concerning measures to safeguard the security of gas supply ('Security of Gas Supply Regulation') introduces a solidarity mechanism between Member States and a supply standard ensuring continuous gas supply to protected customers. Despite this comprehensive framework, significant challenges remain on the road towards a fully-fledged EU energy security strategy. The planned revision of the EU regulation, expected for 2025, could provide the impetus to adapt the existing security framework to new challenges resulting from the decarbonisation of the energy market and new import patterns. The security framework could be broadened to reflect a new way of perceiving energy supply security, based not only on energy sources, but also on the ability to produce energy domestically (including through renewable energy). The issue of energy security will likely remain a long-term challenge for the EU. Scope remains for stronger coordination between Member States and legislative intervention to complete the framework. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Upon request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs commissioned the present study on Regulation 1049/2001 on access to documents with a twofold objective. First, to update the analysis conducted in a 2016 study for the PETI Committee with the latest developments in the case law of the CJEU and the activities led by the European Ombudsman since then – in particular focussing on access to legislative documents, documents relating to administrative proceedings, Court proceedings, infringement proceedings, protection of privacy, international relations, and special regimes. Second, to assess the possible future alignment of the Access Regulation with the evolving digital context, including a potential revision of the definition of document, access to user-friendly public registers and internet sites, access to agendas of officials and scheduled meetings with interest representatives, and access to videos of CJEU oral hearings. The research also incorporates illustrative and complementary cases and own initiatives by the European Ombudsman as indications of evolving challenges to institutional secrecy in the EU context. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Energy transition is central to the European Union's ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets - 55 % by 2030 and net-zero by 2050 - have accelerated the move away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources and increased energy efficiency. The REPowerEU plan and other EU measures launched in response to the energy crisis meanwhile brought to the fore the importance of ensuring energy security and energy affordability. Existing EU legislation in support of energy transition includes the recently revised Renewable Energy Directive, the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. These laws set targets for renewables in consumption, energy efficiency and building renovations. The recently adopted hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package, along with the electricity market reform, also promote the use of cleaner energy and integration of renewables into the EU energy system. The new political priorities of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen include a future clean industrial deal boosting investment in clean energy infrastructure and technologies. The aim is to further decarbonise the economy and bring down energy prices. In a similar vein, the recent report on EU competitiveness (Draghi Report) highlights the need to reconcile industrial competitiveness with climate neutrality through increased support for clean technologies. These include for instance renewables (such as solar and wind), batteries, heat pumps, electrolysers (used for hydrogen production) and CO2 capture technologies. While the EU has been steadily increasing the rollout of renewables and working towards decarbonisation, several challenges remain. The energy infrastructure must be adapted to accommodate low-carbon energy sources through the expansion of grids and energy storage. Dependence on raw materials needed for clean energy technologies needs to be addressed. The new EU ambitions in terms of boosting industrial competitiveness will also require massive investment. All this has to happen while ensuring secure energy supply and energy affordability. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Our infographic shows the overview of the BRICS+ countries’ economic and trade relations with the EU. All 9 BRICS+ states have experienced a relatively consistent increase in their GDP per capita (PPP) since 2007. Female labour force participation rates vary significantly from country to country. At the extremes are Iran with 14.4, and Ethiopia, with 74.8%. EU trade in goods (imports and exports) with the BRICS+ countries has risen steadily comparatively to 2007 volumes. The BRICS+ group is now the EU's main trading partner for goods. Mechanical appliances and electrical equipment, vehicles and aircraft, and pharmaceutical products comprise about 54% of all goods exported by the EU to the BRICS+ countries. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This analysis discusses specific issues regarding the proposal for a Directive on the transparency of third-country lobbying. It highlights complex questions in relation to civil society organisations and the need for uniform implementation and effective judicial protection. If designed and implemented well, the Directive could establish a transparent framework for foreign governments to engage in lobbying within the EU. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which began in 2021, will go on until the end of 2026. In 2024, the fourth year, this implementation is well under way, although with some differences having emerged across EU Member States. In August 2024, disbursements had reached €170.8 billion in grants and €94.6 billion in loans, or 41 % of the total RRF funding available. With the exception of pre-financing, the condition for disbursing RRF funds to Member States is the successful achievement of pre-defined milestones and targets, or qualitative and quantitative steps. They are laid out in the annexes to the Council implementing decisions endorsing the individual national recovery and resilience plans, and linked to each payment request. The RRF Regulation envisages the possibility of suspending all or part of the financial contribution available to Member States if milestones and targets have not been satisfactorily achieved. At an early stage of RRF implementation, both the European Court of Auditors and the European Parliament urged the European Commission to develop a methodology that would allow the impact of not meeting a milestone or target to be quantified. In February 2023, the Commission delivered on that request and published a methodology for partial suspension of payments. As a result, the Commission has been able to proceed with partial payments to Member States corresponding to what they have achieved, despite the non-fulfilment (or partial fulfilment) of one or more milestones or targets linked to a given request. This has helped keep RRF implementation on track. The suspension payment methodology has already been applied in several instances. The first country to be subject to it was Lithuania, followed by Romania, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Belgium. In 2023, a total of €841 million was withheld (0.13 % of all RRF funds). While Member States have generally welcomed the methodology, it is still perceived as lacking in clarity and raises questions, not least as to the discretion it affords the Commission in defining the amounts to be suspended. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP