Development policy lies at the heart of the European Union’s external policies. It aims to reduce and ultimately eradicate poverty and it is central to the EU’s response to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda). Its objectives include fostering sustainable growth, defending human rights and democracy, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and inclusive societies and tackling environmental and climate challenges. The EU works on a global scale and is the world’s largest donor of development assistance. Cooperation with EU Member States and alignment with the 2030 Agenda facilitate the efficient delivery of aid. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU, the United States and Canada remain close partners, united by democratic values and shared historic ties. Despite navigating complex global challenges, including trade tensions, they prioritise dialogue and cooperation in areas such as foreign policy, security and regulatory affairs. The EU emphasises sustaining these relationships and adapting them to shared challenges, thus ensuring stability and resilience while upholding the international rules-based order. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Over the years, the EU has been moving away from the production of labour-intensive, low-value products in order to specialise in higher-value, branded goods. With its open economy, trade is essential to the EU, which is a founder of and key player in the World Trade Organization (WTO). In addition, to overcome trade barriers and level the playing field for its businesses, the Union negotiates a number of free trade agreements (FTAs). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is a judicial decision issued by a Member State with a view to the arrest and surrender by another Member State of a requested person for the purposes of a criminal prosecution or a custodial sentence. Between 2015 and 2022, 131 164 EAWs were issued, and 43 478 persons were surrendered, an average of more than 16 000 and nearly 5 500 per year respectively. In the internal security strategy published on 1 April 2025, the Commission stated that it would 'assess the need to further strengthen' the EAW. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This briefing summarises the main issues at stake at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 19 to 27 May 2025. The WHA is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), gathering annually, and composed of delegations from all 194 Member States (MS). The WHA discusses and votes on the decisions and resolutions prepared by either WHO’s Executive Board, its Director-General, or proposed by groups of MS. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European arrest warrant (EAW) is a judicial decision issued by a Member State with a view to the arrest and surrender by another Member State of a requested person for the purposes of a criminal prosecution or a custodial sentence. Between 2005 and 2022, some 231 005 EAWs were issued, and 69 688 persons were surrendered. The functioning of the EAW system – as set out in this infographic – requires a high level of trust between the judicial authorities of the issuing and the executing Member State, which has at times generated challenges and tensions. In the internal security strategy published on 1 April 2025, the Commission stated that it would 'assess the need to further strengthen' the EAW. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Under the European Climate Law, the EU must reduce its net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55 % by 2030 compared with 1990, and reach climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1). Over the 2005-2023 period, net emissions in the EU decreased by 30.5 % (37 % compared with 1990). The land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector is a significant carbon sink, although its capacity to increase carbon sequestration is under pressure, while the EU emissions trading system (ETS) is one of the most effective mitigation tools, having reduced emissions by the sectors it covers by 48.1 % since 2005. Sectors for which Member States are obliged to reduce GHG emissions under the 'effort-sharing' legislation decreased their emissions by 17.1 % in 2023 compared with 2005. Investments tracked as climate-related spending account for 42.6 % of the total grants and loans approved under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the REPowerEU initiative. By 30 June 2024, Member States had to update their national energy and climate plans (NECPs), aligned with the EU's increased 2030 targets. As of May 2025, three final plans are still pending. A May 2025 assessment of submitted final NECPs show a significant gap reduction from earlier analysis, with net GHG emissions estimated to decrease by 54 % by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. In a 2023 survey, 46 % of EU citizens identified climate change as one of the four most serious problems facing the world. Most Europeans (56 %) said it was the responsibility of the EU or the national government to tackle climate change, followed by business/industry (53 %); 35 % found it to be a personal responsibility. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

A sound, resilient banking sector that efficiently allocates capital is essential for EU competitiveness. To achieve it, the EU should primarily focus on completing the banking union. It should also simplify capital and other loss-absorbency requirements, and pool decision-making on macroprudential buffers in the banking union at the European level. The forthcoming report on banking, which the European Commission has pledged to publish in 2026, is the right horizon for addressing these aims. Given the stark risk environment, their implementation should not result in any decrease of aggregate capital requirements. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

After a political lull of almost a decade, the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) relaunched their strategic partnership in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 27 October 2022. The 2022-2023 bi-regional roadmap, together with the EU's joint communication of 7 June 2023 on a new agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), prepared the ground for the successful third EU–CELAC summit that took place in Brussels on 17 and 18 July 2023 under the Spanish Presidency of the Council. Two years later, the partners are preparing for the next EU–CELAC summit, due to take place in Santa Marta, Colombia, on 9 and 10 November 2025. This leaders' meeting is deemed crucial for the EU to deepen its commitment to LAC and advance the strategic partnership. From the EU's perspective, the Latin American region is key – not only politically, given the recent geopolitical challenges, and economically, because of its great potential as a market for industrial products, but also as a stable supplier of renewable energy sources and critical minerals such as lithium and copper that are crucial for the transformation of the global economy. Geopolitical developments have made it all the more urgent to intensify relations between the EU and CELAC: China has become a dominant player in LAC and is today a strong competitor for the EU and the United States (US). The US policy approach towards LAC under President Donald Trump is strained; this could be an opportunity for the EU to present itself as a reliable partner to the region. The promotion of inclusive and, in particular, mutually beneficial agreements on trade and on raw materials could be an advantage for the EU over its competitors. The summit in Santa Marta provides a chance to elevate the EU–CELAC relationship to the next level. The main tasks will include deepening and concretising the bi-regional relations on issues such as trade and investment and the green and digital transitions, and further strengthening cooperation on other issues such as the fight against organised crime. A litmus test for the strategic partnership will also be whether the partners manage to finalise the two key pending international agreements with Mexico and Mercosur respectively. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Military drones have become a defining feature of modern warfare, as seen in Ukraine where they have caused more casualties than any other weapon. Their widespread use spans reconnaissance, strikes, logistics and naval operations, with both state and non-state players increasingly relying on unmanned systems. The European Union (EU) has prioritised drone development and countermeasures, funding and coordinating research and capability development through the European Defence Fund and Permanent Structured Cooperation. EU leaders have committed to strengthening the defence industry and made major investments in drone production, innovation, and interoperability. The EU is also fostering synergies between the civilian and the defence sectors, addressing strategic dependencies and collaborating with NATO. Furthermore, the European Defence Agency is advancing unmanned aerial system technology through joint projects and its innovation hub. Meanwhile, drone regulation remains fragmented: civilian drones are subject to comprehensive EU rules, while military drone use falls under international law. Legal concerns persist, especially regarding proportionality, accountability and lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS). The European Parliament has called for transparency, adherence to international law and a ban on LAWS, while supporting defence innovation and proposing an EU drone package to stimulate joint procurement and industry participation, particularly from Ukraine. EU lawmakers continue to stress the need for ethical guardrails, robust export controls and a coherent regulatory framework that balances innovation with international legal obligations. The Parliament also emphasises the importance of meaningful human control over all lethal decisions and insists that military artificial intelligence include strong accountability mechanisms. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Media literacy – the skills, knowledge and understanding that allow people to use media effectively and safely – is crucial for citizens to navigate the modern news environment and take informed decisions. Better media literacy is likely to increase the public's resilience to mis- and disinformation. The EU considers media literacy to be important for active involvement in today's information society. It has launched several initiatives to raise awareness among the Member States of the importance of developing their own media literacy strategies. The European Parliament has underlined the importance of media literacy skills in several resolutions. The Audiovisual Media Services Directive requires Member States to take measures to develop media literacy skills and to report on their efforts every three years. The first set of these national reports revealed large differences across the EU, with some Member States having developed a national media literacy policy with clearly defined responsibilities, and others relying on more fragmented frameworks. In her 2024-2029 political guidelines, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasised the need to 'focus on societal resilience and preparedness through increased digital and media literacy'. One of the key forthcoming initiatives, therefore, is the European democracy shield, which aims to make democratic societies less vulnerable to manipulation. The European Parliament has set up a special committee to address these challenges that require a multi-stakeholder, whole-of-society approach in order to foster critical thinking and media and information literacy. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The development of the Schengen area is one of the major achievements of European integration. The removal of checks on persons at the Schengen states' internal borders greatly facilitates the exercise of the EU freedoms of movement, which brings significant social and economic benefits. The Schengen area has come under increased stress in the past decade, owing to multiple challenges relating to increased migration into the EU, threats to internal security and the COVID 19 pandemic. In response to these challenges, many Schengen states decided to reintroduce checks at some or all of their internal borders. Despite the prescribed temporary nature of such measures, several Schengen states have prolonged these checks for years on end. The number of Schengen states with checks at internal borders reached its peak (18 states) during the first wave of the pandemic. In May 2025, 11 Schengen states had checks at internal borders owing to serious threats related to irregular migration and/or internal security. The Schengen area has expanded gradually in the past three decades and is now composed of 29 countries. In January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania were the latest two countries to fully join the Schengen area, 18 years after their accession to the EU. Cyprus is also legally bound to join the Schengen area, but the evaluation procedure for its full accession is still ongoing. This briefing presents key recent figures and developments in the Schengen area, focusing on the Schengen states' measures to reintroduce checks at internal borders, and on the current situation regarding the completion of the Schengen area. This is an update of a briefing originally published in December 2023. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The domestic support systems in agriculture are governed by the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), which entered into force in 1995 and was negotiated during the Uruguay Round (1986-1994). The long-term goal of the AoA is to establish a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system and to initiate a reform process through the negotiations of commitments on support and protection, and through the establishment of strengthened and more operationally effective rules and discipline. Agriculture is therefore special because the sector has its own agreement, whose provisions prevail. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European System of Financial Supervision is a system of EU agencies that aims to ensure consistent and coherent micro- and macro-prudential financial supervision in the EU. It includes the national supervisors, the three European supervisory authorities (EBA, ESMA and EIOPA) and the European Systemic Risk Board. There is a separate fact sheet (‘Financial Services Policy’) on the material rules that apply to the financial sector. After the ESFS had been created, the European Central Bank, as part of the Single Supervisory Mechanism, was appointed to directly supervise the largest banks within the Banking Union (2.6.5). For the material rules that apply to the financial sector, see the fact sheet on the EU financial services policy (2.6.13). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, primary responsibility for vocational education and training policies lies with the Member States, with the European Union having only a supporting role. However, some challenges are common to all Member States – green and digital transitions, skills shortages and mismatches in the labour market – and thus call for joint responses, with countries working together and learning from each other. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The common fisheries policy (CFP) has come a long way since it was first formulated in the Treaty of Rome. Initially linked to the common agricultural policy, it gradually developed a separate identity. The core area of the CFP – conservation and management of fish stocks – was launched in 1983. The policy was reformed in 1992, 2002 and 2013. The current framework, resulting from the 2013 reform, is aimed at ensuring that EU fisheries are sustainable – environmentally, economically and socially. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Commission is responsible for implementing the budget in cooperation with the Member States, subject to political scrutiny by the European Parliament. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This briefing provides a summary of the recent economic developments in EU Member States and gives an overview of relevant economic projections forecasted by major EU and international institutions. Annex 1 includes the latest GDP data and forecasts for all EU Member States. Annex 2 provides the latest inflation data and developments. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Cohesion Fund was set up in 1994 and provides funding for environmental and trans-European network projects in the Member States whose gross national income per capita is less than 90% of the EU average. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The field of direct taxation is not directly governed by European Union rules. Nevertheless, a number of directives and the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) establish harmonised standards for taxation of companies and private individuals. Moreover, actions have been taken to prevent tax evasion and double taxation. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The setting up of the single aviation market in the late 1990s has profoundly transformed the air transport industry and has greatly contributed to the strong growth in air transport in Europe over the past 20 years. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Union Solidarity Fund enables the EU to provide financial support to a Member State, a country involved in accession negotiations or a region in the event of a major natural disaster. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European territorial cooperation (ETC) is one of cohesion policy’s goals and aims to solve problems across borders and to jointly develop the potential of diverse territories. Cooperation actions are supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through three key components: cross-border cooperation, transnational cooperation and interregional cooperation. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Following a request from the European Council in June 2024, the European Commission and the High Representative are due to adopt a joint communication on the EU strategic approach to the Black Sea region on 28 May 2025. This new initiative aims to: • offer a political vision regarding the Black Sea, based on an overview of the challenging security situation in the region following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine; • re-confirm the EU's strategic interest in the Black Sea as well as its intention to continue to engage with like-minded partners in/from the region on a bilateral and/or regional level; • present a 'strategic approach' and not a 'strategy', displaying a lower level of ambition, which may represent a missed opportunity for the European Union to establish itself as a regional key player; • build on the experience and achievements of the Black Sea Synergy, a 2007 EU initiative aimed at promoting, on a voluntary basis, cooperation in/with the Black Sea region; • build coherence between the different EU polices and the Union's offer to the region; • re-confirm and re-cluster existing fields of cooperation in line with the Commission's priorities, giving precedence to security, connectivity and preparedness; • complement other EU initiatives relevant for the region, e.g. the Eastern Partnership and regional cooperation on the Danube River. The initiative is not expected to: • benefit from dedicated funding; it will rely on other EU policies and instruments; • precede an action plan with clear-cut implementation objectives; implementation will be difficult to assess and monitor. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The establishment of a European road safety area has been one of the EU’s long-standing objectives since 2010. While each Member State has the power to make its own decisions related to certain aspects of road traffic and safety provisions, the EU also carries out work in this field and has been focusing its measures on vehicle conditions, the transport of dangerous goods and road safety in general. 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

Parliament’s role in the budgetary process has progressively expanded since the 1970 and 1975 Budgetary Treaties. In 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon gave Parliament an equal say with the Council over the entire EU budget. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Single European Sky initiative aims to increase the efficiency of air traffic management and air navigation services by reducing the fragmentation of European airspace. This is a pan-European initiative open to neighbouring countries. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU’s industrial policy aims to make European industry more competitive so that it can maintain its role as a driver of sustainable growth and employment in Europe. The digital transition and the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy have led to the adoption of various strategies to ensure better framework conditions for EU industry. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have sparked new reflections on economic recovery, reconstruction and building resilience. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU aims to become the first climate-neutral continent in the world by 2050. Since the announcement of the European Green Deal and following the adoption of the European Climate Law in 2021, the EU's climate agenda has been built even more around the principle of carbon pricing. The EU emissions trading system (ETS) is, today, the cornerstone of the EU's strategy to achieve this vision, complemented by a mix of industrial, energy and climate policies. Currently, the EU ETS covers stationary (power and industrial) installations, domestic aviation and maritime transport. Following the revision of the EU ETS Directive, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings, road transport and additional sectors not covered by the existing EU ETS will be covered under a new ETS2. Carbon pricing is expected to regulate around 75 % of EU GHG emissions from 2027. Following the adoption of the revised ETS Directive in 2023, Member States had to transpose the ETS2 into national law. The ETS2 will target GHG emissions from fuel for the sectors covered. Fuel suppliers have to buy and surrender emissions allowances and are likely to pass on the cost of this new instrument to final consumers. Consumers are likely to face higher energy bills if they do not switch to low-carbon technologies, which is why the ETS2, while aiming to achieve climate objectives, has become a social concern. A new Social Climate Fund will support the switch to low-carbon technologies in the building and transport sectors, including but not only through direct payments for vulnerable households impacted by the new ETS2. However, some stakeholders have claimed that the Social Climate Fund will not be enough and are asking for the ETS2 to be delayed or modified. This briefing looks at the recent issues and concerns that have been raised regarding the ETS2. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Trafficking in human beings is a serious crime and a violation of human rights. When it happens to children, it disrupts their childhood and exposes them to horrific exploitation and abuse, and a precarious future. Even though the true number of victims of human trafficking is not known, recent data reveal that the number of child victims has been on the increase. Awareness of children as victims of human trafficking has increased as well. Just like adult victims, child victims can be trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced criminality or organ removal. Recently, the EU has officially recognised new forms of exploitation, including surrogacy, forced marriage and illegal adoption. There are geographical differences in the recruitment of victims, with the vast majority of child victims originating from northern, southern and western Europe being girls (82.9 %) and 55.1 % of child victims from Africa and 77.6 % of child victims from southern Asia being boys. Female child victims are more likely to report sexual exploitation, while male child victims are more likely to be exploited through child labour. Forced criminality in the EU, although comparatively lower as a share of the total number of victims, is steadily increasing, with boys of migration background being the main targets. The EU's anti-trafficking legislation was amended last year, resulting in legislation that identifies children as especially vulnerable to trafficking. The amendments also expanded the list of forms of exploitation to include those that particularly affect children and emphasised the importance of a victim-centred approach and prevention. Member States are therefore asked, inter alia, to promote and provide regular and specialised training for professionals who are likely to come into contact with such children. Another relevant directive, on victims' rights, is currently being revised to provide even more rights to victims, including child victims. The existing directive already prioritises the best interests of children when applying its provisions. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Attracting young people to agriculture has been a goal of the European Union's (EU) common agricultural policy (CAP) since the 1980s. However, EU farmers are getting older – 57 % of farm managers are over 55 years of age, while only 12 % are under 40. Young farmers ensure continuity of agricultural production and bring vitality to rural areas. They are also more likely to modernise farms, engage in environmentally friendly practices and employ new business models and ideas. Young people who decide to go into farming often experience difficulties in accessing land, finance and knowledge. They also have to navigate the general challenges that come with living in rural areas. To address these issues, the CAP mandates that EU Member States allocate an equivalent of 3 % of their direct payments to support young farmers. This support can come in the form of complementary income support, installation aid and support for investment. Furthermore, Member States use the LEADER programme to improve infrastructure and basic services in rural areas. Some also provide support for farms that are being passed down from one generation to the next. However, several studies reveal that, despite several decades of efforts, these measures have shown limited results. The support being provided is considered insufficient to address the issue of access to land, especially for people entering agriculture without inheriting a farm. Nonetheless, this support is crucial for convincing young people to take over a farm and is often used for investment, as collateral when obtaining a loan, or for expanding an existing farm. Over the next three years, in addition to what is being provided under the CAP, the European Investment Bank Group is planning to provide €3 billion in loans on favourable terms for agriculture, with a share reserved for young farmers. In the current term, the European Parliament has not adopted a formal position on young farmers and generational renewal. However, its committees are working on own-initiative reports on the future of agriculture and strengthening rural areas. Parliament has previously called for a dedicated EU strategy on generational renewal, which the European Commission plans to put forward in 2025. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU fisheries control system aims to ensure compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy (CFP). Its efficiency is widely recognised as a necessary condition for a successful policy. Fisheries control is a competence of Member States, which are responsible for controlling their fishing and related activities, while the Commission verifies how they fulfil their responsibilities. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Union (EU) plays a key role in international fisheries cooperation. The external dimension of the common fisheries policy (CFP) provides a framework for the activities of EU vessels fishing outside Union waters. This framework underpins the EU’s engagement in multilateral agreements for fishing on the high seas under regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), and in bilateral fisheries agreements with non-EU countries for fishing in their waters. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The free movement of capital is one of the four fundamental freedoms of the EU single market. It is not only the most recent one but, because of its unique third-country dimension, also the broadest. The liberalisation of capital flows progressed gradually. Restrictions on capital movements and payments, both between Member States and with third (i.e. non-EU) countries, have been prohibited since the start of 2004 as a result of the Maastricht Treaty, although exceptions may exist. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP