The first plenary session of the tenth parliamentary term took place in Strasbourg from 16 to 19 July 2024. The Members of the new Parliament (sitting from 2024 to 2029) elected certain of their peers to the most important offices in Parliament – the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors. During this session, Members also decided on the numerical strength of the standing committees, sub-committees and delegations. They held a debate on the need for the EU's continued support for Ukraine, and then adopted a resolution reiterating support for Ukraine and condemning, in particular, Russia's recent attacks on the country. However, the most discussed business was the debate with the candidate for President of the European Commission, and Members' subsequent vote to confirm Ursula von der Leyen as President-elect for a new five-year mandate. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The pricing of goods and services traded within a multinational group is known as 'transfer pricing'. The prices charged on such transactions affect the allocation of income among the different entities of the multinational group (and consequently, the taxable profits in each country). To ensure that transactions between group entities are priced in a way that reflects their fair market value – i.e. as if the transactions were made between independent entities – countries have put in place strict transfer pricing rules. While these rules are established at the national level, EU Member States generally align with the (non-binding) OECD Guidelines. However, the number of transfer pricing tax disputes has risen over the years, with both tax authorities and companies dedicating significant time and resources to resolving such cases. On 12 September 2023, the European Commission tabled a proposal for harmonising transfer pricing rules within the EU. The main goal is to establish a common approach at the EU level towards transfer pricing and define key transfer pricing principles to be incorporated into EU law. The European Parliament adopted its (non-binding) resolution in April 2024. Negotiations in Council are on-going. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This briefing tracks progress made in implementing digital measures under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The RRF is at the core of Next Generation EU, the unprecedented recovery instrument helping EU Member States address the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation is one of the RRF's six pillars and a shared priority for the EU. The RRF dedicates 26 % of its overall funding to digital objectives in various digital policy areas, of which digital public services is the largest. Digitalising public administration is a major challenge across the EU and a 2030 target of the EU's digital decade. The current EU objective is to ensure that by 2030 all key public services are fully accessible online for everyone, including persons with disabilities. Key public services should also comply with high security and privacy standards. The national recovery and resilience plans, which Member States prepared to be able to benefit from RRF financing, include various measures supporting the digitalisation of public services and e-government, both reforms and investments. These account for more than a third of RRF-funded digital expenditure (37 % of the digital transformation pillar, or around €53 billion) and are the most supported digital policy area. The reforms seek mainly to establish the legal basis needed to enable digitalisation. The investments are aimed at modernising public administration processes in order to make them more user-friendly, interoperable and accessible, and to boost their uptake by citizens and businesses. Implementation of these measures, as of the RRF in general, is under way and gaining speed. Referring to preliminary positive assessments of payment requests, this briefing looks into some examples of milestones and targets that have been reported and assessed as fulfilled. Though not exhaustive, the examples offer an indication of what has already been carried out across Member States in the first half of the RRF's lifetime. The European Parliament plays an important role in ensuring the transparency and democratic scrutiny of the RRF implementation process, addressing key issues regularly in its resolutions. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Questo studio fa parte di un progetto più ampio, il cui scopo è quello di analizzare, nella prospettiva del diritto comparato, la libertà d'impresa in diversi ordinamenti giuridici. Dopo una breve introduzione storica, nonché la spiegazione della normativa e della giurisprudenza applicabili, vengono esaminati il contenuto, i limiti e la possibile evoluzione di tale libertà. Il presente studio è dedicato alla libertà di impresa nell'ordinamento giuridico italiano. Una prima parte dello studio sarà dedicata all’affermazione del diritto alla libertà di impresa e all’approfondimento della portata semantica di tale locuzione rispetto a quella di libertà di iniziativa economica sancita dalla Costituzione. Verranno in particolare messi in luce i limiti imposti all’esercizio della libertà di impresa dall’esigenza di contemperare altri interessi, prevalentemente di rilevanza pubblicistica, ritenuti meritevoli di maggior tutela, definendo i margini di intervento pubblico che possono comprimerne l’esercizio. Seguirà l’individuazione e l’esegesi delle fonti normative che contemplano, attraverso un’articolazione puntuale, le modalità di esercizio del diritto alla libertà di impresa, nonché una selezione delle principali pronunce della Corte costituzionale, della Corte di Cassazione, dal Consiglio di Stato, nonché dei giudici di merito, che ne hanno definito e delimitato la portata in sede di interpretazione giurisprudenziale. Un’ultima parte dell’indagine sarà poi rivolta all’individuazione delle sfide che l’esercizio del diritto della libertà di impresa pone all’ordinamento giuridico, con particolare attenzione alle tematiche connesse alle diverse possibili concezioni del diritto alla libertà di impresa e ai margini di intervento pubblico in economia rispetto a un approccio ispirato a un più caratterizzato liberismo economico. In conclusione verranno formulate alcune considerazioni di sintesi e delineate eventuali prospettive de jure condendo. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU's leaders took two crucial decisions at their summit on 27 June to set the framework for the new institutional cycle: one on high-level appointments, the other on the Union's political priorities for the next 5 years, the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029. Since the adoption of the previous edition of the EU's long-term priorities in 2019, the EU has had to face major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, and the change in the security environment following Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Are these global challenges reflected in the EU's new long-term political priorities or has the list of political orientations remained unchanged? Is the new Strategic Agenda more of a continuation or does it constitute a real shift? To answer these questions, this briefing examines the new Strategic Agenda, outlining its content, developments in its substance during the adoption process, and similarities and differences with the political priorities set in the previous institutional cycles. The findings of the analysis (see the table in the Annex) show that the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 constitutes an important shift in the EU's political priorities compared with the previous Strategic Agenda, but that elements of continuity remain quite apparent nevertheless. The most obvious changes are the significance of security and defence, the importance granted to enlargement, the addition of new elements on EU competitiveness, and the salience of democracy (within the Union and in relations with third countries), which is a headline priority for the first time. Another noteworthy development is that less attention is paid to climate and environmental issues, even if some points were introduced during the drafting process. At the same time, there is a substantial degree of continuity with the Strategic Agenda 2019-2024. Less than 20 % of the policy aspects are completely new, even though the length of the Strategic Agenda document has increased by 25 %. This observation tends to indicate that the previous EU priorities remain relevant and that a reshaping of the Agenda (rather than starting from scratch) was considered sufficient. Interestingly, many of the elements added seem to be a reiteration of policy issues addressed by the European Council in its conclusions over the last 5 years. Thus, the document appears to be a collection of previously agreed positions rather than a new set of guidelines. While the impact of Russia's war against Ukraine and the change in the geopolitical context have fed into the new Strategic Agenda, other major issues of recent years such as health and energy are less explicitly referred to than could have been expected considering the severity of the crises with which the EU has been confronted. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In January 2024, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746, to give manufacturers more time to apply the EU legislation on, respectively, medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs), without compromising safety requirements. On 25 April 2024, to avoid shortages, the European Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the urgent procedure, by an overwhelming majority. The Council adopted its position on 30 May 2024. The final act was signed on 13 June 2024 and published in the Official Journal of the EU on 9 July 2024, day of its entry into force. IVDs are non-invasive tests used on biological samples (such as blood, urine or tissues) to determine the status of a person's health. A considerable number of IVDs currently on the market do not yet comply with the new rules adopted in 2017, nor have they been replaced by new devices. The situation is especially critical for high-risk IVDs, used, for example, to test for infections in blood and organ donations. The regulation aims to address risks of IVD shortages in the EU and speed up the launch of some elements of the European database on medical devices (Eudamed). Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Pilot projects and preparatory actions (PPs and PAs) are tools in the EU budget designed to test new policy initiatives or prepare the ground for the adoption of future programmes. PPs and PAs give Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) the possibility to initiate innovative policies and fund them before a legal act has been adopted. The financing of both new PPs and PAs and those continued from previous years must be included in the EU budget under the annual budgetary procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In December 2023, the Commission proposed to amend Directive (EU) 2015/637 on the coordination and cooperation measures to facilitate consular protection for unrepresented citizens of the Union in third countries, and Directive (EU) 2019/997 establishing an EU emergency travel document. The aim is to make improvements in the areas covered by the two directives, in response to crises such as COVID-19, the conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine, and repatriations from Israel and Gaza. The intended outcomes include enhanced legal clarity, streamlined cooperation, greater consular service effectiveness, and heightened standards of consular support and crisis response. The proposal is subject to the consultation procedure. Within Parliament, the file was assigned to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), with Loránt Vincze (EPP, Romania) as rapporteur. The Committees on Legal Affairs (JURI), Foreign Affairs (AFET) and Development (DEVE) were invited to submit opinions, with the latter deciding not to do so. The DEVE committee report was published in March 2024 and adopted in plenary on 24 April 2024. The proposal is now awaiting the Council's final decision. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The ninth parliamentary term formally ended on 15 July 2024, ahead of the constitutive part-session of the European Parliament elected on 6-9 June 2024. Despite their best efforts, the co legislators had not reached agreement on a number of legislative proposals before the end of the ninth term. These will form a major part of the business that needs to be picked up again in the tenth term. To ensure continuity in its work, Parliament has adopted rules on how to deal with unfinished files. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Ukraine Facility is the EU's flagship programme to support Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and modernisation following Russia's full-scale war of aggression. The facility as defined by Regulation (EU) 2024/792 consists of three pillars and will mobilise up to €50 billion to ensure stable and predictable financial support for Ukraine between 2024 and 2027 and assist the country on its path towards EU membership. The Ukraine plan guides implementation of the facility's Pillar I: it sets the conditions and serves as framework for disbursing funds, and outlines the reform pathway for Ukraine's reconstruction and EU accession. Two tranches of exceptional bridge financing totalling €6 billion and pre-financing worth €1.9 billion have so far been transferred to Ukraine. Regular transfers of quarterly instalments from the Ukraine Facility are planned until 2027. Disbursal is conditional on Ukraine implementing the Ukraine plan quantitative and qualitative reform steps, and adhering to EU values. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) has, over several decades and through successive reforms, devoted increased attention to the environment. This has led to the current CAP having a 'green architecture', which includes both mandatory elements – to which farmers must adhere in exchange for a full amount of direct payments – and voluntary elements – bringing extra payments for farmers engaging in farming practices that go beyond the basic requirements. Mandatory requirements, also referred to as 'conditionality', include statutory management requirements laid out in different pieces of environmental legislation, but integrated into the CAP. They also include standards for good agricultural and environmental condition of land (GAECs) that, for instance, require crop rotation or diversification, establishment of buffer strips along rivers and lakes, or minimum soil cover in winter. The GAECs have been at the centre of farmer protests in several Member States in 2024 and were recently amended, reducing their ambition. The voluntary elements include eco-schemes: a major novelty of the current CAP. They offer farmers a top-up on direct payments if they engage in additional environmentally sound practices. Which practices exactly, depends on individual Member States, as they have a significant flexibility in their design. As a result, more than 150 eco-schemes exist across the EU, the most popular addressing soil conservation and biodiversity. The second voluntary element comprises rural development agri environmental schemes, the oldest environmental measures in the CAP. Also designed by the Member States, they compensate farmers for cost and income foregone as a result of engaging in environmentally friendly practices, continued agricultural activity in areas where farming is difficult, and restrictions in Natura 2000 areas. Voluntary elements also include green investments. Several studies warn that Member States have not been ambitious in implementing the CAP's environmental measures. It is claimed that states have used the flexibility granted them to define the exact requirements and voluntary measures in ways that have not led to significant change on the ground. Finding ways to motivate farmers to engage in practices that truly benefit the environment, while ensuring their economic sustainability, remains a major challenge for negotiations on the post 2027 CAP, particularly in the context of widespread farmer discontent. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The briefings contained in this volume provide an overview of the challenges ahead in four key areas of EU security and defence policy: defence industrial policy (‘Sovereign: A dynamic defence industrial and technological base’), EU rapid response capabilities (‘Capable: From “paper tigers” to rapid and effective presence on the ground’), technology and innovative in the area of defence (‘Innovative: Keeping the technological edge in the area of security and defence’) and the fight against certain types of hybrid warfare (‘Responsive: Hybrid warfare and the implications of the Wagner model’). Together, they provide an outlook on the major questions that will confront the European Parliament in its 10th legislative term. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

A forward-looking and comprehensive European immigration policy, based on solidarity, is a key objective for the European Union. Immigration policy is intended to establish a balanced approach to dealing with both regular and irregular immigration. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 1 June 2023, the European Commission published a proposal seeking to update the directive on investigation of accidents in maritime transport, to take into account changes in the international maritime regulatory environment and technological developments in the maritime sector in recent years. The proposal also seeks to achieve an improved concentration of resources and to address shortages in expertise. Within the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is handling the file, with Caroline Nagtegaal (Renew, the Netherlands) as rapporteur. The Council reached its general approach on 4 December 2023. The TRAN committee adopted its report on 7 December 2023. During the April I 2024 part-session, Parliament adopted the provisional agreement reached with the Council on 13 February 2024 as its position at first reading. The Council confirmed the provisional agreement on 28 February 2024. The final act is currently awaiting signature. The directive is now subject to the corrigendum procedure, and the final text needs to be approved by TRAN and then Parliament before the Council can formally adopt it at first reading. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Misleading information can throw any of us off course. Both misinformation – mistakes without ill intent – and disinformation – created and spread with the aim of fooling people – can make it hard to take informed decisions. Fast evolving technologies – including deepfake video and audio – make it too easy to produce and spread deceptive content very rapidly. Many of us worry about the effect: some 85 % of people worldwide are concerned about the impact of disinformation on their fellow citizens; 87 % think disinformation has already affected political life in their country; and 38 % of EU citizens list false and/or misleading information as a threat to democracy. These tips will help you steer around falsehoods. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 27 October 2021, the Commission tabled two interconnected proposals to amend the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) and the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD), which together form the EU prudential regulatory framework for banks. The aim of the proposals was to implement the final arrangements of the Basel Agreement and enhance the harmonisation of banking supervision in the EU. The main proposed amendments included i) introducing an 'output floor', i.e. a lower bound for minimum capital requirements calculated using banks' own methods; ii) considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects when conducting risk assessments; and iii) standardising the selection of board members and directors of credit institutions. The co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on 29 June 2023, and the final acts were published in the Official Journal of the EU on 19 June 2024. The 'output floor' will be applied at the entity level and fully implemented over a transitional period. ESG risks will be considered part of the prudential framework, taking into account the EU's carbon neutrality objective. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This report evaluates the need and scope for an EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) focused on water, marine, and maritime areas (KIC WMM). It identifies existing gaps in innovation ecosystems and recommends thematic focus areas with the highest potential for technological development, market deployment, and benefits for EU citizens. Key stakeholders, public engagement methods, funding mechanisms, and legal and regulatory barriers are analysed. Policy options are provided to foster innovation and market deployment in alignment with the European Green Deal and other EU strategies. The report highlights high-impact technologies for sustainability goals and areas needing further research and regulatory changes. It concludes that a WMM KIC would enhance the innovation ecosystem, education, and entrepreneurship in the relevant sectors, bolstering Europe's leadership in the global water and blue economy. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Today's massive increase in trade volumes, combined with the need to conduct border checks for compliance with the growing number of EU standards and to stay abreast of continuously evolving trade strategies, has put EU customs authorities under a lot of pressure. Concerns have been raised that the EU's customs union is burdened by an uneven level of digitalisation across Member States, suboptimal coordination between national authorities and overall complexity. This situation creates high administrative compliance costs for traders while providing criminals with opportunities to commit fraud. To tackle these issues, the European Commission tabled a customs reform package on 17 May 2023. Key to the reform is the establishment of an EU customs authority that would oversee a new customs data hub. The aim is to adopt a more centralised and digitalised approach to customs that should lower compliance costs for traders, free up resources for national authorities and ensure a more efficient, strengthened and fraud-proof customs union. The proposal is subject to the ordinary legislative procedure, requiring the support of both Council and Parliament. Within Parliament, the file was assigned to the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, with Deirdre Clune (EPP, Ireland) as rapporteur. At its March 2024 plenary, Parliament adopted its position at first reading. Negotiations at the Council are ongoing. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

To allocate seats in collegiate bodies, such as parliaments, a method is needed to translate votes proportionally into whole seats. The d'Hondt method is a mathematical formula that is used widely in proportional representation systems, although it leads to less proportional results than other seat allocation systems, such as the Hare-Niemeyer or Sainte-Laguë/Schepers methods. Moreover, the d'Hondt method tends to favour the electoral lists that win the most votes, to the detriment of those with fewer votes. However, it is effective in facilitating majority formation and therefore in securing parliamentary operability. The d'Hondt method is used by 15 EU Member States for elections to the European Parliament. It is also used within Parliament as the formula for distributing the chairs of the parliamentary committees and delegations among the political groups, and among the national delegations within some political groups. This proportional distribution of leadership positions within Parliament prevents the dominance of political life by just one or two large political groups, ensuring that smaller political groups also have a say in setting the political agenda. Some argue, however, that this approach limits the impact of election results on the political direction of decision-making within Parliament; they would call instead for a 'winner-takes-all' strategy. Many national parliaments in the EU also distribute committee chairs and other posts proportionally among political groups, either using the d'Hondt method or through more informal means. Others apply a 'winner-takes-more' approach, reserving only certain committee chair posts with particular relevance to government scrutiny for opposition groups. In the US House of Representatives, all committee chairs are selected from the majority party. This updates a 2019 briefing, which itself updated a 2016 briefing by Eva-Maria Poptcheva. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This paper provides a review/summary of 10 papers prepared by external experts, which examine and recommend initiatives for financing the EU's growth model amidst global challenges. These papers were requested by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) of the European Parliament. They may feed into the policy debate on how to frame a forthcoming new European competitiveness deal as agreed by the European Council. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation, containing ambitious commitments to scientific progress, climate neutrality, and improving the EU's competitiveness and growth. This study evaluates the following selected items in Horizon Europe: the evolution of calls and funding, adoption of the Common Model Grant Agreement (CMGA), implementation of the strategic plan, discontinuation of the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Flagship, the participation barriers faced by SMEs, and stakeholders' views on the evaluation system. Drawing on surveys and interviews, the study aims to identify both the key strengths and shortcomings of Horizon Europe in terms of these selected items. Lastly, the study suggests ways to mitigate the shortcomings highlighted by stakeholders. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 19 December 2022, the European Commission put forward a proposal for the targeted revision of Directive 2011/36/EU – the main EU instrument to combat trafficking in human beings and to protect its victims. Despite progress achieved in fighting this crime, the Commission reports that, on average, over 7 000 people per year fall victim to human trafficking in the EU. Forms of exploitation have evolved and adapted to the new environment. For instance, new technologies are used to recruit victims. While a large majority of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are women and girls, men are more at risk of falling victim to trafficking for labour exploitation, the share of which is increasing, or are forced to commit crimes. Against this backdrop, the Commission proposed a set of amendments to strengthen the current rules, further harmonise provisions across Member States in order to reduce demand, and collect robust data and statistics. In January 2024, the European Parliament and the Council reached an interinstitutional agreement, which was approved by both institutions. After formal adoption by the Council, the act was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 24 June 2024. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In December 2021, the European Commission presented a proposal to amend the Schengen Borders Code, which lays down the rules governing controls at the EU internal and external borders. While debates on the reform of Schengen have been going on for a while, recent challenges – relating to the coronavirus pandemic on the one hand, and attempts to instrumentalise migrants as a way to put pressure on the EU's external borders, on the other – have brought new momentum for reform. The Commission's proposal is designed to improve the Schengen system's resilience to serious threats and adapt it to new challenges. It introduces a new coordination mechanism to deal with health threats at the external borders and a new Schengen safeguard mechanism to provide a common response at the internal borders in situations of threats affecting Member States, including the possibility to transfer irregular migrants apprehended at the internal borders directly back to the competent authorities in the EU country from which it is assumed they just came, without undergoing an individual assessment. The co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on the proposal in February 2024. The agreed text was adopted by the European Parliament in April and by the Council in May. Published in the Official Journal on 20 June, the new regulation enters into force in July 2024. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

France's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) is a subpart of 'France Relance', a larger recovery strategy France adopted in 2020 at national level, worth €100 billion in total (4.1 % of France's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019). The NRRP had an initial value of €40.9 billion (total costs), while the plan as amended in 2023 is worth €41.9 billion. Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), at the core of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) instrument, France's RRF grant allocation decreased from €39.4 billion to €37.5 billion, following the June 2022 update. In April 2023, France submitted a request to amend its NRRP – partly in order to take into account the decrease in the EU's financial contribution, but also to add a new REPowerEU chapter, which comes with an additional grant allocation of €2.3 billion. France also asked to transfer a portion of its share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its plan (€504 million). The EU contribution to the French amended plan totals €40.3 billion in grants, with the rest to be covered by national means. France has not requested loans. The RRF resources allocated to France represent 5.3 % of the entire RRF resources for the EU, and 1.6 % of the country's GDP in 2019 (the RRF representing 5.2 % of EU-27 GDP in 2019). Measures under the plan are to be completed by August 2026. So far, France has received €30.9 billion. The next payments will depend on progress in implementing the plan. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate of the creation of a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fifth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

G7 leaders gathered under the Italian presidency from 13 to 15 June 2024 in Apulia, Italy, for the 50th G7 Summit. The summit was a demonstration of the G7's unity and determination in the face of intense challenges to the rules-based multilateral order and international peace and security: Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the war in Gaza. In the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the leaders agreed to provide US$50 billion in additional funding to Ukraine from frozen Russian sovereign assets. The leaders also backed the comprehensive deal on Gaza outlined by United States (US) President Joe Biden. The Italian presidency put special focus on energy cooperation with Africa as a priority for the G7. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Hungary is a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral parliament, the Országgyűlés (National Assembly). The structure and functioning of Hungary's political system are determined by the Fundamental Law of 25 April 2011, which has been amended 12 times since its entry into force in 2012. The National Assembly elects the President of the Republic (head of state), whose role is primarily representative but entails some complementary and controlling competences vis-à-vis the legislative, executive and judicial powers. The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister, proposed by the President and elected by the National Assembly. The Prime Minister chooses the ministers, who together with him/her, compose the government. The Prime Minister also defines the government's general policy. Ministers are accountable for their actions to both the National Assembly and the Prime Minister. Only the Prime Minister can dismiss them, and the government's mandate is linked to that of the Prime Minister. This briefing is part of an EPRS series on national parliaments and EU affairs. It offers an overview of the way the EU Member States' national parliaments are structured and how they process, scrutinise and engage with EU legislation. It also refers to relevant publications by national parliaments. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Green Deal, aimed at making the EU climate neutral by 2050, outlines a comprehensive approach to sustainability, requiring profound transformation across all industrial sectors. Horizon Europe, the EU's foremost research and innovation programme, can be a critical enabler, providing the necessary funding, framework and innovation pathways to support this transition. Employing a combination of desk research and stakeholder consultations, this study evaluates Horizon Europe's alignment with the Green Deal, focusing specifically on Horizon's impact on European industry. The analysis sheds light on Horizon Europe's role in supporting research with a sustainability focus, and in facilitating industry participation in research projects. It reveals successes and identifies challenges such as administrative complexities, and the need for mechanisms to provide tailored support for small and medium-sized enterprises. The report suggests three policy options to strengthen Horizon Europe's support for industry: enhancing the capabilities of National Contact Points, expanding the 'marketplace' concept for green technologies, and prioritising selected strategic industrial and technological goals within Horizon Europe. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Employers in the EU face labour shortages in many sectors of the economy, a situation that could further deteriorate in the coming decades. In the context of a global race for talent, facilitating international recruitment is a priority for the EU. Announced on 27 April 2022, the European Commission launched an EU talent pool pilot initiative specifically addressed towards workers fleeing the war in Ukraine to facilitate their access to the EU labour market. On 15 November 2023, as part of the talent mobility package, the Commission subsequently published a legislative proposal for a regulation to establish an EU talent pool available to third-country nationals residing in third countries. In the European Parliament (ninth legislative term), the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) was responsible for the file. On 6 February 2024, the LIBE committee's rapporteur presented her draft report. The Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Culture and Education (CULT) and Development (DEVE) committees published their opinions on 19 February and 8 and 11 April 2024 respectively. Work will continue during the 10th legislative term. The Council agreed its general approach on 13 June 2024. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Sovereignty Fund (EUSF) should invest in Europe’s future by investing indirectly in start-ups and scale-ups via the existing Fund of the European Innovation Council (EIC). This would be concrete step to advance the aims of the recently agreed Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The EUSF could also invest in security of supply by acquiring and managing strategic stockpiles of critical raw materials. This would foster the aim of the Critical Raw Material Act. To succeed the management of the EUSF should be strictly independent of political influence. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Council took two important decisions on 27 June for the new institutional cycle: one on the EU's institutional leadership, the other on the EU's political priorities for the next five years. EU leaders elected António Costa as the next European Council President, proposed Ursula von der Leyen as the candidate for Commission President, and nominated Kaja Kallas as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They also adopted conclusions on Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, and competitiveness. Other topics addressed were migration, the Black Sea, Moldova, Georgia, hybrid threats, and the fight against antisemitism, racism and xenophobia. The European Council also agreed on a roadmap for future work on internal reforms. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

European measures for consumer protection are intended to protect the health, safety, and economic and legal interests of European consumers, wherever they live, travel or shop in the EU. EU provisions regulate both physical transactions and e-commerce, and contain rules of general applicability together with provisions targeting specific products, including medicines, genetically modified organisms, tobacco products, cosmetics, toys and explosives. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Together with Parliament, the Council is the institution that adopts EU legislation through regulations and directives and prepares decisions and non-binding recommendations. In its areas of competence, it takes its decisions by a simple majority, a qualified majority or unanimously, according to the legal basis of the act requiring its approval. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Effective consumer protection policy ensures that the single market functions properly. It safeguards consumers’ rights against merchants and provides extra protection for vulnerable consumers. Consumer protection rules can boost market outcomes overall. They promote fairer markets and, with better consumer information, foster greener, more social outcomes. Empowering consumers and safeguarding their interests are key EU policy goals. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The revision of the animal welfare legislation announced by the Commission in May 2020 is a core element of the farm to fork strategy. It includes the revision of Council Regulation (EC) N° 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The aim is to ensure harmonisation of rules for effective enforcement and implementation, the core challenge being to strike a balance between ethical, economic, environmental and social considerations. The transport of billions of animals within and outside the EU has considerable economic benefits, but it also has a major impact on public health, the environment and society, and increasingly triggers public attention around ethical considerations. Various stakeholders and the public demand better implementation of the existing rules, question practices such as the export of live animals, and ask for alternative solutions. This briefing provides an overview of the main issues raised by the application of the current Council Regulation and matters surrounding its revision in light of the Commission's 2022 fitness check on animal welfare legislation and other reports published by European institutions. It highlights, when possible, Member States' positions. In December 2023, the Commission presented its new proposal, with a view to replacing and updating Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This document is part of a series of Comparative Law studies that analyze the freedom to conduct a business in different legal orders around the world. After a brief historic introduction and a presentation of applicable legislation and case law, the content, limits and possible evolution of this freedom are examined. The subject of this study is Canada’s federal legal system. While the freedom to conduct a business is a common law right, it does not possess supralegislative status. Nevertheless, various constitutional rules — including those arising from Canada’s federal structure and from the Charter of Rights — afford a degree of protection to businesses and to business activities. The study notes the pervasive influence of federalism on business regulation in Canada. The rules allocating responsibility between the Parliament and the provinces do not affect only the level of government at which regulatory laws are enacted, but also affect the form and content of those laws. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP