The deployment of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites is rapidly transforming global communications, providing low-latency and high-speed internet from altitudes generally below 2 000 km. However, this vital infrastructure is vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats such as jamming and hijacking. In response, existing EU frameworks on cybersecurity and physical resilience are being complemented with the proposed EU space act. This new regime is set to reinforce binding cybersecurity and resilience measures – including encryption, secure authentication and comprehensive supply-chain risk management – to strengthen the security of space assets and operations. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The global digital information sphere has become a contested geostrategic and ideological battleground. In this online 'marketplace of ideas', democracy is increasingly under pressure not only from traditional authoritarian governments, but also corporate actors who seek to further their interests. In democratic open information spaces, citizens would ideally be free to express and inform themselves. Authoritarian actors, on the other hand, continue to fine-tune techniques to manipulate public opinion abroad, to undermine democratic societies and processes, all the while tightening control of the information sphere at home to further their own agenda. At the same time, a corporate scramble to lead the development and rollout of new technologies – with artificial intelligence (AI) positioned as a game changer in this quest – is increasingly visible in the geostrategic technology arena. Potential opportunities for tech industrialists, however, come with challenges for citizens and open democracies. Whereas generative AI (Gen AI) tools are already widely used to find, consume and share information, they can also accelerate and transform information manipulation, challenging information integrity in new ways. As pressures on the information space continue to grow, mirrored in public concern, regulators are pushed to act fast. In a changing geostrategic landscape, upholding universal values in the digital realm is particularly pertinent for the EU. Legislation relevant to Gen AI-enabled information manipulation includes the Artificial Intelligence Act, the Digital Services Act (DSA), including the Code of Conduct on Disinformation, the European Media Freedom Act and the Directive on Combating Violence against Women. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Drawing attention to migrants' human rights and highlighting their contribution to society, International Migrants Day is observed every year on 18 December. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 4 December 2000 in response to growing migration numbers around the world. This updates a 2024 'At a glance' note by Anita Orav. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In the 10 years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the Parties to the agreement have achieved a lot of progress in response to climate change. A Loss and Damage Fund was established in 2022. Rules for international carbon trading have been established under Article 6 of the agreement. A new goal for climate finance was agreed in 2024. The COP30 climate conference in November 2025 adopted indicators for climate adaptation and agreed to triple adaptation finance. The first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement in 2023 called for accelerating climate action, tripling renewable energy capacity, doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements and transitioning away from fossil fuels. Building on the global stocktake, Parties submitted their third round of climate pledges in 2025, ahead of COP30. Full implementation of the pledges would lead to a global temperature increase of around 2.4°C, a large improvement compared to the 3.5°C increase projected before the Paris Agreement but still falling short of the agreement's target to keep global warming well below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C. With global carbon emissions still rising, the 1.5°C target will only be achievable after a temporary overshoot. As every fraction of a degree of global warming will result in increasing damages, additional efforts will be needed to keep the overshoot as short and as close to 1.5°C as possible. The current geopolitical situation hinders swift progress on collective climate action. The United States has decided to leave the Paris Agreement, a third of the Paris Agreement Parties failed to update their climate pledge, and a roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels was blocked at COP30. The EU, traditionally a leader in international climate policy, struggled to build strong coalitions to drive an ambitious outcome at COP30. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This briefing reviews the initial implementation of the National Escape Clause (NEC), operationalised for defence purposes in 2025 to help accommodate higher defence spending within the EU fiscal framework. Using the evidence released in the European Semester Autumn package, it assesses how Member States responded to the new instrument, both in terms of activation and actual use of the additional fiscal room. These early developments offer preliminary insights into how such clauses operate in practice, and into their effectiveness in encouraging higher spending in specific policy areas within clearly defined rules and over relatively short implementation periods. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

EU growth continues to build momentum, driven mainly by domestic demand. Fiscal deficits are edging up, and debt remains elevated. Inflation is revolving around the 2 % target, prompting the ECB to keep rates unchanged. Labour markets remain tight, with unemployment stable at record-low levels and employment at historic highs. US tariffs are expected to weigh only modestly on EU growth, affecting exports, with limited and short-lived effects on GDP, prices and the trade balance. Regarding EU funding, the delivery of the national recovery plans is advancing, but more than half of all milestones and targets are still outstanding. Thus, it is crucial for Member States to accelerate implementation in 2026 to secure the full economic impact of investment and reform measures. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The rules for electing the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are set both by EU laws, which apply to all Member States, and national laws, which differ from country to country. The common rules establish the principle of proportional representation, define electoral thresholds and specify activities that are incompatible with serving as an MEP. Other important details, such as the specific voting system and the number of constituencies, are decided by national laws. 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

European Union employment strategy, dating back to 1997, has established common objectives for employment policy and contributed to ‘soft coordination’ among the Member States. Creating more and better jobs was one of the main goals of the Europe 2020 strategy. In the March 2021 European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the Commission proposed new and more ambitious targets in employment policy as well as concrete actions for a fair, equitable and well-functioning labour market. EU law is relevant in certain areas, even if the responsibility for employment policy lies primarily with national governments. Employment policy is monitored and assessed in the European Semester. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Improving health and safety at work has been an important concern for the EU since the 1980s. Legislation at European level sets minimum standards for the protection of workers, while allowing Member States to maintain or introduce more stringent measures. Health and safety at work is a key component of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. 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

On 17 July 2025, the Commission released its proposal for the MFF for the 2028-2034 period.The European Parliament’s Committee for Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI Committee) has requested this briefing to analyse how the proposed 2028-2034 MFF would provide funding for climate and environment objectives. The proposed MFF introduce a horizontal 35% spending target for climate and environment, and streamlined 'do no significant harm' principle.The proposed NRP Fund and European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) would replace the LIFE programme as the principal source of funding for climate and environmental initiatives. Horizon Europe would support the ECF regarding collaborative research activities. The Connecting Euroope Facility would continue to support the transition to decarbonised transportation networks and renewable energy supply. Global Europe would remain the main instrument to support EU external action in the fields of climate, environment and sustainable development. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

International Anti-Corruption Day is marked every year on 9 December, to raise awareness of the negative effects of corruption on all areas of life. While difficult to measure, corruption entails not only economic but also social and political costs. International and EU anti-corruption efforts have translated into a multi-layered policy and legal framework. The European Parliament has called repeatedly for strengthened EU anti-corruption rules. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Data centres are key to innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). Data centres are needed to access on-demand and scalable computational power and to deploy centralised digital services. Both are key in the lifecycle of large AI models, as their training and execution are intensive and centralised. Increased EU data centre capacity would benefit AI innovation, as would research and innovation to achieve resource optimisation and the decentralisation of computational tasks. Weak EU AI development could further hurt EU competitiveness across industries by slowing digitalisation. Data centre capacity in the European Union is insufficient. The lack of capacity negatively impacts EU innovation, hindering economic growth. Studies suggest that despite comparable GDP, the United States has twice Europe's share of global data centre capabilities, and just three US-based companies account for 65 % of the EU cloud services market, which relies on data centres. Excessive dependence on non-EU capacity threatens the competitiveness of EU companies. EU data centre capacity-building is also hindered by legal and financial obstacles, as well as a lack of resources. EU-based secure cloud and AI computing services are lacking for highly critical use cases. The EU's need for a sovereign digital transition is increasingly salient in the face of geopolitical shifts and growing global competition for innovation. Providers and customers lack legal clarity however, hindering enhanced availability and the use of EU-based highly secure cloud and AI offers. Member States did not manage to reach agreement in recent efforts to define the requirements for a sovereign cloud through a proposed European cybersecurity certification scheme for cloud services (EUCS). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Citizens' Initiative, 'My voice, my choice: for safe and accessible abortion', seeks an EU-level financial solidarity mechanism to support access to abortion care for women who cannot obtain safe and legal abortion in their home Member State, without harmonising national abortion laws. In November 2025, the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) adopted a motion for a resolution and an oral question supporting the ECI's aims. A debate is scheduled for the December plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Amid rising geopolitical pressure, the EU seeks to reallocate current budget resources towards defence by enabling investment through five amended regulations on funding programmes, all part of a legislative package. In December, Parliament is due to vote on the provisional agreement reached with the Council on this package. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU has developed a differentiated system of financial supervision, distributing powers among the ECB, ESMA, SRB and AMLA. Each authority operates with distinct mandates, governance structures and accountability mechanisms. Their combined roles illustrate how the Union balances centralisation, coordination and independence to address systemic risks, cross-border challenges and financial innovation. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Migration management is one of the European Union's priorities. The geopolitical context has significantly changed, which has also affected the EU's migration and asylum management. With the support of the EU, Member States need to be able to rapidly and effectively respond to developments in migratory flows. The European Commission has proposed significantly increasing EU funding for asylum and migration policies in the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework. The aim of the proposed regulation is to contribute to the efficient management of migration flows and asylum, including by providing support for the implementation, strengthening and development of the pact on migration and asylum, and the common system of temporary protection for displaced persons in the event of a mass influx. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

As the current rules on the EU common agricultural policy (CAP) are set to expire at the end of 2027, the European Commission is proposing new CAP rules that would apply during the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). The proposal is part of the Commission's two-fold attempt to make the overall EU budget (i.e. the MFF) more flexible, with a smaller number of programmes and, at the same time, to take account of the criticism of the current CAP rules, which have been a target of farmer protests almost from the beginning of their application. According to the proposals, the CAP would no longer have a separate budget but would be integrated into the new national and regional partnerships (NRP) fund ('NRPF'). The NRPF would include a ringfenced budget only for some CAP measures, while the remainder would have to be covered from the part of the fund that Member States would have to use for other areas, as well. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European financial assistance mechanisms are intended to preserve the financial stability of the EU and the euro area, as financial distress in one Member State can have a substantial impact on macro-financial stability in other Member States. Financial assistance is linked to macroeconomic conditionality (it is a loan rather than a fiscal transfer), to ensure that Member States receiving such assistance implement the necessary fiscal, economic, structural and supervisory reforms. The reforms are agreed and set out in specific documents (memoranda of understanding) published on the Commission website and, when relevant, on the European Stability Mechanism website. As part of the EU response to the COVID-19 crisis, a number of additional financial instruments were put forward to help the Member States recover and make their economies more resilient to shocks. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom (UK) has evolved significantly since Brexit. Following the 2024 UK general election, the new government called for a ‘reset’ in relations with the EU, launching a renewed agenda of structured political cooperation across shared priorities. The UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 was the first high-level meeting of its kind since Brexit, establishing a new strategic partnership. The EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly plays a key role in fostering dialogue. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This digest provides a collection of documents prepared by academia, think tanks, other EU institutions and bodies, as well as stakeholders that could be useful for Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets to stay informed about the debate concerning the next Multiannual Financial Framework, due to start in 2028. It is one in a series produced monthly by the Budgetary Support Unit in the Directorate-General for Budgetary Affairs (DG BUDG) and the Members' Research Service in the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the period 2028-2034, proposed by the European Commission, includes a regulation establishing a National and Regional Partnership Fund (NRPF) which would pool together most of the existing EU funds, including support for agriculture and the common agricultural policy (CAP). Regulation 1308/2013 (the CMO Regulation) sets out rules for the common organisation of markets in agricultural products, including measures currently financed under the CAP. According to the proposed new MFF, financial support for these measures would be governed by the new NRPF Regulation. In view of that, certain provisions of the CMO Regulation need to be amended and updated, and some provisions currently included in other acts need to be integrated into the CMO Regulation. In the proposal presented on 16 July 2025, the Commission undertakes those alignments, and furthermore introduces other changes aimed at updating the provisions to reflect developments in some policy areas. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The European Council is an EU institution with significant influence and a key role, but its accountability remains limited. Nonetheless, democratic control over its members can be exercised by their respective national parliaments, which have progressively strengthened their role in EU affairs. This publication analyses the role of national parliaments in scrutinising the meetings of the European Council and in holding their national representative to account. It examines formal rules and practices, both for ex-ante and ex-post parliamentary oversight. It also compares the national parliaments' scrutiny activities with the European Parliament's, identifies best practice, and suggests potential areas for improvement. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Together with Parliament, the Council of the European Union 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, 2025 - EP

By supporting the Member States in the fight against poverty, social exclusion and discrimination, the EU aims to reinforce the inclusiveness and cohesion of European society and to allow everyone to enjoy equal access to opportunities and resources. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

European integration has led to significant social developments over the years. An important milestone came in 2017, when Parliament, the Council and the Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights and reaffirmed their commitment to improving living and working conditions throughout the EU. The related action plan, adopted in 2021, set out concrete initiatives to turn this commitment into reality. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights is a core value of the European Union (EU), and one that is promoted through its policies. The European Parliament's Sakharov Prize honours the work of people who stand up for these freedoms and rights. This year's Sakharov Prize is to be awarded to journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli, both jailed for defending freedom of expression and democracy in their respective countries, Belarus and Georgia. The award ceremony will take place during the Parliament's December plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The EU has developed a differentiated system of financial supervision, distributing powers among the ECB, ESMA, SRB and AMLA. Each authority operates with distinct mandates, governance structures and accountability mechanisms. Their combined roles illustrate how the Union balances centralisation, coordination and independence to address systemic risks, cross-border challenges and financial innovation. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This in-depth analysis, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Justice, Civil Liberties and Institutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Legal Affairs, examines how copyright policy should respond to artificial intelligence (AI). It combines historical lessons from digital markets, insight on the economic value of data, and a formal model to study welfare effects. It assesses economic effects of various policy options, including an exception, an exception with opt-out, licencing market (“opt-out”) and statutory licencing, in a search for optimal policy. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Amid growing concerns about wealth concentration and fiscal strain, debates on the taxation of high-net-worth individuals have intensified in (international) taxation forums. The European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) is due to hold a public hearing on this topic on 11 December 2025. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The proposal for a Global Europe instrument is included in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) package, which aims to be simpler than previous regulations and to provide additional flexibility (over and above MFF ceilings). The new instrument merges the Neighbourhood, Development, International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe; the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, humanitarian aid; the Ukraine Facility, the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; and the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova. The impact assessment (IA) focuses on the six corresponding regulations. It falls under the Better Regulation Tool #9 (special case of preparing a new MFF); the scope and depth of analysis are therefore different compared with a non-MFF IA. Although the IA provides an intervention logic and defines the drivers, the problem definition remains vague and unclear. Moreover, the interlinks with objectives and drivers are not detailed in the intervention logic. In accordance with the Better Regulation Requirements, the IA assesses the expected economic, social and environmental impacts for the three policy options. It also compares and rates them against the Better Regulation criteria of effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. Proportionality and subsidiarity are not assessed in the IA, not even in the policy options. In terms of monitoring and evaluation, the IA is limited on data collection methods and on how progress will be measured. The evidence from previous evaluations could have been better integrated in the IA and be used to provide quantitative estimates. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board decided to issue an opinion without qualification given the lack of fundamental elements in this IA. The legislative proposal is aligned with the IA's preferred option. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Energy drinks, widely marketed as performance-enhancing products, contain high levels of caffeine, sugar and stimulants such as taurine and guarana. Rising and excessive consumption among adolescents has raised public health concerns linked to acute cardiovascular effects, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal issues. Although the global energy drink market is expanding rapidly, these beverages still represent a small share of the EU non-alcoholic drinks market. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consumption data indicate that adolescents are the age group with the highest consumption of energy drinks, with some of them being high chronic users. At EU level, no product-specific legislation exists. However, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires a mandatory high-caffeine warning label. Industry bodies such as UNESDA (representing the non-alcoholic beverages sector) and Energy Drinks Europe apply voluntary marketing restrictions, particularly concerning children. National rules vary widely. Several EU countries – including Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria – have introduced bans on sales to minors, while others rely on voluntary retail measures. Outside the EU, diverse regulatory models exist, from strict bans to voluntary guidelines. The European Commission considers EFSA's 2015 scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine sufficient and sees no need for additional EU-level action at this stage. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

According to Eurostat, EU research and development expenditure relative to GDP stood at 2.26 % in 2023, while in comparison it stood respectively at 3.59 % in the United States, and 2.56 % in China (2022). In his 2024 report on the future of European Competitiveness, Mario Draghi identified this gap as one of the root causes of the EU's lack of competitiveness. Against this backdrop, the proposed 10th EU framework programme for research and innovation should help to preserve EU research and innovation ecosystem excellence in producing world-class scientific knowledge, while improving the capacity to exploit such knowledge, in particular by scaling-up innovative technologies and solutions. While the programme's architecture is apparently a continuation of the current 2021-2027 Horizon Europe programme, the creation of a European competitiveness fund creates a specific set of rules and governance that will apply to a substantial part of Horizon collaborative research activities. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP