This document provides an overview of Economic Dialogues with the other institutions of the European Union that has taken place in the competent committee(s) of the European Parliament since September 2019 under the European Semester for economic policy coordination. It also lists the Recovery and Resilience Dialogues with the European Commission as undertaken by the competent committee(s) since the entry of force of the Recovery and Resilience Facility in 2021. It also includes an overview of the respective legal bases for these dialogues. During the 9th legislative term, the competent committees held 15 Recovery and Resilience Dialogues with the Commission, 10 Economic Dialogues with the Commission, 9 Economic Dialogues with the Council, and 6 Economic Dialogues with the Eurogroup. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU is providing Ukraine with strong political and economic support, and future EU accession should support its reconstruction and modernisation, the cost of which is currently estimated at over €450 billion. This year's Ukraine Recovery Conference will seek to improve coordination and cooperation among its allies. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

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

The Next Generation EU recovery instrument, and in particular the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with its target to dedicate at least 20 % of funding to the digital objectives, contribute significantly to one of EU's core priorities, the digital transformation. A number of reports acknowledge the RRF as a primary contributor to most of the Digital Decade targets, namely the digital transformation of businesses and public services, as well as building digital skills and infrastructure across the EU. This briefing aims to give a flavour of what Member States' national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs) bring to boost investment and innovation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in particular. The first part provides background information on what the EU does (in terms of regulation and investment) to ensure its competitiveness in the field. The second part contains a set of country examples outlining selected measures from various NRRPs. AI is an advanced technology, and before unlocking all the opportunities it holds, Member States need to address barriers to its widespread uptake, such as regulatory issues, shortage of digitally skilled professionals, low digitalisation of companies and others. In a broad sense, all digital measures in the NRRPs help create enabling conditions allowing the development and uptake of more advanced digital innovations. Within the NRRPs, AI-related measures can fall under different categories: investment in research and development; digitalisation of businesses; digital public services; digital capacities; and deployment of advanced technologies. Some NRRPs (such as Spain's) envisage specific financing to boost AI development, while in others support is rather indirect. Overall, the NRRPs help pave the way for subsequent initiatives in developing AI. The RRF funds come on top of dedicated EU funding from other programmes, and although they will not suffice to close the investment gap in the field, they are a step towards boosting the EU's ambition. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This briefing analyses digital public services in the national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs) from a multilevel governance perspective. It seeks to present the current state of affairs, examine how existing policy is working on the ground, and identify best practice and ideas for the future on the part of governmental organisations at all levels of the European system of multilevel governance. It presents an initial appraisal of available evidence and takes as its starting point digital public services in the NRRPs of Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Greece and Slovenia. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The global supply of cocaine is at record levels: in just six years (from 2014 to 2020), cocaine production doubled and led to a 416 % increase in the European cocaine market. Almost all cocaine produced comes from the Andean region: With 61 % of total production, Colombia remains the world's biggest cultivator of coca, followed by Peru (26 %) and Bolivia (13 %). Political instability experienced in Andean countries in recent years goes hand in hand with a worsening public security situation and rising cocaine supplies. There has been a dramatic security deterioration, particularly in Ecuador, where the homicide rate rose from 13.7 per 100 000 people in 2021 to about 45 in 2023, placing Ecuador among the top three most violent countries in Latin America. Illicit drug trafficking is also affecting the EU as never before. In 2021, EU Member State authorities seized 303 tonnes of cocaine – the highest ever amount of cocaine confiscated in Europe. Today, the drug trade orchestrated by organised crime poses one of the most serious security threats to the EU. Almost 40 % of the criminal networks active in the EU are involved in the illegal drugs trade. Some 50 % of all homicides in Europe are connected to drug trafficking. Against this backdrop, the EU is stepping up its response and has established a series of instruments to fight organised crime, such as the EU security union strategy and the roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime. Moreover, in 2023, the European Commission started negotiating international agreements on the exchange of personal data between Europol and a series of Latin American countries and launched the European Ports Alliance in January 2024. Cooperation on illegal drug-related issues has become a priority for the strategic partnership between the EU and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean states (CELAC). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 14 February 2024, a workshop was organised on behalf of the Subcommittee on Human Rights on the effective implementation of the human rights clauses found in the EU’s international agreements. The workshop, firstly, examined best practices available, such as benchmarking and impact assessments as well as monitoring, evaluation and enforcement, highlighting possible improvements for the human rights clause implementation. Representative examples from the existing agreements were given to pinpoint best practices that could guide future reforms. Secondly, academic and civil society experts analysed the effectiveness of human rights clauses through the case studies covering the EU’s agreements with Ethiopia, Tunisia and Vietnam. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The main developments of the early Treaties are related to the creation of Community own resources, the reinforcement of the budgetary powers of Parliament, election of MEPs by direct universal suffrage and the setting-up of the European Monetary System (EMS). The entry into force of the Single European Act in 1986, which substantially altered the Treaty of Rome, bolstered the notion of integration by creating a large internal market. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The United Kingdom (UK) has so far taken a light-touch regulatory approach to its strong artificial intelligence (AI) sector. While the lack of horizontal laws may create a complicated legislative patchwork, the government argues that this is conducive to innovation and agile technology. With its new broad AI Act, the EU has taken a different path, but despite diverging approaches there are some promising signs for future cooperation. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in the EU and causes significant damage to ecosystems. As part of the European Green Deal's zero pollution ambition, on 26 October 2022 the European Commission tabled a proposal for a revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives. The proposed directive would set air quality standards for 2030 that are more closely aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, as updated in 2021. It would also include a mechanism for the standards' regular review based on the latest scientific information. To achieve them on time, the Member States would have to establish air quality plans ahead of 2030. Provisions on air quality monitoring and assessment would be updated, including through new requirements for monitoring pollutants of emerging concern, such as ultrafine particles. Stakeholders' reactions to the proposal have been mixed. Non-governmental organisations call for full alignment with the WHO guidelines by 2030 at the latest, and for penalties if the 2030 deadline is missed. Industry representatives insist on the need to meet current standards first, before aiming for higher ones. The European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the file on 20 February 2024. The text, approved in March by Member States representatives in the Council and by Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, now requires formal adoption by the co-legislators. Parliament is expected to vote on the final text during its second April 2024 part-session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This EPRS paper analyses how the European Commission has delivered on the policy agenda set by its President, Ursula von der Leyen, and her College of Commissioners when they took office in December 2019, and by further commitments taken over the years to address new issues, crises and challenges. It provides an end-of-term assessment of the delivery of the agenda's six key priorities, on the eve of the ninth legislature's last plenary session, two months before the 2024 European elections. The von der Leyen Commission has announced a total of 661 planned initiatives. In concrete terms, EPRS finds that four out of five (526) have now been submitted and, for those which are legislative proposals, the co-legislators have started work. Of the 526, more than half (301) have already been adopted by the co-legislators, or, for the non-legislative initiatives (such as strategies, action plans and other communications, amounting to around one fifth of the total), by the Commission itself. A further 97 (18 %) are close to adoption, with some of them likely to be adopted still during this legislature. The remainder (102, or 19 %) are still proceeding normally through the legislative process and will not reach adoption under this term. While the Commission's first priority – the European Green Deal – ranks highest in terms of the number of initiatives planned (167), the other priorities – 'A Europe fit for the digital age', 'An economy that works for people', 'A stronger Europe in the world', 'Promoting our European way of life', and 'A new push for European democracy' – have higher rates of initiatives actually adopted (from 52 % to 60 %, and 82 % for the fourth, largely due, for the latter, to its less legislative nature). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Teachers play an essential role in providing high-quality education and making education a rewarding experience for all learners. This makes teachers key to achieving a true European education area (EEA) that offers improved access to quality education and lifelong learning for all. However, the current shortage of teachers is a widespread issue across the European Union (EU). Not only is the teaching workforce ageing but the profession has become less attractive owing to factors such as challenging working conditions and perceived low societal recognition. Teacher shortages are more acute in certain subjects, specialisations and geographic areas. There is also a significant gender disparity in the teaching profession at various educational levels across the EU. Against this backdrop, the 2023 Education and Training Monitor – the European Commission's annual report on EU education and training systems – put a spotlight on the teaching profession, focusing in particular on teacher shortages across the Member States. The report noted that, while shortages are an increasing concern, reinforcing the teaching profession's attractiveness requires a balanced policy approach to both teacher recruitment and teacher retention. While the organisation and content of education fall under the responsibility of the Member States, the EU is working on boosting the prestige of the teaching profession and has launched several initiatives to offer professional education and development opportunities to educators. Examples include providing EU-level guidance on various topics relating to the teaching profession, establishing the Erasmus+ teacher academies that create communities of practice, and promoting cross-border teacher mobility. Over the years, the European Parliament has expressed continued support for teachers and for making the teaching profession more attractive. In February 2024, it held a plenary debate on the working conditions of teachers in the EU, with the participation of the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Once dispersed in the environment, microplastic particles under 5 mm in size are extremely difficult to remove and very persistent. Today, they are present in the air, soil, freshwater, seas, oceans, plants and animals, and in several components of the human diet. Human exposure to microplastic particles is therefore widespread, raising concerns about potential health impacts. The EU has committed to addressing microplastic pollution in two action plans –on the new circular economy and on zero pollution for air, water and soil – both of which are part of the European Green Deal. On 16 October 2023, the European Commission proposed a regulation to tackle microplastic pollution resulting from losses of plastic pellets – the industrial raw materials used to make plastic products. These losses are the third largest source of unintentional microplastic releases into the EU environment. The proposal would apply to all economic operators handling plastic pellets in the EU in quantities above 5 tonnes per year, as well as to EU and non-EU carriers transporting plastic pellets within the EU. It would set requirements for best handling practices, mandatory certification and self-declaration, and provide for the development of a harmonised methodology to estimate losses. Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), responsible for the file, adopted its legislative report on 19 March 2024. The text awaits a vote during the second April 2024 plenary session, with a view to establishing Parliament's position at first reading. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Parliament asserts its institutional role in European policy-making by exercising its various functions. Parliament’s participation in the legislative process, its budgetary and control powers, its involvement in treaty revision and its right to intervene before the Court of Justice of the European Union enable it to uphold democratic principles at European level. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on the growing importance of digital health technologies, both to enable remote medical care and to facilitate the health response from international, national and local authorities. The European Commission's May 2022 proposal for a regulation on a European health data space aims to improve individuals' access to and control over their electronic personal data (primary use), while facilitating data re-use for the good of society across the EU (secondary use). The proposal establishes a set of rules, infrastructure and governance mechanisms to promote the primary and secondary use of electronic health data, while ensuring data protection and strengthening cybersecurity. The Commission expects the initiative to have a broad socio-economic impact. Its success is thought to depend not only on the capacity to implement the legal base effectively, but also on broader conditions such as EU-wide connectivity, social trust and digital skills. The European Parliament's Committees on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted their joint report on 28 November 2023. The Council adopted its general approach on 6 December 2023. Parliament voted the report in plenary on 13 December. ENVI and LIBE endorsed the agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations on 9 April 2024. It is due to be put to the vote during the April II 2024 plenary session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Climate change, a global phenomenon, affects every aspect of our lives, including cultural heritage in both its forms – tangible and intangible. Extreme weather conditions expose these important elements of our cultural identity to serious threats. These threats must be addressed to protect valuable sites and preserve them for future generations. Research on climate change is not a novelty, but climate change as it relates to cultural heritage is a relatively new area of exploration and policy. The impact of climate change on cultural heritage made its way to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Madrid in 2019 (COP25) and has become increasingly visible at subsequent COPs. In 2003, the European Commission became the first European Union institution to launch a research project addressing the intersection of climate change and cultural heritage. Since then, the EU has expanded the scope and scale of its projects in this policy area. The EU's competence in cultural policy is limited to providing funds, which it does in the areas of cooperation, networking, exchange of best practices, research and education. Despite this limitation, EU level policies offer a broad perspective, much needed given the interdisciplinary and global nature of this issue. The dual challenge of climate change and protection of cultural heritage does not often feature clearly in European Parliament resolutions or European Commission policy documents. However, policy instruments are indeed available, and an integrated approach including not only economic, but also social, environmental, sustainability and identity dimensions of this complex issue is well underway. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is a specific intellectual property right that extends the basic patent's market exclusivity for plant protection products. The unitary patent became operational in the EU on 1 June 2023, unifying patent protection in all participating Member States. Despite this significant change, SPCs, which are inseparable from patent protection, remain regulated at national level. This fragmented regulatory approach has proven ineffective, leading to excessive administrative costs for SPC applicants, who have to navigate the national laws of each Member State where they seek SPC protection. To address this issue, on 27 April 2023 the Commission submitted a proposal for a regulation introducing a unitary SPC for plant protection products as a complement to the protection offered by the unitary patent. This proposal, coupled with a parallel proposal for an SPC for plant protection products of the same date, seeks to harmonise the process of granting SPCs for plant protection products in the single market. In Parliament, the proposal was assigned to the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), with Tiemo Wölken (S&D, Germany) as rapporteur. Following the approval of the reports on the two proposals by the Parliament plenary at first reading, Parliament adopted its position for the interinstitutional negotiations. The Council has yet to agree on its negotiating mandate. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This study presents an overview of how the issue of obstetric and gynaecological violence is currently being apprehended in the EU. Based on research carried out across the EU 27 Member States, it identifies issues and challenges; looks at the legal framework currently applicable to this form of violence; examines ongoing political and legal developments; and gathers initiatives carried out at the national level to improve understanding and prevention of this form of gender-based violence by healthcare professionals and society in general. Finally, it provides recommendations for different stakeholders. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA) was set up on 10 March 2022. Chaired by MEP Jeroen LENAERS, PEGA Committee investigated infringements and maladministration in application of EU law in relation to the use of Pegasus and equivalent spyware surveillance software. Spyware and other hacking techniques are critical threats to privacy, data protection and democracy in the EU. They serve oppressive agendas against journalists, political activists and human rights defenders. On 8 May 2023, PEGA Committee adopted its final report (Rapporteur: MEP Sophia IN 'T VELD), after 14 months of hearings, studies and fact-finding missions. Following the PEGA Committee’s report, on 15 June 2023, the European Parliament adopted its recommendation calling on the European Commission, the Council, European Ombudsman, the Europol and a number of Member States for a number of actions. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In February 2023, the European Commission proposed a regulation aimed at reducing the cost of deploying gigabit electronic communications networks, and repealing Directive 2014/61/EU (the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive). After three rounds of trilogue meetings, the Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the text in February 2024, and now need to formally adopt it. Parliament is scheduled to vote on the text during its second April plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

During the April II plenary session, Parliament is due to vote on provisional agreements resulting from interinstitutional negotiations on three related EU acts concerning money laundering and terrorist financing. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Parliament is expected to vote during the April II plenary session on the draft agreement reached on creating an interinstitutional body for ethical standards, following a recommendation due to be debated in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) on 22 April. The agreement is the result of negotiations between eight EU institutions and bodies, based on a Commission proposal responding to Parliament's request. The interinstitutional body for ethical standards would strengthen EU institutions' ethics, integrity and transparency, by ensuring their rules converge, ensuring an institutional ethics culture, and increasing ethical awareness. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Parliament is due tol vote on the agreement reached with the Council on a new directive that sets minimum standards to improve working conditions for people who work through digital labour platforms. It introduces the first-ever EU rules regulating algorithmic management in the workplace. The directive is the outcome of difficult negotiations and sends a signal to taxi and food delivery drivers and domestic workers that the EU is determined to set straight platforms' use of gig work, albeit with less ambition than in the initial proposal. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 10 February 2024, the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a new economic governance framework for the EU, seeking to balance national debt sustainability with sustainable and inclusive growth in all Member States. Parliament is due to vote on the final texts during the April II 2024 session. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 1 March 2023, as part of the road safety package, the European Commission published a legislative proposal to help ensure EU-wide application of driving disqualifications. The proposal calls for increased cooperation, harmonisation of legislation, simplification of information exchange, capacity building, and improved public awareness efforts. In order to prevent impunity due to a lack of legislation, the proposal sets out rules to allow better EU-wide enforcement of driver disqualification decisions when drivers commit major traffic offences outside their own country. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is responsible for the file (rapporteur: Petar Vitanov, S&D, Bulgaria). The TRAN committee adopted its report on 29 November 2023. On 6 February, the Parliament voted in plenary on its first-reading position on the file, to be followed up in the next legislative term. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Ukraine enjoys excellent conditions for agriculture, including around a third of the world's most fertile land. Three crops dominate the country's agricultural production: wheat, maize and sunflower, intended primarily for export. Medium-sized agricultural enterprises lead crop production, although some companies farm as much as 500 000 hectares. This is a direct consequence of Soviet collectivisation, and the agricultural policies adopted after Ukraine's independence in 1991. Only recently did Ukraine start opening up its land market. In 2013, Russia blocked Ukrainian exports to prevent Kyiv from developing closer ties with the EU. Following Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea and its military aggression in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv signed an association agreement with the EU, which became its primary market. Unlike most of its industrial production, Ukraine's crops remained competitive in the EU market and exports surged. By 2021, agriculture represented 41 % of Ukraine's exports, up from 27 % in 2013. In addition to stealing millions of hectares of land, Russia has inflicted a terrible economic, environmental and human cost on Ukraine. By the end of 2023, the Ukrainian agricultural sector had sustained an estimated US$80 billion in damages and losses. Rebuilding Ukraine's agriculture is expected to cost US$56.1 billion, and demining will cost an additional US$32 billion. Russia also blockaded Ukrainian agricultural exports. The EU Solidarity Lanes, the Black Sea Initiative, and the more recent Ukrainian Corridor have helped to keep Ukraine's economy afloat, and avert a wider global food security crisis. Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion. In December 2023, the European Council authorised the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine. Historically, agriculture has been a contentious issue in most enlargement negotiations, and integrating Ukraine's sizeable agricultural sector poses a challenge to the EU, especially without prior reform of the common agricultural policy. Despite the early stage of Kyiv's candidacy, some studies have tried to estimate the potential cost and benefits to the EU of Ukraine's eventual membership of the bloc. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Approaching the end of the mandate, a number of debates on important legislative proposals took place during the April I 2024 plenary session: on the migration and asylum package, reform of the EU electricity market, and the pharmaceutical package. Members also debated Russia's undemocratic elections, and in particular their extension to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, Chinese police activity in Europe, the rule of law in Hungary, and the rule of law and media freedom in Slovakia. His Majesty King Philippe, King of the Belgians, addressed the Parliament to mark his country's presidency of the Council. Finally, President Roberta Metsola made a statement for International Roma Day. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Dieses Dokument ist Teil einer Reihe von Studien, mit denen die unternehmerische Freiheit in verschiedene Rechtsordnungen aus rechtsvergleichender Perspektive dargestellt werden sollen. Nach einer kurzen historischen Einleitung und der Darstellung der einschlägigen Rechtsvorschriften und Rechtsprechung, werden der Inhalt, die Grenzen und die mögliche Entwicklung dieser Freiheit analysiert. Die vorliegende Studie hat den Fall Deutschland zum Gegenstand. In Deutschland ist „unternehmerische Freiheit“ auf der Ebene der Bundesverfassung nicht durch ein einziges, sondern durch verschiedene Grundrechte geschützt. Das Grundgesetz verbürgt sowohl die Berufsfreiheit (Art. 12 Abs. 1 GG) als auch die Vereinigungsfreiheit (Art. 9 Abs. 1 GG), das Eigentum (Art. 14 GG) und die Vertragsfreiheit (Art. 2 Abs. 1 GG) auch für juristische Personen des Privatrechts (Art. 19 Abs. 3 GG). Damit genießt auch die sog. Gewerbefreiheit nicht nur den einfachrechtlichen Schutz des § 1 Gewerbeordnung, sondern weitgehenden verfassungsrechtlichen Schutz. Diese Grundrechte – und nicht eine abstrakte verfassungsrechtliche Vorgabe – sind das Rückgrat der „Wirtschaftsverfassung“ des Grundgesetzes. Neben den Grundrechten bilden das Rechtsstaats-, das Sozialstaats- und das Umweltstaatsprinzip diese Wirtschaftsverfassung. Diese unternehmerischen Freiheiten werden durch ungezählte Normen des Privatrechts (vor allem des Bürgerlichen Rechts, des Handels- und Gesellschaftsrechts, des Wettbewerbsrechts) und des Verwaltungsrechts (und hier vor allem des Gewerbe-, Steuer-, Sozial- und Umweltrechts) bis hin zu autonomem Recht – Unfallverhütungsvorschriften – ausgeformt, d.h. in dialektischer Weise ermöglicht, gestaltet und begrenzt. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Montenegro began EU accession negotiations in 2012. The European Commission's latest report notes tensions leading to a blocked political system. On 2 April 2023, after securing 59 % of votes in a presidential election run-off, Montenegro's former Economy Minister Jakov Milatović declared victory over the incumbent, Milo Đukanović, who had been president or prime minister for more than three decades. The current pro-European Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, took office in October 2023. Spajić's government replaced the technical mandate of the previous government, which faced a vote of no confidence in August 2022. This 'At a glance' note has been produced at the request of a member of the European Committee of the Regions, in the framework of the cooperation agreement between the Parliament and the Committee. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Sanctions have become an increasingly central element of the EU's common and foreign security policy. At present, the EU has over 50 sanctions programmes in place, concerning nearly 40 countries. Unlike the comprehensive trade embargoes used in the past, the EU has moved towards asset freezes and visa bans targeting individual persons and companies, aiming to influence foreign governments while avoiding humanitarian costs for the general population. Other measures in the sanctions 'toolkit' include arms embargoes, sectoral trade and investment restrictions, and suspensions of development aid and trade preferences. The declared purpose of EU sanctions is to uphold the international security order, while also defending human rights and democracy standards by encouraging targeted countries to change their behaviour. Measuring sanctions' effectiveness is difficult, as sanctions alone rarely achieve all their aims, and usually there are other causes to which changes can also be attributed. However, even when this primary purpose is not achieved, sanctions may have useful secondary effects, for example by deterring other actors from similar behaviour. The broader the international support for EU sanctions and the closer the relationship between the EU and the targeted country are, the stronger the prospects for success will be. On the other hand, effectiveness can be undermined by inconsistent application of sanctions standards and by the difficulty of coordinating implementation between multiple stakeholders. The unprecedented scale and scope of sanctions imposed against Russia has put the spotlight on new implementation challenges, including inside the EU's borders. In response, the Council adopted a decision to add the violation of restrictive measures to the list of particularly serious crimes ('EU crimes') under Article 83(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This is an update of an earlier briefing. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Serbia, with a population of 6.9 million, has been advancing towards EU accession since 2012, when it received candidate country status. Despite some progress, Serbia still has three major hurdles to overcome: improving internal political dialogue and reforms, reaching a comprehensive normalisation agreement with Kosovo* and ensuring better alignment with EU foreign policy. Although Serbia voted for Russia's suspension from the UN Human Rights Council, it has not applied any of the EU's sanctions on Russia. In April 2022, Aleksandar Vučić was elected for a second term as President, and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) coalition, led by Vučić, won the parliamentary elections. Snap elections in December 2023 brought the SNS a larger-than-expected victory. This 'At a glance' note has been produced at the request of a member of the European Committee of the Regions, in the framework of the cooperation agreement between the Parliament and the Committee. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Union has established a common classification of territorial units for statistics, known as ‘NUTS’, in order to facilitate the collection, development and publication of harmonised regional statistics in the EU. This hierarchical system is also used for socioeconomic analyses of the regions and the framing of interventions in the context of EU cohesion policy. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The United Kingdom (UK) joined the European Union in 1973, having maintained a long-standing relationship with the bloc since its founding. In 2016, following a referendum, it became the first Member State to end its EU membership. The UK’s exit from the EU was governed by a withdrawal agreement signed on 17 October 2019. The trade and cooperation agreement signed on 30 December 2020 defines the framework for the future relationship. Source : © European Union, 2024 - 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, 2024 - EP