In December, after a public hearing of the candidates in the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the European Parliament is set to elect the European Ombudsman for the new parliamentary term. Six candidates are running: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), a former Deputy Portuguese Ombudsman; Emilio De Capitani (Italy), a former European Parliament official; Marino Fardelli (Italy), Ombudsman of the Lazio region; Julia Laffranque (Estonia), a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Claudia Mahler (Austria), a human rights expert; and Reinier van Zutphen (Netherlands), Ombudsman of the Netherlands. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Since the start of the Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has provided Ukraine with financial, military and humanitarian support on an unprecedented level, including macro-financial assistance, financial support via the Ukraine Facility, humanitarian aid and military assistance from its Member States and through the European Peace Facility. Regulation (EU) 2024/2773 provides for a new macro-financial assistance loan for Ukraine and establishes a Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism (ULCM). That loan and the ULCM are part of a G7 initiative adopted at the G7 summit in Apulia in June 2024 to support Ukraine with loans of up to US$50 billion (€45 billion). The purpose of the G7 initiative is to provide Ukraine with sufficient and continuous financial support to address the immediate needs inflicted on the country by Russia's ongoing aggression. The ULCM will provide Ukraine with non-repayable financial support to assist it in repaying loans provided by G7 partners. Given the urgent nature of Ukraine's financing needs, the MFA will be available in 2024. According to the annex to the final agreement between G7 finance ministers of 25 October 2024, the EU's share of the G7 loan will be €18.115 billion. Extraordinary revenues originating from Russian sovereign assets immobilised in the G7 member states will be used to repay those loans and the associated interest costs. The ULCM will collect the extraordinary revenues and use them to repay the loans. The European Parliament adopted the proposal on 22 October 2024 and Regulation (EU) 2024/2773 entered into force on 29 October 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In recent decades, the digital information sphere has become the public space for debate: the place where people access information, and form and express opinions. Over the past 10 years, global information ecosystems have also increasingly become geostrategic battlegrounds. Authoritarian state actors are testing and fine-tuning techniques to manipulate public opinion and foment divisions and tension, to undermine democratic societies and open democracy as a system. At the same time, the geostrategic rivalry overlaps more and more with corporate geopolitics: the digital information sphere has become a contested territory for large corporations competing fiercely to lead the development and roll-out of new technologies – with artificial intelligence (AI) as a game changer in this quest. These innovations come with risks: information manipulation campaigns facilitated by generative AI magnify threats to democratic information ecosystems. Strategic and systemic pressures on the open information environment are set to increase. This makes efforts to uphold universal values in the digital information environment – values such as human rights and, in particular, freedom of expression – even more essential. The increased focus on information integrity by multilateral organisations makes room for coordinating actions to boost the resilience of information ecosystems more broadly, safeguarding human rights. This concept ties in with key parts of the work planned under the future 'European democracy shield'. The broad scope of information integrity covers a number of activities that are already under way in the EU – including measures and legislation launched in recent years – and offers new paths for coalitions and partnerships. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Corruption is a major challenge for the European Union (EU), with all its Member States affected by the problem to some extent. The scale of the problem, however, is difficult to measure, both in the EU and elsewhere. Surveys on perception of corruption among citizens and experts – such as the Global Corruption Barometer and Eurobarometer surveys – are the principal measurement tools. Since the 1990s, countries around the world have joined forces to address corruption collectively. This has led to the emergence of widely recognised international laws and standards, adopted in particular by the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations. Mechanisms, such as the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), have been developed to monitor implementation of these rules. The EU has gradually adopted laws addressing a range of corruption-related issues. These include a directive on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests, and directives on public procurement, whistleblowers and money-laundering. However, the legal framework thus created remains patchy, the lack of minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of corruption being one important missing element. The EU also developed its own tool for monitoring anti-corruption efforts – the EU anti-corruption report – only to abandon it after the first edition. Recently, corruption-related issues have been addressed almost exclusively within the EU rule of law framework, a development criticised by various stakeholders, including the European Parliament. The latter has adopted numerous resolutions on corruption addressing, among other things, the impact of COVID 19, systemic challenges to the rule of law and deficiencies in the EU's fight against corruption. This briefing updates an earlier one published in 2023, which built on a study by Piotr Bąkowski and Sofija Voronova, published in 2017. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The safe third country (STC) concept is well established in international asylum policies. According to the concept, certain migrants should not be granted protection in the country where they have applied for it. Instead, they may be returned, or transferred, to a country where they could have found, or can find, international protection. Amid ongoing EU-level discussions on safe third country rules, in 2018 the United Nations Refugee Agency developed legal considerations on safe third countries. Within the framework of the body of EU law on asylum, the STC concept is based on the assumption that certain third (i.e. non-EU) countries can be designated as safe for applicants seeking international protection, under specific conditions. The concept builds on cooperation with third countries in a bid to reduce irregular arrivals and increase return rates. It seeks to speed up the processing of the claims of asylum applicants arriving from safe third countries, to prevent overburdening national asylum systems. The recently adopted Asylum Procedure Regulation provides for broader applicability of safe country clauses. This concerns, in particular, four aspects: (i) the safety assessment when applying the STC concept; (ii) interpretation of the 'connection requirement', i.e. the connection between an asylum seeker and a third country, when readmitting an applicant to a designated STC; (iii) the option to designate a third country as safe with territorial limitations or to exclude certain vulnerable groups from such a designation; and (iv) the creation of a common EU list of STCs in addition to national lists. The success of any STC scheme relies on third countries' cooperation, something that can be challenging to obtain. To counter criticisms of burden shifting and to boost the viability of STC schemes, the EU must demonstrate solidarity through burden sharing. Furthermore, many potentially safe third countries lack asylum laws and administrative frameworks. Consequently, they would likely require substantial support from external partners. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Union now has its first ever Commissioner dedicated to Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef. He has been specifically tasked by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with preparing a 'strategy on intergenerational fairness' that takes fully into consideration the impact of today's decisions on future generations, and seeks feedback from all age groups. Micallef says he will 'attach particular importance to instilling a true and lasting culture of participatory democracy that applies to all ages, including senior citizens'. The momentum for this kind of thinking is growing. In September 2024, world leaders convened at the United Nations in New York for a 'Summit of the Future', and committed to fostering intergenerational dialogue and ensuring youth participation in national and international forums. Addressing humanity's most pressing challenges demands the engagement of all generations, as both younger and older people contribute their own unique knowledge, experience, and skills. This briefing delves into the mechanisms already in place in the EU for listening to young people, and explores the incoming Commission's plans for further engaging young people in decision making processes. From now on, for example, every Commissioner must organise an annual youth policy dialogue dealing with his or her area of competence. Additionally, as of 2025, all new initiatives in the Commission's annual work programme that are of significant relevance for young people will undergo a specific 'youth check'. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The rise of digital technologies represents a double-edged sword for women's rights. On the one hand, the digital environment has enabled women to build networks and spread awareness about the abuse they suffer, such as through the #Metoo movement. On the other, it has provided abusers and misogynists with new tools with which they can spread their harmful content on an unprecedented scale. With the development of artificial intelligence, these trends, both positive and negative, are expected to continue. Against this backdrop, it has become clear that digital violence is as harmful as offline violence and needs to be tackled with the full force of the law, as well as through other non-legislative measures. Moreover, the digital content causing the harm – images, messages, etc. – needs to be erased. This is particularly important, as the impact on victims is profound and long-lasting. The European Union has adopted several pieces of legislation that aim to make a difference in this respect. The directive on combating violence against women, to be implemented at the latest by June 2027, sets minimum EU standards for criminalising several serious forms of cyberviolence and enhances the protection of and access to justice for victims. EU legislation on the protection of privacy is also having an impact on cyberviolence. For example, the new Digital Services Act imposes an obligation on big digital platforms in the EU to remove harmful content from their websites. This is instrumental in removing intimate or manipulated images that are disseminated on the internet without the person's consent; almost all such images portray women, according to existing data. Member States use a multiplicity of legal approaches to tackle this issue, combining criminalisation of specific cyber offences with the use of general criminal law. In some Member States, an explicit gender dimension is also included. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This synopsis is the first out of a series of four studies, commissioned for a PECH Committee Workshop on “The future of the EU fishing fleet − First assessment of the EMFAF programming for 2021-27”. The study focuses on EMFAF Article 17 (First acquisition of a fishing vessel), Article 18 (Replacement or modernisation of a main or ancillary engine) and Article 19 (Increase of gross tonnage to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency”). The synopsis deals with the situation for all 22 coastal EU Member States, while at the same time considering results of three additional case studies on Spain, France and the Netherlands. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) provides for public co-funding to support the modernisation of the fishing fleet during the current funding period (2021-2027). Funding opportunities are subject to specific conditions framed by the EMFAF Regulation as regards the first acquisition of a fishing vessel (Article 17), replacement or modernisation of a main or ancillary engine (Article 18) and increase of gross tonnage to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency (Article 19). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This study reviews the implementation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) in the Netherlands, as regards the first acquisition of a fishing vessel, the replacement or modernisation of a main or ancillary engine and the increase of gross tonnage to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency (Articles 17-19 of the EMFAF Regulation). The study also assesses the future needs of the Dutch fishing fleet and makes proposals for the adjustment of EMFAF for the next budget period. Source : © European Union, 2024 - 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 María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela's democratic forces, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia. They represent all Venezuelans both inside and outside the country who are fighting to restore freedom and democracy. The Sakharov Prize award ceremony will take place during the European Parliament's December plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Our infographic provides an overview of the EAC countries’ economic and trade relations with the EU. All eight EAC states have experienced a relatively consistent increase in their GDP per capita (PPP) since 2007. All eight countries are in the lower half of the Human Development Index ranking. EU trade in goods (imports and exports) with the EAC has risen steadily comparatively to 2007 volumes. The EU's leading trading partner for goods with the EAC is the Netherlands, while the primary partner in services is France. For the EAC region, the EU is the fourth trading partner. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU institutions engage in regular structured dialogue with representatives of churches, and religious, non-confessional and philosophical organisations, on the basis of Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This dialogue, which takes the form of high-level meetings or working-level discussions, focuses on policy issues on the European agenda. It traces its origins to earlier initiatives, such as that launched in 1994 by Jacques Delors – 'A soul for Europe' – which looked for ways to build an ethical, moral and spiritual dimension into European integration and policy-shaping. The draft Constitutional Treaty of 2004 included provisions on regular, open and transparent dialogue between EU institutions, and representatives of churches and religious communities, and of non-confessional or philosophical communities. Although the Constitutional Treaty was rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands, its successor, the Lisbon Treaty, adopted in 2007 and in force since December 2009, preserved the same provisions in its Article 17 TFEU. The European Parliament has long stressed the importance of constant dialogue among, and with, religious and non-confessional and philosophical communities. Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it sought to give substance to the provisions of Article 17 TFEU, primarily by organising dialogue on subjects of interest for the EU and its citizens. The European Commission and the Council are also bound by Article 17 TFEU provisions. This is a further updated version of a briefing first published in 2018. The previous edition was issued in June 2023. It is published in support of the work of the Vice-President responsible for the Parliament's side of the Article 17 dialogue. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB), Dominique Laboureix on 4 December 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Around 100 million people in the EU– or 1 in 4 adults – have some form of disability. Addressing both fiscal support and public service accessibility for people with disabilities is crucial for a more inclusive and equitable tax system across the EU. On 3 December 2024, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) will host a public hearing on this topic as part of the European Parliament's Disability Rights Week. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In the run-up to this year's European Gender Equality Week (9 to 13 December), the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education – also responsible for sport policy – is hosting an exchange of views on 3 December with the Council of the EU and the European Commission on preventing and addressing discrimination and gender-based violence in sport. The event will be followed by the screening of one of the films nominated for this year's Lux Audience Award – Julie Keeps Quiet – a film that touches on these very issues. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Since its creation in the 1950s, the European Economic Community, and today's European Union, has had the power to promote equality between women and men, in employment and other areas of life. EU action has driven significant progress, even if disparities persist in many areas. To secure this progress, the EU has enabled Member States to implement positive action measures in favour of women and has adopted ground-breaking legislative and non-legislative measures, such as its recent legislation on gender-based violence. Although consensus on EU gender equality policy is long established, a minority array of civil society and political actors are increasingly voicing their opposition to some aspects of gender equality policy. Recent surveys in EU countries show that some citizens have also started questioning a policy that, in their view, has fulfilled its mission. However, perennial gender inequalities in many areas of life suggest that this is a hasty assumption. Fears that gender equality is a zero-sum game that disempowers men highlight a need to dispel misunderstandings about EU gender equality policy. The policy focuses on women as the primary subjects of sex-based discrimination but is formulated in gender-neutral language. Any discrimination is strictly forbidden, although the policy enables Member States to conduct positive action on behalf of women. The Court of Justice of the EU upholds rigorous enforcement of positive action, which has to remain exceptional, limited and non-discriminatory against men. Changing realities meanwhile suggest that men too can benefit from the data collection and the tools developed by the EU, for instance with regard to health and education. Here, some EU countries display the biggest gender gaps in life expectancy in the world, as well as a notable gap in tertiary educational attainment in favour of women. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU and its Member States have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and use its definition of disability as a common reference at EU level. There is no other harmonised definition of disability in the EU. The recent introduction of the Global Activity Limitation Instrument indicator (GALI) in most of Eurostat's social and economic surveys offers the opportunity to have a clearer assessment of disability in the EU than before. It confirms that in 2023 the prevalence of disability was higher among female, older and less educated respondents. The EU combats all forms of discrimination alongside and in support of its Member States. To improve the situation of people with disabilities, it has introduced a series of initiatives, programmes and strategies over a number of decades. The European Parliament has been highly active in the bid to end all forms of discrimination against people with disabilities, since the early 1980s. In 1997, Article 13 of the Treaty establishing the European Community on the human right not to suffer discrimination on grounds, in particular, of disability, paved the way for a genuine disability policy. The first step in this regard was the adoption of a 2001-2006 action programme to combat discrimination. Later, the 2010-2020 European disability strategy sought to enable people with disabilities to exercise their rights and participate fully in society and the economy. The 2021-2030 strategy, incorporating lessons learned from its predecessor, seeks to ensure that all persons with disabilities in the EU, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation: enjoy their human rights; have equal access to participation in society and the economy; can decide where, how and with whom they live; can move freely in the EU regardless of their support needs; and no longer experience discrimination. This is an update of a briefing published in November 2023. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The right to independent living and community inclusion for the EU's 101 million citizens with disabilities is enshrined in Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and is further supported by the EU Disability Strategy 2021–2030. This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape, ongoing challenges, key stakeholder recommendations, and future political perspectives regarding independent living and deinstitutionalisation. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

At the request of the PETI Committee, the Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs prepared this briefing to present the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, which is the European Commission's policy framework for implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The strategy includes an ambitious set of actions and flagship initiatives until 2024 in various domains, linked to the UNCRPD. Five of the seven flagship initiatives have already been implemented, and the two remaining ones are expected to be published by early 2025. Most of the other policy actions included in the Strategy are also completed by 2024. Despite significant efforts to implement the UNCRPD across the EU, persistent gaps remain between persons with and without disabilities, for example, when it comes to poverty, access to jobs, inclusive education, housing, or healthcare services. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The EU and Switzerland are important trading partners and close-minded partners in foreign affairs. They also have very strong ties through a range of bilateral agreements and Switzerland has been associated with several EU policies relating to the internal market, the Schengen agreement, the Dublin system for dealing with asylum claims and the EU's research and mobility programmes. Between 2014 and 2021, the EU and Switzerland negotiated an institutional framework agreement, which would have further developed Switzerland's participation in the EU internal market. However, Switzerland terminated the talks. The failure of the talks led the EU to block an update to the mutual recognition agreement on conformity assessment of technical standards and exclude Switzerland from Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research programme. In February 2022, the Swiss Federal Council presented an alternative way forward consisting of a broad package of measures relating to the bilateral relationship between the EU and Switzerland, including a new approach regarding the institutional elements. Following exploratory talks, the two parties agreed on a common understanding as a new basis for their negotiations, which are ongoing. First edition. The 'International Agreements in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the process, from initial discussions through to ratification. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Since the downfall of the authoritarian General Suharto in 1998, a series of reforms have transformed Indonesia into the world's fourth largest democracy (and largest Muslim democracy). The country has a presidential system in which a directly elected president serves as head of both state and government. A two-term limit on the presidency helps to ensure a peaceful alternation of power. Also directly elected, Indonesia's House of Representatives (the lower house of the two chambers of parliament) has asserted itself as a strong and independent institution. Following the October 2024 presidential and legislative elections, there are eight parliamentary parties, none of which holds a majority, obliging the government to seek support from a broad coalition. Despite the success of Indonesia's political reforms, the country's commitment to democratic values cannot be taken for granted. Although Indonesia has traditionally been a tolerant, multicultural society, a tide of Islamic populism threatens to disrupt the delicate balance between the country's Muslim majority and minorities such as Christians and Buddhists. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has had some success in tackling endemic corruption in the country's courts, local governments and parliament; however, it is currently facing a serious challenge. While trust in democratic institutions declines, the military – whose commitment to democratic values has often been questionable – is becoming increasingly influential. This briefing updates an earlier briefing by Martin Russell. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

There are a number of micro-states in western Europe that do not belong to the EU: the Holy See, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of San Marino. While they exhibit differences in terms of geography, population, language, and institutional and political structure, they have close relations with EU Member States based on shared history, and political and cultural affinities. Moreover, they are like-minded partners in foreign affairs. Given a mutual interest in deepening cooperation, the EU and three of these states – the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of San Marino – have been engaged in dialogue since 2014. This culminated in December 2023 in the conclusion of negotiations on an association agreement with Andorra and San Marino. First edition. The 'International Agreements in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the process, from initial discussions through to ratification. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This briefing, published by the European Parliamentary Research Service, aims to provide a broad range of key facts and figures about the European Parliament. Its many graphics offer a picture of the Parliament's Members and the institution's structures and activity in the current parliamentary term (July 2024 to June 2029) and in previous five-year terms since direct elections were introduced in June 1979. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In June 2023, following its investigation into Europe's spyware scandal, the European Parliament issued a final recommendation identifying country-specific shortcomings and proposing EU standards for the use of spyware. Proposed safeguards include judicial approval, proportionality requirements, independent oversight, notification duties, and data deletion. Member States embroiled in the spyware scandal are making progress – albeit uneven – towards meeting these standards. Greece has amended its intelligence law in the wake of the spyware scandal, but it remains to be seen whether it will address outstanding shortcomings. Spain has announced further efforts to strengthen its legal framework, although Parliament considered the country's legal framework fundamentally compliant. Rule of law concerns persist in Hungary. Poland is investigating the alleged spyware abuses thoroughly, and is making decisive efforts to improve its legal framework. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Europe could gain competitive edge by supporting the development of new hardware for artificial intelligence (AI). Current state-of-the-art hardware is not optimised for machine learning, and both academic and private sector research is already leading to new designs. At the same time, the need for more time- and energy-efficient machine-learning hardware is increasing as more consumers and companies want access to machine-learning applications. The European Union (EU) has the opportunity to leverage its strong regulatory framework for AI products as a mark of trust and safety, while also investing to support the next generation of hardware, opening up a new market for Europe's high tech industry. What would happen if the EU formulated a cohesive plan to support these technologies through both research and economic policy? Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Leaders met in Rio de Janeiro on 18-19 November 2024 for the 19th summit of the G20, hosted by the Brazilian G20 presidency. The meeting was overshadowed by events that are further increasing divisions among the world's leading and emerging economies: Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which entered its 1 000th day, the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and the election to a second term of President Donald Trump, whose 'America First' approach to foreign policy includes threats to impose tariffs on imports. The G20 leaders adopted a declaration addressing pressing global issues, including combating hunger, reforming international institutions, and climate change. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

This paper studies the implications for the European Central Bank (ECB) of the new EU fiscal framework, focusing on five aspects where monetary and fiscal policies intersect: (1) fiscal dominance over monetary policy; (2) fiscal drag created by the new framework; (3) moral hazard created by very low interest rates; (4) the effectiveness of the ECB’s Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI), and (5) the impact of the new framework on green public investment. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 4 December 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 24 October 2023, the coordinators of the Committee on Development (DEVE) requested a study on implementation of policy coherence for development (PCD) in selected legislation. This ex-post evaluation seeks to support the PCD standing rapporteur's work and the DEVE committee's newly formed PCD Network. The focus of the study is how and to what extent PCD has been implemented in internal and external EU policies to support poverty reduction (and eradication) and development cooperation. The first part, written internally, offers an institutional perspective of PCD implementation. It assesses the guidelines, toolkits and methods that the EU institutions have developed for designing and applying PCD. It also examines Parliament's PCD oversight role and draws lessons on how to improve PCD design and implementation. Two externally prepared case studies evaluate if and how PCD was considered in the design and implementation of (i) the Conflict Minerals Regulation and its accompanying measures, and (ii) policies to facilitate legal pathways to EU migration. They also analyse whether PCD implementation in these two cases has influenced the design of other EU policies, and provide recommendations. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Every year, on 20 November, the world celebrates World Children's Day; this year marked the 35th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Adopted in 1989, the convention was the first international instrument to explicitly recognise children as human beings with innate rights. Ratified by 196 countries, including all EU Member States, it has become the landmark treaty on children's rights, outlining universal standards for the care, treatment, survival, development, protection and participation of all children. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On 25 November, Parliament will hold a plenary debate to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Seven years after the first #MeToo revelations, shocking cases of severe physical and sexual violence against women continue to come to light. The European Union (EU) has mobilised both legislative and non-legislative tools to address this social scourge. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

During the European Parliament's November II plenary session, the European Commission is scheduled to make a statement, and Parliament to hold a debate, on recent legislation targeting LGBTI persons and the need for protecting the rule of law and a discrimination-free EU. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

During its November session, Parliament will discuss the results achieved at the 16th meeting of the parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the main international instrument on biodiversity protection. The conference was held in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 2 November 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

A sharp deterioration in the population's health, as well as in healthcare systems, is often the consequence of armed conflicts, natural hazards or human-made disasters, of which there have been many in recent times. The European Union (EU), a significant global humanitarian player, views health as an essential part of its assistance. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Enforcement of the Digital Services Act at national level is still very limited owing to delayed implementation. The European Commission has therefore begun infringement procedures against several Member States. At European level, the Commission has started formal proceedings against five very large platforms and has found, on a preliminary basis, that the platform X does not comply with the act. The other investigations are still ongoing. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP