The European Parliament and its elected Members are the citizens’ voice in the European Union. That’s why we want to make Parliament accessible to everyone. News in Brief gives you a quick overview of the day’s main topics in all official Union languages. This broadcast is brought to you by the European Parliament. You can find more programmes here:

News in Brief – 10/07/2023 – English

News in Brief – 07/07/2023 – English

Since 2012 – when Xi was first made General-Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – the China-Russia relationship has evolved into an informal alliance in the face of what both countries consider a rising threat from the West to their regimes. China's response to Russia's war on has so far been much closer to Russia than it was in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. At the same time, developments since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have increased Russia's dependency on China, which some now qualify as a rising 'vassalisation' of Russia.

EPRS policy podcast -China-Russia relations: A quantum leap?

In March 2023, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a 'net-zero industry act' that aims to expand the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies in the EU and enhance the resilience of its energy system. The proposed regulation would set up enabling conditions for the manufacturing of 10 net-zero technologies. The proposed regulation would aim to ensure that, by 2030, the manufacturing capacity in the EU for these strategic net-zero technologies reaches an overall benchmark of at least 40 % of the EU's annual deployment needs.

EPRS policy podcast - Net-zero industry act

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing crises, progress towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 3 ('ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages') is off track globally, and many of its targets may not be achieved by 2030. Within the EU, measures pertaining to SDG 3 focus on achieving more resilient, accessible and inclusive health systems; improving reproductive, maternal and child health; ending major communicable disease epidemics; and reducing non-communicable and mental disorders. They also focus on lowering behavioural and environmental health risk factors.

EPRS policy podcast - The EU's role in promoting health and well-being for all - SDG 3

To reach the Paris Agreement objective of keeping the global temperature increase well below 2°C, the EU must consider every possible technology to decarbonise its energy production. Nuclear fusion is the process that powers our sun and we can recreate it on Earth. However, even if we overcome the considerable engineering challenges of designing a fusion power plant, there are hard constraints to upscaling fusion power.

EPRS Science and Technology podcast - What if we could make nuclear fusion work?

Road transport is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for over a quarter of road transport CO2 emissions. The European Commission proposes to revise the legislation setting CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles in the EU. The proposed revision would expand the scope of the existing regulation to include urban buses, coaches, trailers and other types of lorries. It will also require that the average CO2 emissions of heavy-duty vehicles, would have to fall by 45 % from 2030, by 65 % from 2035, and by 90 % from 2040 onwards, compared with 2019 levels.

EPRS policy podcast - CO₂ emission performance standards and reporting obligations for new heavy-duty vehicles

News in Brief – 06/07/2023 – English

News in Brief – 05/07/2023 – English

News in Brief – 04/07/2023 – English

News in Brief – 03/07/2023 – English

News in Brief – 30/06/2023 – English

News in Brief – 29/06/2023 – English

The winner of the 2023 LUX Audience Award is ‘Close’. LUX – the European Audience Film Award’ is an instrument for highlighting and reflecting on films that deal with social and political themes. It aims at encouraging debate and using films to help build a stronger European identity.

LUX – The European Audience Film Award 2023

News in Brief – 27/06/2023 – English

News in Brief – 26/06/2023 – English

Euroscola

AFET -  Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, European Commissioner-designate for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

REGI-  Confirmation hearing of Raffaele FITTO, European Commissioner-designate for Cohesion and Reforms

Millionth visitor to the House of European History

Subcommittee on Human Rights - Interparliamentary committee meeting

DROI

Press conference by Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES, rapporteur on the reform of the electricity market design

ITRE - BUDG

BUDG

ITRE

JURI - AFCO

AFCO

JURI

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - DRFMG meeting

LIBE

DROI - DEVE

DEVE

Committee on Legal Affairs

Committee on Transport and Tourism

TRAN

Subcommittee on Human Rights

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

FEMM

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

AGRI

Committee on Budgets

Committee on International Trade

INTA

Committee on Regional Development

REGI

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

ENVI

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with APA Committee

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Standing Committee of European Doctors

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Addresses at Valletta, Attard

Udo BULLMANN and his team in Brussels

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Lays wreath on Paulina Dembska's murder site, Sliema

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Meeting with students at St Joseph School, Sliema

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Visit to Seifert Systems, Birżebbugia

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Implementation of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation in fisheries and aquaculture

Press conference on on the provisional deal on anti-money laundering package

EP Plenary session -  EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries

EP Plenary session - Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy  and future perspectives

EU - Caribbean delegation meeting - Election of the new Chair

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Recent ecological catastrophe involving plastic pellet losses and its impact on micro plastic pollution in the maritime and coastal habitats

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Addressing urgent skills shortages and finding the right talents to boost job creation (European Year of Skills)

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)

EP Plenary session - Gender aspects of the rising cost of living and the impact of the energy crisis

EP Plenary session - Geothermal energy

Visit of Iván DUQUE, President of Colombia to the European Parliament: meeting with Roberta METSOLA, President of the EP and extracts from the formal sitting

The European Parliament debated on Tuesday and adopted on Wednesday (652 votes in favour, 15 against and 27 abstentions) measures and actions to fight cancer in the EU. Key recommendations by the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA), presided by Veronique TRILLET-LENOIR (Renew, FR) include facilitating access to cross-border health care and clinical trials, managing shortages of cancer medicines more efficiently, and ensuring equal access to innovative drugs and treatments. Véronique TRILLET-LENOIR stated that the EU would be faster and better equipped to bring down the prices of cancer drugs, which are very high. Stella KYRIAKIDES, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, reminded that prevention is very important so that citizens can have specific recommendations on how they can reduce their risk of cancer. In general, MEPs agreed that a better cross-border cooperation is needed in the fight against cancer:

Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer: extracts from the debate and the votes, statement by Veronique TRILLET-LENOIR (Renew, FR), Rapporteur

MEPs celebrate in Strasbourg the 20 years of the Euro. Roberta METSOLA, EP Preisdent, Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank, Paolo GENTILONI, Commissioner for Economy and Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), Chair of the ECON Committee highlight the successes behind the creation of the single currency.

20th anniversary of the Euro: extracts from the ceremony

Exterior views of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and cutaways during the ressumption of the plenary session

EP Plenary session (14-17/02): editing shots

The fourth European Citizens’ Panel of the Conference on the Future of Europe met in Maastricht to debate and delivers its recommendations. Panelists discussed issues related to “EU in the world/migration”. They finalised their recommendations, which will then be debated at the Conference Plenary meeting on 11-12 March. Atmosphere of the votes, last day in Maastricht, statement of citizens

Conference on the Future of Europe - Panel 4 : "EU in the World / Migration" in Maastricht, Netherlands

The European Citizens’ Panel on "EU in the world / Migration" meets at the European Institute for Public Administration in Maastricht and online to deliver its recommendations. Ambiance in working groups/subgroups, statement of citizens and Guy Vehofstadt, co-chair of the executive board of the COFOE

The European Citizens’ Panel on "EU in the world / Migration" meets at the European Institute for Public Administration in Maastricht and online to deliver its recommendations. Ambiance of arrivals, opening ceremony, statements of citizens

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted on Thursday, with 74 votes in favour, 8 against and 5 abstentions, its position on proposed rules to govern the entire battery product life cycle, from design to end-of-life. Rapporteur Simona BONAFÈ (S&D, IT), explaines that the report includes the possibility for any citizen to remove these batteries on their own and also having batteries that are more accessible to consumers. She also stressed that the EP added an ad hoc category: “Light Means of Transport” (batteries used for electric cars and also for mopeds, scooters) for these forms of batteries that will be increasingly used and available on the market.

Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries: statement by Simona BONAFÈ (S&D, IT), rapporteur

During her visit to Malta, Roberta METSOLA, EP President, paid tribute Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta. She lays a wreath at the site where she was assassinated. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist, blogger and anti-corruption activist who reported extensively on corruption, money laundering, organised crime, sale of citizenship and the Maltese government’s links to the Panama Papers. Following harassment and threats, she was murdered in a car bomb explosion on 16 October 2017.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President laying a wreath on Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination site: arrival and extracts from the ceremony

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, is in Valletta, Malta, to meet President George Vella.

Visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta: meeting with George VELLA, President of Malta

Alexander DE CROO, Belgian Prime Minister, visits the European Parliament in Brussels and meets with Roberta METSOLA, EP President.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Alexander DE CROO, Belgian Prime Minister

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, comments the special Eurobarometer survey conducted for the European Parliament in the 27 EU member states between November and December 2021. Survey requested by the European Parliament and carried out by Kantar Public Affairs out in the 27 Member States on 2 Nov.- 3 Dec. 2021. 26,510 interviews with EU citizens, 15 years and over were conducted.

Parlemeter 2020-2021 - Presentation of the Eurobarometer Wave 96.2 - Defending Democracy and Empowering Citizens: Statements by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

The European Parliament publish its autumn 2021 Parlemeter, a special Eurobarometer survey conducted for the European Parliament in the 27 EU member states between November and December 2021. Survey requested by the European Parliament and carried out by Kantarn Public Affairs out in the 27 Member States on 1 Nov.- 2 Dec. 2021. 26,510 interviews with EU citizens, 15 years and over were conducted.

Parlemeter 2020-2021 - Presentation of the Eurobarometer Wave 96.2 - Defending Democracy and Empowering Citizens: Infographics

The CULT (Culture and Education) Committee has voted in favor of a report that intends to be a first step towards the full realisation of a fair, inclusive and just society by tackling racism and discrimination in the field of culture, education, sports and media. Salima YENBOU (Greens/EFA, FR) is the rapporteur and asks for more representation and diversity in History books, calls member states to monitor diversity on the media.

The role of culture, education, media and sport in the fight against racism: statement by Salima YENBOU (Greens/EFA, FR)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Dimitar KOVACHEVSKI, Prime Minister of North Macedonia in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Dimitar KOVACHEVSKI, Prime Minister of North Macedonia

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Mark RUTTE, Prime Minister of the Netherlands in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Mark RUTTE, Dutch Prime Minister

The nine members from the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) and the Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) of the European Parliament's Committee meet with Oleksii REZNIKOV, Ukrainian Minister of Defence and and Olha STEFANISHYNA, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine in Kyiv. MEPs gather information on the ground on the current security crisis and show their support to Ukraine.

EP Fact Finding Mission to Ukraine: Meeting with Oleksii REZNIKOV, Ukrainian Minister of Defence and Olha STEFANISHYNA, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine

Following the Taliban's return to power, women are again excluded from government and education and their rights and freedoms are threatened. To honour the Afghan women for their brave fight for equality, the European Parliament is hosting the "Afghan Women Days" on Tuesday and Wednesday. This event gathers MEPs, prominent Afghan women who were finalists for Parliament’s 2021 Sakharov Prize, Commission and United Nations representatives as well as representatives of other international organisations. Extracts from several workshops organised to discuss specific issues related to Afghanistan, such as future perspectives for women in the country and a youth seminar. Statements of Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), Vice President in charge of the Sakharov Prize Community and Maria ARENA (S&D, BE), Chair of the Sub-committee on Human Rights.

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