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:

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The European Union has an ambitious climate strategy and is looking for ways to boost technologies that will make it possible. Could hydrogen and the deployment of related technology and infrastructure become a decisive factor in decarbonising specific industry sectors? In this podcast, we’ll talk about hydrogen and its potential to accelerate the decarbonisation of European industry.

EPRS STOA podcast - What if hydrogen accelerated decarbonisation of European industry?

News in Brief - EN - 211208

News in Brief - EN - 211207

News in Brief - EN - 210612

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News in Brief - EN - 211202

Human rights sanctions are nothing new, but the death in 2009 of Russian whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky in detention resulted in calls for more vigorous action to counter continuing abuses in many countries. Adopted by the US in 2016, the Global Magnitsky Act was the first of a new generation of human rights sanctions programmes, which, in contrast to traditional sanctions targeted at individual countries, can be flexibly applied to perpetrators from all over the world, regardless of their geographical location. In this podcast, we’ll talk about the rise of global human rights sanctions and compare how the US, Canada, the UK and the EU deal with human rights violations and abuses worldwide.

EPRS policy podcast - Global human rights sanctions - Mapping Magnitsky laws: The US, Canadian, UK and EU approach

The fit for 55 package is part of the Commission's European Green Deal, which aims to set the EU firmly on the path towards net zero GHG emissions (climate neutrality) by 2050. The fit for 55 package includes a regulation establishing a new social climate fund (SCF). The aim of the SCF is to help vulnerable households, micro-businesses and transport users meet the costs of the green energy transition in the buildings and road transport sector. The SCF is designed to counter the additional costs that vulnerable consumers may face when the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive is revised to cover these two sectors, as proposed in the fit for 55 package. The SCF aims to provide over €72 billion in EU funding over the 2025-2032 period, to be paid for mainly by ETS credits in the buildings and road transport sectors. In this podcast, we’ll talk about the ‘social climate fund’: a new tool with which the EU aims to support lower-income groups through [...]

EPRS policy podcast - Social climate fund: Fit for 55 package

The European Commission proposes to establish a technology-neutral definition of AI systems in EU law and to lay down a classification for AI systems with different requirements and obligations tailored on a 'risk-based approach'. Some AI systems presenting 'unacceptable' risks would be prohibited. A wide range of 'high-risk' AI systems would be authorised, but subject to a set of requirements and obligations to gain access to the EU market. Those AI systems presenting only 'low or minimal risk' would be subject to very light transparency obligations. In this podcast, we’ll talk about the EU artificial intelligence act, the first ever comprehensive attempt at regulating the uses and risks of this emerging technology.

EPRS policy podcast - Artificial intelligence act

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News in Brief - EN - 211129

ENVI AGRI -  Confirmation hearing of Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner-designate for Health and Animal Welfare

AFET ITRE - Confirmation hearing of Andrius KUBILIUS, European Commissioner-designate for Defence and Space

Committee of inquiry to investigate the use of the Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware

PEGA

Establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe's semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)

IMCO Mission to Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia, 20 - 22 February 2023

Working group on the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA)* Reporting back to committee by Christel Schaldemose (S&D), Chair of the Working group

Safety of users on big platforms* Exchange of views

Right to repair: presentation by the Commission of the legislative proposal* Exchange of views with Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice

Structured dialogue with Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection

IMCO

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

ITRE

Special Committee on COVID-19 pandemic

COVI

COVI - Policy department A

Press conference opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the European Council

Delegation for relations with Mercosur

DMER

Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

Subcommittee on Public Health - Constituent meeting

SANT

Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries

DMAS

Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

LIBE

Committee on Budgetary Control

CONT

Committee on Foreign Affairs

AFET

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

ENVI

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

EMPL

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

AGRI

CONT - LIBE

Euroscola

Speech by President Metsola at the Conference for the 70th Anniversary of the European School System and the European School Luxembourg

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Commission proposal for a Council recommendation on developing social economy framework conditions

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Announcement of the Sakharov Prize 2023 Laureate

Meeting of the EP Conference of Presidents

EP Plenary session - Generational renewal in the EU farms of the future

12th EU-Indonesia IPM

Minority Intergroup meeting

EP Plenary session - European Protein Strategy

EP Plenary session - European Citizens' Initiative Fur Free Europe

AFCO - Presentation of the Spanish Presidency programme of the EU Council

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Islamist terrorist attack on French schools and the need to protect people and promote social cohesion

EP Plenary session - Oral question - New European innovation agenda

EP Plenary session - Oral question - Mental health at work

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Fighting disinformation and dissemination of illegal content in the context of the Digital Services Act

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Tiago ANTUNES, Portugal State Secretary for EU Affairs

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Rule of Law in Malta: 6 years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists

Accused of aggravating the eurozone debt crisis, credit rating agencies should be called to account, MEPs Miguel Portas and Wolf Klinz believe.

Credit rating agencies under close supervision - Miguel Portas, Wolf Klinz

Should credit rating agencies be supervised more closely? Two MEPs discuss. Parliament stresses the importance of R&D for Europe's economic revival.

The News: Credit rating agencies - Spotlight on R&D

Innovation, research and development are the building blocks of Europe's future, MEPs think, but they need the right framework and support to flourish.

Banking on research

Stress tests are back on the agenda and Euro MPs give mixed reactions to Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power with many asking what will replace it.

Pulling the plug on nuclear power

Upon their arrival in Strasbourg next week, MEPs plan to tackle polluting lorries and debate the political challenges that face the EU in the coming years.

Strasbourg synopsis

Germany's decision to close down its nuclear plants stirs debate in the EP, we take a look at the week ahead in Strasbourg, and a UK entry wins the Charlemagne Youth Prize 2011.

The News: Back to fossil fuels? - The week ahead

Parliament's Financial Crisis Committee votes on its final report, and MEPs view the latest in eco-friendly cars.

The News: Crisis conclusions - Cars of the future

Europe's greenest car companies show off their latest wares to MEPs - but which of the technologies will form the future?

MEPs view green cars

Europe needs more power to avoid future crises and deal with the current ones, says the Special Crisis Committee. But will a stronger EU be to everyone’s taste?

Super Euro

Tobacco use kills over 5 million people worldwide every year. But is smoking an individual choice or an ill to be got rid of through legislation?

World No Tobacco Day

Finland aims to become the first completely smoke-free country in the world and other news in brief.

The News: No smoking, please

MEPs want to help shape the new CAP to secure farmers' futures while protecting the environment. The European Parliament wants to dissuade EU students from leaving school early.

The News: Giving farmers a future - Stay in school!

MEPs agree on CAP reforms to help the environment and reward farmers properly but worry new legislation may be late.

MEPs push for new farm policy on time

6 million kids drop out of school every year, affecting their future chances of employment. MEPs are hoping Member States will look into their recommendations on education policy.

Stopping drop outs

As the hotly anticipated contents of the stress tests are unveiled, MEPs ask if the tests cover all the essentials.

The ABC's of testing nuclear plant safety

MEPs react to the finer details of the stress tests given by the Commissioner for Energy, and want to make it easier for women to access top jobs.

The News: Stress tests - Pink quotas

Women are poorly represented at management level in EU businesses. MEPs discuss whether quotas are the best way to improve the gender balance in EU boardrooms.

Women at the top

Nuclear concerns reach the EP with a Finnish petition against a planned nuclear power plant and a Spanish NGO objecting to a radioactive waste disposal centre.

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