María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia are the 2024 winners of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. 
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024

When we think of the European Parliament, we usually imagine MEPs voting in the debating chamber. In reality, though, voting only takes place once a month, during plenary part-sessions. But what actually are these part-sessions, and how do they work?

What are plenary sessions?

Out of the jargon jungle. The role of the European Parliament President?

The role of the European Parliament President?

On 19 March 1958, the European Parliamentary Assembly hold a first meeting in Strasbourg. Luciano GRANZOTTO BASSO, Oldest member of the Assembly leads the election. The representatives elect Robert Schuman as President. He is the single candidate at the function.

Constitutive session of the European Parliamentary Assembly: election of Robert SCHUMAN, as President of the Assembly

A formal sitting is&nbsp;held to mark an official visit to the European Parliament, made at the President’s invitation after consulting with the Conference of Presidents.

The official guest is seated to the right of the President on the podium. After the welcoming remarks by the President, the official guest addresses the&nbsp; Parliament from the central rostrum in the Chamber.

The address for a formal sitting of Parliament&nbsp;usually lasts 30 minutes and generally takes place before the voting session.

Formal Sittings

On certain occasions, David SASSOLI, President of the European Parliament, gives a speech during plenary sessions highlighting the news, a special event or pays tribute to a personality and asks for a minute of silence.

Statements of David SASSOLI, EP President in Plenary

Holocaust Remembrance Day - Group photo with the leaders of political groups

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day - Meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and Corrie Hermann, daughter of Hungarian-born cellist Pál Hermann

EP Plenary session - EU funding of physical border protection structures such as walls, fences or other barriers at the external border

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Cryptocurrencies - need for global standards

EP Plenary session - Combating Desertification: 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention

EP Plenary session - Stepping up international action to protect whales following Iceland’s decision to extend commercial whaling until 2029

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

EP Plenary session - EU financing through the LIFE programme of entities lobbying EU institutions and the need for transparency

EP Plenary session - Links between organised crime and smuggling of migrants in light of the recent UN reports

EP Plenary session - Failure of the negotiations in Busan for a UN plastic treaty and the urgent need to tackle plastic pollution at international and Union level

EP Plenary session - Addressing EU demographic challenges: towards the implementation of the 2023 Demography Toolbox

EP Plenary session - Uniting Europe against actors hostile to the EU: time to strengthen our security and defence

Following the sharp deterioration of women’s rights in Afghanistan, MEPs and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell assess the situation in the country. The Taliban recently announced that they would not allow girls above the 6th grade to attend school until further notice, thereby backtracking on earlier promises to grant women above a certain age access to education.

Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights: MEPs debate (Part 1/2)

Following the sharp deterioration of women’s rights in Afghanistan, MEPs and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep BORRELL FONTELLES assess the situation in the country. The Taliban recently announced that they would not allow girls above the 6th grade to attend school until further notice, thereby backtracking on earlier promises to grant women above a certain age access to education.

Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights: opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union

MEPs quiz EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep BORRELL FONTELLES on the EU’s security and defence strategy for the coming decade. The Strategic Compass, adopted by EU ministers and approved by the European Council last week, maps out the EU’s action plan to “protect its citizens, values and interests and contribute to international peace and security”. It calls on the EU to shoulder a greater responsibility for its own security and improve its collective self-defence capabilities.

Question time - The EU’s security and strategic compass: third part of the questions to Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union

Question time - The EU’s security and strategic compass: second part of the questions to Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union

Question time - The EU’s security and strategic compass: first part of the questions to Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union

The current Commission assumed office on 1 December 2019, following the approval of the European Parliament. Next week, MEPs evaluate the Commission’s work in the first two years. This “Question Time” gives MEPs the possibility to question the Commission on specific topical issues decided upon by the Conference of Presidents and communicated to the Commission and the High Representative. Third part of the questions.

Question Time to Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission - Two years on, implementation of the political priorities: third part of the questions

The current Commission assumed office on 1 December 2019, following the approval of the European Parliament. Next week, MEPs evaluate the Commission’s work in the first two years. This “Question Time” gives MEPs the possibility to question the Commission on specific topical issues decided upon by the Conference of Presidents and communicated to the Commission and the High Representative. Second part of the questions to Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission

Question Time to Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission - Two years on, implementation of the political priorities: second part of the questions

The current Commission assumed office on 1 December 2019, following the approval of the European Parliament. Next week, MEPs evaluate the Commission’s work in the first two years. This “Question Time” gives MEPs the possibility to question the Commission on specific topical issues decided upon by the Conference of Presidents and communicated to the Commission and the High Representative. First part of the questions to Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission.

Question Time to Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission - Two years on, implementation of political priorities: first part of the questions

Votes on requests for urgent procedure, including: Medicinal products made available in the UK with respect to Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Ireland and Malta - Pascal CANFIN (Renew, FR); Increased pre-financing from REACT-EU resources; Security of gas supply and conditions for access to natural gas transmission networks; Strengthening the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms - Samira RAFAELA (Renew, NL) and Kira Marie PETER-HANSEN (Greens/EFA, DK); Revision of the Market Stability Reserve for the EU Emissions Trading System - Cyrus ENGERER (S&D, MT); Use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road - Cláudia MONTEIRO DE AGUIAR (EPP, PT); The future of fisheries in the Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean in the light of the UK's withdrawal from the EU - Manuel PIZARRO (S&D, PT);

Voting session: votes on requests for urgent procedure

MEPs have identified among their priorities for next year’s budget the recovery, health, youth and climate action, and addressing the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine. MEPs say they want the 2023 EU budget to be a “future-oriented budget that matches the Union’s political priorities of ensuring a stronger Health Union, making a success of the green and digital transitions, and fostering a fair, inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery, including increased support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Closing statements by Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration and by Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ (Renew, RO), rapporteur.

Guidelines for the 2023 budget – Section III: closing statements by Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ (Renew, RO), rapporteur, and Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration

MEPs have identified among their priorities for next year’s budget the recovery, health, youth and climate action, and addressing the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine. MEPs say they want the 2023 EU budget to be a “future-oriented budget that matches the Union’s political priorities of ensuring a stronger Health Union, making a success of the green and digital transitions, and fostering a fair, inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery, including increased support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Opening statements by Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ (Renew, RO), rapporteur, Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Dragoş PÎSLARU (Renew, RO), EMPL; Christian EHLER (EPP, DE), ITRE; Vlad GHEORGHE (Renew, RO), TRAN; Andrea CAROPPO (EPP, IT), AGRI; Morten LØKKEGAARD (Renew, DK), CULT; and by Monika VANA (Greens/EFA, AT), FEMM.

Guidelines for the 2023 budget – Section III: opening statements by Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ (Renew, RO), rapporteur, Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration

The draft law, already agreed with EU Ministers, is debated and put to the vote in plenary. It sets the criteria and the methodology for selecting energy projects of common interest (PCIs), such as high-voltage transmission lines, pipelines, energy storage facilities or smart grids, which would benefit from fast-track administrative procedures and be eligible to receive EU funds. Closing statements by Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for International Partnerships and by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR,PL), rapporteur.

Trans-European energy infrastructure: closing statements by Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for International Partnerships and by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur

The draft law, already agreed with EU Ministers, is debated and put to the vote in plenary. It sets the criteria and the methodology for selecting energy projects of common interest (PCIs), such as high-voltage transmission lines, pipelines, energy storage facilities or smart grids, which would benefit from fast-track administrative procedures and be eligible to receive EU funds. Second part of the debate.

Trans-European energy infrastructure: MEPs debate (part 2/2)

The draft law, already agreed with EU Ministers, is debated and put to the vote in plenary. It sets the criteria and the methodology for selecting energy projects of common interest (PCIs), such as high-voltage transmission lines, pipelines, energy storage facilities or smart grids, which would benefit from fast-track administrative procedures and be eligible to receive EU funds. First part of the debate.

Trans-European energy infrastructure: MEPs debate (part 1/2)

Plenary debates and votes in Strasbourg on new guidelines for selecting energy projects for EU funding in order to better align them with the EU’s Green Deal objectives. MEPs also decide whether to apply the urgent procedure process to a recent proposal by the Commission setting an obligatory 80% gas storage level ahead of next winter to ensure security of supply.

Trans-European energy infrastructure: statement by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR,PL), rapporteur, extracts from the debate and results of the vote

The draft law, already agreed with EU Ministers, is debated and put to the vote in plenary. It sets the criteria and the methodology for selecting energy projects of common interest (PCIs), such as high-voltage transmission lines, pipelines, energy storage facilities or smart grids, which would benefit from fast-track administrative procedures and be eligible to receive EU funds. Opening statements by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur and by Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for International Partnerships, Marie TOUSSAINT (Greens/EFA, FR), ENVI; Paolo BORCHIA (ID, IT), TRAN and Vlad-Marius BOTOŞ (Renew, RO), REGI.

Trans-European energy infrastructure: opening statements by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for Partnerships, Marie TOUSSAINT (Greens/EFA, FR), Paolo BORCHIA (ID, IT), and Vlad-Mari BOTOŞ (RE, RO)

MEPs discuss what the EU can do to protect children fleeing war in Ukraine, in particular from trafficking and exploitation, following the activation on 3 March of the temporary protection status for refugees from Ukraine, which gives them temporary residence rights and access to education and the labour market. Closing statements by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs.

EU Protection of children and young people fleeing the war against Ukraine: closing statements by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

MEPs discuss what the EU can do to protect children fleeing war in Ukraine, in particular from trafficking and exploitation, following the activation on 3 March of the temporary protection status for refugees from Ukraine, which gives them temporary residence rights and access to education and the labour market. Third part of the debate.

6,842 results