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?

EP Plenary session - Topical debate - Tax the rich

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Social-economic cost of climate change, floods in Emilia Romagna, Marche, Toscana - urgent need EU solidarity

EP Plenary session - Threat to democracy and the rule of law in Poland, in particular the creation of an investigative committee

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Breaches of the Rule of Law and fundamental rights in Hungary and frozen EU funds

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

EP Plenary session - Situation in Sudan

EP Plenary session - Adoption of the Act in support of ammunition production

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - CFSP and CSDP (Article 36 TEU).Implementation of the common foreign and security policy and the common security and defence policy- annual reports 2022

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144) - The human rights situation in Afghanistan especially the deterioration of women’s rights

EP Plenary session - Human rights situation in Egypt

EP Plenary session - Situation of human rights in the context of the upcoming FIFA world cup in Qatar

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with youth organizations and University Students, at the Library of the University of Cyprus

EP Plenary session - Topical debate: The Three Seas Initiative; challenges and opportunities

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

EP Plenary session -  Question time to Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World - The EU’s security and strategic compass

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law - The situation of journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico

Live replay of the debate on the Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2018 - Gabriel ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), GUE/NGL Group Leader

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2018: MEPs debate - Gabriel ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), GUE/NGL Group Leader (9:34 - 9:39)

Live replay of the debate on the Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2018 - Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group Leader

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2018: MEPs debate - Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group Leader (9:24 - 9:30)

MEPs discuss their priorities for the 18 October meeting of EU heads of state or government in Brussels, which is set to focus on migration, internal security and the state of play of the negotiations over the terms of the UK’s withdrawal agreement, with little more than six months to go before Brexit, during the plenary session (01-04/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) and Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE).

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2018: extracts from the debate

During the plenary session (01-04/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on EU support to UNRWA, following the US withdrawal of financial support to UNRWA. Statements by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, José Ignacio SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA (EPP, ES), Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Hilde VAUTMANS (ALDE, BE) and Margrete AUKEN (Greens/EFA, DK).

EU support to UNRWA, following the US withdrawal of financial support to UNRWA: extracts from the debate

During the plenary session (01-04/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on health technology assessment. Statements by Soledad CABEZÓN RUIZ (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Françoise GROSSETÊTE (EPP, FR) and Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR).

Health technology assessment: extracts from the debate

During the meeting of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on the Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank. Ambiance of the arrivals. Opening statement by Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank. Questions and answers.

Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank: ambiance shots of the arrivals and opening statement by Roberto GUALTIERI, ECON Chair (15:06 - 15:11)

Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank: Q&A - part 1 (15:30 - 16:11)

Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank: Q&A - part 3 (16:41 - 17:00)

During the meeting of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on euro-area economic and monetary prospects, and particularly the ECB’s plans to end quantitative easing, with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank. Statements by Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank, and Markus FERBER (EPP, DE).

Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank: extracts from the meeting

Monetary Dialogue: opening statement by Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank (15:11 - 15:29)

Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank: Q&A - part 2 (16:11 - 16:41)

During the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Statements by Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Maria HEUBUCH (Greens/EFA, DE), Cécile Kashetu KYENGE (S&D, IT) and Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, on arrests of opposition parliamentarians in Uganda. Statements by Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Sajjad KARIM (ECR, UK), Urmas PAET (ALDE, EE) and Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC , on Myanmar, notably the case of journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Statements by Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE) and Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&D, AU) on Cambodia, notably the case of imprisoned opposition leader Kem Sokha.

Cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law: extracts from the debate on Uganda, Myanmar, Cambodia

During the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate and vote on dual quality of products in the Single Market. Statements by Olga SEHNALOVÁ (S&D, CZ), Rapporteur, Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Rapporteur from ENVI, Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Member of the EC in charge of Health and Food Safety, and Nicola DANTI (S&D, IT). Vote. Illustrative shots: supermarket in Estonia, meat products, fish fingers and beauty products, supermarket in Croatia, chocolate spread, coffee, baby food, detergents.

Dual quality of products in the Single Market: extracts from the debate, from the vote and illustrative pictures

Live replay of the Debate on State of the Union 2018: MEPs questions and interventions

MEPs questions and interventions (Part 2) - Debate on State of the Union 2018 (11:29 - 12:01)

Live replay of the Debate on State of the Union 2018: Round of political group speakers. Nicolas BAY (ENF, FR), ENF group leader (co-chair)

Nicolas BAY (ENF, FR), ENF group leader (co-chair): round of political group speakers - Debate on State of the Union 2018 (10:44 - 10:47)

Live replay of the Debate on State of the Union 2018: Round of political group speakers. Nigel FARAGE (UK), EFDD group leader

Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK), EFDD group leader: round of political group speakers - Debate on State of the Union 2018 (10:40 - 10:44)

During the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation. (recorded 12/09). Statements by Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE), Rapporteur, Lukas MANDL, Author, Karoline EDSTADLER, Austrian State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, and Jyrki KATAINEN, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness

Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation: extracts from the debate

During the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, kicks off the debate in his fourth and last “State of the Union” speech. Statements by Daniel CASPARY (EPP, DE), Maria João RODRIGUES (S&D, PT), Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (EPP, PL), Yannick JADOT (Greens/EFA, FR), Nikolaos CHOUNTIS (GUE/NGL, EL) and Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI).

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