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

Debate on&nbsp;the Digital Single Market Act during the EP Plenary session (18-21/01) in Strasbourg. Statements by Kaja KALLAS (ALDE, EE),&nbsp; Evelyne GEBHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), Jutta STEINRUCK (S&amp;D, DE), Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&amp;D, DE), Andrus ANSIP, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Digital Single Market, Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&amp;D, FI), Vicky FORD (ECR, UK),

Towards a Digital Single Market Act: extracts from the debate

Debate on the Situation in Syria during the EP Plenary session (18-21/01) in Strasbourg. Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG), Victor BOSTINARU (S&D, RO), Bas BELDER (ECR, NL), Pavel TELICKA (ALDE, CZ) and Takis HADJIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, CY)

Situation in Syria: extracts from the debate

Debate on the Review of the Luxembourg Presidency during the EP Plenary session (18-21/01) in Strasbourg. Statements by Xavier BETTEL, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Viviane REDING (EPP, LU), Mady DELVAUX (S&D, LU), Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE) and Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU)

Review of the Luxembourg Presidency: extracts from the debate

Debate on the Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015 during the EP Plenary session (18-21/01) in Strasbourg. Statements by Donald TUSK, President of the European Council, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Enrique GUERRERO SALOM (S&D, ES), Geoffrey VAN ORDEN (ECR, UK) and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE).

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015: extracts from the debate

Debate&nbsp; on Real Driving Emission test procedure, during the EP Plenary session (18-21/01) in Strasbourg. Statements by Benedek JAVOR (Greens/EFA, HU), Elzbieta BIENKOWSKA, Member of the EC in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Ivo BELET (EPP, BE), Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&amp;D, BE), Julie GIRLING (ECR, UK), Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ALDE, NL) and Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL),&nbsp;

Real Driving Emission test procedure: extracts from the debate

Debates on cases of breaches of human rights during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements on "Ibrahim Halawa potentially facing the death penalty" by Ignazio CORRAO (EFDD, IT), Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE), Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL), and Lynn BOYLAN (GUE/NGL, IE). Statements on Situation in the Maldives by Gerard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), and Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR). Statements on Malaysia by Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE),and Cecilia WIKSTROM (ALDE, SE)

Cases of breaches of human rights: extracts from the debates on Ibrahim Halawa potentially facing the death penalty - Situation in the Maldives - Malaysia

20th anniversary of the Dayton Peace agreement, extracts from the debate in the Plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Nicolas SCHMIT, President-in-Office of the Council, Afzal KHAN (S&amp;D, UK), and Kristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO)

20th anniversary of the Dayton Peace agreement: extracts from the debate

Debate on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015&nbsp;during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) and Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK)

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015: MEPs debate

Debate on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015&nbsp;during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Nicolas SCHMIT, EU Luxembourg Presidency, and Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015: extracts from the Council and Commission statements

Debate on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 December 2015 during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Closing Statements by Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 17 -18 December 2015: extracts from the Closing statement by Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC

Debate on the detention and use of force against asylum-seekers during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Nicolas SCHMIT, UE Presidency, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Enrique GUERRERO SALOM (S&D, ES), Timothy KIRKHOPE (ECR, UK), Cecilia WIKSTROM (ALDE, SE), Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ (GUE/NGL, ES), Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL), and Vicky MAEIJER (ENF, NL)

Detention and use of force against asylum-seekers: extracts from the debate

Debate on Bringing transparency, coordination and convergence to Corporate Tax policies&nbsp;during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Anneliese DODDS (S&amp;D, UK), rapporteur,Ludek NIEDERMAYER (EPP, CZ), Rapporteur, and Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management

Bringing transparency, coordination and convergence to Corporate Tax policies: extracts from the debate

Debate on the outcome of the COP 21&nbsp;during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Miguel ARIAS CANETE, Member of the EC in charge of Climate Action and Energy, Giovanni LA VIA (EPP, IT), Chair of the EP delegation to COP 21, Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&amp;D, BE), Ian DUNCAN (ECR, UK), Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ALDE, NL), Anne-Marie MINEUR (GUE/NGL, NL), and Yannick JADOT (Greens/EFA, FR)

Outcome of the COP 21: extracts from the debate

Debate on the decision adopted on European Border and Coast Guard package&nbsp;during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg.&nbsp;Statements by Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Cecilia WIKSTROM (ALDE, SE), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE) and Angelika MLINAR (ALDE, AT)

Decision adopted on European Border and Coast Guard package: MEPs debate

Debate on Eurozone recommendation during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Opening statements by Jeroen DIJSSELBLOEM, President of the Eurogroup and Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC

Eurozone recommendation: extracts from the opening statements by Jeroen DIJSSELBLOEM, President of the Eurogroup and Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC

Debate on Eurozone recommendation during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Maria Joao RODRIGUES (S&D, PT), Esther de LANGE (EPP, NL), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), Elisa FERREIRA (S&D, PT), Sylvie GOULARD (ALDE, FR), and Jeroen DIJSSELBLOEM, President of the Eurogroup,

Eurozone recommendation: MEPs debate

Debate on the decision adopted on European Border and Coast Guard package during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Opening statements by Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship

Decision adopted on European Border and Coast Guard package: extracts from the opening statements

Debate on Circular Economy Package during the EP plenary session in Brussels. Statements by Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Jyrki KATAINEN, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Giovanni LA VIA (EPP, IT), Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ALDE, NL), Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ (GUE/NGL, ES) and Davor SKRLEC (Greens/EFA, HR)

5,049 results