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

MEPs debate the humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure as well as the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor mass killing. Opening statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure and civilian areas: opening statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

MEPs debate the humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure as well as the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a Soviet-imposed famine that killed millions of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933. Closing statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

90 years after Holodomor - recognising the mass killing through starvation as genocide: closing statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

MEPs debate the humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure as well as the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a Soviet-imposed famine that killed millions of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933. One round political leaders.

90 years after Holodomor - Recognising the mass killing through starvation as genocide: one round political leaders

MEPs debate on the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a Soviet-imposed famine that killed millions of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933.

90 years after Holodomor: Recognising the mass killing through starvation as genocide: extracts from the debate and votes

MEPs debate the humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure as well as the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a Soviet-imposed famine that killed millions of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933. Opening statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

90 years after Holodomor - recognising the mass killing through starvation as genocide: opening statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

MEPs ask Commission Vice-President Vestager and Czech Minister Bek about the measures the EU could take to tackle the massive tax breaks to companies producing in the US, a scheme that puts European industry at a disadvantage. Extracts from the debate.

EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act: extracts from the debate

Voting session regarding on the following topics: Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain and Greece - Henrike HAHN (Greens/EFA,DE); Annual implementing report on the EU association agreement with Georgia - Sven MIKSER (S&D,EE); Renewable Energy, Energy Performance of Buildings and Energy Efficiency Directives: amendments (REPowerEU) - Markus PIEPER (EPP,DE); Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine and Implementation of the New European Agenda for Culture and the EU Strategy for International Cultural Relations - Salima YENBOU (Renew,FR).

Voting session

On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Full video of the award being given to the representatives present in the hemicycle: Oleksandra MATVIYCHUK, Human rights lawyer and Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties; Ivan FEDOROV, Mayor of the Ukrainian city of Melitopol; Yaroslav BOZHKO from the Yellow Riboon Civil Resistance Movment; Yulia PAJEVSKA, founder of the medical evacuation unit Angels of Taira; Oleksandr CHEKRYHIN and Stanislav KULYKIVSKI from the State Emergency Service and Vsevolod CHENTSOV, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union. Family pictures are taken after the ceremony.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2022: ceremony and hand over of the prize to Oleksandra MATVIYCHUK, Ivan FEDOROV, Yaroslav BOZHKO, Yulia PAJEVSKA, Oleksandr CHEKRYHIN, Stanislav KULYKIVSKI and Vsevolod CHENTSOV

On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, President of Ukraine, connects remotely to the hemycicle and gives a speech to thanks the European Parliament for awarding his people. Full speech without cutaways.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2022: statement by Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President - full speech without cutaways

On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, President of Ukraine, connects remotely to the hemycicle and gives a speech to thanks the European Parliament for awarding his people.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2022: statement by Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President

On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Ambiance shots prior to the ceremony. Statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2022: Statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Ambiance shots prior to the ceremony. Introductory statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President.

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2022: ambiance shots prior to the ceremony Introductory statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

The brave Ukrainian people are awarded the European Parliament’s 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in a ceremony, in Strasbourg. Volodymyr ZELENSKYY addresses the plenary chamber remotely. Oleksandra MATVIYCHUK, Human rights lawyer and Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties; Ivan FEDOROV, Mayor of the Ukrainian city of Melitopol; Yaroslav BOZHKO from the Yellow Riboon Civil Resistance Movment; Yulia PAJEVSKA, founder of the medical evacuation unit Angels of Taira; Oleksandr CHEKRYHIN and Stanislav KULYKIVSKI from the State Emergency Service and Vsevolod CHENTSOV, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union, receive the prize in the hemicycle. Extracts from the ceremony: statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, address to the plenary by Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, President of Ukraine.

Award of the 2022 Sakharov Prize: extracts from the ceremony

MEPs seek answers on how the EU is handling the massive tax breaks to companies producing in the US, a scheme that puts European companies at a disadvantage. The roughly €350 billion Inflation Reduction Act aims to build a new green economy by giving subsidies and tax credits to companies which manufacture with local parts or produce in the US from 1 January 2023, to the detriment of European manufacturers and in potential breach of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Closing statements by by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and Margrethe VESTAGER, Vice-President of the European Commission.

Key debate EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act: closing statements by by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and Margrethe VESTAGER, Vice-President of the European Commission

MEPs seek answers on how the EU is handling the massive tax breaks to companies producing in the US, a scheme that puts European companies at a disadvantage. The roughly €350 billion Inflation Reduction Act aims to build a new green economy by giving subsidies and tax credits to companies which manufacture with local parts or produce in the US from 1 January 2023, to the detriment of European manufacturers and in potential breach of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act: MEPs debate

EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act: one round of political group's leaders

MEPs seek answers on how the EU is handling the massive tax breaks to companies producing in the US, a scheme that puts European companies at a disadvantage. The roughly €350 billion Inflation Reduction Act aims to build a new green economy by giving subsidies and tax credits to companies which manufacture with local parts or produce in the US from 1 January 2023, to the detriment of European manufacturers and in potential breach of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Opening statements by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and Margrethe VESTAGER, Vice-President of the European Commission.

EU response to the US Inflation Reduction Act: opening statements by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and Margrethe VESTAGER, Vice-President of the European Commission

MEPs outline their demands and expectations for the 15 December EU summit. During their meeting in Brussels, heads of state or government will focus on the latest developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine and how to further assist Ukraine, particularly in view of Russia destroying vital Ukrainian infrastructure and the upcoming winter. Closing statements by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and by Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive vicepresident of the European Commission .

Key debate - Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 December 2022: closing statements by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs and by Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive vicepresident of the European Commission

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