Culture plays a fundamental role in human life. It is also an essential source of identity, at local, regional, national and European levels, while making a significant contribution to the EU economy. EU cultural policy relates to cultural heritage, but also to the cultural and creative sector. The EU supports culture through a variety of initiatives, including the European Capitals of Culture scheme. A number of EU programmes also offer funding for cultural projects, for instance the Creative Europe programme, Horizon Europe and New European Bauhaus. As one of the sectors of the economy worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU included culture in its coronavirus response investment initiatives and the REACT-EU programme aimed at dealing with the consequences of the pandemic. The European Parliament has called for increased support for culture as part of the post-pandemic recovery efforts.

EPRS policy podcast - Culture and regional development

Viime vuosisadalla parannettiin kaikkialla maailmassa naisten ja tyttöjen mahdollisuuksia edetä tieteen alalla. Paljon on silti vielä tekemättä. Maailmanlaajuinen terveyskriisi on vaarantanut tasa-arvon ja hidastanut edistystä monilla rintamilla. Tämä podcast tehtiin kansainvälisen naisten ja tyttöjen tiedepäivän kunniaksi. Aiheena on naisten rooli koronapandemian torjunnassa. Naiset ovat yksi niistä ryhmistä, jotka kärsivät terveyskriisistä eniten.

Naiset terveydenhuollossa: koronapandemia ja eriarvoisuuden kasvu - FI

The growing importance of global supply chains has fundamentally changed the way the global economy and goods manufacturing are organised. While trade conducted through global supply chains has fallen somewhat as a share of total trade since the 2008-2010 global financial and economic crisis, more than two-thirds of international trade still involves transactions made possible by such chains. In this podcast, we’ll focus on global supply chains. We’ll analyse how dependent we are on them, the impact of the pandemic and what can be done –at the European and the global level- to make these chains more resilient in the future.

EPRS policy podcast - Resilience of global supply chains: Challenges and solutions

Since the beginning of the pandemic COVID-19, the EU has developed a wide range of health policy responses, exemplified by the common approach to vaccines through the EU Vaccines Strategy and initiatives across a range of other policies.

A common approach to assessing infection rates in different regions made testing and quarantining much more consistent. EU Digital COVID Certificates were agreed on and implemented in record time, paving the way for the safe resumption of tourism and travel during summer, and beyond.

At the same time, the EU took decisive action to tackle the economic fallout of the pandemic with funds and special economic aid for&nbsp;Member states, entreprises and citizens.

The EU Health Union is underway with&nbsp;reinforcing the mandates of the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, addressing cross-border threats to health and creating a future-proof EU pharmaceutical policy. MEPs obtained better support for the EU4Health programme in the 2022 EU budget, with an additional €51 million to build up a strong Health Union and to make national health systems more resilient.

Effective coordination of national measures as well as solidarity among member states together with the importance of&nbsp;making national health systems more sustainable and resilient are the main challenges of the EU, learned from&nbsp;the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic.

EU's response to COVID-19

EP Plenary session - COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future

COVI Special Committee - Lessons learned and recommendations for the future - Votes

COVI special Committee

EP Plenary session - Oral question - COVID-19 – Sustaining EU preparedness and response: looking ahead

COVI Special Committee - Exchange of views with Emily O’Reilly, European Ombudsman

COVI Special Committee.- Exchange of views with external experts on COVID-19 vaccines

COVI Special Committee meeting - Debate with the pharmaceutical industry

COVI Special Committee - lessons learned and recommendations for.the future - Exchange of views with Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgian Minister of Health

COVI Special Committee - lessons learned and recommendations for the future - Exchange of views with Professor Alexandru Rafila, Romanian Minister of  Health

COVI Special Committee - lessons learned and recommendations for.the future - Exchange of views with Sandra Gallina, Director-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

COVI Special Committee - Exchange of views with European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) on COVID-19 pandemic

LIBE Committee - Vote on extension of the EU Digital COVID Certificate

COVI - Special Committee on COVID-19 pandemic : lessons learned and recommendations for the future

EP Plenary Session - Joint Debate - Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID

EP Plenary Session - The EU's Role in combatting the Covid-19 Pandemic: How to Vaccinate the World - Topical debate

EP Plenary Session - Coordination of Member States’ measures in light of increasing cases of COVID-19 in the EU

General meeting of the Focus Groups on the Parliament's post covid future with David SASSOLI, EP President

&lt;p>MEPS from the COVI Committee talk with representatives from pharmaceutical companies that worked on developing vaccines and therapeutics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Rudolf Ertl, Senior Vice-President Commercial Operations (Gilead Sciences), Thomas Triomphe, Executive Vice-President of Vaccines (Sanofi), Iskra Reic, Executive Vice-President of Europe and Canada, (AstraZeneca) and Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, (Moderna) participate to the debate.&lt;/p>

COVID-19 - debate with the pharmaceutical industry: extracts from the exchange of views with representatives from Gilead Sciences, Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Moderna

Special Committee’s on the COVID-19 pandemic holds an exchange of views with Sandra Gallina, Director-General for Health and Food Safety. MEPs discuss the main challenges that the EU and its Member States faced in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, the health issues, how Advanced Purchase Agreements were drawn up, and the lessons learned for the future. Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D,BE), COVI Chair and Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D,BE) issues a statement.

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future - statement by Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D,BE), COVI Chair

Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D,ES), chair of LIBE Committee makes a statement about the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) voting a proposal to extend the validity of the EU Digital COVID Certificate for another year, before it expires on 30 June.

Extension of the EU Digital COVID Certificate: vote and statement by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D,ES), Chair of LIBE Committee

The Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic will holds its constitutive meeting.The new special committee focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic, composed of 38 members. The special committee has been tasked with looking into how the European response to the pandemic and the lessons learned can contribute to future action in the following areas: health; a coordinated approach with respect for democracy and fundamental rights; societal and economic impact; and EU and the World. The special committee will have twelve months to compile its recommendations. Elections of the Special Committee (COVI), Kathleen VAN BREMPT, as Chair of COVI (S&D), GLÜCK, Andreas (rRenew), as Vice-chair of COVI, KOPACZ, Ewa, (PPE) as Vice-chair of COVI, RIVASI, Michèle, (Greens), as chair of COVI, KARSKI, Karol, (ECR) as Vice-chair of COVI

Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future (COVI): atmosphere shots of the constitutive meeting and statement

From fighting the virus to addressing climate change or securing supply chains, the pandemic has accelerated our awareness of our common destiny. Global issues call for global solutions and global leadership − solutions that can inspire other countries and continents all over the world. To help us understand these global challenges and make sense of what is unfolding before our eyes, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) asked its policy analysts to identify ten issues to watch in 2022.

EPRS - Ten issues to watch in 2022

To address the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the EU has put in place an unprecedented temporary recovery instrument, Next Generation EU (NGEU). Its main spending tool is the Recovery and Resilience Facility, worth €723.8 billion (in current prices). This video aims to give a flavour of the elements that EU countries want to take up to revive their transport and mobility systems. As all the projects financed have to be implemented by 2026, careful consideration has been needed to determine what is feasible and how it can fit in with long-term national greening efforts...

EPRS - Transport trends in national recovery and resilience plans

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, opens the plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels with an introductory statement on the lift of the covid-19 restrictions in the Chamber and on the Russian aggression of Ukraine.

Resumption of session and order of business: introductory remarks by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

For International Women’s Day on 8 March, the European Parliament commissioned a dedicated survey among European women assessing the impact of the pandemic on various aspects of women’s lives. The survey results show the significant impact of the pandemic at both personal and professional levels, including a severe increase in the levels of violence against women. This Flash Eurobarometer survey was carried out by IPSOS between 25/1 and 3/2/2022 in all 27 EU Member States and covered 26741 interviews in total.

International Women's Day - Flash eurobarometer: Women in times of Covid-19

MEPs debate on the Council’s recently-adopted recommendation to move from country-based travel rules to ones based on personal health status. They are also expected to highlight the need for a coordinated and harmonised approach to guarantee free and safe travel. Closing statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

Harmonised EU approach to travel measures: closing statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

MEPs debate on the Council’s recently-adopted recommendation to move from country-based travel rules to ones based on personal health status. They are also expected to highlight the need for a coordinated and harmonised approach to guarantee free and safe travel.

Harmonised EU approach to travel measures: MEPs debate

MEPs debate on the Council’s recently-adopted recommendation to move from country-based travel rules to ones based on personal health status. They are also expected to highlight the need for a coordinated and harmonised approach to guarantee free and safe travel. Opening statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice.

Harmonised EU approach to travel measures: opening statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

MEPs debate on December’s summit and the EU’s response to the resurgence of COVID-19.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: extracts from the joint debate

MEPs debate with the Commission and the Slovenian Presidency the 16th December European Council agenda, in particular the coordinated fight against COVID-19. Closing statements by Anže LOGAR, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Interinstitutional relations.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: closing statements by Anže LOGAR, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission

MEPs debate with the Commission and the Slovenian Presidency the 16th December European Council agenda, in particular the coordinated fight against COVID-19. First part of the debate. Third part of the debate.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: MEPs debate (part 3/3)

MEPs debate with the Commission and the Slovenian Presidency the 16th December European Council agenda, in particular the coordinated fight against COVID-19. First part of the debate. Second part of the debate.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: MEPs debate (part 2/3)

MEPs debate with the Commission and the Slovenian Presidency the 16th December European Council agenda, in particular the coordinated fight against COVID-19. First part of the debate.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: MEPs debate (part 1/3)

MEPs debate with the Commission and the Slovenian Presidency the 16th December European Council agenda, in particular the coordinated fight against COVID-19. Opening statements by Anže LOGAR, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and by Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Preparation of the European Council and EU's response to the global resurgence of COVID: opening statements by Anže LOGAR, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and by Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission

The Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Emer Cooke debates with the members of the Environment and Public Health Committee the latest developments in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign (including reviews, authorisations for paediatric use and boosters), as well as recent developments around COVID-19 therapeutics and the general epidemiological situation

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