The European Parliament in April 2024 adopted ten legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy as agreed with EU member states. Five separate EU regulations, establishe&nbsp;how to share the management of asylum and migration flows among member states and what to do in cases of sudden migratory crisis.

The rules also regulate how to deal with people arriving at the EU’s external borders, the processing of asylum claims, and the identification of those arriving.

Following the deal in trilogue in December 2023 ,&nbsp;EP President Roberta Metsola&nbsp;said: “”Today is a truly historic day, as we have delivered on the Migration and Asylum Pact, possibly the most important legislative package of this mandate. Europe will now get a robust legislative framework that is the same in all Member States. That functions and that protects, an approach that is humane and fair with those seeking protection, that is firm with those who are not eligible, and that is strong with those who exploit the most vulnerable &nbsp;

Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention.&nbsp; The European Parliament is actively involved, in the adoption of new laws on irregular and regular immigration. It is a full co-legislator together with the Council representing member states on these matters since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

Migration

The EU and China are two of the biggest traders in the world, with China being the EU's second trading partner.&nbsp; The EU-China Human Rights Dialogue was launched in 1995.&nbsp;Parliament strongly condemns the Chinese government-led system of forced labour – in particular the exploitation of Uyghur, ethnic Kazakh and Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minority groups – in factories within and outside internment camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Over the past year, EU-China bilateral relations have deteriorated, notably related to a growing number of irritants (i.e., China’s counter-measures to EU sanctions on human rights, economic coercion and trade measures against the single market, and China’s positioning on the war in Ukraine).

During his recent visit to China, Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis told his counterparts that “competition must be fair” and urged Beijing to address the lack of reciprocity in economic relations, as the EU’s trade deficit with China in 2022 reached almost 400 billion euro. Mr Dombrovskis said that the EU and China are at a significant political and economic crossroads, and warned that China’s stance on the war in Ukraine could jeopardise its relationship with the EU.

His visit came after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during her State of the European Union address that the Commission would launch a probe into whether China's electric vehicle industry is receiving unfair subsidies

EU - China

The European Parliament has repeatedly advocated press freedom and media pluralism in the EU and abroad.&nbsp; World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the&nbsp;Declaration of Windhoek&nbsp;is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.

Already in 2018 the EP adopted a resolution on media pluralism and media freedom in the EU, noting the political developments in various members states, that have led to increased pressures on and threats against journalists.&nbsp; The European Parliament has also&nbsp;launched the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism.&nbsp;

The prize commends outstanding journalism revolving around the principles and values of the European Union. On the field of legislation, Parliament wants to reinforce protection of journalists and activists in the EU against unfounded and abusive lawsuits aimed to silence them.&nbsp;

MEPs also gave their final green light to new legislation to protect EU journalists and media from political or economic interference during the March Plenary session.

Under the new law, adopted by 464 votes in favour to 92 against and 65 abstentions, member states will be obliged to protect media independence and all forms of interventions in editorial decisions will be banned.

More info:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19014/media-freedom-act-a-new-bill-to-protect-eu-journalists-and-press-freedom">https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19014/media-freedom-act-a-new-bill-to-protect-eu-journalists-and-press-freedom</a>

Press freedom

On the 16th October 2017, the Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb explosion. Ms Caruana Galizia gave to the Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion (PANA) evidence about her work on the Panama Papers at a meeting in February 2017 in Malta.

Every day journalists risk their lives to help keep us informed. Freedom of Press is considered to be an essential element of democracy by the European Parliament, which strongly supports it within the EU and beyond. Article 11 of the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights clearly states that “freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected”.

Press freedom in Malta

Since its creation in 1993, the single market has helped to make everyday life easier for people and businesses, fuelling jobs and growth across the EU. In 2023, the EU commemorated&nbsp;the 30th anniversary since its creation.&nbsp;

Three decades since its creation,&nbsp;&nbsp;MEPs called for renewed commitment and political will from member states and EU institutions, as well as a specific action plan for 2030 and beyond, in order to further strengthen and develop the single market, especially in areas such as services, energy, telecommunications and the digital single market.

The single market is generally considered to be the cornerstone of the EU economy and one of the greatest achievements of the European Union. Comprising nearly 450 million people and 20 million enterprises, it constitutes the largest integrated market in the world, worth €14 trillion in 2018.

The free movement of persons, goods, services and capital is the pillar on which the single market is built. The cross-border movement of the first three has been severely affected by the pandemic of Covid-19. Soon after its outbreak, the majority of Member States reintroduced internal border controls on grounds of an immediate threat to public health. These have been accompanied by restrictions or bans on international passenger transport and bans on entry and exit.&nbsp;

Single market

Compared to the rest of the world, Europe has the best levels of social protection and also ranks highly in terms of quality of life and wellbeing. However, it faces a wide range of challenges, including impact of the COVID situation.

The EU has only limited competence when it comes to social issues as most of it is up to national governments. The responsibility for employment and social policies lies mostly with the member states and their governments. This means that national governments - and not the EU - decide on issues such as wage regulations, including minimum wage, the role of collective bargaining, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been working on social issues throughout the European integration process and come up with a series of instruments in the social sector. These include EU laws, funds and tools to better coordinate and monitor national policies. The EU also encourages countries to share best practices on issues such as social inclusion, poverty and pensions.

One of the supporting tools is the European Social Fund+, with a total budget of €88 billion for next 7 years. It will play an important role in the implementation of the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights and in countering the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. It integrates the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) into one fund.

Social Europe

EU rules on product safety are defined in the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). Under the directive a product is safe if it meets all statutory safety requirements under European or national law. If there are no regulations or EU standards referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union, the product's compliance is determined according to other reference documents such as other European standards, national or international standards, Commission recommendations, or codes of practice. The General Product Safety Directive applies to consumer products when there are no specific provisions with the same objective in the rules of EU Law governing the safety of the products concerned. That means it applies totally to products such as child care articles or certain COVID-19 related products, such as sanitising gels and certain type of face masks and only residually to products where sectorial legislation exists such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Businesses must: only place products which are safe on the market, inform consumers of any risks associated with the products they supply, make sure any dangerous products present on the market can be traced so they can be removed to avoid any risks to consumers. MEPs want more stringent EU rules to protect children Existing rules and market surveillance activities should be strengthened to ensure the safety of all toys sold on the EU market, including from non-EU countries and online.

In March 2023 MEPs, also endorsed the revised rules on product safety of non-food consumer products. The new regulation aligns the existing General Product Safety Directive with the latest developments in digitalisation and the surge in online shopping.

In this Plenary MEPs are set to vote on their position on a proposal to revamp EU legislation on toy safety. The update of the current directive aims to respond to the increase in online shopping and the use of digital technologies, among other challenges. The proposed regulation extends EU bans on harmful chemicals in toys to include endocrine disruptors and makes it easier for consumers to access safety information, for example via a QR code.

Consumer product safety

Parliament is pressing for measures to increase the use of alternative fuels as well as to improve road safety and to tackle unfair competition and the exploitation of workers.

In line with its Work Programme 2017, the European Commission proposes a set of initiatives to make traffic safer, encourage smart road charging, reduce CO2 emissions, air pollution and congestion, cut red-tape for businesses, fight illicit employment and ensure proper conditions and rest times for workers. These initiatives are linked to the strategy for a Resilient Energy Union, Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy and the strategy for low-emission mobility.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/mobility-8th-parliamentary-term_6507_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Mobility

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed MEPs during the plenary session on 24 March. On Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he stressed that NATO and the EU are more resolved and united than ever and that pressure on Putin must be increased. Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Canada was an ally and precious partner of the EU. “Our relationship has withstood the test of time”, she said. 
Canada´s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the first Canadian PM to address the European Parliament on February 2017, one day after the European Parliament approved the EU-Canada trade agreement.

The collaboration between the EU and Canada, based on shared values, a long history of close cooperation, and strong people-to-people ties, has been considerably strengthened in the last few years. 

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is the result of the positive developments in EU-Canada trade relations that have taken place over the past decade. It has considerably improved the economic, trade and investment relationship between the EU and Canada, opening up the markets to one another’s goods, services and investments, including public procurement.

EU - Canada

During the plenary sessions MEPs hold debates on foreign affairs and security policy to discuss European Union (EU) action beyond its borders. The EU Treaties differentiate between common foreign and security policy (CFSP), common security and defence policy (CSDP), external action, and the external dimension of internal policies. To address new challenges such as climate change, rising insecurity or new migration patterns, the EU has put forward concrete solutions to shape synergy between the actors, in order to use shared expertise more effectively, and to find new sources of funding. The new foreign policy framework (EU global strategy) is intended to map the tools and resources best designed to help society as awhole, in the EU and partner countries, to withstand natural and manmade shocks more effectively. In the years to come, global instability is expected to rise; the challenge for the EU will be to ensure security while upholding the core values of the Treaties – human rights, democracy and the fight against poverty – as its primary objectives on the global stage.

Ahead of the 17-18 February European Union-African Union summit in Brussels, plenary discussed with Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, about how to work together with African partners for a more strategic and results-oriented partnership. The discussion focused on the common challenges facing both continents, including the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting vaccination and stimulating investments.

EU - Africa

Montenegro is one of the Western Balkan countries.

In 2008, Montenegro applied for EU membership, and accession negotiations began in 2012. Montenegro has opened all 33 negotiation chapters, three of which have been provisionally closed. Public opinion surveys show that 75 % of the population support the country’s accession to the European Union.

EU - Montenegro

There are many examples of AI being used in everyday life: Online shopping and advertising; Web search; Digital personal assistants; Machine translations; Smart homes, cities and infrastructure; Cars; Cybersecurity; Artificial intelligence against Covid-19; Fighting disinformation, etc. &nbsp;

In March Plenary session the Parliament approved the Artificial Intelligence Act that ensures safety and compliance with fundamental rights, while boosting innovation.

The regulation, agreed in negotiations with member states in December 2023, was endorsed by MEPs with 523 votes in favour, 46 against and 49 abstentions.

It aims to protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI, while boosting innovation and establishing Europe as a leader in the field. The regulation establishes obligations for AI based on its potential risks and level of impact.

Robotics and artificial intelligence

The European Union produces more than&nbsp;2.2 billion tonnes of waste every year. It is currently updating its&nbsp;legislation on waste management&nbsp;to promote a shift to a more sustainable model known as the circular economy.

The circular economy is a&nbsp;model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the&nbsp;life cycle of products is extended.

In March 2020, the European Commission presented the circular economy action plan,&nbsp;&nbsp;which aims to promote more sustainable product design, reduce waste and empower consumers, for example by creating aright to repair). There is a focus on resource intensive sectors, such as&nbsp;electronics and ICT,&nbsp;plastics,&nbsp;textiles&nbsp;and construction.

In February 2021, the Parliament adopted a resolution on the&nbsp;new circular economy action plan&nbsp;demanding additional measures to achieve a carbon-neutral, environmentally sustainable, toxic-free and fully circular economy by 2050, including tighter recycling rules and&nbsp;binding targets for materials use and consumption&nbsp;by 2030.

In March 2022, the Commission released the&nbsp;first package of measures&nbsp;to speed up the transition towards a circular economy, as part of the circular economy action plan. The proposals include boosting sustainable products, empowering consumers for the green transition, reviewing construction product regulation, and creating a strategy on sustainable textiles.

In November 2022, the Commission proposed&nbsp;new EU-wide rules on packaging. It aims to reduce packaging waste and improve packaging design, with for example clear labelling to promote reuse and recycling; and calls for a transition to bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics.

Circular economy

The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) is the first financial instrument of the EU focused on bringing digital technology to businesses and citizens.

How to make Europe greener and more digital are the twin challenges for our generation, and our success in meeting them will define our future.

Digital technology and infrastructure have a critical role in our private lives and business environments. We rely on them to communicate, work, advance science and answer current environmental problems. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted not only how much we rely on our technology to be available to us, but also how important it is for Europe not to be dependent on systems and solutions coming from other regions of the world.&nbsp;

The Digital Europe programme for 2021-2027 should be worth €7.5 billion and fund deployment of European supercomputers and data processing capacities and make supercomputing more accessible in the health, environmental, and security sectors and industry, and in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will strengthen and support artificial intelligence testing and trials in the health and mobility sectors, and encourage member states to cooperate in this area, with the aim of setting up a European data space. Businesses and public administrations will also be able to use artificial intelligence more. Money should be also dedicated to cybersecurity, to strengthen coordination between member states, boost Europe’s capabilities and support the deployment of cyber-security technology through initiatives such as the EU.&nbsp;

Digital Europe

In 2004 Slovakia joined the European Union as a Member State. It is a member of&nbsp;the Schengen area&nbsp;since 21 December 2007.&nbsp;It is a member of the&nbsp;Eurozone, when the Euro was introduced to replace the Slovak Crown as the national currency.

There are more than 5.4 million people in Slovakia. The country has 14 Members of European Parliament (MEPs). Slovakia has presided the EU between July and December 2016. Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - who holds the most executive power and a head of state - the President - who is the formal head of the executive, but with&nbsp;limited powers. The country is subdivided into 8 regions, each named after its principal city.&nbsp;

The country was in the centre of attention nad underwent huge political turbulences in&nbsp;2018 when the investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée were murdered.&nbsp;

EU - Slovakia

Lithuania is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the Prime Minister - and a head of state - the President - who appoints the Prime Minister.

The Parliament is a single-chamber legislative body. The country is divided into 60 municipalities, with directly-elected mayors.

There are 11 members of the European Parliament from Lithuania.

Lithuania joined the EU on 1 May 2004 - and the euro area on 1 January 2015.

EU - Lithuania

Euroscola

Dutch MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term

Polish MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term

Slovenian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Belgian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Cyprus MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Romanian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Meeting of the EP Conference of President

German MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

European Elections Night 2024

European Elections Night 2024 in Strasbourg

European elections - Iratxe Garcia Perez votes in Valladolid.

European elections 2024 - Ambiance shots of polling stations in Spain

European elections 2024  - Ambiance shots of polling stations in France

European elections 2024  - Ambiance shots of polling stations in Austria

European elections - illustration photos of people voting in Berlin

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