Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and high inflation across Europe. The European Parliament wants to ensure the EU is resilient enough to face other crises in the future. That’s why it is supporting bold, visionary projects to make our economies and societies stronger.

Erik helped Swedish companies Amokabel and Bennesveds Åkeri set up the country’s first self-sufficient hydrogen station: Uppvidinge Vätgas. It provides clean fuel produced using local wind power. 

In Ireland, Hannah is a carbon specialist with Bord na Móna, a company that went from extracting peat for fuel to becoming a leader in clean energy production. She’s helping to rehabilitate the country’s peatlands, which can store huge amounts of carbon, helping the EU meet its climate goals.
 
Initiatives like these, funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, are at the heart of a stronger, more responsive Europe.

Building EU's economy of the future: meet Erik and Hannah - 9:16

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and high inflation across Europe. The European Parliament wants to ensure the EU is resilient enough to face other crises in the future. That’s why it is supporting bold, visionary projects to make our economies and societies stronger.

Erik helped Swedish companies Amokabel and Bennesveds Åkeri set up the country’s first self-sufficient hydrogen station: Uppvidinge Vätgas. It provides clean fuel produced using local wind power. 

In Ireland, Hannah is a carbon specialist with Bord na Móna, a company that went from extracting peat for fuel to becoming a leader in clean energy production. She’s helping to rehabilitate the country’s peatlands, which can store huge amounts of carbon, helping the EU meet its climate goals.

Initiatives like these, funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, are at the heart of a stronger, more responsive Europe.

Building EU's economy of the future: meet Erik and Hannah

In 1995, Irish President Mary Robinson told the European Parliament that Europe was key to building a lasting peace on the island of Ireland. 
  
The first woman president of the Irish Republic said the EU must continue to use its power to help end conflicts, raise living standards for all Europeans and alleviate poverty around the world.  
   
*Watch the full speech on the European Parliament's Multimedia channel http://epyoutube.eu/mmc_mary_robinson

Mary Robinson’s speech on Irish reconciliation | European Parliament

In times of polarised ideas, widespread disinformation and cross border conflicts, how are we protecting the integrity of European institutions and democracy? Researchers and NGOs all over Europe are studying ways to make societies more resilient to crises and to foreign actors trying to interfere in our democratic processes.  

Two such researchers are Julia from the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in the Netherlands and Katarina from the Centre for Democracy & Resilience at the GLOBSEC Policy Institute in Slovakia. They specialise in the Western Balkan states and EU accession countries like Ukraine. 

The European Parliament backs legislation helping promote this kind of research and recognises the importance of independent bodies. Learn more about how Parliament is fighting the threats to EU democracy here: https://europa.eu/!rg6kY7.

Maintaining EU independence and democracy: meet Julia and Katarína 9:16

Maintaining EU independence and democracy: meet Julia and Katarína

How can the EU reform its economic model to benefit consumers and the planet? Aimilios in Belgium and Laetitia in France have (part of) the answer!

Aimilios and his Watt4Ever team recondition old electric car batteries to make new energy storage systems, effectively giving batteries a second life and saving precious raw materials and energy while avoiding additional pollution.

Laetitia and “Halte à l'Obsolescence Programmée”, or HOP (“Stop Planned Obsolescence”), campaign for everyday products to last longer and be more repairable.

The European Parliament backs EU-wide measures to promote a circular economy, a right to repair and better recycling of raw materials, to avoid polluting the planet and to benefit your wallet.

EU programmes such as Horizon Europe plus rural and regional development funds make sure such projects get the resources they need.

Making the economy work for you and the planet: meet Aimilios and Laetitia - 9:16

Making the economy work for you and the planet: meet Aimilios and Laetitia

The European Parliament has acted to ensure the EU economy and society are stronger and fairer in the aftermath of unprecedented challenges.  

The Covid-19 pandemic damaged the EU’s social and economic fabric, while the war in Ukraine sparked an energy crisis and saw the cost of living rise.  

Find out more about how Parliament is ensuring decent pay for workers and equal opportunities, while supporting businesses and making sure the EU is better prepared for future crises.

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - 9:16 EE24

How has the European Parliament acted to strengthen the EU economy? - EE24

EU membership means belonging to one of the world’s largest economies and its biggest single market.
 
It contributes to growth and brings more choice for consumers.    
     
The EU tackles inequalities between its regions, supporting agriculture, small businesses and innovation and spurring modern, greener economies.    
     
As a powerful global actor, it secures better access and fairer prices on world markets.

Investment, growth, choice: the economic benefits of EU membership - VT EE24

Investment, growth, choice: the economic benefits of EU membership - 4-5 EE24

Investment, growth, choice: the economic benefits of EU membership -16:9 EE24

The European Parliament has called for urgent action to counter hate speech and hate crime.     
MEPs say they should be added to the list of so-called Euro-crimes, meaning common standards and sanctions across the EU.     

They want to extend the current EU framework - which covers hatred based on race, skin colour, religion and ethnicity - to include sex, sexual orientation, age and disability.    
 
Parliament also called for measures to stop the internet and social media being used to spread hate.

MEPs call for tough EU-wide rules to tackle hate speech and hate crime

Investment, growth, choice: the economic benefits of EU membership

MEPs have adopted measures to help EU countries protect their interests in the face of economic blackmail and distortive market influences from third countries.     
      
EU states can face coercive measures from non-EU countries unhappy at certain policy stances.     
      
Meanwhile, foreign subsidies can undermine the principle of a level playing field in the EU single market.        
      
Find out more about the Anti-coercion Instrument and the Foreign Subsidies Regulation.

Protecting the EU's economy from unfair outside influence

Members of the European Parliament will question the president of the European Commission in the annual State of the European Union debate (SOTEU) in September.
 
The debate is traditionally the occasion when the European Parliament gets to hold the Commission to account on its track record over the past year and scrutinise its policy priorities.
 
This SOTEU is the final such debate before European elections in June 2024, so MEPs will be keen to look back at the track record of Ursula von der Leyen and her Commission since the last elections in 2019.

MEPs to scrutinise Commission in State of EU debate

The single market turns 30 in 2023. It has brought unity and opportunities to Europeans, eliminating old barriers to allow more than 460 million people and business to move, communicate and trade freely across 31 countries.

The European Parliament continues to work to adapt the single market further to respond to current challenges and make full use of its potential.

30 years of the European single market

One of the EU's greatest successes is the creation of a common economic market and 2023 marks 30 years since its birth. The European Single Market has ensured economic unity across Europe and made the free movement of goods, people, services and capital possible. Let’s dive back into the history of one of the pillars of the EU as we know it.

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