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

While steps have been taken over the past century to improve prospects for women and girls in science across the world, there is still a lot left to do. The global health crisis has put equalities at risk and slowed progress on a number of fronts. This podcast celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and looks at how women have contributed to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, while also being among those hit hardest by the health crisis.

Women in healthcare: COVID-19 and rising inequalities - EN

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

In the EU, 1.8 million people under 75 died in 2021. 72 % of these deaths could have been avoided: 3 in 10 with timely, effective medical treatment; 7 in 10 with better preventive measures. In that same year, the leading causes of avoidable deaths were COVID-19, ischaemic heart diseases and lung cancer. These three diseases mostly affected men. The death rate from avoidable diseases also varies widely across the EU. Learn more about how the EU can turn the tide on preventable losses and create a healthier EU for everyone

Turning the tide on avoidable deaths in the EU

1st topic of the Eurovision Debate 2024 between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency: Nicolas SCHMIT, Party European Socialists, Sandro GOZI, Renew Europe Now, Terry REINTKE, European Greens, Ursula von der LEYEN, European People's Party and Walter BAIER, European Left. The candidates discuss on the EU economy that has been affected by global crises such as the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine, economic growth and employment. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Eurovision Debate 2024 (Clean feed) - Topic 1: Economy and jobs

This infoclip shows how the European Parliament responded to COVID pandemic from March 2020 with distancing activities of the European Parliament held by David SASSOLI, EP President until the press conference to present the results of the work of the Committee on collecting the evidence and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to give answers on the impact it had on citizens and their fundamental rights, the businesses, the health sector and international community in June 2023. This infoclip shows illustrations of EP buildings used in the fight against COVID-19, the Green corridor at the Belgium-Dutch border, digital COVID certificates, trilogue on the EU COVID-19 certificate, meetings of the Special COVI Committee, vaccines production and distribution, COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future.

European Parliament’s priorities and achievements (2019-2024): Response to COVID pandemic

This infoclip shows the most important steps and moments of the Presidency of the European Commission of Ursula von der LEYEN (2019-2023). The footage, in particular, includes the election as a President and of the European Commission's college; Meetings with the Presidents of the EU institutions; her main interventions in debates on Next Generation EU legislation, Green Deal, EU vaccines campaign against Covid-19, the war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine, the Conference on the Future of Europe and previous State of the Union debates in Strasbourg.

Memoclip: Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission, and the European Parliament (2019-2023)

MEPs vote on the following topics: Accession to to Schengen area - Motions for resolution; Situation in Lebanon - Motions for resolutions (debate 13/06/2023); State of the EU-Cuba PDCA in the light of the recent visit of the High Representative to the island - Motions for resolutions (debate 13/06/2023); Establishment of the EU Ethics Body - Motions for resolutions (debate 13/06/2023); COVID-19 pandemic - lessons learned and recommendations for the future - Dolors Montserrat; Relations with the Palestinian Authority - Evin Incir; 2022 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina - Paulo Rangel; 2022 Report on Albania - Isabel Santos; Financial activities of the European Investment Bank - Stefan Heinrich Berger; Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel.

Voting session on Establishment of the EU Ethics Body, COVID-19 pandemic, lessons learned and recommendations for the future, and Relations with the Palestinian Authority and other topics

Parliament debate on its final recommendations to improve EU crisis management and preparedness for future health emergencies. The report, prepared by the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic (COVI), analyses the impact of the crisis, evaluates the effectiveness of EU and national measures and makes specific proposals to address gaps and weaknesses in the response to the pandemic. The recommendations focus on four areas: health, democracy and fundamental rights, social and economic impact, and global aspects related to the pandemic. Closing statements by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life and by and Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES).

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future: closing statements by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission and by and Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES)

Parliament debate on its final recommendations to improve EU crisis management and preparedness for future health emergencies. The report, prepared by the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic (COVI), analyses the impact of the crisis, evaluates the effectiveness of EU and national measures and makes specific proposals to address gaps and weaknesses in the response to the pandemic. The recommendations focus on four areas: health, democracy and fundamental rights, social and economic impact, and global aspects related to the pandemic. First part of the debate

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future: MEPs debate (part 1)

Parliament debate on its final recommendations to improve EU crisis management and preparedness for future health emergencies. The report, prepared by the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic (COVI), analyses the impact of the crisis, evaluates the effectiveness of EU and national measures and makes specific proposals to address gaps and weaknesses in the response to the pandemic. The recommendations focus on four areas: health, democracy and fundamental rights, social and economic impact, and global aspects related to the pandemic. Opening statements by Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES), Rapporteur and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission.

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future: opening statements by Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES), Rapporteur and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission

Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D ,BE), Chair and Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES) rapporteur, hold a press conference to present the results of the work of the Committee on collecting the evidence and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to give answers on the impact it had on citizens and their fundamental rights, the businesses, the health sector and international community. The transcript is the result of an automated process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D ,BE), Chair and Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES), Rapporteur, on the Special Committee' report on lessons learned and recommendations for the future following the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVI Committee (Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic) votes on its final report, adopted by 23 votes in favour, 13 against and one abstention. Extracts from the vote and statements by Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP,ES), Rapporteur and by Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D,BE), COVI Chair. The report which concludes the year and three months a half long intensive work of the Committee on collecting the evidence and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on citizens and their fundamental rights, the businesses, the health sector and international community.

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future: extracts from the vote (12/06) and statements by Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES), Rapporteur and by Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), COVI Chair

From 2020 to 2022, the European Union has faced a public health threat with the COVID-19 pandemic. On 10 March 2022, the European Parliament established a new special committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, composed of 38 members. After more than a year of work, the final report is voted and presents its recommendations for the future, based on the lesson learned. This clip illustrates two years of pandemic through footages of lockdowns, testings, masks distributions, vaccinations, digital certificates but also comes back on the work of the COVI Committee with extracts of past meetings.

Memoclip: COVID-19 pandemic - lessons learned and recommendations for the future

MEPs from the COVI Committee (Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future) exchange with Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner for Health, Food and Safety Commissioner on new regulation on cross-border threats to health, a new EU network of reference laboratories, the long-Covid side effects and the transparency around vaccines contracts. In a second part, they exchange with Emer COOKE, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency on the recommendations to strengthen EMA’s response to future public health emergencies. Extracts.

Exchange of views with Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and with Emer COOKE, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA): extracts - COVI Committee

During a public hearing of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, MEPs discuss about how to tackle misleading and false information, especially on social media, the impact of conspiracy theories on vaccine hesitancy, the role of online platforms and traditional media outlets in spreading awareness but also misinformation and disinformation around the pandemic. Extracts from the public hearing.

The impact of disinformation, misinformation and propaganda on democracy during the pandemic: extracts from the public hearing - EP Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic

The national recovery and resilience plans, through which the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is implemented, have a strong focus on energy, investing €88.49 billion (17.9 % of their resources) in the policy area. The European Commission proposed new REPowerEU chapters to the national recovery and resilience plans, using sums still available for RRF loans, some fresh resources and voluntary transfers from other EU instruments. The REPowerEU plan is designed to end the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the green transition. In this third and last episode of the chronicle, Alessandro D'Alfonso, the Head of the Next Generation EU Monitoring Service at the EPRS, will delve into the relevance of the Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument in the face of the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. #NextGenerationEU

EPRS - EU Recovery Instrument: Looking to the future

A major innovation in EU finances to counter the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, the Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument is already delivering concrete results and implementation is in full swing. Citizens and businesses in the EU are already experiencing tangible benefits as EU countries' GDP is also positively impacted. In this second episode of the chronicle, Alessandro D'Alfonso, the Head of the Next Generation EU Monitoring Service at the EPRS, will delve into the practical details of the implementation of the Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely. #NextGenerationEU

EPRS - EU Recovery Instrument: What to expect?

The Covid-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on Europe. While we may no longer live in lockdown or see masks everywhere, the pandemic’s impact is still being felt. Because of the far-reaching effects on our economy and society at large, the European Union's response went far beyond securing enough vaccines. The European Commission rolled out €800 billion in financial relief through the Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument. In this first episode of the chronicle, Alessandro D'Alfonso, the Head of the Next Generation EU Monitoring Service at the EPRS, will delve into the details of this historic package and what it means for the EU. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely. #NextGenerationEU

EPRS - EU Recovery Instrument: What is it?

EPRS identifies and frames some of the top key issues that might feature prominently in public debate and on the political agenda of the European Union this year. In times of crises and war, what are the challenges we must face and choices we have to make? Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Budgeting in times of crises and war

Representatives from Pfizer and Curevac share their views on past and present manufacturing, distribution and equitable access of the COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. The debate focuses on the activities undertaken to develop vaccines for new variants, the authorisation process, and transparency of contracts. Extracts from the exchange of views with Janine Small, President of International Developed Markets, Pfizer and and Dr Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer, Curevac.

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