The progress of&nbsp;digital transformation&nbsp;has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats.&nbsp;Also the COVID19 crisis has again exposed the cyber vulnerabilities of some critical sectors, in particular healthcare, while teleworking and social distance has increased our dependency on digital technologies and connectivity.

As&nbsp; a consequence, in December 2020 the European Commission launched a new EU Cybersecurity Strategy&nbsp;to make physical and digital critical entities more resilient.

The European Parliament and the Coucil reached a deal on&nbsp;May 2022 on the new rules to&nbsp;strengthen EU-wide resilience

The agreed text&nbsp;sets tighter cybersecurity obligations in terms of risk management, reporting obligations and information sharing. The requirements include incident response, supply chain security, encryption and vulnerability disclosure, among other provisions.

Cybersecurity

Faced with a growing international terrorist threat, the European Union (EU) is playing an ever more ambitious role in counter-terrorism.&nbsp;Even though primary responsibility for combating crime and ensuring security lies with the Member States, the EU provides cooperation, coordination and (to some extent) harmonisation tools, as well as financial support, to address this borderless phenomenon.

EU spending in the area of counter-terrorism has increased over the years and is set to grow in the future, to allow for better cooperation between national law enforcement authorities and enhanced support by the EU bodies in charge of security, such as Europol and eu-LISA.

The action plan to reinforce the fight against the financing of terrorism focuses on two main strands of action: tracing terrorists through financial movements and preventing them from moving funds or other assets and disrupting the sources of revenue used by terrorist organisations, by targeting their capacity to raise funds.

In April the European Parliament adopted a new regulation that will target content such as texts, images, sound recordings or videos, including live transmissions, that incite, solicit or contribute to terrorist offences, provide instructions for such offences or solicit people to participate in a terrorist group. It will also cover material that provides guidance on how to make and use explosives, firearms and other weapons for terrorist purposes.

Hosting service providers will have to remove or disable access to flagged terrorist content in all member states within one hour of receiving a removal order from the competent authority. Member states will adopt rules on penalties, the degree of which will take into account the nature of the breach and the size of company responsible.

Fight against terrorism

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

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the first legally binding international instrument on this issue. It establishes a comprehensive framework of measures for preventing such violence, supporting victims and punishing perpetrators.&nbsp;

MEPs have voted during May 2023 plenary to approve the European Union’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, concluding Parliament’s role in the process. Six years after the EU signed the Istanbul Convention - it has still not been ratified because of the refusal of a few member states, despite&nbsp;Parliament’s multiple calls to this end.

However, the EU&nbsp;Court of Justice’s opinion of 6 October 2021&nbsp;confirmed that the European Union can ratify the Istanbul Convention without having the agreement of all member states. The Court found that the appropriate scope for the EU’s accession is asylum, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and obligations of the EU institutions and public administration.

The EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt member states from ratifying it themselves, MEPs have repeatedly said, urging the remaining six countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia - to ratify the Convention without delay, so that it can protect women to the full extent of the Convention’s intended scope

Violence against women

EP President Metsola made&nbsp;a statement at the opening of the February session, followed by a full debate on the emergency humanitarian aid the EU can provide to Türkiye and Syria after the catastrophic earthquake, which cost the lives of more than 30 000&nbsp;people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Turkey has been candidate for EU membership since 1999. Accession negotiations started in 2005. In recent years the EU is often criticizing the backsliding of the country in certain areas. As a major emerging economy and a member of NATO and G20, Türkiye&nbsp;is recognised as an active regional foreign policy player, with a strategic location, including for the EU's energy security. Turkey is a key strategic partner of the EU on issues such as migration, security, counter-terrorism, and the economy, but according to the EU has been backsliding in the areas of democracy, rule of law and fundamental right.

EU - Türkiye

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

Since October 2020, the EU has&nbsp;progressively imposed restrictive measures&nbsp;against Belarus in response to the fraudulent nature&nbsp; presidential elections in&nbsp;2020, and the&nbsp;intimidation and violent repression&nbsp;of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.&nbsp;

The democratic opposition, including the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was awarded the&nbsp;2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Belarusian regime has became an ally&nbsp;with Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine. This includes the so-called referendum reinstating the country’s nuclear status, but also that Belarus has allowed Russian troops and weapons to move through its territory, use its airspace, refuel and store military ammunition.

Therefore, the EU has extended the sanctios package against Russia to Belarus. The EP has recently called that "all EU sanctions issued against Russia must be strictly mirrored for Belarus and implemented appropriately".

EU - Belarus

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the EU, after cardiovascular diseases. Each year there are 3.5 million new diagnoses; and every year 1.3 million people die from cancer, accounting for 25% of all deaths. If the current trend continues, the projection is that by 2035 cancer cases will have doubled in number, and cancer will have become the leading cause of death in the EU.

Though public health is the primary responsibility of the Member States, the EU has a strong role in supporting, coordinating and complementing Member States’ efforts. On 4 February 2020 – World Cancer Day – the European Commission started its outreach on Europe’s Cancer Plan at an event in the European Parliament in Brussels.

The Plan aims to reduce the cancer burden for patients and families, and health care systems. The Plan is ambitious in addressing cancer-related inequalities between and in the Member States. The European Parliament, as law-maker and policy-maker, plays an active role in shaping the new Cancer Plan and related legislative proposals and policy initiatives.

Fight against cancer

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) takes part four times a year in a monetary dialogue with Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) to report on monetary policy and answer question from MEPs.&nbsp;Although guaranteed independence under the Treaty, the ECB is accountable for its actions towards the European Parliament, and more precisely the ECON Committee.

The European Central Bank is the central institution of the Economic and Monetary Union and has been responsible for conducting monetary policy for the euro area since 1 January 1999 The ECB and the national central banks of all EU Member States constitute the European System of Central Banks.

Monetary dialogue

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

The problem of disinformation is globally recognised as disruptive to the normal functioning of democratic societies, economies and political systems. In recent years, ‘fake news’ and coordinated disinformation campaigns have an instrument of geopolitical influence.

They have afflicted elections in both established and new democracies, and undermined social and political solidarity in response to global challenges. It is with these and other instances in mind that the European Union (EU) identified ‘the exposure of citizens to large scale disinformation’ as ‘a major challenge for Europe’ in 2018, undertaking an increasingly ambitious programme of action to counter this evolving threat since. The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to disinformation that hampers efforts to contain the pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said false claims “are spreading faster than the virus” and has already termed it an “infodemic of planetary proportions”. The Russian aggression against Ukraine is also a source of many disinformation.&nbsp;

Special Committee for foreign interference in all democratic processes in the EU, including disinformation (INGE) was created in the European Parliament to tackle these challenges

Fight against disinformation

Parliament holds debates on human rights, democracy and rule of law topics.

Human rights are fundamental values of the entire international community. More than 70 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first comprehensive international human rights document to set common standards to which all UN members should aspire, human rights have become a cornerstone of the international system and have reached almost universal recognition. However, much remains to be done in practice so that every human being can enjoy their fundamental rights.

Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

Launched in 1962, the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between agriculture and society, and between Europe and its farmers. It aims to: support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, ensuring a stable supply of affordable food; safeguard European Union farmers to make a reasonable living; help tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources; maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU; keep the rural economy alive by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors.

The CAP is a common policy for all EU countries. It is managed and funded at European level from the resources of the EU’s budget. CAP 2023-27 To consolidate the role of European agriculture for the future, the CAP has evolved over the years to meet changing economic circumstances and citizens’ requirements and needs.

The CAP 2023-27 entered into force on 1 January 2023.&nbsp;Support for farmers and rural stakeholders across the 27 EU countries is based on the CAP 2023-27 legal framework and the choices detailed in the&nbsp;CAP Strategic Plans, approved by the Commission. The approved Plans are designed to make a significant contribution to the ambitions of the&nbsp;European Green Deal,&nbsp;Farm to Fork Strategy&nbsp;and&nbsp;Biodiversity Strategy.

Common agricultural policy (CAP)

The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have two main goals: to create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected and to establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.

The&nbsp;Digital Services Act (DSA)&nbsp;aims to create a safer digital space in which users rights are protected, including rules to tackle illegal content online, enhance the accountability and transparency of algorithms, and dealing with content moderation and targeted advertising.

Digital Markets Act&nbsp; (DMA) sets rules on what big online platforms will be allowed to do and not do in the EU. It&nbsp;blacklists certain practices of large platforms acting as “gatekeepers” and enables the Commission to carry out market investigations and sanction non-compliant behaviour.

Digital Services and Digital Markets Act

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

Euroscola

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs

Meeting of the EP Conference of President

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with José Manuel FERNANDES, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Portugal

Meeting of the European Parliament's Bureau

Meeting of the EP Conference of President with the participation of Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council

Informal meeting of EU Leaders ( EUCO )

EPP leaders meet ahead of the informal European Council meeting

Summit on Peace in Ukraine, Bürgenstock, Switzerland

Commemoration of the Victims of Soviet Mass Deportations

Austrian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Danish MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Finnish MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term

Hungarian MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

Greek MEPs official portraits - 10th Parliamentary term.

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.

Exterior shots of the European Parliament in Strasbourg during the raising of the flags on the occasion of the beginning of the 9th legislature, in presence of Antonio TAJANI, EP President.

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