Parliament has started the reform of the EU’s Electoral Act, seeking to turn the 27 separate elections and their diverging rules into a single European election. On Tuesday, Parliament adopted a legislative initiative report that seeks to overhaul the rules for European elections. The draft legislative act was approved by 323 votes for, 262 against, […]
New electoral reform: MEPs push for common standards and transnational lists
The European Parliament will vote on a proposal to have more common rules for EU elections and the addition of an EU-wide constituency. The EU elections determine the representatives of Europeans at EU level, but how they are organised is largely decided at national level. This means that countries vote on different days, only national […]
How is gender-based violence addressed in the EU?
Gender-based and domestic violence remain common in Europe, especially affecting women and girls. The EU is taking measures to put an end to it. Most EU countries have laws tackling violence against someone because of gender or sexual orientation, but the lack of a common definition of gender-based violence and common rules to address the […]
European security: Parliament delegation to visit Moldova
MEPs from the Foreign Affairs Committee and Security and Defence Subcommittee will visit Moldova from 31 March to 2 April, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Led by the Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Urmas Paet (Renew Europe, Estonia) and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, France), a high-level delegation of […]
We stand united in defending democracy and the rule of law
In her address during the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola spoke about the importance of being united in defending shared values of democracy and the rule of law. Besides making reference to the war in Ukraine, President Metsola spoke about the importance of having an open and […]
MEPs want more effective measures to respond to rising prices
MEPs urged the EU to better counteract Russia’s energy dependence and quickly secure cleaner and more affordable energy for all. In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting rise in energy prices, MEPs in a plenary debate on March 24 put questions to the Council and the Commission on the Union’s […]
Kyiv is under siege and so is democracy – President Metsola to Ukraine Speaker
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola hosted a meeting with Speakers of the European Union’s National Parliaments and the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk. During the meeting, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced that a structure that brings together the key European Parliament interlocutors with their counterparts from the Rada has been […]
International Women’s Day: Parliament shows solidarity with Ukraine
At an inter-parliamentary meeting marking International Women’s Day (8 March), many MEPs and national MPs expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian women and people. In her opening speech, EP President Roberta Metsola said: ‘‘I want to start by commending the incredibly brave women of Ukraine who are fighting, forced to shelter their loved ones in bunkers, giving […]
EU agrees to give Europol more powers and resources in its fight against crime
The Council presidency and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a draft regulation amending the Europol regulation. The provisional agreement is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before going through the formal adoption procedure. On the basis of a Commission proposal, the European Parliament and the Council agreed to […]