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European Parliament has dealt with disturbing reports about modern slavery practices and has diverse instruments to respond, says Maria Arena, Chair of DROI committee, in the latest edition of the MH newsletter. To assess the efficiency of the instruments at hand DROI commissioned studies that present external policy measures and look at the problem from the human rights perspective.

The Fact Sheets on the EU provide an overview of European integration and of Parliament's contribution to that process. They present a brief overview of the EU's institutions and policies, and of Parliament's role in their development. Available in 24 languages, they cover five main areas: how the EU works; economy, science and quality of life; cohesion, growth and jobs; fundamental rights, security and justice; and the EU's external relations. The online version is updated regularly.

Studies, in-depth analyses and briefings produced by Parliament's policy departments and the Economic Governance Support Unit are available online in the dedicated section for Supporting Analyses. Apart from searching specific publications, a selection of papers and upcoming events can be found under "Highlights". A monthly overview of the work of policy departments is given in "Periodicals", with key studies on thematic issues.

Parliament's committees deal with EU legislative proposals by adopting reports, which then are referred to plenary for voting by all Members, and appoint negotiation teams to conduct talks with Council. They adopt non-legislative reports, organise hearings with experts and scrutinise other EU bodies and institutions. Parliament can set up sub-committees and special committees to deal with specific issues. Each committee elects a chair and up to four vice-chairs for a two and a half year mandate.

Parliament’s policy departments provide high-level independent expertise, analysis and advice at the request of committees and other parliamentary bodies. Covering all areas of activity of Parliament, they deliver policy analysis in a wide variety of formats, feeding directly into the legislative work of committees or members' delegations. They organise events, including workshops and expert panels, to enhance Parliament’s analytical capacity and develop common approaches to political issues.

The European Parliament’s calendar of activities for 2022 is available through the link below. Parliament decides its annual calendar of work on the basis of a proposal by the Conference of Presidents. The calendar is divided into plenary sittings (part-sessions) and meetings.