Press room 

Disrespect for judicial independence and the rights of LGBTI persons point to “overwhelming evidence” of breaches of EU values, Parliament says.

They advocate creating a genuine single market for recycled plastics, and propose measures to tackle marine litter.

Parliament backed on Thursday a regulation that will allow removing, postponing or lowering charges for accessing rail infrastructure during COVID-19 pandemic.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, MEPs will take stock of the von der Leyen Commission’s achievements to date.

MEPs voted on Thursday to double the budget of the 2021-2027 Creative Europe programme and to enhance international circulation of works, supporting better mobility for artists.

Plans to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from cars and vans by 2030, already informally agreed with EU ministers, were approved by MEPs on Wednesday.

To protect European democracy, MEPs establish financial penalties on EU level political organisations that deliberately misuse personal data in European Elections campaigns.

Plenary adopted new rules on paternity leave and non-transferable parental leave, in a final vote on Thursday.

EU ministers should admit Bulgaria and Romania to the border check-free Schengen area as soon as possible, MEPs urge.

On Wednesday, MEPs acknowledged Ukraine‘s positive reform track, while condemning Russia‘s aggression in the Kerch Strait and the construction of Nord Stream 2.

For next year’s budget, MEPs have secured better support for students, unemployed youngsters and researchers.

Annual country-specific recommendations are needed that could trigger the mechanism protecting EU values, infringement proceedings and budgetary conditionality.

For the first time, MEPs endorsed the setting up of a programme devoted to boosting innovation in European defence industry including cyber security on Tuesday.

The post-2020 EU farm policy must be smarter, simpler, fairer and more sustainable, but also well financed and truly common, MEPs say.

On Monday evening, the plenary approved the deal struck with the Council last December on common rules to boost EU crowdfunding platforms and protect investors.

MEPs want social inclusion and people’s wellbeing at the heart of EU economic policies, with equal priority given to social, environmental and economic objectives.

To develop, authorise and make safe COVID-19 vaccines available more easily, MEPs today adopted a temporary derogation from certain rules for clinical trials.

The rules requiring EU member states to inform the EU Commission of their plans to negotiate energy supply deals with third countries before opening negotiations were approved by MEPs on Thursday. This is the first item of Energy Union legislation to be completed.

New rules to create a Europe-wide market for electricity that is cleaner, more competitive and better able to cope with risks, were approved by Parliament on Tuesday.

Parliament calls for potential conflicts of interest at highest level of government to be resolved and for the names of final beneficiaries of EU funds to be registered.