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This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee, considers the legal space for an EU Climate and Energy Union. It assesses the major limits at the EU and national level, as well as the question if (informal) Treaty change is possible and necessary to create the space needed. It also assesses if an individual right to clean energy exists, or can and should be legally construed. It pays special ...

Drawing attention to migrants' human rights and highlighting their contribution to society, International Migrants' Day is observed every year on 18 December. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 4 December 2000 in response to growing migration numbers around the world.

During its December 2024 plenary session, Parliament is expected to vote on a draft recommendation to the Council on the EU priorities for the 69th session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). The UNCSW's annual session, due to take place in March 2025 in New York, will evaluate progress made on implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted 30 years ago.

In response to recurring disasters, the European Commission is proposing exceptional measures to quickly mobilise structural funds for crisis relief and reconstruction, enabling Member States to re-programme up to €17.7 billion of the cohesion policy funds for disaster relief. The EU would be able to finance selected reconstruction work by up to 100 %, with 30 % pre-financing available for immediate liquidity. Parliament is due to vote on the proposal in December, after voting to apply the urgent ...

Ethical concerns, transparency and accountability are the main issues raised in the European Ombudsman's 2023 report, which also gives an overview of complaints and inquiries dealt with and other achievements. The Committee on Petitions (PETI) has discussed and approved the Ombudsman's report in its own report. Parliament is expected to vote on the PETI committee report during its December 2024 plenary session.

Under the EU's landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), large social media platforms have pledged to take greater responsibility for curbing harmful and deceptive content. Despite this, information manipulation campaigns continue to unfold. On 6 December, Romania became the first EU country to cancel an election over foreign interference, following reports about information manipulation on TikTok. During the December 2024 plenary session, the Commission is due to make a statement on mis- and disinformation ...

The UNCITRAL Mauritius Convention aims to improve transparency in treaty-based investor-state arbitration. Parliament is due to vote on giving consent to the Council's conclusion of the Mauritius Convention on transparency, on behalf of the EU, which will also allow EU Member States to ratify on their own behalf.

In December, after a public hearing of the candidates in the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the European Parliament is set to elect the European Ombudsman for the new parliamentary term. Six candidates are running: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), a former Deputy Portuguese Ombudsman; Emilio De Capitani (Italy), a former European Parliament official; Marino Fardelli (Italy), Ombudsman of the Lazio region; Julia Laffranque (Estonia), a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Claudia Mahler ( ...

Provision of clean drinking water, a vital resource and a public good, is considered a matter of public health. Many Europeans already have access to clean and safe drinking water at an affordable price. However, emerging issues such as water scarcity, droughts and the presence of chemical substances or microplastics in water are crystallising societal and environmental concerns. The European Commission is due to make a statement on the right to clean drinking water in the EU during the Parliament's ...

Agricultural workers have a significantly higher fatality and accident rate compared to other sectors in Europe, facing various health hazards and physically demanding tasks. They are also more likely to experience stress and have higher suicide rates. During the December plenary session, the Parliament is due to hold a debate on 'Challenges facing EU farmers and agricultural workers: improving working conditions, including their mental well-being', following a statement by the Commission.