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Plenary round-up – May II 2025
The second May plenary session in 2025 opened with Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia, addressing Parliament in a formal sitting. Following her call for European solidarity, Members then debated the EU's response to the Israeli government's plan to seize the Gaza Strip, the urgent need for humanitarian support and for all hostages to be freed. Members also debated the Hungarian government's drift to Russia-style repression, including threats to freedom of expression and democratic ...
The EU and the Pacific Island countries: Between climate change and geopolitical rivalries
The Pacific Islands region occupies almost 15 % of the Earth's surface. The European Union (EU) recognises 15 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), mostly small developing states formed by archipelagos consisting of a large number of inhabited islands. The region includes three French Pacific Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated with the EU. Population dispersion and economic dependency on a narrow range of industries – particularly tourism and fishing – are common characteristics of these ...
Portugal's climate action strategy
Portugal aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 (see trajectory in Figure 1). In 2023, Portugal accounted for 1.7 % of the EU's net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and achieved net emissions reductions of 43.9 % from 2005 to 2023, above the EU average reduction of 30.5 % over the same period. During that period, the country achieved a reduction of 66.2 % in emissions covered by the EU emissions trading system (ETS). Portugal's land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector has mostly performed ...
Croatia's climate action strategy
Croatia does not set its own national climate targets, but has emissions reduction obligations under EU law, and contributes to the EU-wide target of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1). Croatia accounts for 0.62 % of the EU's net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and has reduced its net emissions by 19.5 % from 2005 to 2023, compared with an average EU reduction of 30.5 % over the same period. The country's land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector is a significant ...
Slovakia's climate action strategy
Slovakia aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1).The country accounted for 1.1 % of the EU's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023 and achieved an emissions reduction of 27.3 % from 2005 to 2023, slightly below the EU average reduction of 30.2 % over the same period. Emissions from sectors under the EU emission trading system (ETS) fell by 41.7 %. For the effort-sharing sectors, Slovakia largely over-achieved its targets for 2020. Slovakia's land use, land-use ...
Hungary's climate change strategy
Hungary is legally bound to reach climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1), and aims to achieve a 50 % reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. Hungary accounted for 1.6 % of the EU's net GHG emissions in 2023, and achieved a net emissions reduction of 32.5 % from 2005 to 2023, slightly more than the EU average reduction of 30.5 % over the same period. Emissions from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS) were more than halved (-55.3 ...
Malta's climate action strategy
Malta is legally bound to reach climate neutrality by 2050. In 2023, the country accounted for around 0.1 % of the EU's net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and achieved a net emissions reduction of 20.7 % compared with 2005 (see trajectory in Figure 1). In 2023, emissions from sectors covered by the effort-sharing legislation increased by 32.3 % since 2005, and were significantly above those from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS), which were down 59.8 % over the same period. Malta's ...
Research for TRAN Committee Transport and tourism in outermost regions: assessing mobility poverty and the effects of new climate policies.
Using an own, newly elaborated functional definition of mobility poverty, this study first estimates mobility poverty in the nine EU outermost regions and assesses its effects on their transport and tourism sectors. It then reviews the Fit for 55 transport-related legislation and analyses its implications for these remote territories. It also outlines the main EU, national and regional measures tackling the adverse effects of both mobility poverty and the new climate legislation, and finally concludes ...
Commitments made by Wopke Hoekstra
Commitments made by Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, 2024-2029
Ten issues to watch in 2025
This is the ninth edition of an annual EPRS publication aimed at identifying and framing some of the key issues and policy areas that have the potential to feature prominently in public debate and on the political agenda of the European Union over the coming year. The topics analysed encompass economic productivity, the 2040 climate target, economic security, investment capacity, the EU's future finances, electric vehicles, competitiveness in artificial intelligence, European defence, migrant return ...