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AI investment: EU and global indicators EN

27-03-2024 PE 760.392
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : Economic indicators show that the United States (US) is the front-runner for both private investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and venture capital in generative AI, followed by China. US companies are also developing most of the large languages models (LLMs) underpinning AI innovation. EU starts-up are beginning to scale up.
Indieners : Tambiama André MADIEGA

Artificial intelligence [What Think Tanks are thinking] EN

27-03-2024 PE 760.389
Briefing
Samenvatting : The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act moved close to final adoption when the European Parliament voted in favour of the text on 13 March. It will become law after the final endorsement of the Council of the European Union, making the Union the first major world power to adopt horizontal legislation governing AI. The act defines the rules for using and selling artificial intelligence systems in the EU, and regulates general-purpose AI tools such as ChatGPT and AI-based biometric surveillance. It also requires much more transparency than up to now in high-risk AI systems, and delineates unacceptable risks of AI. This note offers links to recent reports and commentaries from some major international think tanks and research institutes on artificial intelligence. More publications on the topic can be found in a previous edition of What think tanks are thinking.
Indieners : Marcin CESLUK-GRAJEWSKI

Recent threats in the Red Sea: Economic impact on the region and on the EU EN

27-03-2024 PE 760.390
Briefing
Samenvatting : Since mid-November 2023, the Iran-backed Houthi militia, which controls large parts of Yemen, has attacked numerous Western commercial ships near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. In response, major shipping companies have temporarily suspended Suez transits and diverted their trade. This diversion coincides with decreasing freight in another maritime chokepoint, the Panama Canal, provoked by lowered water levels. Rounding South Africa via the Cape of Good Hope is the shortest alternative route for travel by ship between Asia and Europe, a route that increases shipping time by 10 to 14 days. Shipping prices had already been on the rise recently, owing to increased fuel and insurance costs. The diversion has caused delays that have disrupted global supply chains, with certain companies choosing to halt production in their factories. If the situation persists or worsens, it could further affect energy supplies and prices, all this potentially contributing to higher inflation. This could, in turn, hamper the efforts of central banks to achieve a 'soft landing'. If, in addition, United States (US) and European Union (EU) central banks decide to keep interest rates high, developing countries will have to pay premium prices for international debt, raising repayment risks for many countries in Africa that have maturity deadlines this year. The attacks have reduced income from maritime fees and could affect commodity exports for some countries in the region, worsening an already precarious economic situation. If the situation persists or worsens, it could also impact trade for other countries in east Africa and aggravate food security challenges, generating social unrest in countries in the region. In addition to the attacks on ships, there are suspicions that the Houthis have been involved in damage to submarine communications cables. This damage – to what is categorised as critical infrastructure – could represent a significant cost to the EU and other economies. Following calls by the European Parliament and Council, the European Commission has recently adopted a recommendation on the security and resilience of submarine cable infrastructures.
Indieners : Angelos DELIVORIAS

The European Parliament and the origins of environmental policy EN

27-03-2024 PE 757.644
Studie
Samenvatting : Drawing on a wide array of sources and literature, this study examines the role of the European Parliament in the establishment of the European Community's environmental policy. It argues that Parliament played a key role in placing this nascent policy issue on the agenda. It influenced the definition of what the policy should include, what it should focus on, and which instruments should be used to address environmental problems. In this process, Parliament filtered ideas, issues and political objectives from national and international debates into the European Community.
Indieners : Guest author: Jan-Henrik Meyer
Soort document

Samenvatting

The European Parliament and the origins of social policy EN

27-03-2024 PE 757.646
Studie
Samenvatting : Drawing on a wide array of sources and literature, this study examines the role of the European Parliament in the establishment of the European Community's social policy. It argues that Parliament played a key role in placing this nascent policy issue on the agenda. It influenced the definition of what the policy should include, what it should focus on, and which instruments should be used to address social problems. In this process, Parliament filtered ideas, issues and political objectives from national and international debates into the European Community.
Indieners : Guest author: Mechthild Roos
Soort document

Samenvatting

The European Parliament and the origins of consumer policy EN

27-03-2024 PE 757.647
Studie
Samenvatting : Drawing on a wide array of sources and literature, this study examines the role of the European Parliament in the establishment of the European Community's consumer policy. It argues that Parliament played a key role in placing this nascent policy issue on the agenda. It influenced the definition of what the policy should include, what it should focus on, and which instruments should be used to address the problems facing European consumers. In this process, Parliament filtered ideas, issues and political objectives from national and international debates into the European Community.
Indieners : Guest authors: Liesbeth van de Grift and Koen van Zon
Soort document

Samenvatting

Fit for 55 package: Reducing methane emissions in the energy sector EN

26-03-2024 PE 729.313
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 15 December 2021, the Commission presented a proposal to regulate methane emissions reductions in the energy sector. The proposal is part of the second batch of proposals in the 'fit for 55' package, seeking to align EU climate and energy laws with the EU Climate Law's 2030 target. The proposal addresses gaps in the current legislation: those relating to methane emissions from upstream exploration and the production of oil and fossil gas, but also those from the gathering and processing of fossil gas, the transmission, distribution and underground storage of gas, and liquid gas terminals operating with fossil and/or renewable methane. In Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committees on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). On 26 April 2023, they adopted their joint report, which introduced several amendments to the proposal. Parliament adopted its position for the trilogue negotiations on 9 May 2023, without changes to the joint committee report. On 15 November 2023, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the proposal. Coreper endorsed it on 15 December 2023 and ENVI and ITRE on 11 January 2024. Parliament is expected to vote on the agreed text during its April I plenary session. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages in the legislative procedure.
Indieners : HENRIQUE ANDRE MORGADO SIMOES

A Union certification framework for carbon removals EN

26-03-2024 PE 739.312
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 30 November 2022, as part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented the legislative proposal for a Union certification framework for carbon removals. The initiative was first announced in the March 2020 new circular economy action plan and again highlighted in the climate target plan, as well as in the 'fit for 55' revision of the Regulation on land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), as an essential tool to drive progress towards the 2050 climate neutrality target. The stated aim of the initiative is to ensure high-quality EU certified carbon removals, through a transparent and credible governance framework. This would open up the possibility for further investments towards carbon removal activities and increased deployment. The European Parliament adopted its position during the November II 2023 plenary session, and the Council adopted its general approach on 17 November 2023. A provisional agreement was reached on 20 February 2024, and subsequently endorsed by Member States on 8 March 2024 and by Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) on 11 March 2024. The vote in plenary is scheduled for the April I 2024 part-session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : LISELOTTE JENSEN

Enhancing research security EN

26-03-2024 PE 760.387
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 24 January 2024, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a Council recommendation on enhancing research security. The procedure does not require the European Parliament's involvement. Research security refers to the safeguarding of scientific activities against misuse and undue influence by third countries or non-state actors. Risks to research include the illicit transfer of knowledge or technology resulting in a threat to the EU's security or undermining its values. Competence for identifying and managing these risks lies with several public bodies, including national authorities and academic institutions. Research security is therefore distinct from research integrity, which seeks to safeguard the reliability and honesty of knowledge creation by individual scientists and academic institutions in line with scientific standards. Against a backdrop of global challenges, including climate transition and geopolitical tensions such as Russia's war on Ukraine, the current economic situation is highlighting the risks inherent in international cooperation in science and technology and the need for the EU to build resilience by reducing vulnerability to foreign interference. While research and innovation (R&I) are an EU asset, in that they can generate knowledge and solutions to global challenges, they also require an appropriate framework to balance the benefits of openness with the need for safeguards regarding research integrity and the dissemination and exploitation of knowledge, technology and know how. The proposed recommendation, adopted as part of the economic security package, is expected to help establish an EU-wide level playing field in research security in line with the objectives set by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for the European research area (ERA): developing the EU's scientific and technological base and ensuring the free circulation of knowledge. With the inclusion of an EU definition of research security, the proposal seeks to prevent the fragmentation of the ERA that could result from diverging national approaches on research security. This approach, empowering the main academic and industrial actors in research creation, should also comply with the principles underpinning research in the EU, such as academic freedom.
Indieners : CLEMENT THIERRY EVROUX

Gender mainstreaming in EU trade agreements EN

26-03-2024 PE 760.388
Briefing
Samenvatting : International trade is not gender neutral. Both inside and outside Europe, trade liberalisation has gender differentiated impacts, stemming from women and men's unequal access to resources and their different positions on labour markets, in households and in society. The challenge for EU policy makers is therefore to ensure that both women and men in the EU and partner countries enjoy gains from trade agreements and are protected from negative impacts and, more broadly, that EU trade policy contributes to promoting gender equality, one of the EU's core values. The EU has committed to promoting gender equality in all its policies and has established specific mechanisms in its trade policy to enforce women's labour and human rights. Under the current Commission, there has been a shift towards more explicit inclusion of gender in EU trade policy and trade agreements, illustrated in the inclusion in recent agreements of the first dedicated articles and chapter on trade and gender equality. Sustainable impact assessments and ex post evaluations, with guidelines for taking gendered effects into account, are seen as positive means of informing trade negotiations and assessing impacts of trade agreements. Nonetheless, experts and civil society have identified a number of challenges and potential areas for improvement, not least the need for better data. The European Parliament has asked for gender mainstreaming in EU trade agreements to be reinforced, calling for gender issues to be taken into account throughout the texts and during negotiations. Parliament is particularly keen for all trade agreements to include dedicated chapters on gender equality and women's empowerment, with binding and enforceable gender provisions and provisions for proper monitoring and compliance. It has also called for comprehensive ex ante and ex post gender analysis of potential and actual impacts, and for gender balanced representation and gender expertise on trade negotiating teams and the bodies established to advise on, monitor and assess the implementation of trade agreements.
Indieners : Rosamund SHREEVES

EU-China relations: De-risking or de-coupling − the future of the EU strategy towards China EN

26-03-2024 PE 754.446 AFET
Studie
Samenvatting : To evaluate the European Union’s (EU) policy framework towards China, this study analyses the varied facets of bilateral relations and the EU’s approach towards China, including its policy of de-risking, together with issues relating to China’s domestic politics and foreign policy. It highlights the need for the EU to adopt a coherent vision and a comprehensive and consistent long-term China strategy that can guide its future actions towards China and on the world stage. Based on its findings, it also provides a series of specific recommendations for the EU on the numerous topics analysed in the study.
Indieners : Andreea BRINZA, Una Aleksandra BĒRZIŅA-ČERENKOVA, Philippe LE CORRE, John SEAMAN, Richard TURCSÁNYI, Stefan VLADISAVLJEV

Understanding EU action on Roma inclusion EN

25-03-2024 PE 690.629
Briefing
Samenvatting : The Roma are Europe's largest ethnic minority. Out of an estimated total of 10 to 12 million Roma in Europe as a whole, some 6 million live in the European Union (EU) and most of them are citizens of an EU Member State. A significant number of Roma people live in very poor socio-economic conditions. The social exclusion, discrimination and segregation they face are mutually reinforcing. Their restricted access to education and difficulties entering the labour market result in low income and poor health compared with non-Roma people. Since the mid-1990s, the EU has been stressing the need for better Roma inclusion. In 2011, a key EU initiative was launched with the adoption of an EU framework for national Roma integration strategies up to 2020. The aim was to tackle the socio-economic exclusion of and discrimination against Roma, by promoting equal access in four key areas: education, employment, health and housing. When the framework came to an end, in early October 2020 the European Commission adopted a new strategy for 2021 to 2030. Through this new strategy, Member States were invited to tackle the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Roma people. In March 2021, the Council adopted a recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation, replacing an earlier one from 2013. This recommendation encouraged Member States to adopt strategic frameworks for the inclusion of Roma communities. The EU also supports Member States in their duty to improve the lives of all vulnerable people, including Roma people, through the European structural and investment funds and other funding instruments. Issues relating to the promotion of democratic values and practices, and economic, social and cultural rights for Roma people have received particular attention from civil society organisations, while Parliament has been advocating for Roma inclusion since the 1990s. This is an update of a briefing published in April 2023.
Indieners : Marie LECERF

Implications of the Digital Transformation on Different Social Groups EN

25-03-2024 PE 760.277 PETI
Studie
Samenvatting : This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the PETI Committee, analyses the impact of digitalization on vulnerable social groups in terms of lower income and education, age, people affected by disabilities, minority ethnic groups and people living in remote/isolated geographic areas. It includes a review of the relevant academic literature, secondary data analysis, as well as three case studies focused on digital inequality in e-commerce and digital financial services. The study reviews the EU legislations relevant in the policy areas that are the object of the case studies and elaborates some recommendations on the actions that the EU could undertake to tackle the digital divide affecting vulnerable social groups.
Indieners : MAZZONI Leonardo, BOTTA Marco, CARLINI Roberta, FILISTRUCCHI Lapo, MENENDEZ GONZALEZ Natalia, PARCU Pier Luigi

Voting from abroad in European Parliament elections EN

22-03-2024 PE 751.457
Briefing
Samenvatting : Across the European Union (EU), national provisions regarding the right to vote for citizens living abroad are not consistent. However, recent legislative changes seem to suggest a positive trend towards allowing out-of-country voting in most EU Member States. When it comes to voting from abroad, countries need to carefully assess and address various issues. These include: the identification of potential voters; how to inform them about their right to vote and stand as a candidate from abroad; the design and implementation of timely registration processes; the training of staff in diplomatic missions (for in-person voting in consular and diplomatic missions); the design and implementation of secure voting procedures, as well as the possible transportation of ballots from abroad. Against this backdrop, the legal and practical arrangements for voting in the European elections for citizens who live or are temporarily outside their home Member State vary greatly between the Member States. Most allow voting at embassies or consulates abroad, several allow citizens living abroad to vote by post, a few allow voting by proxy, and one (Estonia) allows electronic voting. On the other hand, Czechia, Ireland, Malta and Slovakia do not permit their citizens to vote in the European elections from abroad. Ahead of the European elections in June 2024, this briefing provides an overview of the national provisions concerning voting from abroad in the 27 EU Member States. This briefing is an update of one published in September 2023. The latest elections-related statistical information about the Member States is from August 2023, with the exception of Greece and Belgium, for which it was updated in March 2024.
Indieners : Carmen-Cristina CIRLIG, Maria-Margarita MENTZELOPOULOU

European Council: Facts and figures EN

22-03-2024 PE 753.203
Briefing
Samenvatting : The European Council brings together the Heads of State or Government of the 27 EU Member States in regular meetings which seek to define the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union. This briefing offers a selection of key facts and figures about this institution, detailing its membership, role, activities, political composition and development over time.
Indieners : Ralf DRACHENBERG

Preventing and countering the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and stay in the EU EN

22-03-2024 PE 760.365
Briefing
Samenvatting : In November 2023, the Commission proposed a directive to modernise and strengthen the legal framework on the fight against migrant smuggling. The proposal addresses the steady rise in irregular arrivals in the EU and the rise in smuggling on all main EU entry routes. The current directive defining the offence of facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence in the EU, and the framework decision on strengthening of the penal framework have both been widely criticised for their failure to provide legal certainty and uniformity of implementation. Parliament has been the main critic of these legal acts since their adoption in 2002. Many human rights players have also warned that the overly broad definition of migrant smuggling has resulted in the investigation and prosecution of innocent people, be they smuggled migrants or individuals providing humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants. To clearly define and effectively sanction migrant smuggling, the Commission would replace the existing rules with others focused on criminal offences, penalties for natural persons, liability of and sanctions for legal persons, but also on jurisdiction, prevention, investigation and data collection. In Parliament, the file has been assigned to the LIBE committee, with Birgit Sippel (S&D, Germany) as rapporteur. The next expected step is the publication of a draft report. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Anja RADJENOVIC

Performance framework for the EU budget - Concepts and practices EN

22-03-2024 PE 760.700 CONT BUDG
Studie
Samenvatting : Performance-based budgeting has latterly become integral to the governance of EU spending. This study looks at the principles behind this approach and explores how it is being implemented in Cohesion Policy and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The analysis reveals marked differences between how performance-based budgeting functions in these two frameworks and sheds light on both benefits and drawbacks in their implementation.
Indieners : Iain BEGG, Francesco CORTI, Alessandro LISCAI, Stefan KAH

Revision of EU marketing standards for certain 'breakfast' directives EN

21-03-2024 PE 751.412
Briefing
Samenvatting : Over time, EU food markets have evolved significantly, driven by innovation and changes in consumer demand and expectations. Taking this shift into account, on 21 April 2023 the European Commission proposed to update some of the rules governing a set of directives on food products – the 'breakfast' directives. Changes include introducing stricter origin labelling for honey, increasing the fruit content in jams, reducing sugar in fruit juice and clearing the way for the production of lactose-free evaporated milk. Following the vote on the report by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Parliament adopted its position on the proposal with 522 votes in favour, 13 against and 65 abstentions on 12 December 2023. Strengthening the Commission's text, the plenary approved measures to protect consumers and beekeepers from adulterated honey, and to facilitate informed consumer choices through increased transparency. On 30 January 2024, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement, which was endorsed by ENVI on 14 February 2024. The text has now to be approved formally by Parliament and the Council. The new legislation will enter into force 20 days after its formal adoption. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Ivana KATSAROVA

Harmonising transfer pricing rules within the EU EN

21-03-2024 PE 760.349
Briefing
Samenvatting : The pricing of goods and services traded within a multinational group is known as 'transfer pricing'. The prices charged on such transactions affect the allocation of income among the different entities of the multinational group (and consequently, the taxable profits of each country). To ensure that transactions between group entities are priced in a way that reflects their fair market value – i.e. as if the transactions were made between independent entities – countries have put in place strict transfer pricing rules. While these rules are established at the national level, EU Member States generally align with the (non-binding) OECD Guidelines. However, the number of transfer pricing tax disputes has risen over the years, with both tax authorities and companies dedicating significant time and resources to resolving such cases. On 12 September 2023, the European Commission tabled a proposal for harmonising transfer pricing rules within the EU. The main goal is to establish a common approach at the EU level towards transfer pricing and define key transfer pricing principles to be incorporated into EU law. The European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) has drawn up a (non-binding) report, which is expected to be put to the vote during Parliament's April I plenary session (10-11 April). Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Pieter BAERT

Haiti in a spiral of violence EN

20-03-2024 PE 760.377
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : The multidimensional crisis and spiralling violence in Haiti has reached its peak, with criminal gangs in control of 80 % of the capital Port-au-Prince. On 11 March 2024, Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation. Hopes lie with a transitional governance arrangement that was agreed at a meeting in Jamaica between Haitian stakeholders, CARICOM and representatives from the international community. The installation of the Transitional Presidential Council is a precondition set by Kenya to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti authorised by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in October 2023.
Indieners : Marc JUTTEN

Screening of third-country nationals at the EU's external borders EN

20-03-2024 PE 659.346
Briefing
Samenvatting : In September 2020, the Commission put forward a new pact on migration and asylum, setting out a comprehensive approach to European Union (EU) migration policies that links external borders, asylum, return systems, the Schengen area of free movement and the external dimension of migration. The pact includes a proposal for a new regulation on the screening of third-country nationals at external borders aiming to clarify and streamline the rules on dealing with third-country nationals who are not authorised to enter or stay in the EU. The proposal would introduce a pre-entry screening procedure allowing national authorities at external borders to channel irregular third-country nationals to the appropriate procedure, i.e. asylum or return procedures. The screening would start with preliminary health and vulnerability checks and finish with the transmission of a debriefing form to the appropriate authorities. The proposal would provide for the establishment, by each Member State, of an independent monitoring mechanism for fundamental rights. Following the provisional agreement reached by the Parliament and the Council in December 2023, the agreed text of the new regulation has been tabled for a vote in the April I plenary session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Costica DUMBRAVA

Improving the working conditions of platform workers EN

20-03-2024 PE 698.923
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 11 March 2024, employment and social affairs ministers from the EU Member States endorsed the agreement reached with the European Parliament in February 2024 on the platform work directive. The directive introduces the presumption of employment – to be applied following national rules – as well as the first EU rules to regulate algorithmic management in the workplace. Platform work is an umbrella concept covering a heterogeneous group of economic activities completed through a digital platform. Platform workers' rights are not enshrined in EU labour law and this is increasingly leading to problems relating to various aspects of their work and human development. To remedy this situation, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a directive aimed at improving the working conditions of platform workers, clarifying their employment status, and establishing the first EU rules for the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Fifth edition of a briefing originally drafted by Monika Kiss. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Marketa PAPE

Anti-money-laundering authority (AMLA): Countering money laundering and the financing of terrorism EN

20-03-2024 PE 733.645
Briefing
Samenvatting : In July 2021, the European Commission tabled a proposal to establish a new EU authority to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AMLA). This was part of a legislative package aimed at implementing the 2020 action plan for a comprehensive Union policy on preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The AMLA would be the centre of an integrated system, composed of the authority itself and national authorities with an AML/CFT supervisory mandate. It would also support EU financial intelligence units (FIUs) and establish a cooperation mechanism among them. In the European Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). The co rapporteurs' draft report was voted on 28 March 2023 and the plenary mandate on 17 April 2023. The Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement in December 2023, and the decision on the seat was taken by a joint vote on 22 February 2024. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. The first edition was written by Carla Stamegna.
Indieners : Cécile REMEUR

Revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive EN

20-03-2024 PE 754.595
Briefing
Samenvatting : In July 2023, the Commission tabled a package of proposals for the greening of freight transport. Among the three proposals is one on the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive, which sets limits for heavy goods vehicles in international road transport. The proposal seeks to further promote use of zero-emission trucks by allowing these to exceed the standard weight limits. It also seeks to clarify the rules on use of heavier and longer vehicles in cross-border transport operations between countries where such vehicles are allowed, promote intermodal transport and simplify administrative procedures, while also improving enforcement of the rules. In the European Parliament, the file has been referred to the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), which has appointed Isabel García Muñoz (S&D, Spain) as rapporteur. She published her draft report on 20 October 2023. The TRAN committee adopted its report on 14 February. Parliament adopted its first reading position during the March 2024 plenary session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Jaan SOONE

Toy safety regulation EN

20-03-2024 PE 754.600
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 28 July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise EU toy safety legislation, by introducing a new regulation and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC. The proposal pursues two main objectives: a) achieving a higher level of child protection, including from the most harmful substances; and b) reducing the number of non-compliant and unsafe toys on the EU market. In relation to the first objective, the proposal extends the definition of health to children's psychological and mental health and to their wellbeing and cognitive development. It also extends the current ban on substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction to include endocrine disruptors, and chemicals that are toxic to a specific organ or affect the immune, neurological or respiratory system. The proposal's second objective is to establish a digital product passport to facilitate traceability. In the European Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). It adopted its report on the proposal unanimously in February 2024. Parliament voted on the report during its March 2024 plenary session, setting its first reading position for trilogue negotiations with the Council during the next term. The working party on technical harmonisation in the Council has begun its examination of the proposal. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : CLEMENT THIERRY EVROUX

Soil monitoring and resilience directive EN

20-03-2024 PE 757.627
Briefing
Samenvatting : Currently, there is no EU-wide legislation specifically on soil, although many policy instruments relevant to soil protection are in place. Under the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented a new EU soil strategy for 2030, with the aim of having all EU soil ecosystems in a healthy condition by 2050. To achieve this objective, on 5 July 2023 it tabled a proposal for a soil monitoring and resilience directive, laying down measures for monitoring and assessing soil health, based on a common definition of what constitutes healthy soil, for managing soils sustainably, and for tackling contaminated sites. While stakeholders agree on the need for a soil monitoring framework, concerns have been raised about the indicators chosen to describe and assess soil health, provisions on land take, the lack of a roadmap, plans and intermediate targets to achieve the overarching 2050 objective, application of the polluter pays principle, and funding available to support land owners and managers. Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), responsible for the file, adopted its legislative report on 11 March 2024. The text awaits a vote during the first April 2024 plenary session, with a view to setting Parliament's position at first reading. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Vivienne HALLEUX

The European Council and the economic governance review EN

20-03-2024 PE 757.789
Briefing
Samenvatting : The update of the EU's fiscal rules is almost complete – in time to be adopted ahead of the legislative break for the 2024 European elections. There has been a long-standing need to update the EU economic governance framework to make it better suited to the current and future challenges the EU is facing. The existing rules have formed over time since the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 saw the activation of the 'general escape clause' in the rules, giving Member States flexibility with their national budgets at a time of crisis. The validity of the clause was extended owing to the start of the war in Ukraine, but it was finally deactivated at the end of 2023. Since the beginning of 2023, the European Council had been calling for work on the economic governance review to be concluded by the end of 2023, so that the new rules could apply from the start of 2024 without transitional arrangements. The Commission published a package of legislative proposals in April 2023, which upheld the key reference values limiting government decifits to 3 % of gross domestic product (GDP), and debt levels to 60 % of GDP, as defined in the Maastricht Treaty. The Swedish, Spanish and Belgian Presidencies of the Council of the EU have taken the work forward. There have, however, been differences of views on the review process among the EU Member States. Germany, the largest EU Member State by population and one of the EU's key economic engines, has led a more fiscally prudent grouping, with proposals such as quantitative benchmarks and safeguards. The other approach, pushed by countries such as France, has been to stress the need for investment and flexibility. The whole process was not finalised by the end of 2023, as the European Council had requested, but Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the Council of the EU adopted their respective positions in December 2023, thus enabling interinstitutional negotiations to start in January, once Parliament had confirmed its negotiating mandate. A political agreement was reached in February 2024. The aim is to have the new framework in place before the European elections in June 2024 and to start applying the rules from 2025. The first national plans outlining expenditure, reforms and investment in line with these new rules are expected to be prepared by 20 September 2024. This briefing looks at the process that led to the political agreement on the new rules, and at how the European Council has contributed to it through the guidance given in its conclusions.
Indieners : Annastiina PAPUNEN

African Union–European Union cooperation on health EN

20-03-2024 PE 760.372
Briefing
Samenvatting : In line with its 2022 global health strategy (GHS), the expansion of international partnerships on health is a priority for the European Union (EU). As the 2020 Africa strategy underlines, the African continent, including at regional and national levels, is one of the EU's strategic partners, not least on health. Nevertheless, it was not until February 2022, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, that health was explicitly included as one of the strategic priorities of the EU–African Union (AU) partnership. Since then, AU–EU cooperation on health has evolved. In February 2024, the partners confirmed their intention to enhance their health partnership, and identify new areas of joint work within the frameworks provided by the EU GHS and the AU New Public Health Order. Five Team Europe initiatives (TEIs) underpin the EU's cooperation with African partners on health. The focus is on sustainable strengthening of the African architecture for health security and pandemic preparedness with the 'One Health' approach; enhancing Africa-based public health capacity, including through digital health; local production of health products; and improving sexual and reproductive health. The TEIs are supported by investment from the Global Gateway Africa–Europe investment package. The EU is also committed to the EU–Africa Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking under the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding programme. Despite significant progress in EU–African cooperation on health during the past few years, several divergences and points of contention exist. For instance, both the EU and African partners state their commitment towards their shared goal of equity and equitable access to health products; however, their stance on making this priority operational diverges, and arguably constitutes the main friction point in the relations. The ongoing negotiations at the World Health Organization aiming to strengthen international health security highlight persisting issues. The European Parliament advocates an ambitious and comprehensive AU–EU health agenda. Parliament has for instance called for prioritisation of health in AU–EU relations, technology transfer, enhanced financing, and a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights and a 'One Health' approach.
Indieners : GABIJA LECLERC

Children's participation in the democratic life of the EU EN

20-03-2024 PE 760.374
Briefing
Samenvatting : Present-day European children have been through a lot: a global pandemic, a global financial crisis and wars in the EU's neighbouring regions. In just a few years, once they become adults, they will have to face the consequences of the decisions taken today. Therefore whether these decisions have to do with the protection of the environment, public health policies or demographics, governments should seek to ensure that children are sufficiently empowered to contribute to responsible choices for their generation's future. According to EU and international instruments, children have the right to be heard and to have a say in all decisions that may affect them and their well-being, whether in their home, community, school, or in legal and administrative matters. Ensuring children's right to express their views on matters relevant to them is a key objective of the European Union. Children's participation can take many forms, in ways that are adapted to their age and maturity; for instance they can express their views through writing and speech but also through painting and drawing. The upcoming European elections in June 2024 further highlight the importance of engaging children in the EU's democratic processes. Four Member States (Belgium, Germany, Malta and Austria) allow their 16-year-old citizens to vote. Stakeholders call for more extensive consultations with children while stressing the need to make policy and decision making in areas concerning children both accessible and child-friendly. An open and inclusive consultation would provide children with the opportunity to contribute to the definition of new policy priorities and to the evaluation and revision of existing measures. This briefing looks at the international and EU policy framework relevant to children's participation in democratic life. It also gives practical examples of how this participation is enabled through local youth parliaments, municipal children's councils and ad hoc consultations.
Indieners : Micaela DEL MONTE, Maria-Margarita MENTZELOPOULOU

Revision of the European Works Councils Directive: Stronger social dialogue in a multinational context EN

20-03-2024 PE 760.375
Briefing
Samenvatting : European Works Councils (EWCs) are bodies that should guarantee employees the right to be consulted on important issues in large multinational companies active in multiple EU countries. The possibility to set up EWCs was introduced 30 years ago and the rules were revised in 2009. However, with limited rights to information and little influence, EWCs have been criticised for being ineffective, on account of unclear definitions, non-dissuasive sanctions and ineffective access to justice. In February 2023, the European Parliament called for legislative action to address the shortcomings identified and strengthen the functioning of EWCs. In response, the European Commission consulted European social partners and put forward a proposal in January 2024 to revise the 2009 directive. The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs is preparing a report, with a view to securing a mandate for interinstitutional negotiations in the next legislative term. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Marketa PAPE

La libertad de empresa, una perspectiva de Derecho Comparado - España ES

20-03-2024 PE 760.373
Studie
Samenvatting : Este documento se integra en una serie de estudios que, desde una perspectiva de Derecho Comparado, tienen como objeto el análisis de la libertad de empresa en los diferentes ordenamientos jurídicos de la Unión Europea. Tras la explicación de su normativa y jurisprudencia, se examina el contenido, los límites y su posible evolución. La Constitución española de 1978 regula la libertad de empresa dentro del Capítulo II del Título I dedicado a los “Derechos y Libertades”; concretamente, en su artículo 38. En el mismo precepto se reconoce, paralelamente, la economía de mercado y su defensa, encomendadas ambas a los distintos poderes públicos, junto con la productividad, de acuerdo con las exigencias de la economía general y, en su caso, de la planificación. La ordenación de la libertad de empresa es transversal y está condicionada, principalmente, por seis realidades: 1) Los límites impuestos por la configuración de España como un Estado social (art. 1.1 CE); 2) La defensa de otros derechos y bienes constitucionales igualmente recogidos en la Constitución y que el Tribunal Constitucional ha perfilado al hilo de su jurisprudencia; 3) Las tensiones competenciales entre el Estado y las Comunidades Autónomas a la hora de reglamentar y ejecutar diversas políticas sobre la materia; 4) Los conflictos entre los derechos de los trabajadores y el margen de dirección del empleador en el momento de preservar su contenido esencial; 5) El límite del artículo 128.2 CE, al constitucionalizar, además de la libertad de empresa, la iniciativa pública en la actividad económica y la reserva mediante ley al sector público de recursos o servicios esenciales; y 6) El cumplimiento y respeto, lógicamente, a toda una amplia normativa comunitaria que sobre la libertad de empresa han promulgado las distintas instituciones de la Unión Europea. La combinación de estos seis factores, entre otros no tan determinantes, ha dado lugar a un complejo entramado normativo y jurisprudencial que ha desarrollado y tutela de forma eficaz, con carácter general, el derecho a la libertad de empresa en España.
Indieners : EPRS, Comparative Law

Proposal on welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability EN

18-03-2024 PE 760.371
Briefing
Samenvatting : In the framework of the 'farm to fork' strategy, the Commission committed to a complete overhaul of the animal welfare rules. Accordingly, on 7 December 2023 it published a proposal on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats, together with a proposal for a new regulation on animal welfare in transport. At present, the rules on the protection of dog and cat welfare across the EU are not harmonised. The proposal therefore aims to establish EU standards for the breeding, housing and handling of pets in breeding establishments, pet shops and shelters. To combat the illegal trade in dogs and cats – a ruthless practice that is flourishing through online sales – the Commission seeks to reinforce the traceability of dogs and cats by introducing mandatory identification and registration in national databases. In the European Parliament, the file has been assigned to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), with Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, Czechia) as rapporteur.
Indieners : CLAUDIA VINCI

Key Issues in the European Council - State of play in March 2024 EN

18-03-2024 PE 757.805
Studie
Samenvatting : This EPRS publication, 'Key issues in the European Council', which is updated every quarter to coincide with European Council meetings, seeks to provide an overview of the institution's activities on major EU issues. It analyses 12 broad policy areas, explaining the legal and political background, the main priorities and orientations defined by the European Council and the results of its involvement to date, as well as some of the future challenges in each policy field.
Indieners : Annastiina PAPUNEN, Ralf DRACHENBERG, REBECCA MARY TORPEY

Cyprus's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 698.885
Briefing
Samenvatting : In absolute figures, Cyprus's amended national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) has increased by €20 million to a total of €1.22 billion. Cyprus decided to use its allocation under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) predominantly in grants (€1 005 million), with €200.3 million in loans. In September 2023, Cyprus submitted a request to amend its NRRP, to which it added a new REPowerEU chapter, with an additional REPowerEU grant allocation of €52.5 million. It also requested to transfer a portion of its share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its plan (€52 million). With these funds, and cutting some measures (as a result of the 2022 decrease in the allocation), the overall EU financial contribution to the amended plan amounts to €1 024 billion in grants (loans remain the same).These resources represent around 0.2 % of the entire RRF, and are equal to 5.15 % of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. They underpin reforms and investments that aim to promote the recovery of the Cypriot economy, while addressing structural weaknesses and pursuing major objectives such as the green transition and the digital transformation. The revised plan has a stronger focus on the digital (24.6 % of the funds vs 23 % before) and green (45 %, vs 41 % before) transitions. Measures under Cyprus's plan are to be completed in 2026. Cyprus has so far received 19.8 % of the resources in the form of pre-financing and one payment for grants and loans (below the EU average). The remaining amounts will be paid depending on the implementation of the remaining 68 milestones and 121 targets. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate for the creation of a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the work of the European Commission. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : Angelos DELIVORIAS

Latvia's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 698.887
Briefing
Samenvatting : Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), Latvia's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) had an initial value of €1 826 million. In June 2022, Latvia's grant allocation was revised slightly upwards to €1 835 million. In September 2023, Latvia submitted a request to amend its NRRP, to which it added a REPowerEU chapter endowed with an additional grant allocation of €124 million. It also requested to transfer a portion of its share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its plan (€11 million). The other modifications submitted by Latvia affect 35 measures of the initial plan. In December 2023, the Council adopted an amending implementing decision by which it gave the green light to Latvia's modified plan. It confirmed that Latvia is now set to receive non-repayable financial support amounting to €1 969 million, including for the new REPowerEU chapter. These resources represent 0.3 % of the entire RRF, equal to 6.4 % of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. Latvia has not requested RRF loans. The new plan contains 25 reforms and 63 investment measures. Measures under the current plan are to be completed by 2026. Latvia has so far received 24 % of the resources (in the form of pre-financing and one payment of grants). A further five payments for grants will depend on progress made in implementing the plan. Latvia's plan is consistent with the challenges and priorities identified in the European Semester, the annual cycle of coordination and monitoring of each EU country's economic policies. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on the implementation of the RRF and continues to scrutinise the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : JEROME LEON SAULNIER

France's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 698.929
Briefing
Samenvatting : France's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is a subpart of 'France Relance', a larger recovery strategy France adopted in 2020 at national level, worth €100 billion in total (4.1 % of France's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019). The NRRP had an initial value of €40.9 billion (total costs), while the plan as amended in 2023 is worth €41.9 billion. Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), at the core of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) instrument, France's RRF grant allocation decreased from €39.4 billion to €37.4 billion, following the June 2022 update. In April 2023, France submitted a request to amend its NRRP – partly in order to take into account the decrease in the EU's financial contribution, but also to add a new REPowerEU chapter, which comes with an additional grant allocation of €2.3 billion. France also requested to transfer a portion of its share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its plan (€504 million). With these funds, the overall EU financial contribution to the French amended plan amounts to €40.2 billion in grants, with the rest to be covered by national means. France has not requested loans. The RRF resources allocated to France represent 5.3 % of the entire RRF resources for the EU, and 1.6 % of the country's GDP in 2019 (the RRF representing 5.2 % of EU-27 GDP in 2019). Measures under the plan are to be completed by 2026. So far, France has received €23.4 billion. The next payments will depend on progress in implementing the plan. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate of the creation of a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fourth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : Guillaume RAGONNAUD

Nationaal plan voor herstel en veerkracht van België: Actuele stand van zaken

18-03-2024 PE 698.931
Briefing
Samenvatting : De herstel- en veerkrachtfaciliteit (RRF) van de Europese Unie (EU) is het kernonderdeel van Next Generation EU. Dit is het tijdelijk herstelinstrument dat de Commissie in staat stelt financiële middelen aan te trekken om de economische en sociale schade ten gevolge van de coronapandemie te herstellen. De RRF is geheel in overeenstemming met de prioriteiten van de Commissie en bevordert een duurzaam en inclusief herstel dat bijdraagt aan de groene en digitale transitie. België heeft besloten de volledige subsidietoewijzing in het kader van de RRF te besteden. Met een totaalbedrag van 5 924 miljoen euro staat het nationale plan voor herstel en veerkracht (NPHV) van België op de 14e plaats qua absolute begrotingswaarde. Het NPHV van België wordt volledig gefinancierd door middel van niet terug te betalen subsidies. Het Belgisch plan bedraagt 0,8 % van de volledige RRF en is goed voor 1,24 % van het Belgische bruto binnenlands product (bbp) in 2019. De in het Belgische NPHV uiteengezette maatregelen moeten vóór 2026 voltooid zijn. Na goedkeuring van het plan door de Raad heeft België in augustus 2021 770 miljoen euro (13 %) aan voorfinanciering ontvangen. De volgende tien tranches zijn verbonden aan 210 tussentijdse mijlpalen en streefdoelen bij de uitvoering van het plan. Het Europees Parlement, dat een groot voorstander was van een gemeenschappelijk herstelinstrument voor de Europese Unie, is vertegenwoordigd in de interinstitutionele fora voor samenwerking en discussie over de uitvoering van het plan, en controleert de werkzaamheden van de Europese Commissie. Deze briefing is onderdeel van een reeks die alle EU-lidstaten bestrijkt. Eerste editie. De briefings over de uitvoering van Next Generation EU worden bijgewerkt in belangrijke stadia van de levenscyclus van de plannen.
Indieners : ISSAM HALLAK

Lithuania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 729.283
Briefing
Samenvatting : Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), Lithuania's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) had an initial value of €2 224 million. In June 2022, Lithuania's grant allocation was revised downwards to €2 100 million (- 5.6 %). In October 2023, however, Lithuania submitted a request to amend its NRRP, which includes an additional grant allocation of €193.7 million for a new REPowerEU chapter and a loan request worth €1 551.7 million. Lithuania also requested to transfer a portion of its share of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its plan (€4.7 million). Together, these additional resources have brought the overall EU contribution to Lithuania's amended NRRP to €3 849 million. These resources represent 0.5 % of the entire RRF, equal to 7.9 % of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. In November 2023, the Council adopted an amending implementing decision by which it gave the green light to Lithuania's modified plan. The new plan contains 31 reforms and 10 investments including the REPowerEU chapter with one reform and three investments. Apart from the added chapter, the other modifications submitted by Lithuania affect 46 measures of the initial plan. Moreover, Lithuania proposed to add six new measures (three investments and three reforms), to be funded by additional loan support. Measures under the current NRRP are to be completed by 2026. Lithuania has so far received 25.5 % of the resources (in the form of pre-financing and one grant payment). Further payments will depend on progress made in implementing the plan. Lithuania's NRRP is consistent with the challenges and priorities identified in the European Semester, the annual cycle for coordinating and monitoring each EU country's economic policies. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on the implementation of the RRF and continues to scrutinise the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'National Recovery and Resilience Plans in the EU' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : JEROME LEON SAULNIER

Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 733.641
Briefing
Samenvatting : Romania's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) represents an ambitious agenda of reforms and investment aimed at mitigating the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19, energy and cost-of-living crises. The amended plan – approved by the Council on 8 December 2023 – amounts to €28.5 billion or 12.8 % of the country's 2019 gross domestic product (GDP). This includes the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) grants of €12.1 billion (cut by 14.9 % following the June 2022 revision of the allocation), REPowerEU grants worth €1.4 billion, the transfer of Romania's share (€43.2 million) from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to its NRRP, and the RRF loan allocation already fully committed under the initial version of the plan (€14.9 billion). The measures in the plan, to be implemented by 2026, also seek to facilitate the country's green and digital transition. The new REPowerEU chapter comes with seven investment and two reform measures, which –together with the remaining NRRP measures – devote €12.6 billion (44.1 % of the plan) to the green transition. Digital projects have been endowed with 21.9 % of the NRRP resources (excluding the REPowerEU chapter). Romania has so far received €9.5 billion of RRF resources, including two payments and the pre-financing. On 15 December 2023, the country submitted its third payment request of €2 billion (net of pre-financing); the European Commission is currently assessing it. According to the Commission's evaluation in the 2023 European Semester, implementation of the NRRP is under way, albeit with a rising risk of delays. The European Parliament continues to guarantee transparency and provide accountability for EU citizens by engaging in interinstitutional dialogues on the implementation of the RRF and scrutinising the Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fourth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. The author would like to thank Lucia Sanchez Cabanillas, trainee in the Next Generation EU Monitoring Service, for her research assistance
Indieners : MARIN MILEUSNIC

Slovakia's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 733.642
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 11 July 2023, the Council approved Slovakia's amended national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP, Plán obnovy) and allocated €6 408.5 million in grants for its implementation (Slovakia did not request loans). The allocation is €79.4 million higher than that initially approved (6 July 2021). The difference results from a 2022 update of the maximum financial contribution from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which reflects changes in real gross domestic product (GDP) over time, and the inclusion of a REPowerEU chapter to reinforce the plan's energy dimension. While the allocation represents only 0.9 % of the total RRF, it stood at 6.8 % of the country's GDP in 2019 (the RRF being 5.2 % of EU-27 GDP in 2019). Slovakia's allocation per capita amounts to €1 179. So far, Slovakia has received €2 673.1 million in pre-financing, and three payments for grants based on milestones and targets achieved. This represents 41.7 % of the total allocation including REPowerEU and is the third best result in the payment ranking, after France and Italy. The request for the fourth instalment (worth €799 million, net of pre-financing), submitted to the Commission on 18 December 2023, is currently under examination. According to the indicative calendar of payment requests under the plan, there should be nine requests in total, and the fifth should be submitted in the third quarter of 2024. Slovakia's modified NRRP includes 64 reforms and 64 investments, designed to tackle both the pandemic's socio-economic consequences and the long-term challenges identified by the Slovak national integrated reform plan, Modern and successful Slovakia. NRRP measures are organised around six strategic priorities: green economy; education; science, research and innovation; health; efficient public administration and digitalisation; and energy (REPowerEU). The plan is strongly focused on the green transition and digital transformation, to which 45.7 % and 20.5 % of the resources are allocated respectively. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on RRF implementation, and scrutinises the Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'Monitoring EU recovery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : Magdalena SAPALA, BRANISLAV STANICEK

Bulgaria's National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play EN

18-03-2024 PE 733.662
Briefing
Samenvatting : Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the EU response to the crisis triggered by the pandemic, Bulgaria was initially allocated €6 267.3 million in grants. In line with the RRF Regulation, on 30 June 2022, the European Commission recalculated the maximum grant amounts for all Member States; this resulted in a just over 9 % cut for Bulgaria, lowering the total to €5 688.8 million. To take this into account, as well as factor in the impact of inflation, Bulgaria submitted a modified national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP), removing and downscaling several measures. The updated plan has an estimated cost of €6 185.3 million; the financing above the maximum RRF financial contribution is expected to be supplemented with national (and private) co-financing. Bulgaria has not yet submitted a REPowerEU chapter, for which another €480.1 million in grants are available. Bulgaria's NRRP ranks eighth as a share of grants relative to gross domestic product (GDP) – 9.3 % of its 2019 GDP from 10.2 % originally (the RRF amounting to 5.2 % of EU-27 2019 GDP). RRF funds have to be paid out by end-2026. Bulgaria has so far received one payment worth €1 369 million, which the Commission disbursed on 16 December 2022. The Bulgarian NRRP aims to address the main challenges and systemic weaknesses of Bulgaria's economy. It builds on the national development programme BULGARIA 2030, which proposes solutions for medium-term growth by setting strategic objectives, such as accelerated economic development, demographic upswing and reduced inequalities. The NRRP extends the scope of reforms and investment while ensuring coherence with measures planned under EU cohesion policy. Bulgaria is one of the main beneficiaries of EU funds (measured as a share of GDP) over the 2021 2027 financing period, and complementarity with RRF resources is relevant in several fields. 57.5 % of the NRRP support is for climate objectives, making Bulgaria's plan one of the greenest; 23.1 % supports digital objectives. Both green and digital spending targets laid down in the RRF Regulation have thus been exceeded. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on the implementation of the RRF, and scrutinises the Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Indieners : Velina LILYANOVA, Alina DOBREVA

HOT – A head office tax system for small companies EN

18-03-2024 PE 754.608
Briefing
Samenvatting : When businesses start operating across borders, they are faced with a new and unfamiliar corporate tax system in each EU Member State. As a result, businesses with cross-border activities have to spend time and resources on understanding and complying with complex local corporate tax rules. This represents a significant administrative burden, in particular for small companies. To lower tax compliance costs, the European Commission tabled on 12 September 2023 a proposal for a Council directive to establish a head office tax system (HOT) for small businesses. Under HOT, micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises operating exclusively through permanent establishments would be able to continue to apply their national corporate tax rules – i.e. the rules they are already most familiar with – when they expand across borders. They would also be able to file a single tax return in the Member State of their head office, rather than separate tax returns in the different Member States. This would cut compliance costs and remove an important barrier to the cross-border expansion of small companies in the single market. The proposal is subject to a special legislative procedure, requiring unanimous support in Council, following consultation of the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee. The European Parliament is due to vote its (non-binding) report during the April I plenary session. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Pieter BAERT

Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders, 21-22 March 2024 EN

18-03-2024 PE 757.814
Briefing
Samenvatting : At the 21-22 March European Council meeting, discussions will focus on Ukraine, security and defence, the Middle East and enlargement. Concerning security and defence, EU leaders will consider the new European defence industrial strategy presented by the European Commission. On Ukraine, they are expected to reiterate their commitment to supporting the country, and welcome the establishment of a Ukraine Assistance Fund regarding military aid as well as the 13th package of sanctions against Russia. The leaders may also discuss anew the use of revenues from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. As the Middle East remains a delicate topic, with differing positions, concrete conclusions with clear positions are unlikely. On enlargement, EU leaders will probably welcome the Commission's recommendation to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. As is usual in the spring, EU leaders will endorse the policy priorities of the annual sustainable growth survey, and meet in an inclusive Euro Summit format.
Indieners : Ralf DRACHENBERG

PUBLICATIONS CATALOGUE 2019-2024 EN

18-03-2024 PE 691.721 BUDG CONT
Catalogus
Samenvatting : This catalogue provides the list of publications and events prepared by Policy Department for Budgetary Affairs during the eighth legislative period (2019-2024) in the field of budgetary affairs. The first part gives an overview of the studies and briefings requested by BUDG and CONT sometimes in cooperation with the other committees. The second part lists the workshops held at the request of these committees. Short summaries describe the content of each document. The full-text versions of all documents are available online at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/supporting-analyses.
Indieners : NIELS FISCHER

Public hearing with Claudia Buch, Chair of the ECB / SSM Supervisory Board - 21 March 2024 EN

18-03-2024 PE 755.731 ECON
Briefing
Samenvatting : This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), Claudia Buch, scheduled for 21 March 2024. This briefing addresses: • SSM priorities in the transition between chairpersons • Overly reliant on central bank funding? • SREP results 2023 • Latest supervisory banking statistics • Stress-testing banks’ ability to recover from a cyberattack • Updated guide to internal models • Significant banks’ exposures to Commercial Real Estate.
Indieners : Marcel MAGNUS, Kai Gereon SPITZER

Public hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board - 21 March 2024 EN

18-03-2024 PE 755.732 ECON
Briefing
Samenvatting : This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB), Dominique Laboureix, scheduled for 21 March 2024. This briefing addresses: • New SRM strategy: Vision 2028 • Single Resolution Fund at target level • Liquidity and liquidity in resolution • MREL dashboard Q3/2023 • List of consultations and requests to the industry.
Indieners : Marcel MAGNUS, Kai Gereon SPITZER

EU assistance to Ukraine and scrutiny of the EU financing provided EN

18-03-2024 PE 756.929 CONT BUDG
Briefing
Samenvatting : The Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) will hold an exchange of views with the parliamentary Committees on Budget and on Anti-corruption Policies of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on 20 March 2024. This briefing provides background information for that debate.
Indieners : Diana HAASE, András SCHWARCZ

Capital Markets Union: Ten Years Later EN

18-03-2024 PE 747.839 ECON
Uitgebreide analyse
Samenvatting : The European Union’s project of capital markets union (CMU) has disappointed in its first decade. The best way to revitalise it is to focus on supervisory integration through in-depth reform and further empowerment of the European Securities and Markets Authority. If, conversely, more integrated supervision cannot be achieved, then it may be time to discard the CMU slogan altogether. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the ECON Committee.
Indieners : Nicolas VÉRON

Overly reliant on central bank funding? Consequences of exiting TLTRO EN

18-03-2024 PE 755.739 ECON
Uitgebreide analyse
Samenvatting : This study analyses potential consequences of exiting the Targeted Long-Term Refinancing Operations (TLTRO) of the European Central Bank (ECB). Thanks to its asset purchase programs, the Eurosystem still holds plenty of reserves even with a full exit from the TLTROs. This explains why voluntary and mandatory repayments of TLTRO III borrowing went smoothly. Nevertheless, the more liquidity is drained from the banking system, the more important becomes interbank market borrowing and lending, ideally between euro area member states. Right now, the usual fault lines of the euro area show up. The German banking system has plenty of reserves while there are first signs of aggregate scarcity in the Italian banking system. This does not need to be a source of concern if the interbank market can be sufficiently reactivated. Moreover, the ECB has several tools to address possible future liquidity shortages. This document was provided/prepared by the Economic Governance and EMU scrutiny Unit at the request of the ECON Committee.
Indieners : Florian HEIDER & Jonas SCHLEGEL

Count Emissions EU: Measuring emissions from transport services EN

15-03-2024 PE 757.562
Briefing
Samenvatting : In July 2023, the European Commission tabled a package of three proposals for the greening of freight transport. Among them is a proposal for a single methodology for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport services, referred to as CountEmissionsEU. The initiative covers both freight and passenger transport. It aims to ensure that the GHG emissions data provided regarding transport services are reliable and accurate, to allow fair comparison between transport services. It establishes a methodological framework but does not govern where it has to be used. Nonetheless, if an organisation decides to calculate and disclose information on GHG emissions from transport services it needs to use the methodology provided. To avoid extra red tape for small and medium-sized enterprises, the proposal exempts these companies from mandatory verification of adherence to the rules. In the European Parliament, the file is being dealt with through the joint committee procedure, involving the Committees on Transport and Tourism and on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. The committees adopted their joint report on 4 March 2024. Parliament is expected to vote on its first-reading position during a forthcoming plenary session.
Indieners : Jaan SOONE

Plenary round-up – March 2024 EN

15-03-2024 PE 760.370
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : Among the highlights of the March 2024 plenary session were the debates on preparation of the European Council meeting on 21 and 22 March 2024; the need to address urgent concerns regarding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia, and the need to ensure the stability of EU agricultural production and impose sanctions on imports of Russian and Belarussian food and agricultural products to the EU. Members also debated the return of Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia. Other important debates took place, inter alia, on: deteriorating living conditions in the EU; a healthy lifestyle and active ageing; the inclusion of the right to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, rising anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric and violence; and EU climate risk assessment. Members also discussed the annual designation of European capitals for children, and the Commission's treatment of requests for public access to documents. Representatives of the world cup-winning Spanish women's national football team participated in Parliament's official celebration to mark International Women's Day. The last 'This is Europe' debate for this term followed a speech by Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland.
Indieners : CLARE FERGUSON, KATARZYNA SOCHACKA

Expansion of BRICS: A quest for greater global influence? EN

15-03-2024 PE 760.368
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 1 January 2024, BRICS – the intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – admitted four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The group's decision to open the door to new members was taken at its Johannesburg summit in August 2023, sparking a debate about its growing international influence. According to estimates, BRICS+, as the organisation has been informally called since its expansion, now accounts for 37.3 % of world GDP, or more than half as much as the EU (14.5 %). However, besides an increase in economic power the new members could bring potential conflicts (Saudi Arabia/Iran or Egypt/Ethiopia) into the group, making the reaching of consensus on common political positions more difficult. Since the new members would only contribute roughly 4 % to the group's cumulative GDP, the significance of the expansion should be seen beyond the purely economic effect, in the form of greater influence for the group and for developing countries as a whole within international organisations such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the Bretton Woods institutions. The EU engages with BRICS+ countries individually. For instance, it has strategic partnerships with Brazil, India and South Africa, and is negotiating a free trade agreement with India. On the other hand, current conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza show the divergent approaches to security taken by the EU and BRICS+. The European Parliament has stressed that further political dialogue with the BRICS countries is needed, including on an individual basis. In an exchange of views with European Commission representatives in October 2023, Members of the Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) underlined the need to keep an eye on the group's expansion, especially considering the effect of a potential BRICS+ currency and the consequences for EU trade policy.
Indieners : Marc JUTTEN

Main activities of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs 2019-2024 EN

15-03-2024 PE 760.369
Briefing
Samenvatting : The European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2017. Spelled out in 20 principles, the social pillar has since served as a compass towards building a stronger social Europe. In the related action plan, the Commission set out concrete initiatives and, after the Porto Social Summit of May 2021, EU lawmakers committed to headline targets for 2030 regarding employment, training, and poverty. Consequently, this legislative term has seen concrete steps towards implementing the pillar, with the Commission tabling a number of proposals for recommendations and several directives that were subsequently negotiated by EU lawmakers and where Parliament sought to assert its positions. The preparatory work for these negotiations was done by Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Rights (EMPL), alone or together with other parliamentary committees. Without attempting a thorough end-of-term overview or an in-depth analysis of achievements, this briefing sketches out Parliament's main activities in this legislative term that bear the signature of the EMPL committee. After a glimpse at successfully concluded legislative files relating to the world of work, equality between men and women, health and safety at work, skills and EU funding, it looks at legislative own-initiative resolutions and demands put forward by the EMPL committee. With the European elections approaching and several files still ongoing, the time has also come to look forward to some EMPL-related issues that are likely to fill the agenda of the next legislative term. Owing to space constraints, this text cannot do justice to the broad variety of challenges to which the EMPL committee has devoted its energy and expertise, leaving aside, for instance, the work done in relation to the integration of third-country nationals into the labour market and the equal treatment of persons with disabilities. Nor does it examine in detail the dynamics of Parliament's resolutions that help to push social issues into the EU political spotlight.
Indieners : Marketa PAPE

Research for PECH Committee - Policy options for strengthening the competitiveness of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector EN

15-03-2024 PE 747.293 PECH
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : The EU fisheries and aquaculture products (FAPs) market is largely dependent on external producers. Some of the imports entering the EU market come from countries with lenient regulations. This study gives an overview on existing competitiveness indicators. It shows main trends in the EU’s FAPs supply through extra-EU imports and identifies the main internal and external factors affecting the sector’s competitiveness. The research presents four case studies and an assessment of options for adaptations to the internal and external policy framework. Finally, it provides a series of recommendations for strengthening the competitiveness of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector in the future.
Indieners : Martin ARANDA, Leire ARANTZAMENDI, Margarita ANDRES, Ane IRIONDO, Gorka GABIÑA, Gabriela OANTA, José Manuel SOBRINO-HEREDIA & Bertrand LE GALLIC
Gelinkte documenten

Studie

'This is Europe' debate in the European Parliament: Speech by Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland, 13 March 2024 EN

14-03-2024 PE 757.812
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : 'This is Europe' – an initiative proposed by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola – consists of a series of debates with EU leaders to discuss their visions for the future of the European Union. The trilogy of resilience, competitiveness and security was at the centre of the vision of Europe that the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, shared with the European Parliament on 13 March 2024. Regarding competitiveness, he mentioned the single market, State aid, trade and economic governance. On security, he argued that the concept not only included security and defence, but also border protection and preparedness to make the EU more resilient. Orpo also emphasised that, for Finland, 'the EU is the most important political and economic frame of reference and community of values', and stressed that EU leaders had to 'fight against any pessimism and show an example and leadership'.
Indieners : Ralf DRACHENBERG

EU defence industry programme and strategy EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.362
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : On 5 March 2024, the Commission adopted the first-ever European defence industrial strategy (EDIS), which sets a long-term goal of achieving EU defence industrial readiness, and proposed a defence industry programme (EDIP) regulation. Experts laud its ambition, noting that its success will require political and financial buy-in.
Indieners : SEBASTIAN CLAPP

EU-US Trade and Technology Council EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.363
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : The EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) has met five times since 2021, aiming to boost transatlantic cooperation and alignment. The latest meeting on 30-31 January 2024 was a lower-key interim event paving the way for the next TTC in April. Experts see its usefulness, but call for reform of the TTC so that it can be permanent.
Indieners : Marcin SZCZEPANSKI

Maritime security: Situation in the Red Sea and EU response EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.366
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : The Iran-backed Houthi militia, which controls large parts of Yemen, has attacked numerous commercial ships in the Red Sea since mid-November 2023 'in solidarity with the Palestinians'. This poses a significant threat to the global economy, and has led to an escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The United States has launched an international operation in the Red Sea to protect commercial vessels and keep this vital shipping route open. The EU launched its own 'purely defensive' mission, EUNAVFOR Operation ASPIDES, on 19 February 2024.
Indieners : SEBASTIAN CLAPP

President Biden's 2024 State of the Union address EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.367
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : On 7 March 2024, the President of the United States (US), Joe Biden, used his State of the Union (SOTU) address to a joint session of the 118th US Congress (2023 2024) to start his re election campaign in earnest. Biden has been trailing Donald Trump, his only remaining Republican challenger in the presidential race, in polls in six swing states that Biden won in 2020 and where several thousand voters are expected to decide the outcome of the US elections on 5 November 2024. The SOTU was an opportunity for the President to tout his achievements and set out his vision for a second term in stark contrast to that of Trump, whom he referred to as his 'predecessor' rather than by name. With his age seen by many as a liability, Biden's performance seemed more relevant than the substance of his speech, and was widely perceived as a forceful demonstration of his readiness to fight.
Indieners : Gisela GRIEGER

EU anti-coercion instrument EN

14-03-2024 PE 729.299
Briefing
Samenvatting : It is widely held that geopolitical tensions in the world are on the rise. One of the clear indicators of this phenomenon is the increasing use of economic tools for the pursuit of strategic and geopolitical goals. This can take the form of coercion used by one country against another through restrictions on trade or investment in order to interfere with their sovereign choices. In response to the EU and its Member States becoming the target of deliberate economic coercion in recent years, on 8 December 2021 the Commission published a proposal for the adoption of an anti-coercion instrument that would allow the EU to respond more effectively to such challenges on a global scale. While the new framework is primarily designed to deter economic coercive action through dialogue and engagement, it also allows – as a last resort –retaliation, with countermeasures comprising a wide range of restrictions relating to trade, investment and funding. While there is broad support for creating a legislative tool to address the growing problem of economic coercion, expert opinions were divided as regards the severity of countermeasures and the manner of establishing when they should be imposed. The Parliament adopted its position in plenary in October 2022, and trilogue negotiations concluded successfully in June 2023. Parliament approved the agreement in plenary by a large majority on 3 October 2023 and the final act was signed on 22 November 2023. The regulation entered into force on 27 December 2023.
Indieners : Marcin SZCZEPANSKI

Stronger role for Europol to fight migrant smuggling and human trafficking EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.364
Briefing
Samenvatting : In November 2023, the European Commission presented a proposal to reinforce the role of Europol, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. With detections of irregular border crossings at the EU's external borders at their highest levels since 2016 and demand for migration facilitation services following suit, the Commission sees an urgent need to step up the prevention, detection and investigation of these crimes. Europol's mandate was already reinforced in 2022, allowing the agency to step up its expertise and operational capabilities. The new proposal seeks to improve inter-agency cooperation on migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, strengthen coordination at EU level by setting out specific strategic tasks for Europol's European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling, improve information sharing with the agency, reinforce Member States' resources to prevent and combat these crimes, and reinforce Europol's support through operational task forces and deployments for operational support. In the European Parliament, the proposal was assigned to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Jeroen Lenaers (EPP, Netherlands) was appointed as rapporteur. His report, once adopted, will form the basis for negotiations with the Council.
Indieners : KATRIEN LUYTEN

Coordination for EU Competitiveness EN

14-03-2024 PE 747.838 ECON
Studie
Samenvatting : This paper reviews the state of EU competitiveness and introduces a strategy to improve it, based on medium-term, sector-level coordination of Member State reform policies and/or investments. The idea is illustrated with two examples: an investment and reform programme to create a single EU electricity market and an Advanced Research Projects Agency (EU-ARPA). This document was provided/prepared by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the ECON Committee..
Indieners : David PINKUS, Jean PISANI-FERRY, Simone TAGLIAPIETRA, Reinhilde VEUGELERS, Georg ZACHMANN & Jeromin ZETTELMEYER

Gender Mainstreaming in the parliamentary work of the LIBE Committee EN

14-03-2024 PE 760.751 LIBE
Studie
Samenvatting : This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, is aimed at assessing the state of implementation of gender mainstreaming activities in the parliamentary work of the LIBE Committee and, particularly, it analyses the adoption of a gender mainstreaming and intersectional approach in LIBE’s legislative and non-legislative work in the 2021–2022 period.
Indieners : SAMEK LODOVICI Manuela, LOI Daniela, CRIPPA Alessandra,PESCE Flavia, CHARRY CAMARGO Maria Juliana & FERRARI Elena

EU migration and borders: Key facts and figures EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.361
Briefing
Samenvatting : Is the EU facing a migration crisis? Are the EU's borders on the brink of collapse because of increased irregular migration? Would border fences help to stop or reduce irregular migration? How many of the world's refugees and asylum seekers are headed towards the EU? Are the protection claims of asylum seekers genuine, or is subterfuge used to gain access to the EU? And what happened with the Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war into the EU? These are among the most common and important questions shaping the current discussion around migration and borders in the EU. This briefing provides an overview of key trends and figures on migration, borders and asylum in the EU. The analysis critically situates these topics in the broader global and historical context, providing a synthetic, data rich and accessible presentation of major issues. The analysis leads to several interesting findings that may challenge common perceptions about migration and borders in the EU, including the following.  The majority of migrants enter the EU through legitimate legal channels.  Most irregular migrants do not cross the EU's external borders irregularly.  There are significantly more legal migrants than irregular migrants in the EU.  Building fences at the EU's external borders does not seem to reduce irregular entries.  The view of a dramatic increase in the number of migrants and refugees is contested.  The EU's share of the world's refugees and asylum seekers remains limited.  Reducing or stopping immigration would worsen the EU's demographic challenges.  The EU's temporary protection scheme showed the Union's capacity to provide protection swiftly to a significant number of people in need.
Indieners : Costica DUMBRAVA

EU-Taiwan ties after Taiwan's 2024 elections EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.357
Kort overzicht
Samenvatting : The EU adheres to a one-China policy that recognises the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate government of China. It does not therefore maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The EU nonetheless shares with Taiwan common interests and values, including democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The general elections held in Taiwan in January 2024 once again testified to the maturity of the island's democracy. The EU engages Taiwan in a number of policy areas, notably on trade and investment. In its resolutions, the European Parliament has, among other things, called repeatedly for closer cooperation with Taiwan, notably for the negotiation of agreements on supply chain resilience and bilateral investment relations.
Indieners : Gisela GRIEGER

Revision of the Construction Products Regulation EN

13-03-2024 PE 739.243
Briefing
Samenvatting : The Construction Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, CPR) has applied fully since 1 July 2013. Its objective is to achieve the proper functioning of the internal market for construction products (such as waterproofing sheets, thermal insulation foams, chimneys and wood-based panels for permanent incorporation in construction works), by means of harmonised rules for their marketing in the EU. The CPR, which provides a common technical language to assess the performance of construction products, enables Member States to define the legal requirements for construction works. On 30 March 2022, the Commission put forward a proposal to revise the CPR. The proposal is part of a package with several other sectoral proposals aimed at making sustainable products the norm in the EU and boosting circular business models. The stated aims of the proposal are to improve the functioning of the internal market for construction products, address the implementation challenges that still exist at national level (particularly regarding market surveillance), simplify the legal framework and support the green and digital transition in the sector. On 13 December 2023, the Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the proposal. Parliament is expected to vote on the agreed text, which requires formal adoption by both institutions, during its plenary session in April 2024. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Guillaume RAGONNAUD

Insurance recovery and resolution directive EN

13-03-2024 PE 739.273
Briefing
Samenvatting : In 2020, the Commission launched a review of the Solvency II Directive, the EU's legal prudential regulatory framework for (re-)insurance companies, which entered into force in 2016. As one output of the review, the Commission made a proposal in September 2021 for a new directive establishing a framework for recovery and resolution of insurance companies – the 'IRRD proposal'. The IRRD proposal would establish harmonised recovery and resolution tools and procedures, with enhanced cross-border cooperation between national authorities. The proposal adopts the 'pre emptive' approach whereby insurance companies must submit plans to the supervisory authorities, which would be given powers to implement resolutions. The proposal also sets out a range of tools for resolutions. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), in charge of the file, adopted its report in July 2023. Following trilogue negotiations, the co-legislators reached an inter-institutional provisional agreement on 14 December 2023, which the ECON committee approved on 29 January 2024. The next steps include the adoption of the text by the Parliament's plenary and by the Council. Once adopted, it will be signed by the Council and the Parliament and published in the Official Journal. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : ISSAM HALLAK

CO₂ emission performance standards and reporting obligations for new heavy-duty vehicles EN

13-03-2024 PE 747.880
Briefing
Samenvatting : Road transport is a major contributor to climate change. CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) have grown steadily, and account for over a quarter of road transport CO2 emissions. On 14 February 2023, the European Commission tabled a legislative proposal to revise Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 setting CO2 emission standards for new HDVs in the EU. The proposed revision would expand the scope of the regulation to include urban buses, coaches, trailers and additional types of lorries. The average CO2 emissions of trucks and coaches, compared with 2019 levels, would have to fall by 45 % from 2030, by 65 % from 2035, and by 90 % from 2040 onwards. The proposal sets a target date when all newly registered urban buses would have to be zero-emission vehicles. In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. The Parliament adopted its position during the November II 2023 session. In January 2024, the co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on the proposal. The Parliament and Council need now to formally adopt the text. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Gregor ERBACH

Classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures EN

13-03-2024 PE 751.425
Briefing
Samenvatting : In December 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of the Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, one of the two cornerstones of the EU's framework regulating chemicals. The revision, announced in the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability, notably seeks to identify and classify hazardous chemicals more comprehensively; improve communication on chemical hazards and the notification of relevant information to poison centres for emergency health response; and address online sales more effectively. Industry has expressed particular concern about the proposed rules for classifying multi-constituent substances, grouping substances for harmonised classification and labelling, and label formatting. Non-governmental organisations, mainly supportive of the revision, stress the need to set deadlines, cover further hazards and nanoforms of substances, and do more to limit animal testing. The European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the file on 5 December 2023. The agreed text was endorsed by Member State representatives on 22 December 2023 and by the ENVI committee on 11 January 2024. It now awaits formal adoption by the co-legislators. The vote in plenary is scheduled for the second April 2024 session. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Vivienne HALLEUX

Improving use of rail infrastructure capacity EN

13-03-2024 PE 754.599
Briefing
Samenvatting : In July 2023, the European Commission tabled a package of proposals for the greening of freight transport. Among the three proposals is one on improving the use of rail infrastructure capacity. The proposed text includes changes to the rules on the planning and allocation of railway infrastructure capacity, currently covered by Directive 2012/34/EU and Regulation (EU) No 913/2010. The aim of the changes is to allow rail infrastructure capacity and traffic to be managed more efficiently, thereby improving the quality of services and optimising the use of the railway network, accommodating larger volumes of traffic and ensuring that the transport sector contributes to decarbonisation. In the European Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on Transport and Tourism, which appointed Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg) as rapporteur. The TRAN committee adopted its report on 4 March 2024. Parliament is expected to vote on its first-reading position during its March plenary session. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Jaan SOONE

Minimum breaks and rest periods in occasional road passenger transport EN

13-03-2024 PE 754.641
Briefing
Samenvatting : The current Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 on minimum breaks and rest periods for road freight and passenger transport drivers does not take into account the nature of occasional bus and coach services, and their drivers' specific needs. The European Commission has therefore proposed to amend this legislation and to introduce more flexible rules on splitting up breaks and taking daily and weekly rest periods. In the European Parliament, the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is responsible for the file. The TRAN report was adopted in committee on 16 November 2023 and voted in plenary on 12 December 2023. The Council agreed its position on 4 December 2023. Interinstitutional negotiations resulted in a provisional agreement, which was approved in committee on 14 February 2024 and is scheduled for a plenary vote during the March session. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : Monika KISS

Alternative dispute resolution EN

13-03-2024 PE 757.639
Briefing
Samenvatting : Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is defined as a process allowing complaints to be settled out of court with the assistance of an impartial dispute resolution body. On 17 October 2023, the European Commission adopted proposals for a directive amending several directives pertaining to consumer rights and ADR, in which the notion of complaint relates to situations where a relation between a consumer and a trader gives rise to a complaint from the consumer. Through ADR, consumers are able to settle a complaint against a trader for breach of contract, outside court procedures, assisted by impartial, neutral dispute mediation, arbitration or conciliation. Since 2013, the share of e commerce in the EU economy has increased significantly, up from 2 % to 4 % of EU GDP, increasing the relevance of ADR for consumers. Each year, circa 300 000 eligible disputes between consumers and traders are examined by ADR entities, with resolution rates between 17 % and 100 % across the Member States. The Commission proposal pursues three objectives, to: adapt the ADR legislative framework to digital markets; facilitate the use of ADR in cross-border disputes; and simplify ADR procedures. In the European Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection. The committee adopted its report unanimously on 22 February 2024Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.. On 13 March 2024, Parliament adopted the report as its first reading position with 605 votes in favour, 7 votes against and 13 abstentions.
Indieners : CLEMENT THIERRY EVROUX

Russia's 2024 presidential election: What is at stake and what is not EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.358
Briefing
Samenvatting : On 15-17 March 2024, more than two years into the unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression on Ukraine, and one month after the sudden death in custody of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Russia will hold its presidential election. Over 110 million Russian citizens, including more than 6 million living in Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia, are invited to take part in what is largely seen as a carefully staged legitimisation ritual for Vladimir Putin's reappointment to a fifth term in office, until 2030. Putin has been in power, as either president or prime minister, since the last day of 1999; and Russia has been at war for 19 of his 24 years at the helm. The constitutional changes of 2020 allowed Putin to stand for a fifth term, and possibly for a sixth term in 2030. He is running for re election without any meaningful opposition, after barring the two anti-war candidates who stood for election despite the restrictions, and against a backdrop of a virtually total closure of the civic space, draconian repression of public dissent and suppressed freedom of expression. The reappointment of Vladimir Putin seems inexorable. The objective of the Kremlin, however, is not just victory, but a landslide result, both in turnout and percentage of votes. This would legitimise Putin's legacy and his war of aggression, relegating the remaining opposition to an even more marginalised role, and allowing Putin to implement, unchecked, his vision for the next six years. Recent changes to Russia's electoral laws make it virtually impossible to conduct any meaningful monitoring, and have significantly restricted the role of the media. Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will not be present, as was previously the case with the September 2021 parliamentary elections. A number of civil society organisations and personalities have called on the international community not to recognise the results as legitimate; this demand was also made by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in October 2023.
Indieners : ANNA CAPRILE

Review of the rules on the protection of animals during transport EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.360
Briefing
Samenvatting : In December 2023, the Commission presented a proposal on the protection of animals during transport, with a view to replacing and updating Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. This proposal, along with another on welfare and traceability of dogs and cats, is part of a legislative package to reform the current EU rules on animal welfare. The reform was announced in 2020 with the launch of the 'farm to fork' strategy, which aims to create a fairer, healthier and more environmentally friendly food system. The proposed text introduces stricter rules regarding travel times, the minimum space between animals, transport conditions for vulnerable animals, transportation in extreme temperatures, safeguarding of animals transported to third countries, the utilisation of technological systems and the protection of cats and dogs in commercial transport. In the European Parliament, the file has been assigned to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and to the Committee of Transport and Tourism (TRAN), with Daniel Buda (EPP, Romania) and Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Greens/EFA, Germany) as co-rapporteurs. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.
Indieners : CLAUDIA VINCI

Future-proofing the EU's global health strategy EN

13-03-2024 PE 757.799
Uitgebreide analyse
Samenvatting : The new EU global health strategy, adopted by the European Commission on 30 November 2022, has been positioned as a crucial element of EU external policy, geopolitical influence and strategic autonomy. However, maintaining the long term commitment necessary for achieving global health ambitions in turbulent times remains challenging. Against this backdrop, in 2023 the Policy Foresight Unit of the European Parliamentary Research Service conducted a foresight exercise involving external experts to explore the new strategy's resilience to diverse crisis scenarios. The outcomes of this analysis emphasise the need to prioritise prevention measures, foster multilateral cooperation and build local capacity. They underscore the interdependency of sectors in addressing global health challenges, and highlight how investment in global health today could help to mitigate future crises and enhance the strategic autonomy of both the EU and its partners.
Indieners : VIRGINIA NOELLE MAHIEU

Examples of Parliament's impact: 2019 to 2024 - Illustrating the powers of the European Parliament EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.359
Uitgebreide analyse
Samenvatting : As the European Union's only directly elected institution, the European Parliament stands at the heart of European representative democracy, the foundation upon which the EU is built. Since its creation, the Parliament's powers have evolved significantly, and it is now a fully fledged legislative body and forum for discussion and engagement, whose influence is felt in virtually all areas of EU activity. This paper offers an overview of the European Parliament's main powers, demonstrating how they interact, and illustrating through practical examples from the ninth parliamentary term (2019-2024) the various ways in which Parliament uses those powers in its daily work.
Indieners : KATRIEN LUYTEN, MARIANNA PARI, ANNA CAPRILE, POLONA CAR, Jakub PRZETACZNIK, Jaan SOONE, Magdalena SAPALA, Laurence AMAND-EECKHOUT, Micaela DEL MONTE, Rafał MAŃKO, Maria Niestadt, Monika KISS, Tarja LAANINEN, Marketa PAPE, Rosamund SHREEVES, SARAH GILL, Silvia KOTANIDIS, Hendrik Alexander MILDEBRATH, LISELOTTE JENSEN, CLEMENT THIERRY EVROUX, Pieter BAERT

The role (and accountability) of the President of the Eurogroup EN

13-03-2024 PE 741.497 ECON
Briefing
Samenvatting : This briefing paper provides an overview of the role and mandate of the Eurogroup and the role and accountability of its President, including the procedures for his/her appointment. This paper includes the following sections: 1) The role of the Permanent President of the Eurogroup; 2) The President of Eurogroup and the European Parliament; 3) The role and mandate of the Eurogroup; and 4) Eurogroup transparency. The paper will be regularly updated.
Indieners : Kajus HAGELSTAM, WOLFGANG LEHOFER, GIACOMO LOI

Lessons learned from the implementation of crisis response tools at EU level - Part 1: Assessing implementation and implications EN

13-03-2024 PE 760.343 CONT BUDG
Studie
Samenvatting : As the EU grapples with successive crises, there is mounting pressure to develop swift and robust crisis response mechanisms. This study, divided into two parts, aims to enrich this discourse by examining four instruments – SURE, CRII, CRII+ and REACT-EU – introduced as a response to the pandemic. This paper forms the output of the first phase of the study and aims to distil lessons learned from the design and implementation of these instruments.
Indieners : Tamás KISS-GÁLFALVI, Cinzia ALCIDI, Alexandre OUNNAS, Eulalia RUBIO, Harry CRICHTON-MILLER & Damir GOJSIC

Understanding cybercrime EN

12-03-2024 PE 760.356
Briefing
Samenvatting : Cybercrime is a major threat to society that generates billions of euros for its perpetrators. It is a form of crime that is continuing to grow, with criminals showing increasing sophistication and resourcefulness. These criminal activities occur at all levels of society and take many forms, from investment fraud to phishing and the creation of bogus entities, including fake charities. The rise in the use of digital solutions for everyday activities in business and public services is matched by the number of digital devices being used by citizens. People are now connecting to numerous digital accounts and are spending more time online than ever before. Coupled with this, cyberattacks and digital scams are on the rise. Not only is the number of incidents growing, but the complexity and the subsequent negative impact is also increasing. Cybercrime can be relatively simple in appearance, such as spurious emails and text messages, or complex, involving a number of actors spreading malicious content through entire business or public service systems in order to block access for ransom purposes or to disable critical entities for ideological reasons. The EU is active in tackling cybersecurity and cybercrime, as demonstrated by its cybersecurity strategy. It has a number of pieces of legislation in place or in the pipeline to tackle vulnerabilities, increase the resilience of essential services and address associated cybersecurity risks. Likewise, EU agencies are proactively dealing with the threat posed by cybercrime by supporting Member States and stakeholders in addressing emerging threats and strengthening resilience.
Indieners : COLIN MICHAEL MURPHY

Monetary Dialogue in February 2024- Summary of parliamentary scrutiny activities EN

12-03-2024 PE 747.859 ECON
Briefing
Samenvatting : This briefing provides a summary of all scrutiny activities of the European Parliament related to euro area monetary policy in the period between December 2023 and February 2024. For a recap of the key monetary policy developments and decisions taken by the European Central Bank in that period, please refer to our briefing published ahead of the 15 February Monetary Dialogue. We publish these documents regularly ahead and after each Monetary Dialogue with the European Central Bank.
Indieners : MAJA SABOL, GIACOMO LOI, MILJA MIESKOLAINEN, KATERYNA HANINA