Explore every episode of the podcast European Parliament - EPRS Plenary podcasts

The European Parliament's 'Committee of Inquiry to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion' (PANA committee) was established in June 2016. Its report and the recommendation submitted for adoption by the European Parliament's December plenary session now pave the way for further monitoring and follow-up actions.

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Established in 1988 by the European Parliament, the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought is awarded each year in December to individuals or organisations for their outstanding achievements in upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms. By awarding the 2017 Prize to the Venezuelan Opposition, the Parliament denounces the situation in Venezuela, re-affirms its support to the democratically elected National Assembly, calls for a peaceful transition to democracy, and pays tribute to the Venezuelan people, in particular to those who have been unjustly jailed for expressing their opinions.

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The Commission has envisaged integrated border management for several years, in response to increased traveller flows and the new security context. The Entry/Exit System proposed aims to set up a database where entry and exit information of third-country travellers is recorded. Following a political agreement with the Council, the Parliament is expected to vote on the texts in October.

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On 13 September 2017, the Commission presented recommendations to the Council to authorise the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. In October, the Parliament is due to debate reports by the Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) on the proposed negotiating mandate for trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.

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The 3D-printing sector has proven its commercial viability in recent years, reaching the high street and, indeed, many homes. The technology is already used in some medical domains such as dentistry and prosthetics, and many scientists are now exploring methods of printing biological materials. Even if reports about lifesaving 3D-printed hearts are certainly premature, the technology has several medical applications.

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As part of its efforts to reduce transport emissions, the EU wants to make better use of inland navigation. This requires addressing the limited labour mobility and shortage of qualified workers in the sector. The proposed directive seeks to establish one competence-based system of qualifications for workers on all EU inland waterways. Ultimately, the new rules aim to make jobs in inland navigation more attractive. Parliament is due to vote on the proposal in plenary in November.

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The European Parliament is expected to vote during the October I plenary session on giving its consent to the proposed regulation on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), agreed by 20 Member States under enhanced cooperation in June 2017.

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After a review of the EU legislation on passenger ship safety, the European Commission proposed a number of changes to simplify the existing rules and cut administrative costs, while making sea travel safer. This proposed directive clarifies technical requirements for construction, stability and fire protection of vessels travelling on domestic routes. The newly defined standards should provide for uniform national interpretations and make the rules easier to update, monitor and enforce.

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The European Commission has launched an initiative aimed at providing free access to fast internet in local communities. The European Parliament is due to discuss and vote on WIFI4EU during its September plenary.

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The EU's Common Position on arms exports is the only legally binding region-wide arrangement on conventional arms exports. While the Common Position has increased information-sharing and transparency of Member States' arms exports, scope remains to enhance convergence of national policies and for stricter implementation of the criteria defined in the EU text. Parliament is due to discuss a report on implementation of the Common Position during its September plenary session.

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Culture as a tool of EU diplomacy aims at reinforcing cultural diversity, human rights, and social and economic cohesion based on cultural and creative industries as a driving force of growth. Yet, in the view of the European Parliament, EU action needs proper funding and a clearly-defined programme.

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Located far from the European continent and with regional gross domestic product well below the EU average, the EU's outermost regions – the Azores, the Canary Islands, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion and Saint-Martin – face many challenges to development, owing to factors such as climate or economic dependence on a few products. A report on promoting cohesion and development in the outermost regions is due to be debated in Parliament's July session.

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The partnership principle lies at the very heart of the EU’s cohesion policy. A process involving public authorities, economic and social partners, and civil society, partnership reinforces the legitimacy of EU policymaking and, by increasing ownership of the policy on the ground, can help to communicate the results of EU policies more effectively. A report on increasing engagement of partners and visibility in the performance of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) is due to be debated in Parliament’s June plenary session.

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In July 2015, the European Commission proposed a regulation on energy labelling that would replace and repeal the 2010 directive on the subject. The Parliament proposed a series of amendments in July 2016, setting the stage for interinstitutional 'trilogue' negotiations. An agreement was eventually reached in March 2017, and the agreed text is due to be voted in the June plenary.

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The European Parliament is to vote in plenary in May on new rules on cross-border portability, which would enable consumers to access their online subscriptions for content services when they travel across the EU and are temporarily outside their Member State of residence.

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As part of its action plan on the circular economy, the EU is aiming to give substance to a more efficient use of resources by reducing food waste and increasing food security. The European Parliament is due to vote in May 2017 on an own-initiative report proposing measures to cut the 88 million tonnes of edible food wasted annually in the EU by half by 2030.

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Building on its Visa Liberalisation Dialogues, the European Commission is proposing to waive visa requirements for 45 million Ukrainian citizens. In parallel, the European Union (EU) has revised its visa suspension mechanism, reinforcing safeguards to apply to all visa liberalisation agreements.

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Building on its Visa Liberalisation Dialogues, the European Commission is proposing to waive visa requirements for 45 million Ukrainian citizens. In parallel, the European Union (EU) has revised its visa suspension mechanism, reinforcing safeguards to apply to all visa liberalisation agreements.

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The development of smart devices connected online and of big data practices, allowing unprecedented availability, sharing and automated use of data, brings both opportunities in terms of efficiency and improvement in our lives and risks for individuals’ fundamental rights.
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After lengthy interinstitutional negotiations concluded in a trilogue agreement with the Council, Parliament is due to adopt its first-reading position, during the March II part-session, on a proposed regulation laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, as well as their ores, and gold originating in conflict-affected areas. The proposed regulation seeks to break the link between certain armed conflicts and the illegal mining operations which sustain them, and to ensure responsible sourcing for European industries.
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In July 2015, the European Commission proposed a reform of the EU emissions trading system (ETS) for the 2021-2030 period. The proposed directive introduces tighter limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to achieve the EU's 2030 climate targets, while protecting energy-intensive industries from the risk of 'carbon leakage'. The Parliament is expected to vote on it during the February II session.

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The Legal Affairs Committee has tabled a report with recommendations to the Commission on the civil-law and ethical aspects of robotics. The report calls for EU legislation introducing a register of robots, setting up an EU Agency for Robotics and laying down principles of civil liability for damages caused by robots. Such legislation should be complemented by ethical codes of conduct.

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At the January plenary sitting, the European Parliament is due to elect its 30th President, to hold the office until the next European parliamentary elections, due in 2019. The President has an important and increasingly visible function in the EU institutional and international setting, mirroring the influential role of the Parliament as a shaper of EU policies and co-legislator.

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The EU is committed to protect human rights in its external policy through its treaties. Since it is the largest world’s trade bloc, it is in a prime position to use the significant leverage provided by its commercial power for protecting and promoting human rights in third countries. Actually, all components of EU trade policy recognise respect of human rights as a fundamental principle. EU's free trade agreements integrate a human rights clause stipulating that respect for democracy, human rights and rule of law constitute an essential element of the agreement, whose breach can lead to its suspension. The unilateral trade preferences the EU grants to developing countries are conditional on the respect of core human rights and labour rights norms. Additional preferences are provided to developing countries that fully comply with relevant international conventions. Other unilateral measures ban trade in certain goods that can be used to violate human rights or whose production has been linked to conflict and massive human rights breaches.

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Jean Weissenberger.
Deep-sea species and marine ecosystems are particularly sensitive to human activities. The European Parliament is now to finalise the adoption of a regulation aimed at sustainable deep-sea fishing activities, while freezing their zonal footprint and protecting vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems.
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Marketa Pape.
To improve commercial efficiency and increase the financial transparency of the major EU seaports, the European Commission proposed a new regulation in 2013. Following agreement with the Council in trilogue the new regulation is now to be voted in plenary in December. In contrast to previous, rejected proposals on ports, this one will not affect Member States' social and employment rules.
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Monika Kiss (EPOL).
Surveys reveal that 70 million adults have insufficient basic skills, which can lead to problems at individual and societal levels. The Skills Guarantee aims to encourage upskilling pathways at national level, with implementation and monitoring supported by the European Commission. The European Parliament highlights the importance of the involvement of social partners, the recognition of informal learning outcomes, the appropriate use of funds, synergies with other tools and more action at EU level.
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Didier Bourguignon (EPOL).
Parliament and Council have agreed on new national ceilings for the emission of key air pollutants. This includes particulate matter (PM), which estimated to cause 400 000 premature deaths (and cost €330-940 bn) every year in the EU. The new targets would halve the number of premature deaths by 2030.
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The European Union is founded on values, including democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, laid down in Article 2 TEU. Those values are common to all Member States and a precondition for a well-functioning Union based on mutual trust. In recent years, events in some Member States revealed systemic threats to the rule of law. A lack of coherent and effective action to protect those values revealed need for a new and more effective EU mechanism. The Parliament is due to vote during the October II plenary session on a legislative-initiative report to create an interinstitutional 'Pact on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights'.

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Volunteering is a core expression of civic participation. Over the last 20 years, some 100 000 young people have taken part in international volunteering through the European Voluntary Service, thus contributing to sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, humanitarian aid, development policy, research, equal opportunities and external relations.

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As we await the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker to deliver his State of the Union address at the European Parliament on Wednesday 14 September, we take a brief look at the increasing significance of this event and the role of the plenary debate in this annual event. Listen to this EPRS Plenary Podcast for more on the State of the Union.

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Member States and the European Parliament are working on a new European travel document to speed the return of migrants staying irregularly in European soil. One of the main reasons is they lack valid travel documents… and the substitute documents used by member states today are not always accepted by the destination countries, as they can be easily falsified. Listen to this EPRS Plenary Podcast for more information.

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Current migratory pressures and flows in the management of the EU’s external borders in some member states have revamped the idea of a European Border and Coast Guard system. The Commission has already put a proposal on the table. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast. NB Please note this item has been postponed to a later plenary session.

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The European Parliament’s July plenary is getting ready to vote on a set of recommendations to make corporate taxation fairer and clearer. MEPs welcome the Commission’s plans to draw up a common EU tax haven black list and advocate sanctions against non-cooperative jurisdictions. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.

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Set aside for decades, Belarus is about to realise its nuclear power aspirations with the help of Moscow. But Chernobyl's painful memories and concerns over safety mean the EU will have to remain vigilant. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.

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Space applications have never been so down to Earth... today, thanks to satellites orbiting thousands of kilometres above our heads, we can see when our bus will come, detect forest fires and even predict the course of a typhoon! But with an increasing number of countries getting access to space, the EU better make sure its space strategy is fit for the future! Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.

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The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), on 23 and 24 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey, will bring together a panoply of representatives of world governments, business, and civil society, to find a way to improve humanitarian responses to increasingly challenging conditions. The May plenary is due to hear from the Commission and Council on the EU approach to the WHS.

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In the European Union, parental leave is regulated by a 1996 Directive, last amended in 2013. Implementation of this Directive varies greatly among Member States, however, and parental leave overlaps other types of leave granted to families. The European Parliament is expected to call for an evaluation of the Directive's implementation, and for revision of both the Directive and related legislation.

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Train passengers may not even notice when they cross a border... but running a train from one country to another is technically complex and costly! And despite the EU's efforts to harmonise rail systems and create an integrated EU railway area, the journey is not yet over... Travel with us, it's all aboard for the fourth railway package. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast. NB. The debate and vote on this item has been postponed until the April II plenary session in Brussels.

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Industrial espionage is a growing problem in the EU. To allow companies to better protect their trade secrets and be compensated when confidential information gets stolen, the EU is working out new common rules to harmonise the fight against corporate espionage. The theft of business secrets is an increasingly widespread problem in the EU. According to the European Commission, one in four European companies was stolen vital information, at least once, in 2013, compared to not even one in five, in 2012... But what is a trade secret? Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.

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In a third attempt to liberalise the EU's port services, the European Commission has set sail for an long-awaited modernisation of port services offered by the EU’s 329 main seaports. Will there be calmer waters ahead this time? Come on board with us as we tell you more about a key topic of the March plenary session in this EPRS plenary podcast.

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To promote healthier lifestyles and combat obesity among school children, the Commission has proposed to merge two separate EU schemes for the distribution of milk and fruit in schools under a joint framework. The European Parliament's plenary will have its say on it during the March session in Strasbourg. Find out more in this EPRS plenary podcast.

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The European Commission, acting on behalf of the 28 Member States, together with 22 other WTO members, are sitting around a table trying to crunch a deal to liberalise trade in services. But what are the details? What do EU citizens stand to win? And what does the European Parliament have to say with its enhanced powers to approve or reject the deal? We'll tell you straight away with a teaser on Tisa in this EPRS plenary podcast.

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Our biodiversity is at risk, and the truth is.. EU Member States are not doing enough to protect it. This is one of the conclusions of the European Commission's mid-term review of the EU biodiversity strategy , but there are more... Stay with us to find out how the European Parliament is reacting in this EPRS plenary podcast.

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Air pollution kills and drains the EU economy. The European Commission wants to introduce tests that better reflect real on-road emissions, but it is likely to run into serious opposition from MEPs, who say the rules are too soft on carmakers. The debate will take place in January but the vote has been postponed. Find out more in this plenary podcast on measuring on-road air pollution from cars.

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The presumption of innocence is guaranteed at all legal levels and yet numerous breaches have reportedly occurred in the EU. In January 2016, the Parliament's plenary will vote a proposal by the Commission to address this problem. Find out more in this plenary podcast on Strengthening the presumption of innocence in the EU.

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The EU's common position on arms export is the only legally-binding arrangement by a regional organisation regulating arms exports. And while it is true that it has increased information sharing and transparency, national economic and strategic interests often prevail above other considerations. The European Parliament has repeatedly called for a strict application of the common criteria and more transparency, listen to the podcast for more.

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The current migratory crisis is forcing Europe to rethink its border-management policy and revamp old ideas and put forward ambitious plans such as the setting up of a European Border and Coast Guard System. Find out more about the latest proposals in this podcast.

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As more and more young Europeans are seduced by the narrative of radicalisation and violent extremism, MEPs prepare to at the Strasbourg November plenary session on a resolution to prevent radicalisation and the recruitment of young Europeans by terrorist organisations. Given the desperately tragic attacks of the night of Friday 13 November in Paris, the issue of tackling radicalisation has become even more important.

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To promote European cinema and the diversity of film production, the European Parliament awards every year the Lux Prize to a film made-in-Europe. "With this year's Lux prizewinner due to be announced in plenary on 24 November, join us in this walk behind the screens of European cinema!

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