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EU PARLIAMENT AGENDA: Week 31 August - 06 September. Committee Meetings, Brussels. President's Diary

2026-08-31T19:00:00.000+01:00

by NEWS DESK

LONDON and BRUSSELS. MEPs return to the Belgian capital, hosting another chamber of the European Parliament, for their first sitting after the hottest summer on record recess.

THE AGENDA

The Week 31 August – 06 September

Committee meetings, Brussels

Wildfires/EU preparedness. On Tuesday, MEPs from the Climate, Environment and Food Safety Committee will quiz Hadja Lahbib

, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, on the EU’s response to the summer wildfires across the continent, and discuss lessons learnt.

Mental health at work. In a vote on Wednesday, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs is set to demand the Commission propose legislation to protect the mental and physical health of workers, and to prevent, eliminate or reduce work-related psychosocial risks and ensure safe and dignified working conditions.

Childhood cancer. Together with a 10-year-old survivor and sectoral experts, on Wednesday MEPs in the Public Health Committee will discuss aspects of paediatric cancer, including innovation, public investment, and policy recommendations. EP President Roberta Metsola will open the debate.

Greenland. The Development and Foreign Affairs committees will host Greenland’s minister for foreign affairs, business and minerals, Múte Bourup Egede

, on Wednesday. The meeting takes place in the context of ongoing discussions on updating the rules governing the EU’s relationship with Greenland, and other overseas countries and territories (OCTs), and future financial support for Greenland under the EU’s next long-term budget.

Irish Presidency priorities. Ireland’s ministers will continue to present their priorities in meetings with the relevant parliamentary committees. Ireland holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU until the end of 2026.

President’s diary.

On Tuesday morning, EP President Roberta Metsola

will host an informal breakfast with the permanent representatives of the governments of the member states to the EU.

A full list of parliamentary committee meetings is available here.

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EU PARLIAMENT AGENDA: The Week 24 – 30 August 2026 - Parliamentary Business Resumes with External Delegations - (Update) - President' METSOLA at the Rimini (It) Meeting - Video

2026-08-27T03:31:26.542+01:00

LONDON and BRUSSELS. Parliamentary business resumes on Monday 24 August with external delegations. Parliamentary committee activities resume on 31 August.

President’s diary.

EP President

Roberta Metsola will speak at the 2026 Rimini meeting on Wednesday. (Video below)

Note: To watch the videos in full screen, select a different format from the horizontal list under the Title bar instead of the current MOSAIC format.

Official visit to Rimini (Italy) - Participation in the Conference "Europe, preserving roots, accelerating future" during the Rimini Meetings 2026

European Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola giving her statement at the Rimini Meeting / Picture: CSE Ltd, Rimini Meeting

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, giving his welcome statement to the Meeting's guests / Picture: CSE Ltd, Rimini Meeting

European Parliament's President Roberta Metsola during the Q&A with the Meeting's President Bernhard Scholz / Picture: CSE Ltd, Rimini Meeting

From 24 to 30 August, please address any urgent press enquiries on the EP’s legislative

activities to:

Yasmina Yakimova

+32 470 88 10 60

yasmina.yakimova@europarl.europa.eu

And for non-legislative matters, please address enquiries to:

Constanze Beckerhoff

constanze.beckerhoff@europarl.europa.eu

+32 498 98 35 50

Media access to the EP:

The press room will be closed from 20 July to 30 August inclusive.

THE PRESIDENT'S DIARY

The President's diary

Wednesday 26 August 2026

Rimini, Italy

12:00 President Metsola addresses the 2026 Rimini Meeting

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EU PARLIAMENT AGENDA: Week of 17 - 23 August 2026 (UPDATED) - PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Thursday 06 August 2026 - Exchange of views on Ceuta, Spain - The European Parliament is in Summer Recess.

2026-08-17T14:54:00.000+01:00

The European Parliament will be on summer recess from 27 July to 23 August 2026.

LONDON and BRUSSELS. The European Parliament

will be in recess over the summer from July 27 to August 23, 2026.

UPDATE 6 August 2026:

EU PARLIAMENT - AGENDA (Update for 6 August) -

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Thursday 06 August 2026 13:00-14:30 BST / 14:00-15:30 Extraordinary meeting Debate Exchange of views on the situation in Ceuta, Spain, at the end of July with the participation of

Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior of Spain (tbc); Alma Saiz Delgado, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration of Spain (tbc); Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration; and Juan Jesús Vivas Lara, Mayor-President of Ceuta.

Nota Bene: To watch the videos in full screen, please choose a different format from the list under the Title rather than MOSAIC.

Opening remarks by

Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), LIBE Chair
Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior of Spain (tbc)
Alma Saiz Delgado, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration of Spain (tbc)
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
Juan Jesús Vivas Lara, Mayor-President of Ceuta

EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

Questions and answers

EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

Concluding remarks

EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

Agenda

≈===============≈==========

Parliamentary business will resume on Monday, 24 August, with external delegations. Committee activities will restart on 31 August.

To explore this summer's programmes, the past archives, and the future activities of the European Commission

, the European Council

, their EbS Live broadcasting channels (pictured below), and all the other EU Institutions' activities,

please click/tap on the related Item tabs in the top right ➡️ sidebar LINKS of this main page.

During this recess period, please direct any urgent press inquiries regarding the EP’s legislative matters to:

From 17 to 23 August

Andreas Kleiner

+32 498 98 33 22

andreas.kleiner@europarl.europa.eu

From 24 to 30 August

Yasmina Yakimova

+32 470 88 10 60

yasmina.yakimova@europarl.europa.eu

For non-legislative enquiries, please contact:

From 17 to 23 August

Anastasia Kapodistria

anastasia.kapodistria@europarl.europa.eu

+32 473 33 21 87

From 24 to 30 August

Constanze Beckerhoff

constanze.beckerhoff@europarl.europa.eu

+32 498 98 35 50

Media access to the EP during the summer recess

The Media Accreditation service will be closed from July 27 to August 23, 2026. During this period, no media accreditation requests will be processed, and media representatives will not have access to Parliament’s premises.

The press room will also be closed from 20 July to 30 August inclusive.

The Agenda

EN Press Service, Directorate General for Communication

European Parliament

Press switchboard number (+32) 2 28 33000

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LIVE - After 13 years, the European Parliament approves new air passenger rights: Watch the press conference.

2026-07-07T21:34:14.981+01:00

The newly approved law will enter into force in 12 months and will embrace also third country airlines.

Press confernce by Andrey NOVAKOV (EPP, BG), rapporteur and Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS (Greens/EFA, LT), vice-chair of the TRAN Committee on Air passenger’s rights

Nota Bene: To watch the videos in full screen, please choose another format, rather than MOSAIC, from the list under the Title.

LONDON and STRASBOURG. After the final vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday, key EP negotiators Andrey Novakov and Virginijus Sinkevičius briefed journalists on the EU air passenger rights rules review. (Video).

For more than a decade, Europe’s air passenger rights occupied a strange space — not dead, not alive, but suspended. A regulatory field held in a kind of atmospheric pause. The European Parliament

kept insisting the 2004 rules no longer matched the world they were meant to govern, a world where carriers from third countries — the UK, China, the UAE and others — operate across EU territory with seamless commercial reach while passengers navigate increasingly fragile post‑pandemic realities. Yet the file remained motionless, as if the institutions themselves were caught in a pressure system that refused to break.

The signs of strain were subtle but persistent. Not scandals, not headlines — just the steady hum of unresolved cases that revealed how the old framework had drifted out of alignment with the market it was meant to regulate. One such case involved a British Airways

e‑coupon issued in 2021 to an EU citizen who, due to long‑term post‑Covid illness, could no longer travel. The coupon remained valid, yet the airline refused to refund it. The situation was not dramatic; it was diagnostic. It showed how third‑country carriers could operate freely inside the EU while passengers struggled to enforce remedies across fragmented jurisdictions.

These cases were not stories; they were signals. They formed a pattern, a low‑frequency vibration across the system, reminding lawmakers that Europe’s aviation ecosystem had become transnational while its protections remained territorial. The mismatch created friction — not explosive, but constant — a kind of regulatory turbulence that Parliament could feel even when the public could not.

Eventually, the pressure became impossible to ignore. Last year, after eleven years of circling the same impasse, ministers finally shifted. They reached a common position, and the air changed. The file began to move again, not with drama but with the quiet inevitability of a weather front finally breaking.

What followed was a year of dense interinstitutional work — technical detail, geopolitical calibration, and the slow, deliberate adjustments that define EU lawmaking at its most consequential. Parliament and Council negotiators moved through the text line by line, aligning the regulatory field with the realities of a globalised aviation market. When Parliament endorsed the compromise, the feeling was not triumph but equilibrium: a system correcting itself after too long in stasis.

The updated rules — now awaiting final adoption by the Council — carry a clear political charge. Third‑country carriers operating in the EU market must meet EU‑level obligations. Refunds, rerouting, assistance, and compensation are no longer contingent on the nationality of the airline or the administrative quirks of its home country. The EU’s regulatory perimeter expands to match the actual perimeter of its market.

For passengers, the significance is structural. The new framework does not promise perfection; it promises coherence. It ensures that remedies are enforceable, accessible, and grounded in a system that recognises the global nature of modern aviation. The rights that once served as a shield against disruption now evolve into a field capable of governing a post‑Covid, cross‑border landscape.

Not through revolution, but through the slow, atmospheric shift that marks the EU’s most durable reforms — the kind where the pressure changes, the air moves, and the system breathes again.

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LIVE - EU PARLIAMENT AGENDA - The Week 06 – 12 July 2026 Updated: Plenary session, Strasbourg - President's Diary

2026-07-06T18:34:40.190+01:00

Click on the picture above to watch the Plenary LIVE.

The Full WEEKLY Agenda - Interactive, LIVE Webstreaming

LONDON and BRUSSELS: The Parliament’s Spokesperson and Press Service held a press briefing on this week’s plenary session this afternoon which can be followed recorded live on the video above. The briefing outlined the key topics to be addressed during the plenary in Strasbourg.

First on today's EP agenda, after the opening, (LIVE on the video here below), there will be a debate with Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas on the agreement reached with the Council to update the EU air passenger rights regulation. Parliament negotiators resisted attempts to weaken protections for passengers in cases of flight cancellations, delays, or denied boarding. The agreement enhances ticket price transparency, strengthens the rights of disabled passengers, and ensures parents can sit next to their children without extra charges, marking the first update to these rules since 2004. MEPs will vote on the agreement tomorrow at noon, followed by a press conference.

Later, today at around 18:00 BST / 19:00 CET, a debate with Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will focus on new rules agreed with the Council to ensure access to social security for EU citizens living or working in another member state. The discussion will concentrate on five key areas: unemployment benefits, family benefits, long-term care benefits, access to social benefits for economically inactive mobile citizens, and provisions for posted workers and those employed in multiple member states. A vote on the new rules will also take place tomorrow at noon, followed by a press conference.

In addition, at approximately 17:30 BST / 18:30 CET, MEPs will question European Investment Bank Vice-President Robert de Groot on the institution’s financial activities as outlined in its 2025 annual report. The day will conclude with a brief presentation of a recommendation addressing the evolving geopolitical situation in East Asia and the importance of closer cooperation with like-minded partners in the region.

The AGENDA

Plenary session, Strasbourg

Air passenger rights. Following a debate on Monday, MEPs are set to adopt updated rules to protect air travellers against travel disruptions, with measures including compensation after a three-hour delay and fee-free child seating, on Tuesday. A press conference is scheduled after the vote.

Irish Council Presidency. On Tuesday morning MEPs will discuss the priorities of the Irish government’s six-month Council Presidency, which began on 1 July, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin. President Metsola and the Taoiseach will give a press conference at 12:00 BST / 13.00 CET.

June European Council. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate the outcome of the 18-19 June European Council meeting with Council and Commission representatives.

Heatwaves and wildfires. On Wednesday, Parliament will debate the need to strengthen the EU’s response and preparedness to protect people against recurring heatwaves and upcoming wildfires.

EU social security coordination. On Tuesday, MEPs are set to give their final approval to updated rules ensuring access to social security for EU workers who live or work in another EU country. A press conference is scheduled after the vote.

EU-Mexico partnership. On Wednesday, plenary will vote on the upgraded EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA) and on the interim trade agreement. The debate will take place on Tuesday.

High fertiliser prices. On Tuesday, Parliament is set to approve help for farmers affected by the rising costs of fertilisers.

EU automotive sector. Possible measures to strengthen the automotive sector and its competitiveness and protect jobs will be the subject of a plenary debate with the Commission on Tuesday.

Cybersecurity and AI. On Tuesday, MEPs will quiz the Commission on its latest proposals regarding artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Enlargement. On Tuesday, MEPs will debate the progress of Ukraine, Moldova and Serbia towards EU membership, followed by votes on Wednesday. There will be press conferences on Moldova and Serbia after the plenary votes.

Russian democratic forces. On Wednesday, MEPs will discuss how the EU can support civil society, anti-war actors and independent media in Russia.

Committees

Carbon border adjustment mechanism. On Monday, the Environment Committee will vote on the proposal to extend the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) to specific steel- and aluminium-intensive downstream products, and to strengthen anti-circumvention measures. Members will also vote on the separate proposal for a temporary decarbonisation fund, financed from CBAM revenues, to support decarbonisation investment by energy-intensive industries still exposed to carbon leakage.

Seminar on reinforcing European democracy. On Tuesday, the EP media service is organising a briefing for media on Parliament’s work on the European Democracy Shield and AgoraEU. Key MEPs will discuss with journalists the proposals endorsed by the EP Special Committee, as well as expectations for the upcoming plenary vote and next steps.

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, President Roberta Metsola will hold a bilateral meeting with Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin ahead of his plenary address.

Briefing. Political group briefings will take place on Tuesday.

The Full Weekly Agenda - Web streaming, Interactive

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Follow The Plenary LIVE

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LIVE - EU PARLIAMENT AGENDA (Updated schedule) : The Week 18 - 24 MAY 2026 - Plenary Session, Strasbourg - LIVE - Last Minute Briefing - Today's from 15:30 BST / 16:30 CET - President METSOLA Diary

2026-05-18T15:20:11.592+01:00

by Lucio MENIN

Nota Bene: To watch the videos in full screen, please choose another format from the list under the Title.

Last-minute briefing. (Video above)On Monday at 15:30 BST / 16.30 CET, Parliament will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 17.00. Political group briefings will take place on Tuesday.

LONDON and STRASBOURG, France. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola opened the 18–21 May plenary session in Strasbourg, (video below). She began by welcoming the release from prison in Belarus of journalist and Sakharov Prize laureate Andrzej Poczobut, announcing that he will address the Parliament during the next plenary session in June. Metsola took the opportunity to recall the plight of numerous political prisoners worldwide who remain unjustly detained, affirming the Parliament’s commitment to advocating for them and for all who defend freedom in the face of oppression. She also reminded members of the inaugural Order of Merit conferral ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday at 11:30, emphasising that the award recognises exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to European integration and the promotion and defence of European values. Regarding changes to the agenda, on Tuesday, a statement from political group speakers on “The attack against citizens in Modena: protecting public spaces and preventing violence in the EU” will be added at around 15:00, following oral questions on “EU governance under pressure – institutional responses to global challenges.” At approximately 17:00, Vice-President / High Representative Kaja Kallas will deliver a statement on the EU’s response to the reduced US military presence in Europe, particularly on the Eastern flank, in light of recent US decisions. The sitting will therefore be extended until 23:00. On Wednesday, the “This is Europe” debate with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has been removed from the agenda, and the key debate on “delivering on the single market” will take place from 9:00 to 11:50. The President also announced that the Committees on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Transport and Tourism, and others will engage in interinstitutional negotiations.

Outgoing MEPs:

Péter Magyar (HU / EPP) as of 9 May 2026

Zoltán Tarr (HU / EPP) as of 9 May 2026

EU Parliament Plenary 18-21 May 2026: Watch the Opening by President Roberta Metsola, followed by today's debate by MEPs

The AGENDA

The Week Ahead 18 – 24 May 2026

Plenary session, Strasbourg

European Order of Merit ceremony. On Tuesday, at a ceremony at 11.30, laureates will receive the inaugural European Order of Merit for their significant contributions to EU integration and values.

Screening of foreign investments. On Tuesday, MEPs will vote on an agreement with the Council to better protect EU strategic sectors such as defence, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, critical raw materials and financial services from risky foreign investments.

Cyber resilience. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss with Council and Commission representatives the EU’s cyber resilience capabilities in the face of emerging risks relating to advanced AI systems.

Single market. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will discuss with Commission and Council representatives how to remove barriers in the single market, improve conditions for European businesses and ensure their competitiveness in the global arena.

Middle East. On Tuesday,

MEPs will quiz EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about the EU’s approach to the crises in the Middle East, including the situations in Iran, Israel, and Syria.

Fertilisers action plan. On Tuesday, the Commission will present its strategy to tackle rising EU fertiliser prices, followed by a debate with MEPs.

Hantavirus outbreak. On Thursday, MEPs and the Commission will assess EU preparedness for health emergencies in the wake of the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak.

New revenue sources for the EU budget. On Wednesday, MEPs and the Commission will discuss alternative financing possibilities for the EU’s long-term budget, including from online gambling.

Interinstitutional legislative negotiations

Asylum and migration/return regulation. Parliament and Council negotiators will try to reach a deal on an updated EU common system for the return of third-country nationals without the right to stay in the EU (Wednesday).

EU-US trade. Parliament and Council will attempt to find an agreement on two trade legislation proposals relating to the

EU-US “Turnberry deal” on tariff and trade exchanges announced in July 2025. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 10.00. (Tuesday).

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, EP President Roberta Metsola will meet Maia Sandu, President of Moldova, followed by a press point, before presiding over the ceremony for the European Order of Merit. On Wednesday, Metsola will meet Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates, and on Thursday, she will be in Prague to speak at the GLOBSEC Forum and to receive an award.

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EU-UK FORUM: 2026 Annual Conference. Full-day proceedings include EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola's keynote and EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic's intervention.- Brussels 16 April 2026 Recorded LIVE Videos.

2026-04-17T11:08:00.005+01:00

EU-UK FORUM 2026 Annual Conference

LONDON and BRUSSELS. The sixth EU-UK Forum Annual Conference 2026 was held both in person and virtually on 16 April in Brussels.

The conference explored the changing landscape of EU-UK relations amid increased dialogue and cooperation.

It also emphasizes topics like the enhancement of diplomatic and trade ties, strengthening Europe’s economy and competitiveness, and the rising significance of security and defence collaboration.

Keynote speakers for the European Union were the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and the European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic.

The EU-UK Forum Annual Conference 2026 has been paramount in these six years since the Britain withdrawal from the European Union following the 2016 Brexit Referendum, to keep a dialogue going between the two unions and to prepare last year's first official EU-UK Summit, which was set up by the newly constitued EU-UK Parliamentary Parthership Assembly (PPA) and with this year's follow up Summit, yet to be confirmed for next month.

From the British side, this renewed approach is viewed—both economically and administratively—as the obvious and most natural step toward addressing the country’s malaise. Yet a strong resistance persists within the populist faction, which continues to frame the move in negative terms of “at what cost” rather than in the more constructive perspective of “at what gain.”

Watch the full day Conference here below:

(Please note to have the full screen view, you need to chose other screen formats on the top bar)

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EU PARLIAMENT Agenda : The Week 06 - 12 April 2026. Committees. Brussels.

2026-04-03T15:10:00.007+01:00

by NEWS DESK

The Week Ahead 06 – 12 April 2026 - The Agenda

Committees

Registration documents for vehicles. Transport MEPs will adopt their position on revised EU rules setting out common requirements for vehicle registration documents. The rules are part of the 2025 roadworthiness package and seek to cut red tape, combat fraud and introduce digital vehicle registration solutions. (Wednesday)

Economic dialogue. Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will quiz Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, (picture: European Union)

on the implementation of the revised economic governance framework, which entered into force two years ago, and the implications of the current geopolitical developments for the European economy. (Thursday)

EU farmers. Agriculture MEPs are expected to greenlight the deal reached with EU governments on new measures to reinforce farmers’ position in the food supply chain. The law aims to ensure fair prices for farmers’ products and clarifies labelling and advertising rules. (Wednesday)

A full list of parliamentary committee meetings is available here.

The Full Weekly Agenda - Interactive, Webstreaming

The Full Weekly Agenda - All Events

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EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: The Week 30 March – 05 April 2026 - Delegations

2026-03-27T16:43:00.002+00:00

by NEWS DESK

The AGENDA

Delegations

E-commerce and consumer protection/China. MEPs from the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will travel to Beijing and Shanghai to discuss digital and e-commerce challenges and fostering fair EU-China competition.

MEPs are expected to convey the EU’s stance on digital regulation and safe markets, particularly regarding breaches of EU law and the high-volume of non-compliant small parcels coming from China. In Beijing, MEPs will meet, among others, chairperson of the legislative affairs commission of the standing committee of China’s Congress and the Minister of State Administration for Market Regulation. In Shanghai, MEPs will continue their discussions on compliance with EU digital market rules with Temu representatives (Tuesday to Thursday).

Strategic partnerships/South Korea and Japan. A delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs will travel to Seoul and Tokyo to discuss strengthening the EU's strategic partnerships with South Korea and Japan, two key partners in the Indo-Pacific region

. MEPs will meet with key parliamentary and government representatives, researchers from think tanks and academia, as well as EU member state representatives (Tuesday to Thursday).

Hybrid threats/Poland and Lithuania. MEPs from the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield

will go to Poland and Lithuania to discuss how to strengthen the EU response to hybrid threats, the instrumentalisation of migrants at their borders, foreign interference, disinformation, and cybersecurity threats. MEPs will meet with the relevant secretaries of state and ministers, as well as parliamentarians, cybersecurity experts, and representatives from the EU border agency Frontex (Monday to Wednesday).

Housing crisis/Portugal. A delegation from the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis will travel to Portugal to discuss the country’s affordable housing programme and European Investment Bank investments.

They will meet the Secretary of State for Housing and for Planning and Regional Development as well as representatives of public housing institutions and experts involved in social and cooperative housing (Monday to Wednesday).

Human rights/Egypt. A delegation of Human Rights Subcommittee MEPs will travel to Cairo to discuss human rights matters – including civil and political as well as socio-economic rights – in the context of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership

In Cairo, MEPs will meet with representatives of the Egyptian authorities (notably ministry of Foreign Affairs and of Interior), members of the country’s House of Representatives, and board members of Egypt’s national council for human rights (Sunday to Tuesday).

Mercosur/Argentina. MEPs from the delegation for relations with Mercosur

will travel to Buenos Aires and Salta to discuss strengthening EU ties with Argentina, weeks before the provisional application of the trade agreement with Mercosur countries set for 1 May. MEPs will meet, among others, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, the president of Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies, as well as with members of the foreign affairs and Mercosur committees (Monday to Wednesday).

EP Press Service contacts

Further information

The full agenda

LIVE Update - EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: EU_US Turnberry Trade Deal Press Conference 26 March (12:30 GMT / 13: 30 CET). The week of 23-29 March 2026 includes plenary sessions and committee meetings in Brussels. The President's diary.

2026-03-26T12:01:00.003+00:00

Click on the picture to watch the Plenary session LIVE / Picture: European Union

Watch the Plenary session LIVE

LONDON and BRUSSELS. MEPs will convene in the Brussels Parliamentary hemicycle for their second Plenary session of March, where they will debate and vote on this week's EU Summit decisions and other crucial trade, defence and constitutional matters.

The AGENDA

Plenary session and committee meetings, Brussels

Plenary session

19-20 March EU summit. On Wednesday, MEPs will review the 19-20 March European Council meeting in a debate with Presidents António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen.

Energy security. MEPs, the Council and the Commission will discuss on Wednesday how to ensure energy supply, market stability, and affordable energy for industry and citizens in the current challenging geopolitical context.

EU-US trade. On Thursday, MEPs are set to vote on their position for negotiations with EU member states on two trade legislation proposals relating to the EU-US “Turnberry deal” on tariffs and trade exchanges announced in July 2025. (Watch the Committee chair Bern Lang's press conference here below from 12:00 GMT / 13:00 CET)

Reform of EU return rules. On Thursday, the plenary will vote in its negotiating position on proposed changes to EU legislation on making it easier to send back non-EU nationals who do not have the right to stay in the EU.

Simplification of AI rules. On Thursday, MEPs will vote on their position on a proposal to simplify EU artificial intelligence rules. Parliament’s draft position includes a ban on AI “nudifier” systems and clear application dates for high-risk system requirements.

EU water quality. On Thursday, MEPs are expected to greenlight new measures to reduce pollution of groundwater and surface water and to improve EU water quality standards. They will also debate an already approved urban wastewater treatment law and its potential impact on the pharmaceutical industry.

Protecting taxpayers and deposits. MEPs are set to confirm a deal with EU member states on a new toolset to address bank failures, protect taxpayer money, broaden the scope of banks covered by the rules, empower authorities to manage potential bank failures more effectively, and harmonise depositor protection across the EU. The debate will take place on Wednesday, followed by a vote on Thursday.

Press briefing. On Wednesday

at 13:40 GMT / 14.30 CET, Parliament will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 14: 00 / 15.00 CET.(Watch it LIVE followed by the Plenary's opening session here beĺow).

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, President Roberta Metsola will meet the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, the ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council to the EU, and His Royal Highness Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg.

In the late afternoon, she will speak at the Brussels AI Symposium. On Wednesday, she will meet the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the governments of the member states to the EU (COREPER I), before presiding over the plenary session at 15.00. On Friday, President Metsola will be in Stockholm to meet the Speaker of the Riksdag,

Andreas Norlén, and the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson.

She will also participate in a town hall discussion with students and visit the NASDAQ Stock Exchange’s European headquarters.

A full list of parliamentary committees' meetings is available here.

The Full Weekly Agenda - Webstreaming, interactive.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL 19 MARCH - RESULTS: UKRAINE

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EUROPEAN COUNCIL Summit 19-20 March 2026: Leaders' Press Conference on 19th March 2026 - CONCLUSIONS, Statements, Documents, and Videos on UKRAINE, MIDDLE EAST, and EURO Summit, inside.

2026-03-19T15:20:10.225+00:00

by Lucio MENIN

LONDON and BRUSSELS. EU leaders meet on 19-20 March 2026 in Brussels, chaired by António COSTA,

to discuss the escalation in the Middle East, Iran, and its EU impact, including energy and security. The agenda covers EU competitiveness, financial framework, security, and migration. Leaders will review developments in Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia (see picture below: European Union).

The European Council conducted a discussion with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine / Picture: European Union

EUROPEAN COUNCIL 19 MATCH - CONCLUSIONS ON MIDDLE EAST

EUROPEAN COUNCIL 19 MARCH - CONCLUSIONS

EURO SUMMIT 19 MARCH - RESULTS

UN Secretary-General António GUTERRES

will join for lunch to discuss international issues and EU partnerships. A Euro Summit (Declaration) runs alongside. EU leaders gather in Brussels for the quarterly EU COUNCIL during the escalation of the Middle East conflict, complicating Ukraine's war against Russia, which damages infrastructure and leaves many without heating or electricity. A truce remains uncertain.

The EU Council will also discuss sanctions on Russia, Ukraine loan issues, Middle East and Iran conflicts, the possibility of EU Navy forces to patrol in the Strait of Hormuz, competitiveness, the Single Market's new EU Inc. feature for startups, upcoming financial plans (MFF), European defence, migration acts, and other issues.

Watch leader arrivals, departures, statements, and briefings over the two-day summit.

THURSDAY, 19 MARCH 2026 - Time: Arrivals of Speakers from 8:30 CET

Arrival 2

Arrivals 1

EU COUNCIL Meeting Page

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EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: Updated with Post Meeting Briefing - The Week 16 - 22 March 2026. Committee Meetings, Brussels. Watch LIVE - 7th 🇪🇺EU-UK🇬🇧 Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) Meeting (16-17 March). President METSOLA Travels to Berlin

2026-03-13T15:48:00.009+00:00

The full agenda The full agenda for Events

LONDON and BRUSSELS: The European Parliament schedule in Brussels next week includes the Seventh EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly meeting on March 16-17 at the SPAAK building. MEPs and UK Parliament members will discuss EU-UK relations, economic security, trade, research, and regional issues. Speakers include European Commissioner Maros Šefčovič and Raffaele Fitto, UK ministers Nick Thomas-Symonds, Chris Bryant, and Stephen Doughty. The agenda covers cooperation in trade, digital policies, security, and more. The full meeting Agenda is available here. Follow meetings LIVE here (Monday)

and here (Tuesday).

A press point with Sandro Gozi and Marsha de Cordova is at 13.30 CET on Tuesday, 17 March, outside room 3C50 in the SPAAK building. Watch it LIVE below.

The AGENDA (Updated)

Committee meetings, Brussels

EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: Updated with Post Meeting Briefing - The Week 16 - 22 March 2026. Committee Meetings, Brussels. Watch LIVE - 7th 🇪🇺EU-UK🇬🇧 Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) Meeting (16-17 March). President METSOLA Travels to Berlin

Digital omnibus on AI. The committees on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs will adopt their positions on the digital omnibus on artificial intelligence (AI), which seeks to delay the application of certain rules on high-risk AI systems and to simplify various provisions of the AI Act. Among the amendments to be voted on is the introduction of a ban on AI “nudification” systems (Wednesday).

Kaja Kallas/foreign affairs. Committee on Foreign Affairs MEPs and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will discuss recent events at the global stage, focusing on the EU’s response and the Commission’s forthcoming initiatives in the field of EU external action (Tuesday).

Child sexual abuse online. Parliament and Council negotiators will try to reach a deal on the prolongation of an exemption to EU privacy legislation allowing for the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material online (Monday).

European tourism. The Transport and Tourism committee is expected to propose the creation of new transport connections to less-frequented destinations and caps on visitor numbers to relieve pressure on places experiencing overtourism. Other measures MEPs may recommend for a more sustainable tourism industry include targeted support for low- or zero-emission vehicles, and high-speed and night trains (Wednesday).

EU Public Prosecutor's activities in 2025. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi will present and discuss with MEPs in the Budget Control and Civil Liberties committees the 2025 activities of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (Wednesday).

The future of democracy support. Parliament is hosting a conference on the future of democracy support with key MEPs, representatives of the Cyprus Council Presidency, the Commission, the Council of Europe, and several experts. The event will start with a video message by Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola and an opening address by the President of Moldova’s Parliament, Igor Grosu (Wednesday and Thursday).

EU Tax Symposium 2026. Parliament and Commission will co-host the 2026 edition of the EU tax symposium under the headline “The future of taxation: inequality and growth in the global economy”. The symposium will bring together ministers, senior policymakers, academics, and Nobel Prize winners (Monday and Tuesday).

European Council. President Metsola will address EU leaders at the 19-20 March European Council that will focus on Ukraine, the Middle East, competitiveness, the next EU multiannual financial framework, European defence and migration. President Metsola’s intervention will be followed by a press conference (Thursday).

President’s diary.

President Metsola will be in Berlin on Monday, where she will address the Federation of German Industries’ managing directors’ conference. On Tuesday, still in Berlin, the President will address the Europa 2026 Conference, meet Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and participate in a town hall discussion with students. On Wednesday, in Brussels, she will meet United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. On Sunday, President Metsola will participate in the commemoration ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the 22 March 2016 terror attacks in Brussels.

A full list of parliamentary committees' meetings is available here.

Further information

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LIVE (Updated) - EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: The Week of 9 to 15 March 2026 - LAST-MINUTE SESSION BRIEFING Pre-Session Briefing of the Plenary Session and Committee Meetings in Strasbourg. The President's Diary.

2026-03-09T15:02:00.016+00:00

Click on the EP Strasbourg picture above to watch the Plenary and Committees Debates and Votes live, also streamed below / Picture: European Union

by NEWSDESK

LONDON and BRUSSELS. Overview of key topics for next week's Plenary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Watch today's Pre-session briefing by the EP Press officers on the video streamed below.

Please watch the Last Minute Session Briefing at the end of the agenda below.

The AGENDA (Updated)

Plenary session and committee meetings, Strasbourg

Iran war/EU summit. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate the US/Israeli military operation against the Iranian regime, its consequences and the need to support the people of Iran. They will also discuss their expectations for the 19-20 March EU summit.

Tackling Europe’s housing crisis. In a debate and vote on Tuesday, MEPs will set out their recommendations to promote decent, sustainable, and affordable housing across the European Union. A press conference is scheduled for this afternoon, and you are welcome to follow it LIVE below.

EU single market for defence. Following a debate on Tuesday, Parliament will outline on Wednesday its proposals to move towards a genuine EU single market for defence and close critical EU defence capability gaps. A press conference is scheduled after the vote.

Traveller protection. Following a debate on Wednesday, MEPs are expected to confirm on Thursday an update of the Package Travel Directive to clarify holidaymakers’ rights to assistance and compensation in cases of travel disruption.

“Energy package”/North Sea energy outlook. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the Commission’s proposed “energy package”, and on Wednesday, they will debate the need for clean, independent, and secure energy sources, following January’s North Sea summit.

Child sexual abuse online. On Wednesday, Parliament will vote on prolonging an exemption to privacy legislation allowing for the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material online.

Tackling single market barriers. In two debates, on Tuesday and Wednesday, MEPs, the Commission and the Council will debate reducing bureaucracy, removing obstacles and unleashing the single market’s full potential, including for financial services.

Protecting copyrighted work in the age of AI. On Tuesday, MEPs are expected to call for measures to protect the EU’s creative sector against exploitation by artificial intelligence. A live press conference is scheduled to follow the vote, and it can be viewed below.

International Women’s Day. To mark International Women’s Day, on Tuesday MEPs will hear the testimony of Jackie Fox, who campaigns in memory of her daughter, a victim of cyberbullying. In a separate debate on Monday, MEPs will review progress on addressing the gender pay and pension gaps in the EU, followed by a vote on Wednesday.

Armenia/formal sitting. On Wednesday at noon, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, will address MEPs in a formal sitting.

European Order of Merit. On Tuesday, President Metsola will announce the first laureates of the European Order of Merit, honouring significant contributions to European integration and European values. Up to 20 laureates will be appointed each year to the Order. The ceremony of conferral will take place during the May plenary session.

Migration/Return Regulation. The Civil Liberties Committee will adopt its position on the proposed update of the system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU, known as the Return Regulation (Monday).

President’s diary. On Monday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will address the 2026 EU Ambassadors’ Conference. On Tuesday, the President will chair the International Women’s Day celebration taking place in Parliament’s plenary, where she will later announce the nominees for the European Order of Merit. On Wednesday, she will meet the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, before the latter addresses Parliament.

Last-minute briefing. On Monday at 15:30 GMT / 16.30 CET, Parliament will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 16:00 GMT / 17.00 CET. Political group briefings will take place on Tuesday.

The Full Weekly Agenda - Webstreamed, interactive

The Full Weekly Agenda - All Events

The Newsletter: 9 - 12 March 2026. Strasbourg's Plenary Session - Briefing on all topics.

Watch the LIVE debates in the Plenary

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EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: The WEEK 02 - 08 MARCH 2026, Committee and Political Group Meetings, Brussels President's Diary

2026-02-27T15:49:00.002+00:00

by NEWS DESK

LONDON and BRUSSELS. Summary of the AGENDA

Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

International Women’s Day. To mark International Women’s Day 2026, the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee is organising an event bringing together MEPs and national parliamentarians to discuss “women’s rights and democracy: combating stereotypes, disinformation and violence in the digital age”. The conference will be opened by a video message from Parliament President Roberta Metsola followed by remarks by, among others, committee chair Lina Gálvez, Cyprus’ Justice and Public Order Minister Costas Fitiris (TBC) and EU Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib (Thursday).

Online child sexual abuse. The Civil Liberties Committee will vote on extending a derogation to EU online privacy rules, that allows companies to detect child sexual abuse material on a voluntary basis. The current derogation expires on 2 April 2026. EU co-legislators are currently negotiating a permanent legal framework to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online (Monday).

2027 EU budget. The Budgets Committee will adopt its input for Parliament’s priorities on the 2027 EU budget. Once endorsed by Parliament at a future plenary session, these guidelines will be used by MEPs as the basis for their discussions with the Council and the Commission. The Commission is expected to present its position in June (Thursday).

European citizens’ initiative for a ban on conversion practices. A European citizens’ initiative (ECI) proposing an EU ban on so-called “conversion practices” targeting LGBTQ+ citizens will be discussed by MEPs and experts in a public hearing. Women's Rights Committee chair Gálvez, Equality Commissioner Lahbib and representatives of the ECI will join the discussion (Monday).

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 9-12 March plenary session, where MEPs will debate and vote on EU-US political relations, on their proposals to tackle Europe’s housing crisis, on common EU defence projects, on economic policy coordination and on the EU’s enlargement strategy. They will also vote on new package travel rules, the need for enhanced cooperation with Canada, and on protecting copyrighted creative work in the age of AI. They will also debate the Commission’s citizens’ energy package as well as the need for clean, independent and secure energy. MEPs will mark International Women’s Day, hold a formal sitting with the Prime Minister of Armenia, and outline their expectations for the 19-20 March EU summit.

Pre-session press briefing. Parliament’s Press Service will hold a press briefing with the political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels).

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will receive Rob Jetten, Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

A full list of parliamentary committee meetings is available here.

The full agenda

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LIVE – Updated EU Parliament Agenda for the Week of 23 February – 01 March 2026: Extraordinary Plenary Session and Committee Meetings in Brussels. EU-UK Relations - President Metsola' s visit to the United Kingdom (Watch live) – Follow the plenary session in real time.

2026-02-20T17:39:00.030+00:00

Click on the picture above to watch the plenary LIVE

by NEWS DESK

The AGENDA (Updated)

Extraordinary plenary session and committee meetings, Brussels

EU-UK relations: The EU-UK relations have changed post-Brexit, with the UK losing its EU membership rights and benefits. MEPs and UK MPs are meeting in Brussels on 3 and 4 July to discuss the EU-UK relationship after Brexit, including the state of play within the Partnership Council, joint efforts to support Ukraine, and cooperation on trade and industrial policy.

President Metsola in the UK The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will be in London on Tuesday, 24 and Wednesday, 25 February for a series of institutional meetings with the highest representatives of the UK Parliament and Government, upon the invitation of The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons The President will also attend Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons at noon, a first for a President of the European Parliament On the occasion of her visit, she will give a keynote speech at the Chatham House 2026 Security and Defence Conference (Video here below).

The visit takes place in the context of the "reset" of the relationship between the EU and the UK, and repeated calls from President Metsola for the EU and the UK to find new ways of working together The UK government has made improving its relations with the EU a priority, and the invitation by Speaker Hoyle for an official visit sends a strong signal in this direction (Tuesday and Wednesday). Watch LIVE the moments of the President's official visit to the UK in the video below.

Plenary
Four years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an extraordinary plenary session, Parliament will debate and vote on the European contributions to a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine, on the day that marks four years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion (Tuesday from 10.15).
Committees
EU-US trade deal. The International Trade Committee, INTA, - (Watch below EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic reporting at the afternoon debate, on tariff agreements deals) - will vote its position on two legislative proposals aimed at implementing certain aspects of the EU-US Framework Agreement (Turnberry Deal), particularly on the customs duties on goods imports from the US. There was no press conference by the INTA chair as planned; it will take place after the vote, at 13.00 (Tuesday). Instead, Bernd Lange, on Monday, 23 February, released the following statement:

“The ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States of 20 February 2026 on the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is clear and unequivocal. Its implications cannot be ignored, and business as usual is not an option.

A key instrument used on the US side to negotiate and implement the Turnberry Deal is no longer available.

The situation is now more uncertain than ever. This runs counter to the stability and predictability we sought to achieve with the Turnberry Deal.

The proposed replacement for IEEPA, Section 122, applies indiscriminately to all countries exporting to the United States and is imposed on top of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate. As a result, imports from the EU into the US would be subject to an applied rate exceeding 15%. This, in itself, constitutes a clear departure from the terms of the Turnberry Deal.

Shadow rapporteurs, representing a majority of Members, have agreed that under the current circumstances, work on the two Turnberry files should be put on hold until clarity, stability and legal certainty in EU–US trade relations are re-established.

Consequently, the scheduled votes in committee tomorrow will not take place as planned, and the shadow rapporteurs will reassess the situation next week.”

Also, in the margins of the tariff issues, the INTA Committee debated IP rights protection and enforcement in third countries (Video below).

ECB President Lagarde. The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will conduct its first "monetary dialogue" of the year with Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank (ECB). Topics likely to be discussed by MEPs include the recent decision to keep key interest rates steady, monetary policy communication, and the discrepancy between actual and perceived inflation (Thursday). Watch Madame Lagarde discuss the Euro and the current state of the economy amidst EU-US trade and tariff uncertainties in the live video below.

LIVE Monetary Dialogue from the European Parliament in Brussels with ECB President Lagarde. Summary.

This morning, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) held its first "monetary dialogue" of the year with Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank (ECB) (Read the full opening remarks of the official EP hearing). MEPs are likely to discuss the recent decision to keep key interest rates steady, monetary policy communication, and the discrepancy between actual and perceived inflation.

Opening the meeting, Ms Lagarde claimed that inflation had been reigned in and the ECB’s decisive policy response had played a crucial role. However, citizens still perceived prices as rising faster than they actually were, and this had implications for economic decisions and trust in institutions, she added. Ms Lagarde then assessed the euro area economy and announced that the ECB would not pre-commit to a particular interest rate path.

MEPs asked how US policies and the weakness of the US dollar could affect inflation in Europe. They also asked to what extent US monetary policy would pressure the euro area's monetary policy. Questions were also asked about the impact that artificial intelligence could have on inflation. On a more general level, MEPs also asked how today’s unstable world events would be translated into monetary policy choices which would produce stability and trust.

MEPs also asked questions about the digital euro, especially about what infrastructure is still needed for its rollout and if the ECB would be favourable to its distribution through non-European channels. The need to properly interpret public support for the digital euro was also raised.

Questions were also put to Ms Lagarde regarding her personal situation, including her possible early stepping down from the Presidency of the ECB and her remuneration from the Bank for International Settlements.

Other issues raised included the divergence in growth in the member states, the role of housing in the calculation of inflation, the effect the Mercosur trade agreement and other similar international agreements could have on the European economy, and how best to achieve market integration to tackle fragmentation.

Competitiveness/Omnibus IV Two proposals to reduce administrative burdens for so-called small-cap companies (SMCs), part of the Omnibus IV package, will be up for a vote. The proposals will be dealt with in two separate votes by the Economics, Environment and Civil Liberties committees and the Economics and Civil Liberties committees (Wednesday).

US sanctions against Thierry Breton and EU citizens. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will debate, with former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and other EU advocates for user rights and EU digital laws, the recent visa sanctions imposed on them by the United States. MEPs will discuss these measures and their broader implications for Europe's digital sovereignty (Wednesday).

The next European Chief Prosecutor. The Civil Liberties Committee will hold a final vote on the appointment of Andrés Ritter from Germany as new European Chief Prosecutor, starting from November 2026. The EU Chief Prosecutor is responsible for directing the work of the European Public Prosecutor's Office and is appointed jointly by Parliament and Council (Monday).

EU-wide definition of rape MEPs in the Women's Rights and Civil Liberties committee will vote on whether to ask for legislation establishing an EU-wide definition of rape based on the absence of consent, recognising gender-based violence as a new EU crime and ensuring rape survivors' full access to medical services, including abortion (Wednesday).

Human Rights/ICE The actions of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the EU's role in upholding human rights in its external action will be debated by MEPs of the Human Rights Subcommittee and the Delegation for Relations with the US (Tuesday).

European Parliamentary Week 2026. This year's conference will gather MEPs and parliamentarians from EU member states, candidate and observer countries to debate the EU's economic direction, budgetary choices, and social priorities. The event will be opened by EP President Roberta Metsola and Cyprus' House of Representatives President Annita Demetriou (Monday and Tuesday).

President's diary On Tuesday, EP President Roberta Metsola will chair an extraordinary plenary session marking four years of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. European contributions to a just peace and to sustained security for Ukraine. On Friday, she will address the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the governments of the member states to the EU and meet the President of Portugal, H.E. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

A full list of parliamentary committees' meetings is available here.

The Full Weekly Agenda - Webstreaming, Interactive

The Full Weekly Agenda - All Events

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Use the #link ABOVE to follow UK House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions (#PMQs) coverage under the menu tab "#LIVE UK PARLIAMENT"

EU PARLIAMENT Plenary Agenda (Updated) 9-15 February: Extra Plenary by President METSOLA at Opening and Amendments. LAGARDE Announces Digital Euro. (Videos) with ECB Annual Report 2025

2026-02-09T22:00:00.025+00:00

Extraordinary plenary to mark four years of Russia’s war against Ukraine. President Metsola announced an extraordinary session, with votes on Ukraine Facility and Support Loan.

President Metsola opened the 9-12 February plenary session in Strasbourg © European Union, 2026 - EP

The full weekly Agenda 9 - 15 February. Plenary session, Strasbourg - Interactive, webstreaming.

LONDON and STRASBOURG. During this afternoon's Plenary opening President Roberta Metsola announced that the European Parliament will hold an extraordinary plenary session on 24 February in Brussels to mark four years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, with the presence of MEPs at the sitting sending “an important signal as we mark this anniversary,” she added.

Changes to the agenda

Tuesday

The title of the first morning debate (Commission statement) has been changed to: Extreme weather events, particularly in Portugal, southern Italy, Malta, and Greece: European response to strengthening readiness, preparedness, and solidarity mechanisms.

Wednesday

The following will be added to Wednesday’s voting session: on a regulation implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027; and, on amending Regulation 2024/792 establishing the Ukraine Facility.

Parliamentary immunity
Requests by committees to start negotiations with the Council and Commission

A Commission statement on the European response to attacks on Ukraine's energy system, which are causing a humanitarian crisis, has been added as the first point in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting will be extended to 22:00.

Requests for urgent procedure

The president announced a request for an urgent procedure from the EPP, S&D and Renew groups under Rule 170(6) of the Rules of Procedure concerning amending the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027

The vote on the request will be taken on Tuesday, and if adopted, the vote on the report will be held on Wednesday.

The authorities in Hungary have requested that András Tivadar Kulja's parliamentary immunity be waived. This request has been referred to the Legal Affairs Committee.

The president announced that several committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations on the basis of reports available on the plenary website.

The Agenda (Draft)

Plenary session, Strasbourg

European defence. On Tuesday, Parliament will discuss efforts to strengthen European defence in light of the increasingly volatile international environment. On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on a report outlining their plans to bolster joint efforts in security and defence between the EU and key bilateral partners.

EU competitiveness/

Mario Draghi's report recommendations. On Wednesday morning, Members, the Council and the Commission President

Ursula von der Leyen will debate the urgent action required to boost EU competitiveness, deepen the single market, and reduce the cost of living.

Asylum. On Tuesday, MEPs are expected to greenlight the first-ever EU list of safe countries of origin for asylum seekers, plus new rules on when a non-EU country may be considered safe. The votes will be preceded by a short debate. A press conference will be held after the votes.

EU 2040 climate target. On Tuesday, MEPs will decide on a 90% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, to achieve a climate-neutral EU by 2050.

EU-Mercosur safeguard clause. On Tuesday, MEPs are set to adopt a safeguard mechanism to prevent imports from the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) from harming Europe’s agriculture sector.

Extreme weather events. On Tuesday morning, Parliament will debate the need to strengthen EU readiness, preparedness, and solidarity mechanisms following recent extreme weather events in southern Europe.

Supporting wine producers and protecting farmers. Following a debate on Monday, MEPs will vote on Tuesday on new rules to support wine producers. On Thursday, they will debate and vote on measures to protect farmers against unfair trading practices.

European Central Bank/Christine Lagarde. On Monday, MEPs will discuss the European Central Bank’s activities and priorities with its president, Christine Lagarde (video below),

They will vote on a report on Tuesday.

Sitting of 09-02-2026

18:31:10

20:07:46

European Central Bank – annual report 2025

UN General Assembly president. Annalena Baerbock,

The President of the United Nations General Assembly will speak to Members in a formal sitting on Tuesday at noon.

Committees

Housing crisis in the EU. MEPs from the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union will adopt their proposals to promote decent, sustainable and affordable housing (Monday).

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola,

will receive Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly, just before Ms Baerbock’s address in the plenary, and will also meet Jean-Noël Barrot,

France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. On Thursday, in Belgium, President Metsola will participate in the informal EU leaders' retreat. On Friday, she will first receive Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali,

President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, and then travel to Munich to participate in the

Munich Security Conference, also on Saturday.

The full Weekly Agenda - All Events

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To stay updated—watch #LIVE statements from arrivals and exit doorstep remarks, national briefings and press conferences from last Thursday's Brussels Extraordinary Informal #EUROPEANCOUNCIL meeting (Click/tap the EU COUNCIL tab at this page's ➡️ top- right sidebar LINKS menu), following the recent Davos #WorldEconomicForum declarations on #US-EU trading tariffs, the #Greenland deal and #NATO's current predicament—as well as the #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of the major #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliaments—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right sidebar of

Use the #link ABOVE to follow UK House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions (#PMQs) coverage under the menu tab "#LIVE UK PARLIAMENT".

LIVE - EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: Week of 9-15 February 2026 - Plenary session in Strasbourg. LIVE Last Minute Press briefing on this week’s plenary starting at 15:30 GMT / 16:30 CEST.

2026-02-09T15:17:14.008+00:00

Click/Tap on the picture above to go to the Live Plenary stream / Picture: European Union

The full weekly Agenda 9 - 15 February. Plenary session, Strasbourg - Interactive, webstreaming.

Plenary session

LONDON and BRUSSELS. The European Parliament spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing today at 15:30 GMT / 16:30 CEST in the Daphne Caruana Galizia Press room and via Interactio, ahead of the February 9-12 plenary session.

Key topics this week include:

Debate on building a stronger European defence and vote on EU strategic defence and security partnerships
Debate on EU competitiveness and the Draghi report recommendations

Vote on first EU list of safe countries of origin for asylum seekers and rules on when a non-EU country may be considered safe
90% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2040: vote on agreement with Council
EU-Mercosur agreement: final vote on safeguard clause to prevent imports from harming Europe’s agriculture sector
Debate on extreme weather events and the need to strengthen EU readiness, preparedness and solidarity
European Central Bank priorities and activities: debate with President Christine Lagarde, followed by a vote
Formal sitting with UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock

You can watch it live from 15:30 GMT / 16:30 CEST (link EBS+ below) on Monday in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press room or through Parliament’s webstreaming (video below) and on EbS+.

The full Weekly Agenda - All Events

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To stay updated—watch #LIVE statements from arrivals and exit doorstep remarks, national briefings and press conferences from last Thursday's Brussels Extraordinary Informal #EUROPEANCOUNCIL meeting (Click/tap the EU COUNCIL tab at this page's ➡️ top- right sidebar LINKS menu), following the recent Davos #WorldEconomicForum declarations on #US-EU trading tariffs, the #Greenland deal and #NATO's current predicament—as well as the #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of the major #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliaments—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right of

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LIVE - EU Parliament Agenda: Next Week's Plenary, 12-15 Feb, Pre-Session Briefing streaming live from 10:00 GMT / 11:00 CET.

2026-02-06T08:39:00.005+00:00

The full weekly Agenda 9 - 15 February. Plenary session, Strasbourg - Interactive, webstreaming.

LONDON and BRUSSELS. Today at the European Parliament in Brussels, spokespeople for the Parliament and political groups will deliver a briefing on the plenary session scheduled for February 9-12 in Strasbourg (video above).

Key topics next week include

- Debate on building a stronger European defence and vote on EU strategic defence and security partnerships

- Debate on EU competitiveness and the

Draghi report recommendations

- Vote on the first

EU list of safe countries of origin for asylum seekers and rules on when a non-EU country may be considered safe

- 90%

reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2040: vote on agreement with Council

- EU-Mercosur

agreement: final vote on safeguard clause to prevent imports from harming Europe’s agriculture sector

- Debate on extreme weather events

and the need to strengthen EU readiness, preparedness and solidarity

- European Central Bank priorities and activities: debate with President Christine Lagarde,

followed by a vote

- Formal sitting with UN General Assembly

President Annalena Baerbock.

The full Weekly Agenda - All Events

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To stay updated—watch #LIVE statements from arrivals and exit doorstep remarks, national briefings and press conferences from last Thursday's Brussels Extraordinary Informal #EUROPEANCOUNCIL meeting (Click/tap the EU COUNCIL tab at this page's ➡️ top- right sidebar LINKS menu), following the recent Davos #WorldEconomicForum declarations on #US-EU trading tariffs, the #Greenland deal and #NATO's current predicament—as well as the #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of the major #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliaments—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right of

Use the #link ABOVE to follow UK House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions (#PMQs) coverage under the menu tab "#LIVE UK PARLIAMENT".

Stay up-to-date with The EUROPA TODAY, brought to you by social media inventors. Copyright CSE LTD 1992-2026. Get a comprehensive, real-time view of the EU's daily operations and key developments since 2008, all from the UK's point of view.

EU PARLIAMENT EUROBAROMETER AUTUMN 2025 SURVEY: RISING CONCERNS AND THE NEED FOR BETTER EUROPEAN COORDINATION - Full Report and Video inside

2026-02-04T09:01:00.008+00:00

LONDON and BRUSSELS. Most Europeans are concerned about security threats: conflicts (72%), terrorism (67%), climate disasters (66%), cyber-attacks (66%), and uncontrolled migration (65%). A majority (89%) favour more unity, 86% want a stronger EU voice, and 73% seek more EU aid. Despite tensions, Europeans support EU unity and ambition.

The European Parliament’s Autumn 2025

Eurobarometer survey, which was conducted by Verian

From Nov 6-30 across all 27 EU states, the study involved 26,453 face-to-face interviews and was weighted by population. It shows that 52% pessimistic about the world's future, 39% about the EU's, and 41% about their country. Over 75% are optimistic about their personal futures. Primary concerns include conflicts near the EU (72%), terrorism (67%), cyber-attacks (66%), climate change (66%), migration (65%), disinformation (69%), hate speech (68%), AI fakery (68%), poor data protection (68%), and threats to free speech (67%).

Call for a united Europe

Amid challenges, 66% of EU citizens want better protection, stressing unity since 89% believe member states should unite more. Also, 73% say the EU needs more resources for global issues. Citizens prioritise defence (40%), competitiveness (32%), and energy independence (29%) to strengthen their stance. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola

said, (video below) “Geopolitical tensions affect Europeans’ security. Citizens want the EU to protect, prepare, and act together. A stronger, self-assertive Europe is essential. Europe is our strongest shield.”

Cost of living is a key priority

High prices, inflation (41%), and rising costs are top concerns for Europeans, impacting living standards. Economy and jobs follow (35%), up five points since May 2025. While most expect stability, 28% foresee decline, especially in unstable economies, with French (45%), Belgian, and Slovak (40%) citizens fearing it most. Europeans want the EU to strengthen its global role in defence and security (40%, up 3 points). They prioritise peace (52%), democracy (35%), freedom of speech (23%), human rights (22%), and rule of law (21%).

Growing support for EU membership

Attitudes towards the EU remain positive despite slight declines since May 2025. A majority (49%) view the EU favourably, down 3pp, with only 17% viewing it negatively. 38% (+3pp) see the European Parliament

positively, against 20% negative. Most (62%) believe EU membership is good, up 2 points since early 2024.

Young people (15-30) are the most prominent supporters, more likely than older citizens to view the EU positively: 58% of young vs. 49%-43% of older groups. 68% of young Europeans want a stronger Parliament, with 90% supporting more unity, resources, and a stronger EU voice internationally (87%).

The full results are available on the #Eurobarometer tab on this page ➡️ top-right sidebar LINKS tab, or from outside, on this link 👇

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To stay updated—watch #LIVE statements from arrivals and exit doorstep remarks, national briefings and press conferences from last Thursday's Brussels Extraordinary Informal #EUROPEANCOUNCIL meeting (Click/tap the EU COUNCIL tab at this page's ➡️ top- right sidebar LINKS menu), following the recent Davos #WorldEconomicForum declarations on #US-EU trading tariffs, the #Greenland deal and #NATO's current predicament—as well as the #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of the major #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliaments—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right of

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🔵 EUCO URGES UNITY AS GREENLAND–DENMARK DISPUTE TRIGGERS NEW TRANSATLANTIC TRADE STRAINS

2026-01-23T03:00:00.018+00:00

by Lucio MENIN

LONDON and BRUSSELS – On the afternoon of 22 January 2026, EU leaders gathered in Brussels for an informal European Council meeting chaired by President António Costa. The agenda centred on recent shifts in transatlantic relations and their implications for the Union — a topic that had suddenly taken on urgency in the previous 24 hours.

What began as a routine coordination meeting quickly turned into a high‑stakes crisis session. Washington’s escalating tariff threats, framed as leverage for broader economic pressure, forced the EU into rapid‑response mode. At the same time, sovereignty tensions intensified as Greenland and Denmark entered fraught negotiations over territorial rights and Arctic resource control, following US President Trump's announcements and subsequent diplomatic moves from Washington. The pace was relentless: leaders and diplomats reacted in real time to developments that repeatedly pushed capitals into emergency decision‑making. By the time leaders faced the press around 1:00am, (video above) the strain of the day was unmistakable — a Union and an alliance tested by hours of negotiations, urgent calls, and mounting geopolitical pressure.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened with a candid, weary “it’s almost 1:00am” — more than a comment on the hour. It was a release of tension, signalling that the EU had steered through a volatile chain of events. Her tone blended dry humour with firm reassurance on the tariff escalation and on the publicly dismissed US threat of military action in the Greenland–Denmark sovereignty dispute. “We are clearly in a better position than we were 24 hours ago, tonight,” she remarked.

European Council (EUCO) Informal Meeting: Chair Antonio Costa, on the right, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, answering questions from journalists / Picture: European Union

The late‑night press conference, (picture above), was more than a debrief. It marked the moment the Union reasserted control after a day of brinkmanship — reaffirming unity on sovereignty and signalling that transatlantic relations would not be dictated by threats or improvisation. The remarks by António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen distilled the essence of the day: a narrow escape, steadied by collective resolve.

European Council (EUCO) Informal Meeting: a roundtable discussion / Picture: European Union

Informal meeting of the members of the European Council, 22 January 2026

CONCLUSIONS

The President of the European Council, António Costa, summarised the leaders' discussions in a speech following the meeting.

"EU leaders discussed recent developments in transatlantic relations and their implications for the EU, and they also agreed on the way forward. The European Union and the United States have long been partners and allies. We have built a transatlantic community forged by history, anchored in common values, and dedicated to the prosperity and security of our peoples. We believe that relationships between partners and allies should be managed cordially and respectfully."

Oral conclusions drawn by President António Costa following the informal meeting of the members of the European Council of 22 January 2026, (Full text and video delivery below)

Press Conference: Summary of Antonio Costa

On Greenland

President Costa stressed that the EU and the US share an interest in the Arctic region, notably through NATO, and that the EU will play a stronger role there.
In this context, he further emphasised that Denmark and Greenland have the full support of the EU and that only they can decide matters concerning them. He also reiterated the EU's commitment to the principles of:
- international law
- territorial integrity
- national sovereignty
These principles are essential to Europe and the international community and will continue to guide EU action.

On EU-US trade

President Costa welcomed the announcement that there will be no new US tariffs on Europe, stating that imposing additional tariffs would have been incompatible with the EU-US trade deal. He stressed the importance of implementing the agreement to stabilise trade relations between the EU and the US. At the same time, he noted that the EU will continue to stand up for itself and defend its interests against any form of coercion, and that it has the power and the tools to do so if and when necessary. He reaffirmed that the EU wants to continue to engage constructively with the United States on all issues of common interest, including creating the conditions for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

On the Board of Peace

Approaching the theme on the Board of Peace, the newly announced peace organisation, set up by the US President Donald Trump, President Costa said

"We have serious doubts about many elements in the Board of Peace's charter, including its scope, governance, and compatibility with the UN Charter".

In this context, President Costa signalled that the EU is ready to work with the US to implement the comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, with the Board of Peace carrying out its mission, however, in full accordance with and respect for UN Security Council resolution 2803.

On Strategic Autonomy

President Costa reiterated that the EU is focused on strengthening its defence and competitiveness to build a more autonomous Europe. In this context, he referred to the informal EU leaders' retreat on 12 February, which will be a strategic brainstorming session on strengthening the EU single market in a new geoeconomic context.

Video-Statement by President Ursula von der Leyen.

We had a good discussion tonight about our transatlantic relations. I will focus on two key geostrategic issues of strong relevance to our European security.

- First, Greenland, and then Ukraine, especially on its future prosperity.

On Greenland. We are clearly in a better position than we were 24 hours ago, and tonight we drew lessons from our collective strategy. What did we do?

- First, there was unequivocal solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.

- Second, we also stood firmly with the six Member States that were threatened with tariffs.

- Third, we engaged very actively with the US on various levels. We did so in a firm but non-escalatory way.

- Fourth, we were well prepared with trade countermeasures and non-tariff instruments if tariffs had been applied.

To sum up, we followed four key principles. Firmness, outreach, preparedness, and unity were effective. Going forward, we should maintain this very same approach.

A broader point now, on the Arctic and Arctic security. I will start with investments. We have collectively underinvested in the Arctic and Arctic Security. So now it is high time to step up. And to build on what we already achieved. Two years ago, before all of this started, I was in Greenland to open our EU office in Nuuk. Last year, we launched agreements that will lead to additional investments in clean energy, critical raw materials and digital connectivity. And for the next long-term EU budget, we have already proposed to double our financial support. Right now, we are working to enhance the EU relationship with Greenland. As part of this, the Commission will soon put forward a substantive investment package.

Beyond investments, we also intend to deepen cooperation with the US and all partners on Arctic security. In particular, we should use our defence spending surge to fund Arctic-ready equipment, such as a European Ice Breaker. And we should strengthen our security and defence arrangements with partners, including the UK, Canada, Norway, Iceland, and others. This has become a real geopolitical necessity.

Turning now to Ukraine. As winter has taken hold of the country, Russia is doubling down on vile attacks. We are doubling down on our support for Ukraine. This week we are deploying 447 emergency generators worth EUR 3.7 million to restore power to hospitals, shelters and critical services. Work is progressing well on the security and prosperity aspects of the peace talks. On (US) security guarantees, the Paris meeting brought good progress. As you know, we are now waiting for the Russian response. And on prosperity, we are close to an agreement with the US and Ukraine on a single unified

Prosperity framework. It looks at how we can boost Ukraine's prosperity once we achieve a peaceful ceasefire. Let me share some details with you. We are talking about a single document that represents the collective vision of Ukrainians, Americans, and Europeans for Ukraine's post-war future. It draws on the World Bank's important needs assessment work. And it proposes a response built around five key pillars:

- First, increasing productivity through business-friendly reforms and greater market competition.

- Second, accelerate Ukraine's integration into the EU Single Market through reforms in key economic sectors.

- The third pillar is about significantly scaling up investment.

The Ukraine Investment Framework, part of our Ukraine Facility, is already in place. So, we can use structures that we have already built since the beginning of the war. It has been the EU's primary investment vehicle for the country. It is clearly delivering.

- The fourth pillar is stronger donor coordination. A robust and proven structure already exists through the Ukraine Donor Platform. It brings together the G7 countries, the European Commission, Ukraine, and other partners. And, finally,

- The fifth pillar is about fundamental reforms. It means reinforcing the rule of law. Stepping up anti-corruption efforts. And modernising public administration. Because this is how you build trust. The trust of your partners and investors is paramount.

This agreement on the Prosperity Framework is a significant milestone. As I said, we are almost done. We are actively preparing Ukraine's future as a modern, sovereign and free country. This is a strong signal to our brave neighbour and partner in difficult times.

To conclude, our work on independence is more important than ever. We will meet for a Leaders Retreat on 12 February and pursue it further.

Thank you.

🔹️ Stay Informed | Stay Connected | Stay Empowered 📌

To stay updated—watch #LIVE statements from arrivals and exit doorstep remarks, national briefings and press conferences from last Thursday's Brussels Extraordinary Informal #EUROPEANCOUNCIL meeting (Click/tap the EU COUNCIL tab at this page's ➡️ top- right sidebar LINKS menu), following the recent Davos #WorldEconomicForum declarations on #US-EU trading tariffs, the #Greenland deal and #NATO's current predicament—as well as the #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of the major #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliaments—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right of

The EU-Mercosur Agreement

Use the #link ABOVE to follow UK House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions (#PMQs) coverage under the menu tab "#LIVE UK PARLIAMENT".

UPDATED - EU PARLIAMENT PLENARY. EU-US TRADE "TURNBERRY DEAL" SUSPENSION BRIEFING - EU-MERCOSUR AGREMENT (FULL DOCUMENT) - VIDEOS

2026-01-22T19:38:00.001+00:00

European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 19 - 22 January plenary session today. Watch it below at the end of the article, also on video, the Debate and vote on a motion of censure against the European Commission following the signing of the Mercosur deal.

On Wednesday, 21 Jan, LIVE (video below): Bernd Lange held a press conference after US President Donald Trump’s appearance in Davos, announcing that the EU-US (lobsters') trade deal has been put on hold and that the decision on processing the request for Anti-Coercion Instruments (ACI) measures would be postponed until the following Monday’s INTA Committee meeting.

by Lucio MENIN

LONDON and STRASBOURG, France. MEPs will convene next week in Strasbourg, France, for the first Plenary of the new year. At the hemicycle of the European Union's leading institutional parliamentary site, members of the Parliament will have to discuss and vote on serious issues that have blown up in the last month and around the stroke of the new year, domestically and mainly internationally. Among these crucial facts, some are expected to bring new life to the Union's prosperity, like the welcomed Mercosur agreement, which, after 25 years, will at last enlarge the European Single Market to the major countries of South America, with an additional 250 million citizens, mostly with European ancestry or even nationality.

This agreement, however, has been disputed by the EU's largest agricultural nations, with France and Italy, along with related Union associations, staging protests at the Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg against the agreement's terms, mainly over allowing the import of banned pesticides in Latin American agricultural products.

In reality, the underlying issue was the price competition challenge posed by imported agricultural products to Union Green economies. The European Commission promptly intervened in the early weeks of the year to increase and improve the CAP compensatory agreement, in place for decades for the sector, although without addressing the health and safety issues affecting the communities.

Things have somehow worsened in January, as the European Commission refused to review the disputed terms and went ahead to sign the agreement, which will take effect tomorrow in the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion, one of the four countries part of the deal, alongside Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Another controversy that arose this week was that the agreement's terms will take effect immediately, even before the Parliament debates and ratifies it, which is expected to take a few months, thereby exposing EU consumers to banned cancer-causing products. What worried me was the European Commission spokesperson's reaction to inquiring journalists; basically, they did not care about the temporary risks of exposure for Union citizens, assuring them that they would do everything to "convince" MEPs not to reject the binding deal, which will bring prosperity and security to all young and old Europeans.

The AGENDA

Plenary session, Strasbourg

Key debate/December European Council/EU sovereignty. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate the results of the 18 December EU summit and the need for a stronger, more sovereign Europe amid rising geopolitical tensions, alongside Presidents Costa and von der Leyen.

Greenland. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the EU’s response to President Trump’s claims on Greenland.

Iran. On Tuesday, MEPs and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will debate recent events in Iran, where authorities have been responding to nationwide protests with lethal force. A resolution will be put to a vote on Thursday.

Venezuela. The situation in Venezuela following the abduction of Nicolás Maduro and the need to ensure a peaceful democratic transition will be up for debate with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday.

Ukraine loan. On Tuesday, the plenary will vote on whether to fast-track the approval of the enhanced cooperation by 24 member states on the establishment of a €90 billion Ukraine loan, on the setting up of the Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027, and the amendment of the Ukraine Facility.

EU-US relations. On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on a report assessing EU-US relations. The draft text states that the EU must enhance its strategic autonomy and stresses the need for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its security. A press conference is scheduled after the vote.

UPDATE: After the vote Bernd Lange, chair of Parliament’s International Trade Committee (INTA) and US rapporteur, commented on the EU-US trade deal. He stated that the European Parliament is working to define its position on the two Turnberry legislation proposals

to negotiate with the Council and fulfill EU-US commitments. The Deal aimed to suspend tariffs on US industrial goods and set a quota system for US agri-food products. However, US threats to EU territorial integrity and use of tariffs as leverage undermine trade stability. Shadow rapporteurs reaffirm Europe's commitment to Denmark and Greenland's sovereignty. Due to escalating threats, including tariffs against Greenland, Denmark, and allies, work on the proposals is suspended until the US re-engages in cooperation.

LIVE (video below): Bernd LANGE, the Chair of the European Parliament INTA Committee, later

held a press conference after US President Donald TRUMP

appearance and speech at Davos's World Economic Forum,

announcing that the EU-US Trade deal of the summer of 2025, reached at Scotland's golf course (the so-called Lobsters meeting) venue between the EC President Ursula von der LEYEN and the US President TRUMP, were put on hold, and the decision on processing the request for Anti-Coercion Instruments (ACI)

measures would be postponed until the following Monday’s INTA Committee meeting.

President Bernd Lange's press briefing was preceded by the Press conference with Q&A by Michał SZCZERBA (EPP, PL), rapporteur on EU-US political relations (see video below)

Mercosur/EU Court opinion/motion of censure. On Wednesday, MEPs will decide whether to seek the European Court of Justice’s opinion on the compatibility of the EU-Mercosur deals (see full motion text) with the EU Treaties. On Monday, MEPs will debate a motion of censure against the European Commission, followed by a vote on Thursday.

Air passenger rights. MEPs will debate on Tuesday and vote on Wednesday on an update to the rights of air travellers facing flight disruptions, to ensure compensation for delays of three hours or more. A press conference is scheduled to follow the vote.

AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media. In a debate on Tuesday, Parliament is expected to call for stronger and faster enforcement of EU laws to prevent the use of AI tools to create illegal sexual content.

Cyprus Council Presidency. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the programme of Cyprus’s six-month Council Presidency, which began on 1 January, with the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides. EP President Metsola and President Christodoulides will hold a press conference after the debate.

40th anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the EU. His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will address MEPs during a formal sitting on Wednesday at 12.00.

President’s diary.

On Tuesday, President Metsola will meet with President Christodoulides of Cyprus before addressing the plenary. On Wednesday, she will meet with His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, before they address MEPs during the solemn session to mark the anniversary of their countries’ accession.

Last-minute briefing. On Monday at 15:30 GMT / 16:30 CEST,(Video below), Parliament will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 16:00 GMT / 17:00 CEST. Political group briefings will take place on Tuesday.

Press room and via Interactio

Key topics this week include:

Debate with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen on the results of the December EU summit and the need for a stronger and more sovereign Europe
Debate on the EU’s response to President Trump’s claims to Greenland
Events in Iran: debate with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, followed by a vote
Debate with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on the situation in Venezuela
Votes on fast-tracking the approval of the enhanced cooperation by 24 member states on the €90 billion Ukraine loan, setting up the Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027, and amending the Ukraine Facility
Vote on EU-US relations
Debate and vote on air passenger rights
Vote on whether to seek the European Court of Justice’s opinion on the compatibility of the EU-Mercosur deals with the EU Treaties
Debate and vote on a motion of censure against the European Commission (Video with listed speakers)

Debate and vote on a motion of censure against the European Commission (video above, from 20:14:18) as part of the full plenary opening session, which includes discussions on SME startups and medicinal procurements.
Debate on AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media
Formal sitting with the King of Spain and the President of Portugal celebrating 40 years of the EU membership of Spain and Portugal
Debate the programme of the Cyprus Council Presidency

Interpretation of the press briefing will be available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish.

You can follow it live from 15:40 GMT / 16.30 CEST on Monday in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press room or via Parliament’s webstreaming and EbS+

The Full Weekly Agenda - Interactive and webstreamed

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Follow the Plenary LIVE

To stay updated—LIVE statements from the doorstep, exit remarks, and press briefings from the December 18-19 #EUROPEANCOUNCIL Summit—as well as today's #EC DAILY NEWS, weekly schedules of #EU institutions, detailed analyses, parliamentary highlights, live coverage, and exclusive insights from the #EuropeanUnion and #UnitedKingdom Parliament—visit our trusted resource hub via the #LINKS menu at the top right of The EUROPA TODAY website

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📰THE EUROPA TODAY

LIVE - EU Parliament Briefing for Strasbourg Plenary, Jan 19-22, 2026. Pre-session Briefing: Friday, Jan 16, 10am GMT / 11am CEST.

2026-01-15T15:06:00.008+00:00

Tomorrow, from 10:00 a.m. GMT / 11:00 a.m. CEST, there will be a LIVE Plenary Pre-session briefing (video below) on the topics listed below.

Download the briefing in PDF format

LONDON and BRUSSELS. The European Parliament

has prepared today the following Briefings on next week's Plenary session topics at the European Parliament's

main venue in Strasbourg, France. Among them, crucial issues need to be debated and voted on regarding the latest events in the domestic and international arenas.

Tomorrow, Friday 16 January, from 10:00 a.m. GMT / 11:00 a.m. CEST, there will be a (Video below), LIVE Plenary Pre-session briefing on the topics below and any additional amendments to them, before the draft Agenda for next week is presented in the afternoon.

December European Council debrief and vote on Ukraine loan
On Wednesday, MEPs will debate the results of the December EU summit and a stronger, more sovereign EU amid rising geopolitical tensions, with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen.
Support for Greenland’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the EU’s response to President Trump’s claims on Greenland.
Widespread demonstrations in Iran and the harsh crackdown
On Tuesday, MEPs will debate the recent events in Iran, where authorities have been responding with massive force to nationwide protests that have erupted in recent weeks.
EU-US relations
In a vote on Wednesday, MEPs will assess the state of EU-US relations, calling for a more resilient EU better able to act strategically on its own.
The situation in Venezuela
On Tuesday, MEPs will debate the situation in Venezuela following the abduction of ex-President Nicolás Maduro and the need to ensure a peaceful democratic transition.
EU-Mercosur: request for Court of Justice opinions, and motion of censure
On Wednesday, MEPs will decide whether to seek the European Court of Justice’s opinion on the compatibility of the
EU-Mercosur deals with the EU Treaties.
Review of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies in 2025
The EU’s visibility and political influence do not reflect its global economic and financial importance, warn MEPs, calling on the EU to defend its interests.
Fighting to preserve air passenger rights
MEPs will vote on Wednesday on an update to the rights of air travellers facing flight disruptions, to ensure compensation for delays of three hours or more.
Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media
In a debate on Tuesday, Parliament is expected to call for stronger and faster enforcement of EU laws to prevent AI tools from creating illegal sexual content.
President Christodoulides to present Cyprus Council Presidency priorities
On Tuesday, at 10.30 CET, MEPs will discuss the programme of Cyprus’s six-month Council Presidency, which began on 1 January, with the President of the Republic of Cyprus.
EU Cybersecurity Act
The revision of the EU’s cyber protection regime, to be presented by the Commission on Tuesday, addresses the growth and complexity of the cyber threat ecosystem.
Tackling critical medicine shortages
On Tuesday, Parliament will adopt its position for talks with Council on enhancing the EU availability and supply of key medicines, such as antibiotics, insulin and vaccines.
EU-India relations
On Wednesday, MEPs and the Commission will debate the upcoming
EU-India summit and the future of bilateral trade and investment relations.
The 40th anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the EU
His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will address MEPs during a formal sitting on Wednesday at 12.00.
Competitiveness: new ”28th regime” for innovative companies
Following a debate on Monday, MEPs will vote on Tuesday to outline proposals for new legislation to support innovative companies, known as the “28th regime”.
Global backsliding in human rights and democracy in 2025
MEPs will debate their 2025 report on human rights and democracy worldwide on Tuesday and vote on Wednesday. The text calls for action to remedy their sharp decline.
Resolutions on human rights and democracy
Parliament will hold urgent debates on the following human rights, democracy and rule of law topics on Wednesday afternoon, followed by votes on Thursday.
Other topics on the agenda
Other topics on the agenda

Further information

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EU PARLIAMENT Agenda: The Week Ahead (12–18 January 2026): Committee and Political Groups Meetings in Brussels. President METSOLA's Diary. Meetings Web Streaming and Highlights.

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