European Parliament - EPRS Policy podcasts

In recent years an increasing number of attacks and threats against journalists have been documented and reported in Europe. Physical attacks against journalists as well as online threats and harassment in reprisal for journalists' work are on the rise in several EU countries. Around the world, the number of dead and wounded journalists is still too high, as is the number of journa

The European Parliament's Sakharov Prize honours the work of people who stand up for these freedoms and rights. This year's Sakharov Prize is to be awarded to María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela's democratic forces, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia. They represent all Venezuelans both inside and outside the country who are fighting to restore freedom and democra

Recent shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have revealed not only the single market's vulnerability in crises, but also the extent to which the EU's competitiveness relies on a well-functioning single market, ensuring unhindered access to the goods, services, and strategic inputs EU supply chains need. Although the single market has generally been a succes

The EU's priorities for the 5-year institutional cycle are outlined in the European Council's Strategic Agenda. Subsequently, the European Commission sets its priorities in the president's political guidelines, which are a first step in operationalising the EU priorities outlined in the Strategic Agenda. These priorities will then be translated into concrete initiatives included in

News media are now faced with digitally native younger generations who often pay more attention to influencers and celebrities than they do to journalists, even when it comes to news. The teaching of media literacy skills is more necessary than ever to help people - especially children and young people - understand the difference between news circulating on social media and news pr

The European Parliament's new Rules of Procedure entered into force on 16 July 2024 - the first day of Parliament's 10th term. The 'Parliament 2024' reforms sought primarily to streamline legislative procedures, enhance budgetary control and improve scrutiny of the Commission. The reforms also affect plenary, with new speaking-time attribution rules and the creation of a new plenar

In a year when the European Union enters a new institutional cycle, it is timely to look ahead to the strategic choices our political leaders may be asked to make in the next five years. These choices will undoubtedly be taken against a backdrop of heightened global uncertainty with geopolitics shifting quickly in new and unexpected ways. This ESPAS Global Trends Report 2024 is a c

In the EU, the distinction between delegated acts and implementing acts was introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon. The distinction seems clear only at first sight. Delegated acts are defined as non-legislative acts of general application, adopted by the European Commission on the basis of a delegation contained in a legislative act. In contrast, implementing acts are not defined as to

Ahead of the autumn 2024 Commissioners-designate hearings, Parliament has adapted the rules for the process, which will apply for the members of the second von der Leyen College. Since the 2004 investiture, Parliament has used its role in appointing the Commission to replace certain controversial candidates and force adjustments to certain portfolios, although according to the Trea

The need for accountability and increased scrutiny of the European Council has been a constant theme in the European Parliament's resolutions throughout the 2019-2024 legislative term. The increased need to scrutinise the European Council also results from the changing role of the institution over recent years. In this podcast, we analyse the need for democratic oversight of the Eu