In 2024, people from across the European Union (EU) and all over the world turned to the European Parliament and its President, Roberta Metsola to request information, call for action to be taken, express their opinions, or suggest ideas on a wide range of topics.
The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP) replied in the 24 official EU languages. It was indeed a special year for the European Parliament with the European elections taking place in June 2024 across the 27 EU countries.
People wrote to us on many topics, notably on how to visit the European Parliament, the European elections, the war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, seasonal time changes, or the political situation in Hungary. Ask EP also received questions related to the European Parliament and its Members, its traineeship offers and how to visit Parliament. In 2024, we received 10 578 individual messages and 90 709 campaign enquiries.
Most frequent topics in individual enquiries in 2024
The most frequently addressed topic in 2024 was issues concerning EU democracy, institutional and parliamentary law – followed by questions on migration and justice. Citizens expressed interest in the Members of the European Parliament and their activities, enquired about traineeship and job opportunities and the possibilities to visit Parliament. They also requested information on topics such as parliamentary questions, committee meetings and the right to petition the Parliament.
Many citizens also contacted Ask EP in 2024 on issues related to foreign affairs. In particular, people voiced their concerns about conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and their consequences.
Finally, the European Parliament received many enquiries about citizens’ personal situations, with requests for assistance to help them solve problems (financial support, legal aid, cross-border administrative issues, cases of discrimination, etc.). Although neither the European Parliament nor its President are able to resolve many of these types of requests directly, the Ask EP service provided citizens with a contact point and sources of information whenever possible.
Campaign messages sent to the European Parliament in 2024
As a response to political, humanitarian and economic events, citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament, expressing their views on current issues and/or requesting action from the Parliament.
In the largest campaign ever received by Ask EP, citizens wrote to the European Parliament to encourage Members to vote against including the right to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Over 59 000 citizens wrote on the issue. A resolution adopted in April 2024 by the European Parliament calls on the European Council (heads of state or government) to launch a procedure to include the right to safe and legal abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, altering the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is a complex process, which would need modification of the Treaties and subsequent ratification in all EU countries.
Back in early 2024, Parliament received almost 16 000 messages in German, from citizens concerned about a proposal to regulate the recognition of parenthood across EU countries. Citizens urged Members to vote against the European Commission’s proposal. In their messages, citizens claimed that the proposal interferes with the legislative powers of EU countries.
The third largest campaign of 2024 was on climate targets, with Ask EP receiving almost 6 000 messages. Citizens wrote calling on the European Union to set a strict EU 2040 climate target to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5°C and to phase out fossil fuels. On fossil fuels, the Parliament calls for an end to all direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies, at national and EU level, as soon as possible. The European Parliament also supports a global target to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency by 2030, together with a swift halt to all new investment in fossil fuel extraction.
Parliament received several campaigns on the arrest of Captain Paul Watson, an anti-whaling activist, in Greenland. Around 1 250 citizens wrote to the President of the European Parliament, asking her to intervene with the Danish authorities to stop Captain Watson from being extradited to Japan. In December 2024, Paul Watson was released from detention in Greenland.
Over 2 500 citizens wrote to the European Parliament President about animal welfare and the use of cages. They supported prioritising the ‘End the Cage Age’ European citizens’ initiative in its legislative work. In a 2021 resolution, Parliament called on the European Commission to propose a law to phase out the use of cages on EU farms, with the aim of ending cage-farming by 2027, following up the ‘End the Cage Age’ European citizens’ initiative. Parliament also set up a committee of inquiry on protecting animals during transport. Following on from the committee of inquiry, in January 2022, Parliament then called on the Council of the EU and the Commission to strengthen the protection of animals during transport both within and outside the EU.
Are you curious about our answers to other campaign messages in 2024? You can find replies to campaigns on the EPRS blog. A selection of answers to questions frequently posed to the European Parliament can also be found on the blog.
If you wish, you can put your questions and/or comments to the Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP), using our contact form, the Citizens’ app, or by post. We reply in the EU language that you use to write to us.
We look forward to your enquiries in 2025 and beyond!
Your Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP)
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