Plenary round-up – November I 2025

Written by Clare Ferguson and Katarzyna Sochacka.

Highlights of the November I plenary session included debates on the architecture and governance of the new 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework, and on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025. Further debates concerned Parliament’s statement commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Islamist attacks of 13 November 2015 in Paris; Council and Commission statements on the illegal unilateral declaration of the secessionist entity created by Türkiye in Cyprus and the continued Turkish military occupation; and protecting EU consumers against the practices of certain e-commerce platforms.

European annual asylum and migration report

Members debated Council and Commission statements on the first European Annual Asylum and Migration report and the setting up of the Annual Solidarity Pool. Published on 11 November, the report identified animprovement in the migratory situation in the EU between July 2024 and June 2025. Challenges remain however in relation to irregular arrivals and unauthorised movements within the EU, hosting refugees from Ukraine, weaponisation of migration by Russia and Belarus, and cooperation on returns and readmission. The proposed Council implementing act on an Annual Solidarity Pool (to be established, in principle, by the end of 2025) outlines that 4 Member States are under migratory pressure (Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain), and 12 others are at risk of migratory pressure, with 6 facing a significant migratory situation due to the cumulative effects of movements over the past five years. The solidarity pool would allocate solidarity contributions such as relocations and financial support, in priority, to Member States under migratory pressure. While Parliament does not have a formal role in implementing measures under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, it supported the establishment of the solidarity mechanism.

European Climate Law

Members debated a report on the proposal to set a 2040 EU emissions reduction target as a step towards ensuring a cost-efficient and realistic pathway to climate neutrality by 2050. Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) urged higher ambition on environmental and human rights and to safeguard against funding for projects that contradict EU strategic interests, in relation to international credits which can be used for 2040 but not for the other targets of the climate law. The committee also proposes to delay the new ETS2 emissions trading system for one year (currently set to start in 2027). Parliament adopted the ENVI report on amending the European Climate Law, setting its position for negotiations with the Council.

Conservation of marine biological diversity

The landmark 2023 United Nations High Seas Treaty, or Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, aims at the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national borders. Members debated and adopted an ENVI report on the proposal to establish rules on international management of the high seas, which introduced clarifications for closer alignment with the BBNJ text. The changes proposed aim at improving transparency by requiring that Member States publish the measures they take on biodiversity in the high seas, and at greater flexibility in the reporting process, especially in emergencies. The vote sets Parliament’s position for trilogue negotiations.

European Maritime Safety Agency

Members considered and adopted the provisional agreement reached in second reading on a proposal to revise the regulation founding the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The revision, supported by Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), would expand EMSA’s mandate, strengthening its contribution to the green and digital transitions and enhancing its ability to tackle emerging security risks, including cyber and hybrid threats. In addition, it updates governance rules to balance oversight and efficiency in the EU’s efforts to improve maritime safety and prevent pollution from shipping.

Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT)

Businesses that operate across EU borders face different corporate tax systems and rules in every Member State. To tackle the issue at EU level, the Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT) aims at creating a common corporate tax framework for large EU multinational businesses. Parliament considered and adopted a report on BEFIT from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), under the consultation procedure. The report calls for improvements to address the challenges of taxing the digital economy. It recommends that a business be treated as tax resident in any Member State in which it generates a substantial level of sales, ensuring it pays fair taxes to the community that supports its operations. The file requires a unanimous vote in the Council.

Gender equality strategy

The EU plans to adopt a new gender equality strategy in early 2026. Parliament debated and adopted an own-initiative report from its Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) outlining priorities for the 2026 strategy. The report calls for a comprehensive and ambitious approach to tackling violence against women, including its possible definition as a ‘euro-crime’, and to close gaps in political representation, pay and the sharing of care responsibilities. Members also voted in favour of a change to the Electoral Act which would enable Members who are pregnant or who have recently given birth to vote by proxy, with another Member casting their vote. This change now needs to be adopted by the Council unanimously and approved by each Member State before it may come into force.

EU-Singapore DTA

The Parliament gave its consent to a digital trade agreement (DTA) between the EU and Singapore. Digital trade agreements can contribute to securing access to new markets, simplifying electronic transactions, protecting consumers, removing administrative obstacles to trade and increasing legal certainty. The EU-Singapore DTA ensures electronic contracts and signatures are legally valid, duty-free online transmissions and promotes open access to government data. Any disputes will be settled under the same rules that already apply under the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

Opening of trilogue negotiations

Two decisions to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, from the Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) Committee on amending certain agricultural products regulations as regards certain market rules and sectoral support measures in the wine sector and for aromatised wine products; and from the Foreign Affairs and Development (AFET/DEVE) Committees on amending Regulation (EU) 2021/947 as regards increased efficiency of the External Action Guarantee were announced. As no challenges to these mandates were received by the deadline, the committees may now launch negotiations with the Council.

Read this ‘at a glance note’ on ‘Plenary round-up – November I 2025‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.