European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
EP Answers
What is the EU doing to enable citizens to access online content when travelling within the EU?
Between 2015 and 2019, the number of internet users trying to get cross-border access to content almost doubled, according to a Eurobarometer survey. Continue reading
What is the EU doing to combat cybercrime?
Citizens turn to the European Parliament to ask what the EU is doing to combat cybercrime. Over recent years, cybercrime has been a growing threat to the EU: it is estimated to have increased fivefold from 2013 to 2017. Continue reading
What is the European Union (EU) doing to combat corruption in EU countries?
Citizens recurrently turn to the European Parliament to comment on various cases of alleged corruption. Furthermore, they request information on how to lodge a complaint and to ask the EU to act in the fight against corruption. Continue reading
Ask EP 2020 – You asked, we answered!
People from across the EU and elsewhere in the world turn to the European Parliament and its President, David Maria Sassoli, to request information, call for action to be taken, express their opinions or suggest ideas on a wide range of topics. Continue reading
What measures is the European Parliament taking to tackle vaccine hesitancy in Europe?
Vaccine hesitancy refers to delays in the acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccination services. Continue reading
What is the European Parliament’s position on artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that combines machine-learning techniques, robotics and automated decision-making systems. It is central to the digital transformation of society and it has become a priority for the European Union (EU). Continue reading
What measures has the European Union taken on seasonal clock changes?
The European Union (EU) first unified summer-time arrangements in 1980, to ensure a harmonised approach to time switching within the single market. Continue reading
What is the European Union doing to protect air passenger rights?
The European Union (EU) has legislation in place to protect our rights when travelling by plane. The European Parliament has advocated a higher level of protection for many years, and in the context of the Covid‑19 pandemic, the European Commission has taken steps to ensure air passengers’ rights remain protected. Continue reading
European Parliament position on the Conference on the Future of Europe
Members of the European Parliament from the Constitutional Affairs Committee have warned that the Covid‑19 crisis has made the need for reform more crucial than ever. Continue reading
What role for the European Parliament’s committees and how do they work?
The European Parliament’s committees carry out detailed examination of proposed EU laws and draw up proposed changes, upon which Members subsequently debate and vote. The committees are fundamental to EU decision-making systems and to the powers of the European Parliament. The European Parliament has 20 parliamentary committees composed of Members. Each committee is headed by … Continue reading
What is the European Parliament’s position on the situation in Syria?
In a resolution adopted on 15 March 2018, the European Parliament strongly condemned ‘… the widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during the conflict, and in particular the acts perpetrated by forces of the Assad regime, including with the support of its allies Russia and Iran, as well as by the UN-listed terrorist organisations’. Continue reading
What are political groups in the European Parliament and how are they formed?
The European Parliament regularly receives questions from citizens about its political groups. Continue reading
Citizens’ enquiries to the European Parliament in 2019
Throughout 2019, people from across the EU and the world addressed the European Parliament to request information, express opinions or suggest ideas on a wide range of topics. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP) provides them with clear answers on the issues they raise. Continue reading
European Youth Event
The European Parliament regularly receives questions from citizens about the European Youth Event. Are you interested too? Find out how you can take part! Continue reading
Get in touch with the European Parliament
The European Parliament regularly receives enquiries from citizens about how to contact the European Parliament, its Members and its departments. If you have a question, who should you contact? Continue reading
European Parliament’s role in hearings of the 2019 Commissioner-designates
On 16 July 2019, the European Parliament elected, with 383 votes in favour, Ursula von der Leyen as President of the next European Commission. Individual governments of EU countries subsequently put forward candidate members of the European Commission. On 10 September 2019, President-elect von der Leyen presented her team, along with the proposed allocation of portfolios. Continue reading
Translation and interpretation at the European Parliament
Using 24 languages creates 552 possible language combinations. To cope with these, the European Parliament uses a system of ‘relay’ languages: a speaker or a text is first interpreted or translated into one of the most widely used languages (English, French or German), and then into other languages. As a rule, each interpreter and translator works into his/her mother tongue. Continue reading
Staffing arrangements of Members of the European Parliament
Members are free to choose their own staff, although they may not employ close relatives. To cover the costs of hiring staff, Members have a monthly budget of about €25 000 at their disposal. However, the Parliament does not simply give these sums to the Members. Parliament pays their staff salaries directly – and contributes to the relevant tax and social security authorities. Continue reading
Verifying the credentials of new Members of the European Parliament
The European Parliament regularly receives enquiries from citizens as to how it ensures that elected Members do not hold any office that is incompatible with the office of Member of the European Parliament. Continue reading
What are Spitzenkandidaten?
The European Parliament regularly receives enquiries from citizens on the election of the President of the European Commission and the process known as ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ or ‘lead candidates’. Continue reading
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