European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Institutional and Legal Affairs
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, January I 2019
Highlights of the January I plenary session included the latest debate on the future of Europe, with Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Spain’s prime minister, and a debate on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Continue reading
Use of financial data for preventing and combatting serious crime [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 17 April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive intended to facilitate law enforcement authorities’ access to and use of financial information held in other jurisdictions within the EU for investigations related to terrorism and other serious crime. Continue reading
European elections [What Think Tanks are Thinking]
Citizens of the European Union go the polls in May 2019 in elections to the European Parliament which many analysts say may be the most important ever. Commentators are currently focused on the prospective performance of anti-establishment parties and movements, many of which run on Eurosceptic platforms. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Promoting equality between women and men [Policy Podcast]
The European Union (EU) is committed to eliminating inequalities and promoting gender equality ‘in all its activities’ and has made considerable advances over the years. Continue reading
Unlocking the potential of the EU Treaties: An article-by-article analysis of the scope for action
The Treaty of Lisbon is the current legal foundation for the work of the European Union and its institutions. Although there is at present no general debate within the institutions on the revision of the Treaties, senior EU politicians have recently hinted at the possibility of expanding Parliament’s powers. Continue reading
Ten issues to watch in 2019
This annual publication offers up-to-date insight from policy analysts in the European Parliamentary Research Service on ten key issues and policy areas that are likely to feature prominently on the political agenda of the European Union (EU) in 2019. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, December 2018
The December plenary session was marked by theterrorist attack that took place in Strasbourg on 11 December. Continue reading
Migration [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Written by Marcin Grajewski, On 10 December 2018, at a conference in the Moroccan city of Marrakech, more than 160 United Nations members adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. This is the first multilateral framework providing a global response to migration, and comes at a time of mounting public concern about … Continue reading
Priority dossiers under the Romanian EU Council Presidency
Romania will hold the EU Council Presidency from January to July 2019. Its Presidency comes at the end of the European Parliament’s current legislative term, with European elections taking place on 23-26 May 2019. Continue reading
What if we genetically engineered an entire species? [Science and Technology Podcast]
A gene drive is a technique for manipulating ecosystems by introducing self-propagating custom genes among a population of sexually reproducing organisms, using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology. Continue reading
Brexit: The endgame? [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Prime Minister Teresa May faces an uphill struggle to convince the British House of Commons to back the agreement she has reached with the EU27 on withdrawal from the European Union, in a crucial vote set for 11 December. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Brussels, November II 2018
The highlights of the November II plenary session were the debate on the future of Europe with the Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the discussion on the Council and Commission statements on UK withdrawal from the European Union. Continue reading
Relations between the European Council and the European Parliament
The most notable change in the European Union’s institutional architecture since the beginning of the European project was the launch in 1975 of the European Council, which became a formal institution in 2009. Continue reading
Religion and human rights
Although on the EU agenda for decades, recent events, such as the migration crisis and the issues with the rule of law in some Member States, have brought the issue of values back into focus. Continue reading
The European Ombudsman: Reflections on the role and its potential
Without real power of enforcement, the Ombudsman’s strength lies in the exercise of ‘soft power’, an approach based on the idea that change within an administration comes from understanding where shortcomings occur and an openness to remedying them. Continue reading
What if algorithms could abide by ethical principles? [Scientific and Technology Podcast]
Algorithms are step-by-step procedures for solving a problem, usually expressed in computer code as a set of instructions for a computer to follow in order to complete a task. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, November I 2018
The highlights of the November I plenary session were the debate on the future of Europe with Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, as well as the debate and vote on the interim report on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. Continue reading
Election of the President of the European Commission: Understanding the Spitzenkandidaten process
What became known as the ‘Spitzenkandidaten process’ is a procedure whereby European political parties, ahead of European elections, appoint lead candidates for the role of Commission President, with the presidency of the Commission then going to the candidate of the political party capable of marshalling sufficient parliamentary support. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, October II 2018
The highlights of the October II plenary session were the debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting on 17 and 18 October 2018 and the presentation of the European Commission’s 2019 work programme, the last of the current legislature. Parliament also held debates on the use of Facebook users’ data by Cambridge Analytica and its impact on data protection, and the Cum-Ex trading scandal. Continue reading
Migration [What Think Tanks are thinking]
At the European Council meeting on 18 October, European Union Heads of State or Government vowed to step up the fight against illegal migration, by intensifying efforts to crack down on smuggling networks, protect external borders and cooperate with countries of origin and transit. Continue reading
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