European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
democracy
Outcome of the video-conferences of EU leaders on 25 March 2021
Due to the worsening epidemiological situation, EU leaders met on 25 March 2021 in a series of video-conferences instead of a two-day physical meeting. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 25-26 March 2021
One year after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the fight against the virus will again top the agenda of the European Council meeting on 25-26 March 2021. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council video-conference of 26 February 2021
On 26 February 2021, EU leaders met for a second video-conference session to discuss security and defence and the southern neighbourhood. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council video-conference of 25 February 2021
For the tenth time since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, the European Council met by video-conference, however this time in two separate sessions. Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session – February 2021
With the coronavirus continuing to rage throughout Europe, Parliament’s plenary agenda focuses firmly on getting beyond the crisis. Continue reading
Holocaust education: ‘Never, never be a bystander
This year, 27 January, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marks the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council video conference of 21 January 2021
Discussions at the 21 January video-conference meeting of EU leaders largely focused on a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic, including the evolving public health situation with the spread of new virus variants coming from the UK and South Africa, vaccination strategies and international solidarity. Continue reading
The Twitter activity of members of the European Council
Over recent years, the members of the European Council have, in a number of landmark declarations such as the Bratislava Declaration, pointed to the need to improve communication with citizens, as part of the process of building greater trust and confidence in the European Union and its institutions. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU leaders on 10 and 11 December 2020
On Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December 2020, the European Council agreed on clarifications to the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism, which pave the way for the adoption of the Multiannual Financial Framework and the Next Generation EU recovery fund. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 10-11 December 2020
On 10 and 11 December, EU leaders will meet for their 13th meeting of 2020, bringing to a close a year of exceptionally intensive activity for the European Council. Continue reading
Key issues in the European Council: State of play in December 2020
Established as an informal summit meeting in 1975, the European Council became a formal European Union institution, with a full-time President, in 2009, on the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. Continue reading
Digital human rights and the future of democracy: Lessons from the pandemic
Digital technologies are increasingly shaping our economy, politics, and society. As many online activities leave a digital trace, our digital activity allows automatic gathering of a wealth of behavioural data. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2020
Without reaching any new decisions, the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2020 addressed a series of important issues, including the coronavirus pandemic, EU-United Kingdom relations and climate change. Continue reading
Key issues in the European Council: State of play in October 2020
The role of the European Council is to ‘provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development’ and to define its ‘general political directions and priorities’. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council of 15-16 October 2020
Only two weeks after the last European Council meeting, EU Heads of State or Government gather again on 15-16 October 2020, to address future EU-UK relations, EU-Africa relations and climate change. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Brussels, October I 2020
During the first October 2020 plenary session in Brussels, Parliament held a debate on the rule of law and fundamental rights in the context of introducing conditionality measures in the framework of the 2021‑2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) and Next Generation EU. Continue reading
Foresight for resilience: The European Commission’s first annual Foresight Report
Strategic foresight can help near-term recovery become resilient over the long term. This is the key message of the European Commission’s first ever annual Foresight Report. Continue reading
European Council Leaders’ Agenda 2020-21
At the special European Council meeting of 1-2 October 2020, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, presented a new Leaders’ Agenda outlining his view of ‘the key challenges confronting the Union’ and setting a timetable for the Heads of State or Government to address these issues at meetings between October 2020 and June 2021. Continue reading
Outcome of the special European Council meeting, 1-2 October 2020
The European Council meeting of 1-2 October 2020 was largely dedicated to external relations. EU leaders discussed a wide range of foreign policy issues, including relations with China, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Navalny poisoning attempt. Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session – October I 2020
Despite Parliament’s efforts to return to Strasbourg for its plenary sessions, the first session of October will again take place in Brussels, to avoid hundreds of people travelling to France during the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Download the EPRS App
