Transport is a cornerstone of European integration. It helps keep the European economy moving and allows us to move around quickly and safely… but also sustainably! The new Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has put transport on a fast track towards becoming decarbonised and digital! But it won't be an easy journey… https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_...

The EU aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. But the green transition 2050 won't happen without making some financial investments… hence, the Just Transition Fund, to support those regions most affected by the transition to a low carbon economy. But how big will this Fund be? And how will it work? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinkta...

Serious health threats do not respect borders … Efficient cross-border cooperation and a coordinated response are therefore essential to prevent the spread of diseases or contain public health emergencies. How well prepared is the EU to tackle such a public health emergency? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)646123 Source: © European Union - EP

The Alpine region is home to 80 million European citizens. And while it's one of the largest economic regions in Europe, it also faces major challenges … That's why the 7 countries and 48 regions involved in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region are working together to overcome the challenges and secure the region's sustainable development. Want to know more? Tour the Alps with us! https://www.eur...

Is data really the new oil? And if so, how do we regulate this market and ensure a level-playing field? The global debate on the extent to which current competition policy rules are sufficient to deal with the fast-moving digital economy has never been more pertinent! https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)646117 Source: © European Union - EP

To preserve and promote our shared cultural heritage, two European cities are chosen each year to be Europe's cultural capitals. How are they chosen? And how do cities benefit from the experience? Listen to this podcast! https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)644196 Source: © European Union - EP

The poultry and egg sector is one of the most intensive farming systems in the EU. There are more than 400 million laying hens in the EU, which produce close to 7.5 million tonnes of eggs each year. Will the sector continue to thrive? What are the challenges it faces? And how does the EU support and regulate the sector to make it more humane and environmentally-friendly? https://www.europarl.europ...

A record number of fires – many intentionally set – swept through the Amazon rainforest in the summer of 2019, reducing large chunks of the world's largest tropical rainforest to piles of ash. How has the international community responded to protect this precious 'global good'? And what are the plans to ensure that this ecological disaster isn't repeated? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/e...

Agriculture is one of the largest water-consuming sectors, using it in particular for irrigation. But water scarcity is an increasing problem, both globally and in the EU, and the situation is expected to worsen with climate change… How will the EU deal with this challenge in the future? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)644216 Source: © European Uni...

Poverty affects more than a quarter of the world's population, and that is why erasing it is a principal objective for humanity, enshrined as the first of a number of goals (SDGs) in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Poverty is more than just having insufficient income – it is a multidimensional phenomenon closely related to unequal access to education, health and other basic services. P...

The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for sustainable development includes a strong commitment by all states to respect human rights. This covers the rights of the child. No action to implement the SDGs can be detrimental to the rights of the child. Healthy, well-nourished, well-educated children, who are protected from violence and abuse, are the best guarantee of long-term sustainable development....

In July 2018, the European Court of Justice gave a judgment ruling that genome-edited organisms fall under the scope of European GMO legislation. While welcomed by some, the judgment has also sparked criticism and calls for the new European Commission to amend EU GMO legislation. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)642220 Source: © European Union - EP

In recent years drones have become a more and more common sight in our cities for filming and photography purposes but also on our news outlets, with airport crises and violent attacks occuring through the use of drones. Drones are extremely versatile in their functions, can have different degrees of autonomy and can range from being the size of an insect to being several tonnes in weight. While s...

Teaching – a profession that dates back through the generations – seems to have lost some of its attractiveness at present. An ageing teacher population, severe teacher shortages, difficulties with retaining younger teachers and a significant gender imbalance in staffing at different levels of education are just some of the serious challenges facing the profession. Read our briefing to find out mo...

The European Parliament and the Council are the budgetary authority of the EU. The two institutions, assisted by the European Commission, decide on the EU budget in the annual budgetary procedure. The briefing discusses actors, timing and possible scenarios set for adoption or non-adoption of the annual budget. The briefing sketches the life cycle of an amendment to the budget. It presents negotia...

After electing Ursula von der Leyen as President of the Commission, the European Parliament also plays a key role in the next step of the investiture process: the appointment of the other members of the Commission. Once nominated by the Council, by common accord with the President-elect of the Commission, the Commissioners-designate must each appear before a hearing in the European Parliament. Bas...

Sport has a growing impact both on the European Union (EU) economy and on society as a whole. Over 7 million people work in sport-related jobs, and sport-related goods and services amount to nearly 3 % of total EU gross value added. Over the years, the EU has been actively involved in tackling transnational issues such as doping, match-fixing and lack of physical activity. In recent years, various...

Multinational enterprises are changing. This concerns especially their improved ability to fragment their value chains and disperse them geographically. Such global value chains have stimulated economic growth in many parts of the world over the past three decades. However, they also make it increasingly important to rethink current tax policies. On the one hand, governments seek to encourage trad...

The European Commission published a proposal for a new directive on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers in April 2018. The proposal would for the first time allow consumers in all Member States to collectively demand compensation from companies that infringe on their rights. The previous European Parliament adopted a first-reading position in March, b...

The main mechanism for incorporating human rights into the EU's bilateral agreements consists of an 'essential elements' human rights clause that enables one party to take appropriate measures in case of serious breaches by the other party. The clause, which also covers democratic principles and often the rule of law, is more than just a legal mechanism enabling the unilateral suspension of trade...

At the July I plenary sitting, the newly elected European Parliament (EP) is due to elect its 31st President, to hold office until mid-term at the beginning of 2022, when a new election for Parliament's President will be held. The President has an important and increasingly visible function in the EU institutional and international setting, mirroring the influential role of the Parliament as shape...

Artificial intelligence is already transforming the world around us and this process will only speed up in the future. Find out in our podcast what is likely to happen to our economy and jobs and how the European businesses and citizens can benefit from this new revolution. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)637967 Source: © European Union - EP

The Euro is today the common currency of more than 340 million European citizens. It is the official currency of 19 of the current 28 EU member states and the second most widely used currency in the world, after the dollar. But this success and growing international role is not reflected in the external representation of the euro in international fora, notably the International Monetary Fund, or I...

The EU's regional policy aims to address the territorial, social and economic imbalances existing between the different regions of the EU. Also known as cohesion policy, it covers all regions and cities of the European Union, helping to support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development, and to improve citizens' quality of life. Almost one third of the total E...

The d'Hondt method is used within the Parliament as a formula for distributing the chairs of the parliamentary committees and delegations, as well as to distribute those posts among the national delegations within the political groups. Such proportional distribution of leadership positions within Parliament prevents domination of parliamentary political life by only one or two large political grou...