Hae

Article 22 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establishes the right of mobile EU citizens – i.e. those residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals – to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and municipal elections in the Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of that Member State. In two closely linked judgments, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that this included mobile EU citizens' right ...

Ethical concerns, transparency and accountability are the main issues raised in the European Ombudsman's 2023 report, which also gives an overview of complaints and inquiries dealt with and other achievements. The Committee on Petitions (PETI) has discussed and approved the Ombudsman's report in its own report. Parliament is expected to vote on the PETI committee report during its December 2024 plenary session.

In December, after a public hearing of the candidates in the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the European Parliament is set to elect the European Ombudsman for the new parliamentary term. Six candidates are running: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), a former Deputy Portuguese Ombudsman; Emilio De Capitani (Italy), a former European Parliament official; Marino Fardelli (Italy), Ombudsman of the Lazio region; Julia Laffranque (Estonia), a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Claudia Mahler ( ...

During the November III plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to vote on the second von der Leyen Commission as a whole. This vote should be the penultimate step in the investiture process that began after the European Parliament elections. If the Commission obtains Parliament's consent – by a majority of the votes cast – the European Council will then appoint its members by qualified majority, allowing the new Commission to take up its duties for the expected starting date of 1 December ...

The confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate before the European Parliament's committees play a vital role in informing Parliament before it decides on the proposed composition of the College of Commissioners. Ahead of the autumn 2024 hearings, Parliament has adapted the rules for the process, which will apply for the members of the second von der Leyen College. First, the Legal Affairs Committee scrutinises the declaration of interests of each Commissioner-designate. Second, each Commissioner-designate ...

Members of the European Parliament may form political groups; these are organised by political affiliation, not by nationality. Since the first direct elections in 1979, the number of political groups has fluctuated between seven and ten. Following the 2024 elections, the number, size and composition of political groups is likely to continue to fluctuate, with the possible dissolution of some political groups and the creation of new ones. A minimum of 23 Members, elected in at least one quarter ( ...

This briefing discusses the issue of the 'Europeanisation' of the ballot papers in Member States ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections. The European Parliament has made two recent attempts at electoral reform seeking to 'Europeanise the European elections. The second of these – still to be agreed with the Council – seeks to align electoral rules across the EU Member States. With the 2024 European elections imminent, it is useful to take a closer look at the rules as they currently stand ...

Political advertising is central to informing and influencing how people vote, and may affect citizens' perceptions of the legitimacy of their political system, mainly when published in the run-up to elections. Therefore, rules governing political advertising are vital to guaranteeing citizens' fundamental rights and the integrity of democratic processes. However, traditional campaigning regulations can be ineffective or difficult to enforce online, where new techniques are utilised to target potential ...

The supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is a specific intellectual property right that extends the basic patent's market exclusivity for plant protection products. The unitary patent became operational in the EU on 1 June 2023, unifying patent protection in all participating Member States. Despite this significant change, SPCs, which are inseparable from patent protection, remain regulated at national level. This fragmented regulatory approach has proven ineffective, leading to excessive administrative ...

On 6 November 2023, the Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on a draft regulation on transparency and targeting of political advertising. The Parliament is due to vote at first reading during its February II plenary session. The Council is then expected to finalise the legislative procedure at first reading. Following their formal adoption, the new rules will start applying 18 months after their entry into force. However, those on the non-discriminatory provision of cross-border ...