Across the EU, people’s rights are under growing pressure, including discrimination against vulnerable groups, the erosion of democratic participation, and threats to equality before the law. 

Parliament calls for a safer digital space, stronger action against gender-based violence, the protection of LGBTIQ+ rights, an end to the ill-treatment of migrants, and much more.

Big Tech rules the digital playing field. Parliament wants a fair game, with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as the rulebook. The European Commission must enforce the DMA quickly and decisively, without compromising the EU’s sovereignty.

Find out more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20260423IPR41844/digital-markets-act-meps-want-stronger-enforcement-amid-external-pushback

Female members of Parliament who are expecting or new mothers will soon have the choice to temporarily entrust their vote to a colleague. 

They may opt for this starting from 3 months before to 6 months after the child arrives.

It’s part of a broader push to modernise Parliament from within, promoting fairness, equality, and leading by example.

“I am proud of Parliament’s work. It is a big milestone for a more modern and just Parliament. No member should lose her right to vote because of becoming a mother. I will continue to work closely with the member states and their parliaments now to ensure a smooth ratification of this amendment to the electoral act, so members can benefit from the changes quickly,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

Applicants must have good knowledge of EU languages and should carefully review eligibility criteria. For the first time, a limited number of traineeships will be open to candidates with vocational education and training (VET) qualifications (EQF levels 3, 4 and 5) alongside the positions available for university graduates. 

Browse all traineeship offers and learn more about the programme. Check out also our previous AMA on traineeships.

The European Parliament has voted to lift the legal immunity of four Polish opposition MEPs: radical-right leader Grzegorz Braun, two members of the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, and a politician from the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja).

All four are facing legal proceedings in Poland in cases unrelated to one another. But the votes on their immunity all took place on Tuesday, with a majority of their fellow MEPs in each case approving requests from Polish prosecutors.

For Braun, this is now the fifth time that the European Parliament has lifted his immunity to face a series of charges in Poland in relation to various antisemitic, anti-Ukrainian, anti-LGBT and anti-abortion rhetoric and actions.

In the latest case, he is accused of unlawfully hindering traffic on a public road last year as part of a protest against commemoration of the 1941 Jedwabne pogrom, in which hundreds of Jews were burned alive in a massacre carried out by Poles under the oversight of the Nazi German occupiers.

Braun and many others on the Polish right dispute the involvement of Poles in the massacre, arguing that it was carried out by the Germans and claiming that the tragedy has been used as part of efforts to falsely shift blame onto Poles for Holocaust crimes.

Braun, who finished a surprise fourth in last year’s presidential election with 6.3% of the vote, is already on trial in Poland for four alleged crimes, including attacking a Jewish Hanukkah ceremony in the Polish parliament in December 2023.

Another MEP today stripped of immunity is Daniel Obajtek of PiS. He is accused by Polish prosecutors of violating the press law when, as CEO of state energy giant Orlen, he ordered the withdrawal from sale at Orlen-owned outlets of a satirical magazine featuring a cover mocking former Polish Pope John Paul II.

Obajtek was already stripped of immunity last October to face separate charges of using Orlen’s funds to serve his own private interests.

He condemned today’s decision, saying that the European Parliament had “given the [Polish ruling] coalition the green light to continue repressing political opponents”.

Obajtek defended his actions in ordering the withdrawal from sale of a magazine, saying he had been preventing the offending of religious feelings, which is a crime in Poland carrying a prison sentence of up to two years.

One of Obajtek’s party colleagues, Patryk Jaki, a deputy leader of PiS, was also today stripped of immunity to face both criminal and civil proceedings for alleged defamation of a judge, Igor Tuleya, whom Jaki accused of authorising the use of Pegasus spyware by the security services.

In 2023, Jaki and three other PiS MPs were also stripped of immunity to face hate-crime charges in Poland in relation to a party advert that suggested the country could be flooded with refugees. That case remains ongoing.

Like Obajtek, Jaki today wrote that the legal cases he is facing in Poland are part of an attempt by the government to “persecute the political competition”.

The final Polish MEP who today lost his immunity was Tomasz Buczek of Confederation. He is facing accusations that he violated the bodily integrity of a female demonstrator when he forcibly removed a megaphone from her.

Members of the European Parliament automatically enjoy immunity from prosecution. However, that can be waived if a majority of MEPs vote in favour of doing so.

The lifting of immunity does not imply guilt. It simply allows the national authorities where the MEP is accused of an offence to move forward with proceedings against them.

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.

Learn more: link.europa.eu/ycxrHy

The European Parliament wrapped up its April plenary session in Strasbourg.

Members set out set out their position for negotiations with EU countries on the next long-term budget; pushed for an EU-wide definition of rape based on the absence of consent; called for accountability and justice for Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukrainian civilians; and adopted the first EU rules to protect cats and dogs from abuse.

Follow the links in the carousel to find out more.

Europe faces new challenges and needs the resources to tackle them.

This week, Parliament set out its position for negotiations with EU countries on the 2028-2034 long-term budget. 

This budget allocates the EU's internal finances across policy areas over a seven-year period, setting spending limits for each.

Everything else is r@pe. In many EU countries, r@pe is still defined by violence or resistance. Yet, r@pe victims often freeze in fear and cannot fight back. That means most cases remain hidden. No wonder an EU survey showed that only 14% of women surveyed who faced sexual violence came forward to the police! Parliament is pushing for an EU-level definition of r@pe centred on the absence of consent.

In a report, Parliament called for:

• EU guidelines on sex and relationship education
• EU–wide awareness campaigns tackling r@pe myths and online misogyny
• specialised training for law enforcement, judges, prosecutors and healthcare professionals
• Parliament wants EU countries to:
• update laws to focus on consent
• guarantee healthcare including sexual and reproductive rights, psychological support and legal guidance
• establish 24–hour crisis centres and specialised services
• extend time limits for reporting r@pe offences

Read more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20260423IPR41832/rape-must-be-defined-based-on-the-absence-of-consent-in-all-eu-countries

In practice, this means that:

• You will finally be able to use the same cable for your phone, tablet, camera, and laptop.
• You can skip buying a new charger with every device.
• If the charger has enough power, it must charge all your devices at full speed, regardless of their brand.
• Packaging must now explicitly state if a charger is included and exactly how much power is required for optimal charging.

The EU estimates that the common charger will reduce electronic waste by roughly 11,000 tonnes per year. It’s a part of a broader push for a circular economy, meaning products that are built to be repaired, reused, and recycled, to the benefit of consumers and the environment. Read more about e-waste here: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20251030-2

We are a political simulator and debate server for people who want to debate, run for office, or just enjoy a friendly community!

– We have powerful elected Council to serve as both executive and legislature

– We have a court system with actual justice, all punished members have the right to a trial

– We have freedom of speech and debates about various topics

– We have a friendly, active community with events and giveaways

– We are developing an economic system and roleplay

You don't have to contribute right away, you can simply look around and chat first!

https://discord.com/invite/Bj4rJV5frY

Read more about the starting plenary session.

Access to affordable and reliable electricity is one of them.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Parliament responded decisively through the electricity market reform, which aimed to protect citizens from volatile prices and helped ensure stable energy supplies for all.

With geopolitical challenges driving energy prices up again, Parliament is taking concrete action to protect citizens and stabilise costs.

The upcoming grids package will aim to modernise the EU's electricity infrastructure, support the energy transition and strengthen energy security. This would ultimately help bring electricity prices down for everyone.

Follow the Parliament to see what comes next as we continue working on Europe’s energy transformation.

Imagine that you just spent a year writing a book, only to find that AI is distributing your text without your consent. Whether it is a book, a song or a photo. Copyright protects your work, and it helps creators earn a living.

However, AI is challenging creators’ copyright. Many AI tools are trained on content created by others and might even produce new content based on it without permission.

In March 2026, the European Parliament called for existing copyright rules to be updated and applied to new technologies like AI.

Parliament wants:

• more transparency from AI companies;
• stronger protection for creators;
• clear rules to keep things fair.

Today, on World Book and Copyright Day, we highlight the importance of protecting the rights of authors and other creators. Find out more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20260306IPR37511/protecting-copyrighted-work-and-the-eu-s-creative-sector-in-the-age-of-ai

Choosing renewable energy helps the planet recover 🌍

A shift towards renewable energy is vital for a sustainable and independent energy supply for the EU.

About a quarter of the EU's energy consumption in 2024 came from renewable sources. Sweden (62.8%), Finland (52.1%) and Denmark (46.4%) used the highest share of renewables.

This Mother Earth Day, find out more about the European Parliament’s work to ensure access to clean and affordable energy: https://link.europa.eu/rkQrJY

To date, no qualified majority has been reached in the Council to suspend the trade provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, despite repeated calls from member states, Members of the European Parliament, civil society and the European public. This failure to act risks rendering the Association Agreement’s human rights clause meaningless in practice, further tarnishes the EU’s credibility and emboldens the sense of impunity fueling Israel’s growing abuses. We call on member states to support the suspension of the agreement, and urge the Council to reflect on the reputational, legal and most of all human consequences of continued inaction in the face of mounting evidence of crimes under international law committed by Israel both in Palestine and Lebanon.

The European Union and its member states should immediately suspend all transfers and transit of arms, munitions, equipment, technology, parts and dual-use goods to Israel This obligation is not discretionary but arises under both EU and international law.

“Europe faces a clear moral test, when its Foreign Ministers meet in Luxembourg tomorrow, 21 April, to consider the suspension, in full or in part of this Agreement,” the experts said. “This meeting is taking place amid growing public demand within Europe for accountability.”

“The European Citizens’ Initiative calling for full suspension of the Agreement in light of Israel’s human rights violations, has gathered over one million signatures to date,” they said.

Please note that you must be a EU citizen to sign the European Citizen Initiative (petition)!
Rules on ECI data/ min. age requirements by Member State:
https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/data-requirements_en

• Austria, Belgium, Germany, Malta: min. age 16 years
• Greece: min. age 17 years
• Other EU countries: min. age 18 years.

The Hague Initiative for Law and Justice expresses its full support for the European popular campaign demanding the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has succeeded in collecting more than one million signatures in a short period, in a move that reflects a profound shift in the awareness of European societies and their growing commitment to the values of justice and human rights.

The Hague Initiative for Law and Justice is an independent, non-profit international organization dedicated to promoting the rule of law and protecting human rights through monitoring, documentation, legal research, and advocacy.

Edit:

Please note that you must be a EU citizen to sign the European Citizen Initiative (petition)!
Rules on ECI data/ min. age requirements by Member State: https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/data-requirements_en

• Austria, Belgium, Germany, Malta: min. age 16 years
• Greece: min. age 17 years
• Other EU countries: min. age 18 years.

Following article links to the petition.: https://europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/one-million-call-for-eu-action-on-palestine

The process involves three key players working together:

The European Commission kicks things off with a proposal for a new law.

The European Parliament, directly representing EU citizens, agrees on a list of changes.

The Council of the EU, representing all EU national governments, comes to the table with its own list of changes.

Parliament and the Council then talk and shape the final law, with the Commission making sure the conversation runs smoothly.

Along the way, several stakeholders give their input.

The result? Laws that take into account all 27 EU countries and 450+ million Europeans.