How to watch the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Chisinau Declaration, ECHR system and EU migration policy

Javier Zarzalejos and 3 others

The Commission explains its assessment of the Chisinau Declaration as compatible with EU migration and asylum policy under the Pact, then responds to MEPs’ concerns on instrumentalisation, an EU emergency framework, ECHR case‑law on returns, judicial ‘overreach’, sovereignty and the use of force at borders, and clarifies the EU–Council of Europe strategic partnership and forthcoming migration initiatives.

In this chapter

1. Introduction to Chisinau Declaration exchangeJavier Zarzalejos
2. Commission: Chisinau Declaration, migration and ECHR balance
3. EPP (Dupont): instrumentalisation, emergency framework and CoE follow‑upJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EUDA 2024 drugs report: key threats and responses

Javier Zarzalejos and 4 others

EUDA Director Nolan outlines the growing threats from synthetic opioids, cocaine and ketamine, stresses health–security linkages and the ‘one‑safety’ approach, and answers MEPs’ questions on UK cooperation, cryptocurrencies, agency coordination, precursors, harm reduction, wastewater analysis, resources, narco‑violence, trafficking routes, war‑related impacts and prevention before presenting the EUDA 2030 strategy direction.

In this chapter

1. EUDA Director Nolan: synthetic opioids threat and preparedness
2. EUDA report: cocaine markets and health–security nexus
3. EUDA report: ketamine, normalisation risks and one‑safety approach

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Irish Presidency: migration, security and rule‑of‑law Q&A

Javier Zarzalejos and 7 others

MEPs from several groups question Minister O’Callaghan on the Migration Pact’s crisis response, returns and external centres, anti‑smuggling measures, Palestinian visas, Spanish regularisation, anti‑racism and online hate speech, leading to clarifications on returns effectiveness, legal competences, judicial independence and equal treatment of applicants before he closes the exchange.

In this chapter

1. EPP (Miguel Pedro): Ceuta crisis, Pact limits and crisis mechanismJavier Zarzalejos
2. Patriots/ENS (Zajączkowska-Hernik): firm returns, offshore centres, Ceuta and Polish burdenJavier Zarzalejos
3. Non‑attached (Yoncheva): anti‑smuggling package and external border gapsJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Opening and Irish Presidency JHA priorities

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

The Chair opens the LIBE meeting, adopts the agenda and rapporteur designations, then Minister O’Callaghan presents the Irish Council Presidency’s justice and home affairs priorities on migration and returns, Schengen and internal security, organised crime and child protection, CSAM regulation, digital justice and ECHR accession.

In this chapter

1. Opening of LIBE meeting and agenda adoptionJavier Zarzalejos
2. Irish Presidency: justice and home affairs priorities
3. Migration Pact implementation, funding and returns

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – DRFMG 2026 Rule of Law Report – Commissioner McGrath

Third Q&A block: Italy situation, Democracy Shield and Agora EU

Gaetano Pedulla' and 1 other

Italian MEPs allege rapid rule of law deterioration in Italy and seek concrete Commission action before the next report, while others focus on operationalising the European Democracy Shield and attaching horizontal rule of law conditions to the planned Agora EU programme, with the Commissioner responding on spyware concerns in Italy, follow‑up on recent developments, practical deployment of the Democracy Shield and support for an ambitious Agora EU within the MFF.

In this chapter

1. Third Q&A round: Italy, Democracy Shield and Agora EUGaetano Pedulla'
2. Commissioner response: Italy surveillance, Democracy Shield, Agora EUMichael McGrath

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – DRFMG 2026 Rule of Law Report – Commissioner McGrath

Second Q&A block: timing, effectiveness and escalation of rule of law tools

Sophie Wilmès and 2 others

MEPs criticise the late timing and limited impact of the report, call for escalation to conditionality and budgetary measures, and contest perceived gaps on Hungary, prompting the Commissioner to signal openness to earlier publication and plenary debates, stress defence of MFF-linked conditionality, and describe ongoing dialogue and infringement action, particularly in Slovakia.

In this chapter

1. Second Q&A round: timing, effectiveness and escalation of toolsSophie Wilmès
2. Commissioner response: earlier publication, MFF negotiations, Slovakia toolsMichael McGrath

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – DRFMG 2026 Rule of Law Report – Commissioner McGrath

First Q&A block: Parliament’s role, conditionality and country-specific concerns

Konstantinos Arvanitis and 2 others

MEPs question how Parliament’s own rule of law work is used, raise specific concerns on Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and shrinking civic space, and press for use of conditionality, while the Commissioner outlines the link to the next MFF, explains the non‑ranking approach, and details engagement and enforcement tools used for Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

In this chapter

1. First Q&A round: Parliament’s role, country concerns, conditionalityKonstantinos Arvanitis
2. Commissioner response: MFF link, no rankings, Poland–Hungary–SlovakiaMichael McGrath

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – DRFMG 2026 Rule of Law Report – Commissioner McGrath

Opening of meeting and Rule of Law Report presentation

Michael McGrath

The Chair opens the joint LIBE/DRFMG meeting, sets speaking and interpretation rules, and the Commissioner presents the 2026 Rule of Law Report’s objectives, methodology and key findings across justice, anti‑corruption, media freedom and institutional checks and balances, before the Chair clarifies the debate format as an interactive Q&A.

In this chapter

1. Chair: opening, agenda and expectations
2. Commissioner McGrath: presentation of 2026 Rule of Law ReportMichael McGrath
3. Chair: speaking order and debate format

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – LIBE DRFMG Working Group Meeting

Hungary: rule of law, internal borders and single market

Daniel Freund and 1 other

MEPs, business and civil society examine remaining rule of law concerns in Hungary, the impact of internal border checks on the single market, and options to deploy or reinforce the EU rule of law toolbox, including conditionality linked to single market benefits and the MFF.

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – LIBE DRFMG Working Group Meeting

Stakeholder testimonies: rule of law impact on single market

Michał Wawrykiewicz PPE

Business, civil society and academic experts detail how rule of law backsliding, weak enforcement and discriminatory national measures create legal uncertainty, distort competition and undermine mutual trust and mutual recognition within the EU internal market, outlining risks and proposing regulatory safeguards and conditionalities in single market and procurement legislation.

In this chapter

1. Chair and business stakeholders: single market and rule of lawMichał Wawrykiewicz
2. Civil society assessment: rule of law risks for single marketMichał Wawrykiewicz
3. Academic expert: rule of law, mutual trust and procurement safeguardsMichał Wawrykiewicz

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – LIBE DRFMG Working Group Meeting

MEP scrutiny, enforcement limits and EU law primacy

Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová and 1 other

MEP Freund questions the Commission on Hungary, business climate impacts and slow infringement procedures, followed by a broader exchange on primacy of EU law, design of sanctions and fund suspensions, and formal closure of the institutional session.

In this chapter

1. MEP Freund: Hungary’s business climate and infringement toolsVeronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová
2. Primacy of EU law, sanctions design and session closureVeronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – LIBE DRFMG Working Group Meeting

Opening and institutional perspectives on rule of law

Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová Renew

Chair, Commission, Court of Auditors and EESC set the agenda on the economic dimension of rule of law, present the Commission toolbox and audit findings, and highlight how rule‑of‑law performance, budget conditionality and enforcement affect the single market and competitiveness.

In this chapter

1. Opening and Commission overview on rule of law and single marketVeronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová
2. European Court of Auditors: audit findings and budgetary safeguardsVeronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová
3. EESC perspective: economic distortions and recommendations

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Q&A on child recruitment, sanctions and EU legislative follow‑up

Javier Zarzalejos and 11 others

MEPs, the Commission, Europol, FRA and NGOs engage in a structured Q&A on using existing EU security and radicalisation tools, preventive versus punitive approaches, child recruitment by organised crime, age of criminal responsibility and forthcoming EU legislative and operational initiatives.

In this chapter

1. EU strategic response and prevention–repression balanceJavier Zarzalejos
2. MEP–NGO and institutional debate on child recruitmentCharlie Weimers

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

LIBE opening and EU strategy on criminal exploitation of minors

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

The Chair reopens the LIBE Committee, adopts the agenda and introduces the item on the EU strategy against criminal exploitation of minors, followed by initial institutional and expert framing of youth recruitment, online risks and gaps in child‑protection safeguards.

In this chapter

1. Committee opening and agenda settingJavier Zarzalejos
2. Expert briefings on youth recruitment and online risksJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Expert evidence on discrimination and need for stronger EU safeguards

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

FRA sets out data on persistent, intersectional and digital-age discrimination across life areas, followed by Unia and the European Disability Forum detailing national practices, disability discrimination and how uneven EU protection creates gaps, arguing for reinforced EU-level safeguards and effective equality bodies beyond employment.

In this chapter

1. Panel 2 opening and FRA evidenceJavier Zarzalejos
2. Equality bodies and disability perspectives on the horizontal directiveJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Council and Commission Q&A: Equal Treatment Directive deadlock

Javier Zarzalejos and 4 others

MEPs question the Council and Commission on the 17‑year stalemate of the Equal Treatment Directive and the blocked Parenthood Regulation, then press further on the directive’s scope, data basis and treatment of disability and religion, while the institutions defend their mandates, tools and the need to protect all discrimination grounds equally.

In this chapter

1. MEP questions to Council and Commission: directive deadlock and parenthood fileJavier Zarzalejos
2. MEPs and Commission: Equal Treatment Directive, disability and religionFabrice Leggeri

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Equal Treatment Directive: expert evidence and implementation conditions

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

Presentation of evidence from equality bodies and the Milieu study on gaps in current protection, EU added value, proportionality and the legal and institutional conditions needed for effective implementation, including limits on exemptions and stronger equality bodies.

In this chapter

1. Expert evidence: equality bodies and EU added valueJavier Zarzalejos
2. Milieu study: proportionality and implementation conditions

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Equal Treatment Directive: relaunch, mandate and Council deadlock

Javier Zarzalejos and 2 others

Introduction of the Horizontal Equal Treatment Directive file with Commission and rapporteur setting the legal and economic case, followed by institutional experts from Commission and Council Presidency explaining enforcement gaps, AI‑related risks and the unanimity‑driven Council stalemate.

In this chapter

1. Opening of hearing and political context on Equal Treatment DirectiveJavier Zarzalejos
2. Expert panel I: institutional perspectives and Council deadlockJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Firearms trafficking directive: agenda and political positions

Hannah Neumann and 5 others

Opening of the firearms item, with the rapporteur, shadows and Commission outlining the directive’s objectives, offence structure, safeguards for legal owners, aggravated circumstances and implementation issues within the Protect EU strategy.

In this chapter

1. Meeting opening and firearms agenda settingHannah Neumann
2. Firearms trafficking directive: offences, safeguards and implementationEvin Incir

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Fundamental rights enforcement and JHA budget priorities

Javier Zarzalejos and 21 others

Linked debates on LGBTIQ rights backsliding, EU enforcement tools and conversion therapy bans are followed by scrutiny of digital travel credentials and the 2027 Justice and Home Affairs budget, where MEPs connect fundamental rights, migration management and agency funding to the Union’s strategic priorities.

In this chapter

1. Fundamental rights, LGBTIQ protections and EU enforcementAnna Strolenberg
2. Justice and Home Affairs digital tools and 2027 budget prioritiesJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

LGBTIQ agenda item: legal basis and EU tools

Javier Zarzalejos and 4 others

The Chair and Commission introduce the agenda item on LGBTIQ rights, frame the CJEU ruling against Hungary under Article 2 TEU and the Charter, and map existing EU legal instruments and evidence, before MEPs and the Commission deepen the discussion on hate speech, stalled Council files and possible infringement action, including on Bulgaria’s ‘propaganda’ law.

In this chapter

1. Item opening, legal framing and evidence baseJavier Zarzalejos
2. EU legal framework and specific hate speech concernsJavier Zarzalejos

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

External migration centres: responsibility sharing, conditionality and safeguards

Javier Zarzalejos and 12 others

MEPs press the Commission and UNHCR on whether multipurpose centres and evacuation mechanisms amount to externalisation of asylum processing, and on readmission conditionality via funding, EIB projects, trade and visas, with the Commission detailing its readmission toolbox and denying any plan to process asylum outside EU territory. They further probe the legal basis, operational design and rights risks of external return and multipurpose hubs, including Frontex’s role, detention, safe third country concepts, funding conditions and monitoring, with the Commission and UNHCR outlining safeguards, challenges and the need for transparency and legal scrutiny.

In this chapter

1. Responsibility sharing and readmission conditionalityJavier Zarzalejos
2. External migration hubs: design, legal basis and risksJan-Christoph Oetjen

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

External dimension of EU asylum policy: multipurpose hubs

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

Agenda item 9 opens with the Commission and UNHCR presenting the external dimension of EU asylum and migration policy, including responsibility sharing, support to partner countries and the design and protection role of multipurpose hubs along migration routes. This sets the policy and legal context for using external centres linked to legal pathways and solutions.

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Return IT architecture: implementation, safeguards and political scrutiny

Javier Zarzalejos and 8 others

MEPs question the Commission and Frontex on Member State readiness, institutional responsibilities, data protection, cybersecurity and phased implementation of the return IT architecture, and then scrutinise RECAMAS and broader digitalisation of returns in terms of fundamental‑rights safeguards, transparency, use of contractors and political acceptability, before the Chair closes agenda item 8. This block focuses on operational feasibility, governance and rights‑related conditions for rolling out the new EU returns IT systems.

In this chapter

1. Return IT architecture: Member State readiness and institutional rolesJavier Zarzalejos
2. RECAMAS and digitalised returns: safeguards, purpose and political acceptabilityErik Marquardt

Watch the moment Share

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Digitalised return systems: Commission and Frontex framework

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

Agenda item 8 covers the Commission’s 2026 legislative roadmap and preferred interoperable EU model for digitalised returns, together with Frontex’s RECAMAS reference architecture and layered EU‑wide return IT system, followed by initial reactions from members. This segment frames the institutional roles, objectives and technical foundations of the new return IT framework.

Watch the moment Share