The Commission defends a flexible, case‑by‑case approach to eligibility, strategic interests, beneficial ownership and ECA use within an ODA‑centred framework, followed by experts’ nuanced replies on costs, human rights, China, aid‑for‑trade limits and risks of sliding into tied aid, before the Chair formally closes the workshop and outlines remaining committee business and the next meeting.
Under the new Chair, MEPs Biedroń, Goerens and the Greens raise questions on additionality, exclusions of global players, defending untying amid geo-economic rivalry, Parliament’s limited oversight, and whether ECA involvement should be kept outside ODA budgets to protect poverty‑reduction objectives.
Bischoff synthesises key lessons on understanding and governing AI, underlines its immediate impact on elections and democratic processes, stresses the need for timely, smart regulation and democratic renewal, and sets out amendment deadlines, upcoming AFCO work and logistical information.
Dr Schlögl presents Article 23 support channels, evidence on tied aid, de facto European preference in current practice and the proposed role and risks of ECAs, while the Chair highlights political concerns on member state disparities, commercially viable projects and governance conditions for using ECAs.
The Chair opens the Global Europe workshop on European preference and ECAs, then Professor La Chimia analyses Article 20’s structure, broad exceptions and implications of tied aid for costs, competition, recipient ownership and OECD/DAC commitments, proposing safeguards and clearer limits on the use of exceptions.
Initial remarks frame the humanitarian aid and civil protection instrument, its civil–military cooperation aspects and need for low bureaucracy, followed by the Chair’s procedural conclusion of the item with an updated amendment deadline and brief suspension.
Bischoff, Sikkut, López Aguilar and other speakers explore AI’s dual role in democracy, from deepfakes, bots and Russian interference to opportunities for participatory ‘civic AI’, discuss adapting the European Electoral Act under Article 223 TFEU, and weigh platform duties, DSA enforcement, literacy campaigns and concrete tools like identity verification to protect electoral integrity.
Vice‑Chair Bischoff and MPs from France, Italy, Serbia and the Inter‑Parliamentary Union examine how AI changes law‑making and scrutiny, call for harmonised inter‑parliamentary tools, share national and minority AI strategies, and present global parliamentary initiatives, stressing early involvement of parliaments and potential contributions to an EP AI Observatory.
After adoption of the opinions, the chair notes the time gap before the next agenda item (an expert session, likely with ITRE involvement), confirms the experts are not yet present, and announces a 15-minute break before resuming at 17:30.
The chair introduces the draft opinion on the Connecting European facility for 2028–2034 and gives the floor to rapporteur Pedras, then the committee votes by show of hands on several amendments (including 171, 172, 179, 108), with one amendment (179) checked electronically, and finally adopts the opinion in a concluding vote.
The committee proceeds to hand votes on amendments 1 and 205 to the draft SEDE opinion on the regulation establishing the European Defence/Competition Fund, followed by the final roll-call vote; technical issues with the display of results are clarified, and the adopted opinion’s figures (29 in favour, 6 against, 2 abstentions) are read into the record.
Chair Mme Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN opens the SEDE meeting, announces the voting session on the opinion regarding the Commission proposal establishing the European Defence/Competition Fund for defence research and innovation, gives the floor to rapporteur Ritas for a brief introduction, and confirms quorum and a technical test of the electronic voting system.
MEPs and national MPs discuss AI as a constitutional and innovation issue, the mandate and limits of a Parliamentary AI Observatory, risks of overregulation, AI’s impact on elections, disinformation and copyright, and insist on human‑centred oversight, AI literacy and structured EU–national parliamentary scrutiny to avoid fragmentation and preserve democratic legitimacy.
The committee conducts test and final votes on the first and second reports of the economic governance simplification package, including adoption of compromise amendments, approval of both reports, and granting of trilogue negotiation mandates under Rule 72, before the Chair formally closes the ECON meeting and announces the next session.
The chair links the ICM to AFCO’s own‑initiative report on AI’s institutional aspects; the rapporteur, IMCO opinion, and political groups define the report’s four axes (values, oversight, global convention, democracy/elections), debate an EP AI Observatory, treaty change and technological sovereignty, while the Commission urges use of the Council of Europe Vilnius Convention and coordinates on AI Act implementation.
After closing the euro panel, the committee turns to the IORP II review, with the rapporteur outlining reform goals for supplementary pensions, MEPs debating EU added value versus national prerogatives and spillovers for pension adequacy, and closing remarks committing to refine the proposal in light of trust, governance and prudential concerns.
The chair, EP President Metsola, UN Under‑Secretary‑General Gill and Commission EVP Virkonen set the agenda and frame AI as a strategic, institutional and economic challenge, outlining Europe’s risk‑based AI model, global governance efforts at UN level, and the Commission’s ‘AI Continent’ action plan and AI Act implementation, including the new AI Office.
The Chair formally closes the exchange with the EIB Vice‑President, reflects on the money–security debate’s evolution, and announces a 20‑minute break before the committee resumes in camera on 5 March with reminders on device and confidentiality rules.
Rapporteur Elena sets priorities on leveraging EU funds in space and defence, attracting private (non‑Chinese) capital, enhancing military mobility infrastructure and SME access, while Degrohe points to concrete cross‑border transport projects, EDIP and Iris² as ecosystem builders, and strong private appetite for scalable EU space frameworks.
MEPs question the experts on how to build a unified EU safe asset, respond to the euro’s declining share, manage dollar stablecoins, assess costs and benefits of a stronger global euro, and use concrete legislative files and own resources to support a multipolar monetary system and greater EU autonomy.
MEPs Søvndal, Boutenga and a French member press the EIB on long‑term demand and Ukraine co‑production, ESG safeguards and international law (including Israel‑related concerns), the exclusion of lethal equipment and ammunition, space launch capacity and the role of US funds, prompting clarifications on project eligibility, export controls, EU‑based production and the limits of the EIB’s defence remit.
MEPs de la Parte, Pedras and another member question the EIB on cross‑border operations, coordination with EU instruments, third‑country influence (notably China), the Bank’s comparative advantage, non‑EU participation, Omnibus simplification, remaining banking stigma and the possible scope of the EIB’s role in defence, with Degrohe detailing coordination structures, simplification needs and complementarity with SAFE/EDIP.
The Chair opens the ECON meeting, adopts the agenda and introduces the public hearing on the global role of the euro, followed by expert presentations on US/China currency strategies, ECB swap lines, stablecoins, digital euro design, EU safe assets and structural drivers of the euro’s weaker international role.
The Chair opens the meeting and Vice President Degrohe presents the post‑2023 expansion of the EIB mandate into security and defence, including mainstreaming security across sectors, quantitative targets for 2024–2026, and tools such as advisory support, industrial capability financing, space investments and the scaled‑up Defence Equity Facility 2.0.
Following closure of the Electoral Act item, the committee turns to the monitoring report on European political parties and foundations, with co‑rapporteurs and groups debating amendments on financial viability, bureaucracy, funding caps, Article 2 TEU references, legal certainty and ideological neutrality, before the co‑rapporteur narrows the scope to foundations’ financing needs and outlines the path towards a targeted future Commission recast as the Chair closes the sitting.
The Chair opens the AFCO meeting, adopts the agenda and explains missions and planned oral questions, then introduces the targeted reform of the European Electoral Act to enable proxy voting for MEPs around childbirth, with the rapporteur and political groups outlining the special Article 223 TFEU consent procedure, implementation conditions and broad cross‑group support, including calls to extend similar arrangements to fathers and ensure rapid rule changes.
EC press point and signing ceremony by European Commissioner Ekaterina ZAHARIEVA and Australian Minister of Industry and Innovation Tim AYRES on Australia’s association to Horizon Europe
Committee on Budgetary Control Ordinary meeting CONT Committee meeting
Upcoming
Committee on European Democracy Shield (special committee) (EUDS)
Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield Ordinary meeting
Upcoming
Committee on Housing Crisis (special committee) (HOUS)
Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union Ordinary meeting
Upcoming
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)
7th Inter-Parliamentary Committee Meeting On Evaluation Of The European Union Agency For Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) Activities
Upcoming
Committee on European Democracy Shield (special committee) (EUDS)
Issues raised by bot farming and social media anonymity in elections
Every committee
European Parliament, European Council and European Commission broadcast their sittings. Polyfact shows each one live, keeps it as a replay with its transcript and links its key moments to the second they were said.
How can I watch European Union parliamentary committees live?
On Polyfact, free and without an account: a sitting on air is marked live in the schedule above, and each committee below has its own page with its latest sittings.
Is it free?
Yes. Watching the sittings on Polyfact is free and needs no account. A Polyfact subscription, which you can try for free, adds the full transcripts as soon as they are ready, search across every sitting and alerts on your topics.
Where are the transcripts?
On each sitting's page on Polyfact, speaker by speaker, with its key moments one click from the second they were said.
Follow every committee without searching
With a Polyfact plan you read every sitting as soon as it is transcribed, ask questions to the video assistant and get an alert as soon as your topics come up.
14-day free trial. A card is required, nothing is charged for 14 days, and you can cancel anytime.
'%20d='m0%200%2016%2011h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%2037h61%2061%2060%2061L16%2063h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%2089h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20115h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%20141h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20166h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%20192h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20218h61%2061%2061%2061%2060z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
