How to watch the European Parliament plenary session

Nature Restoration Regulation: implementation, financing and sectoral concerns

Thomas Byrne and 35 others

Council, Commission and MEPs assess how to implement and finance the Nature Restoration Regulation, debating flexibility for national plans, impacts on agriculture and forestry, member‑state resistance, and the balance between short‑term costs and long‑term economic and climate resilience benefits.

In this chapter

1. Nature Restoration Regulation: Council and Commission on implementation and financeThomas Byrne
2. Nature restoration debate: agriculture, forestry and member‑state resistanceJessica Polfjärd
3. Nature restoration debate: catch‑the‑eye contributions and institutional closingsPär Holmgren

Watch the moment Share

EU anti‑corruption strategy: scope, enforcement and institutional integrity

Javier Zarzalejos and 102 others

LIBE, Commission, Council and MEPs examine the forthcoming EU anti‑corruption strategy and directive, focusing on prevention, enforcement, independence of judiciary and prosecutors, coordination among EU bodies and the need to strengthen transparency and ethics rules within EU institutions and member states.

In this chapter

1. EU anti‑corruption strategy: LIBE chair’s questions and Commission visionJavier Zarzalejos
2. Anti‑corruption debate: focus on EU institutions, rule of law and foreign influenceFabrice Leggeri
3. Anti‑corruption debate: Commission and Council emphasise implementation and cooperationMichael McGrath

Watch the moment Share

Taxing superprofits of polluters: feasibility, subsidiarity and distributional impacts

Marie Toussaint and 33 others

Greens, Council, Commission and political groups clash over an EU‑wide windfall tax on fossil and other polluting industries, weighing purchasing‑power relief and climate funding against concerns about tax competence, investment and subsidiarity, while keeping options open for national and possible future EU instruments.

In this chapter

1. Superprofits of polluters: Greens’ proposal and Council responseMarie Toussaint
2. Superprofits debate: clash over windfall taxes and green transition costsMarkus Ferber
3. Superprofits debate: Commissioner and Council on options and subsidiarityThomas Byrne

Watch the moment Share

Cost‑of‑living and housing crisis: EU framing and political division

Thomas Byrne and 46 others

Council, Commission and MEPs debate EU and national responsibilities for the cost‑of‑living and housing crisis, contrasting calls for stronger social and tax action with criticism of Green Deal measures, ETS2 and EU‑level regulation, and discussing short‑term relief versus structural reforms to lower energy and housing costs.

In this chapter

1. Cost‑of‑living and housing crisis: Council and Commission framingThomas Byrne
2. Cost‑of‑living debate: wages, rents, energy prices and tax toolsMarkus Ferber
3. Cost‑of‑living debate: national case studies and distributional conflictsAntonella Sberna
4. Cost‑of‑living debate: Commissioner and Council stress short‑term relief and long‑term transitionAntonella Sberna

Watch the moment Share

Opening of sitting and launch of MFF debate

Sabine Verheyen and 40 others

The Vice‑President opens the plenary, sets procedural parameters for trilogues and introduces the central item: Council and Commission statements to kick off negotiations on the 2028‑2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting: agenda and MFF debate launchSabine Verheyen
2. Council: Byrne: objectives for MFF 2028‑2034Thomas Byrne
3. Commission: Serafin: structure and logic of the new MFFPiotr Serafin

Watch the moment Share

EU–China relations: strategic debate

Christel Schaldemose and 41 others

High Representative and MEPs assess economic dependencies, security and human-rights concerns, Taiwan, and links with Russia’s war, debating how far the EU should toughen its China policy while preserving cooperation in key areas.

Watch the moment Share

Digital policy: EU Kids Act framework

Henna Virkkunen and 51 others

Introduction of the EU Kids Act debate, outlining its legal basis, links to existing digital legislation and proposed safety-by-design and age-verification obligations to protect minors’ rights online.

Watch the moment Share

Internal policies: Housing, education and methane Q&A

Thomas Byrne and 88 others

Following the agenda move to housing, the plenary debates the proposed EU Affordable Housing Act and concludes the file, then opens the European education framework item before formally launching Question Time with the Commission on the Methane Regulation. This macro chapter groups key social and environmental policy blocks where competences, funding tools and implementation questions are tested in interaction between Parliament and Commission.

In this chapter

1. EU Affordable Housing Act: mandate and political linesThomas Byrne
2. Conclusion of housing file; launch of EU education frameworkDan Jørgensen
3. Opening of Methane Regulation Question TimePina Picierno

Watch the moment Share

Plenary: European Council preparation and voting block

Roberta Metsola and 76 others

The plenary first addresses European Council preparation and EU budgetary priorities, then moves to a procedural incident over flags, a consolidated voting block on multiple files, and a formal agenda shift towards housing policy. This macro chapter helps track how MEPs link long‑term budget, solidarity and rule‑of‑law debates with concrete votes and subsequent agenda sequencing.

In this chapter

1. European Council preparation and budgetary prioritiesRoberta Metsola
2. Plenary incident, voting block and agenda changeRoberta Metsola

Watch the moment Share

Topical debates: Ukraine, psychosocial risks at work and falsified medicines

Ewa Kopacz and 52 others

MEPs first debate the humanitarian situation and civilian protection in Ukraine, then examine the rapporteur’s initiative on an EU framework for psychosocial risks at work with positions across groups and sectors, and finally hear a Commission statement on combating falsified medicines and illegal online sales under the pharma framework, DSA and criminal enforcement tools.

In this chapter

1. Debate: Humanitarian situation in Ukraine: Oleshky, winter and peace vs pressureEwa Kopacz
2. Rapporteur and Commission: EU framework on psychosocial risks at workEstelle Ceulemans
3. Mental health at work: political and sectoral positionsMaravillas Abadía Jover
4. Commission statement: combating falsified medicines and illegal online salesOlivér Várhelyi

Watch the moment Share

Opening of sitting, agenda and political points

Roberta Metsola and 11 others

The President opens the Strasbourg sitting, confirms procedural matters on minutes, membership changes, corrigenda and trilogue mandates, and oversees a contested agenda change request on French student riots, followed by points of order on deepfakes, the ICC, antisemitism, media freedom and rule-of-law concerns in several Member States.

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting: Sakharov laureate and deepfake abuseRoberta Metsola
2. Procedural announcements: minutes, new MEPs, corrigendum, triloguesRoberta Metsola
3. Agenda dispute: French student riots vs youth conditionsRoberta Metsola
4. Points of order: deepfakes, ICC, antisemitism and rule of lawLena Schilling

Watch the moment Share

Protecting health from toxic substances: Commission statement and PFAS debate

Nicolae Ștefănuță and 20 others

The Commission outlines EU action on tobacco, chemicals, environmental and food‑safety rules, prompting a debate centred on illegal hazardous‑waste shipments, PFAS contamination cases such as Gospić, and broader chemicals policy, where MEPs demand faster PFAS and pesticide action while the Commissioner stresses evidence‑based, proportionate restrictions and safeguards for critical uses.

In this chapter

1. Commission statement: protecting health against toxic substancesNicolae Ștefănuță
2. Toxic substances debate: illegal waste, PFAS and the Gospić caseNicolae Ștefănuță
3. Broader chemicals policy, PFAS restriction and Commissioner’s replySunčana Glavak

Watch the moment Share

Canada–EU partnership and following urgency resolutions

Roberta Metsola and 4 others

In a solemn sitting, President Metsola and Prime Minister Carney underline historic EU–Canada ties and propose deeper cooperation across trade, security, green and digital policies, after which the House resumes normal business with a long urgency and legislative voting session covering human‑rights resolutions and several sectoral reports and resolutions.

In this chapter

1. Solemn sitting: EP President welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Mark CarneyRoberta Metsola
2. Address by Canadian Prime Minister Carney: proposal for a Canada–EU alliance for the futureMark Carney
3. Urgency resolutions and legislative voting blockSophie Wilmès

Watch the moment Share

Global health resilience in partner countries: oral question, debate and resolution

Barry Andrews and 20 others

Parliament examines cuts to global health ODA and the new Global Health Resilience Initiative, with the Commission detailing its nine flagships and MEPs contesting funding levels, WHO’s role, conditionality and Global Gateway priorities, before the Commission’s final reply and adoption of the DEVE resolution after all amendments are rejected.

In this chapter

1. Oral question: strengthening global health resilience in partner countriesBarry Andrews
2. Global health resilience debate: funding cuts, WHO role and conditionalityJozef Síkela
3. Commission reply and DEVE resolution on global health resilience adoptedTomislav Sokol

Watch the moment Share

EU health workforce crisis plan: debate and adoption

Loucas Fourlas and 50 others

Plenary opens with the EU health workforce crisis plan, followed by Commission and group positions on shortages, working conditions, fiscal rules and mobility, an extended country‑by‑country debate on brain drain and under‑investment, and closure of the item with formal adoption of the Furlas–Razza report in the voting block.

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting and introduction of EU health workforce crisis planLoucas Fourlas
2. Commission and political groups on EU health workforce crisisOlivér Várhelyi
3. Extended debate: national cases, brain drain and fiscal rules in healthMarie Dauchy
4. Closing of health workforce debate and adoption of reportRuggero Razza

Watch the moment Share

Internal market, budget and green transition: legislative files

Christel Schaldemose and 73 others

Council, Commission and MEPs debate limiting national gold‑plating of EU law, set out conflicting positions on the 2027 EU budget, and examine new packaging and packaging‑waste rules affecting SMEs, extended producer responsibility and circular‑economy objectives.

In this chapter

1. Council and Commission: call to stop gold-plating of EU lawChristel Schaldemose
2. Council and Commission: 2027 EU budget priorities and constraintsPiotr Serafin
3. Packaging and packaging waste: impact on SMEs and single marketThomas Byrne

Watch the moment Share

State of the Union: external action, security and political responses

Ursula von der Leyen and 89 others

Von der Leyen sets out external, security, enlargement and migration priorities, followed by political group leaders who contest her agenda on climate, sanctions, social protections, budget size and the balance between green transition and competitiveness.

In this chapter

1. Von der Leyen: external action, security, Ukraine and enlargementUrsula von der Leyen
2. Political groups’ leaders: reactions to State of the UnionManfred Weber

Watch the moment Share

State of the Union: opening and domestic priorities

Roberta Metsola and 1 other

The sitting is opened and the Commission President delivers her State of the Union address on economic competitiveness, the single market, climate and social policy, AI and digital regulation, and the defence of democracy and children online.

In this chapter

1. Opening of plenary and introduction to State of the UnionRoberta Metsola
2. Von der Leyen: state of the Union and economic agendaUrsula von der Leyen
3. Von der Leyen: climate, resilience and social pillarUrsula von der Leyen
4. Von der Leyen: AI, democracy and children’s online protectionUrsula von der Leyen

Watch the moment Share

Migration pressure at EU borders and Russian hybrid threats

Magnus Brunner and 131 others

Members assess the Ceuta mass crossing, EU border management, solidarity and returns in EU–Morocco relations, then turn to Russia’s hybrid attacks, discussing attribution, sanctions, closure of Russian-linked facilities and reinforced NATO–EU cooperation on security and infrastructure protection.

In this chapter

1. Ceuta mass crossing, EU border management and migrationMagnus Brunner
2. Russia’s hybrid attacks and EU security responseKaja Kallas

Watch the moment Share

Opening of sitting, climate emergencies and Democracy Shield

Sabine Verheyen and 96 others

The sitting opens with institutional formalities and a focused debate on EU responses to 2026 heatwaves, wildfires and droughts, followed by a structured exchange on the European Democracy Shield, foreign interference tools and safeguards, and a voting block on linked climate, democracy and budgetary instruments.

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting and 2026 heatwaves debateSabine Verheyen
2. European Democracy Shield and foreign interferenceTomas Tobé
3. Voting session: climate instruments and Democracy ShieldMichał Wawrykiewicz

Watch the moment Share

28th tax regime / EU Inc: single market, tax sovereignty and safeguards

Ľudovít Ódor and 44 others

Rapporteur Ódor and Commissioner Šuica introduce the optional 28th regime based on EU Inc to reduce single‑market fragmentation, followed by political groups clashing over deeper tax integration, and closing exchanges on strict optionality, anti‑avoidance safeguards and the balance between competitiveness and fiscal sovereignty.

In this chapter

1. 28th tax regime / EU Inc: competitiveness, tax and single market fragmentationĽudovít Ódor
2. Political groups: support and resistance to deeper tax integrationLuděk Niedermayer
3. Further debate, Commission and rapporteur: safeguards and optionality of 28th regimeChristel Schaldemose

Watch the moment Share

Common Fisheries Policy: evaluation, fleet impacts and reform options

Costas Kadis and 51 others

Commissioner Kadis presents the CFP evaluation and MEPs debate fleet decline, socio‑economic impacts, landing obligation reform, modernization and decarbonisation, small‑scale fisheries, imports and ecosystem pressures, before the Commissioner signals openness to a targeted legislative amendment and a 2040 fisheries vision.

In this chapter

1. Resumption: launch of Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) evaluation debateCostas Kadis
2. CFP: southern and outermost regions on fleet decline and budget cutsCarmen Crespo Díaz
3. CFP: demands for simplification, landing obligation reform and modernizationTon Diepeveen

Watch the moment Share

Humanitarian communication: oral question and plenary debate

Leire Pajín and 22 others

From the opening oral question to the final Commission reply, Parliament and Commissioner Lahbib examine the new EU humanitarian communication, funding gaps, principles of impartial aid, crisis hotspots, conditionality and misuse risks, ending with an announced resolution and same‑day vote.

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting: agenda and humanitarian oral question
2. Development Committee: rationale and questions on humanitarian communicationLeire Pajín
3. Commissioner Lahbib: presentation of joint humanitarian communicationHadja Lahbib

Watch the moment Share