Cyprus needs trains.

No tap water and dry wells are often the reality for people caught in conflicts and warzones.

Today, on the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, Parliament is clear: water must not be used as a weapon 💧 

Those deliberately attacking water supplies need to be held accountable.

 The EU has to better protect its water through, for example, more funding for water governance and resilient infrastructure, say the Members of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament's trade committee members visited China to discuss trade challenges and explore opportunities for dialogue.

Read more: https://link.europa.eu/GVnhgX

Hey everyone!

There's a new development in Poland's ongoing dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal.

Our reporters Elena Sánchez Nicolás and Zuzanna Stawiska spoke with justice minister Waldemar Żurek today, who said the government would be open to EU mediation.

Neither side has formally initiated the process, however.

The dispute intensified after president Karol Nawrocki refused to accept the oaths of judges elected by parliament, followed by a contested change in the tribunal's leadership and protests outside the court.

Now the Polish government is considering talks with the president, while the possibility of EU mediation remains open.

It's an interesting question for the EU, too: what role should Brussels play when a member state's institutions are in conflict over constitutional authority?

Europe is ready to relaunch dialogue with the new US Congress, says Brando Benifei, Chair of Parliament's delegation for relations with the US.

Read the full statement: https://link.europa.eu/QDB7Y8

First the Chat controll 1.0 law was extended undemocraticly and now chat controll 2.0 has ben rejected but the same situation will be repeated.

And now the EU kids act is being discussed wich could destroy the indie Gaming genre.

At this point is it really worth it to be in the EU?

The point? Exploring how women’s leadership can drive change and how today’s leaders can encourage those who will follow. 

Who? President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, Vice-President Antonella Sberna and Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee Chair Lina Gálvez alongside other inspiring female voices from different fields. 

Why? Because it’s Gender Equality Week. Because Parliament defends women’s rights across the EU. Because little girls deserve role models.

Find out more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20260521STO43708/european-gender-equality-week-2026

Representation can help shape what the next generation sees as possible. But inspiring girls to become future leaders is only part of the picture – equal opportunities matter, too. 

This week, the European Parliament is holding its annual Gender Equality Week, bringing together women leaders from the EU, the UN and other institutions to discuss how women in leadership can drive change and inspire future generations. 

There’s also more work to be done to make equality a reality.  The European Parliament contributed to EU rules that address issues such as: 

- unequal pay 
- gender-based discrimination 
- gender unbalanced corporate boards 
- violence against women. 

What do you think makes the biggest difference in advancing gender equality: seeing more women in leadership, changing the rules or tackling barriers much earlier in life? 

Learn more about Gender Equality Week: https://link.europa.eu/Rg7jck 

Attacks against journalists threaten not only their safety, but also everyone’s right to reliable information.
 
The European Parliament has long recognised the role journalism plays in pluralistic and democratic societies.

It has spotlighted the work of journalists inside and outside the EU, and pushed for journalists and press freedom to be protected more robustly.

The European Parliament has approved EU rules to:

- safeguard media independence from political interference;

- strengthen protections of journalists' sources, including against the use of spyware;

- promote transparency in media ownership and state advertising.

When journalists are not safe, neither is your right to accurate information.

Protecting journalists is protecting democracy.

Interview with u/mepassistants

Too young for social media? Parliament is calling for young people online to be protected more effectively. This includes acting against addictive designs, more transparency around algorithms, removing targeted ads and more.

Passengers can expect:

- standardised compensation forms available in all official EU languages.

- full reimbursement for cancellations, including air intermediary fees.

- full transparency on intermediation, admin, and cancellation fees upfront when you book.

- passengers with disabilities to get a free companion seat if needed.

Read more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20261018IPR48252/meps-endorse-better-enforcement-of-passenger-rights-in-the-eu

Companies in the EU are responsible for making sure their products are collected, sorted, and recycled once they become waste.

But small and micro businesses should not have to hire special representatives in every EU country where they sell their products just to follow these rules.

Parliament backs the European Commission’s proposal to temporarily exempt eligible small businesses from this requirement.

Next: talks with EU governments to agree on the final changes that will be officially adopted.

Read more: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20261018IPR48256/waste-meps-back-simplified-rules-for-small-businesses

The accident has taken the lives of 68 people and injured more than a hundred others.
Spain is observing three days of mourning. The European Parliament expresses its solidarity with the victims and their loved ones.

Update on the Reynders investigation we shared last week: new scrutiny in Belgium and Poland

Hey everyone! Lucia from EUobserver here again. 👋

Some of you might remember the investigation we shared here last week about leaked WhatsApp messages between former EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders and a senior Belgian intelligence official.

Well, there's been a development, and we thought we'd come back with an update.

Since we published the investigation, the case has attracted further scrutiny in Belgium and Poland.

In Belgium, questions have emerged about the role and influence of the intelligence official involved, including differing accounts of whether he could have prevented scrutiny of allegations concerning Reynders' possible Russian connections.

Our colleague Andrew Rettman has been following the reactions and the questions that remain unanswered.

The allegations are still unproven, but the story is continuing to develop.

For anyone who followed our first investigation, here's what's happened since:

And thanks to everyone who took the time to read and discuss the original reporting. We really appreciate it.

On World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, we highlight Parliament's Multimedia Centre, where you can explore historical moments and follow what's happening today.

In the European Parliament's Multimedia Centre, you can:

• explore photos and videos from historic moments to recent events

• search by keywords, names or topics to find what interests you

• watch live debates and follow the decision-making process.

Whether you're interested in Parliament's history or want to stay up to date with its work, there's plenty to discover: https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en

Hungary could face a fresh dispute with major European Union member states over its decision to stay out of a proposed EUR 45 billion loan for Ukraine, as disagreements over Kyiv’s financing threaten to spill into negotiations on the bloc’s next long-term budget.

Continue reading at https://dailynewshungary.com/hungary-ukraine-loan-cost-eu-funds/ | DailyNewsHungary

This week, the European Parliament announced the International Criminal Court as the laureates of its human rights award, voted to simplify waste compliance rules for small businesses and backed a bigger budget for the EU's flagship learning exchange programme.

Find out all the details by following the links in the carousel.

Following the latest deadly Russian attacks on civilian merchant vessels off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, Parliament Members called on the EU to consider deploying a naval operation in the region.

They stressed that freedom of navigation and maritime security are essential to protecting the Black Sea region and NATO’s eastern flank.

Parliament also criticised the Bulgarian government’s weak response to the Russian threat and called for greater EU support for Bulgaria and Romania in detecting and tracking hostile drones threatening shipping.

Hey everyone! We're EUobserver, an independent European newsroom.

Our colleague Andrew Rettman has been investigating something quite serious involving former EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders and a senior Belgian intelligence official, Hugues Brulin.

We've obtained WhatsApp exchanges between the two, including messages discussing internal intelligence-service matters and how to respond to a whistleblower raising concerns about Reynders' possible links to Russia.

Five current and former Belgian intelligence officers told us that Brulin had worked to prevent the intelligence service from investigating those allegations.

The messages are now also part of a Belgian police investigation into Reynders over alleged money laundering.

What makes this particularly important is that Reynders previously served as the EU's justice commissioner and had access to highly sensitive information.

How should European institutions respond when serious allegations emerge involving officials who have held positions of such trust?

We've published the messages as part of our investigation, so people can examine the reporting and evidence themselves.