Dokumente - Think Tank - Europäisches Parlament

Briefing - Surrogacy: The legal situation in the EU - 27-02-2025

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 13:31:10 GMT

This analysis sets out the legal situation in the EU regarding surrogacy. A distinction can be drawn between traditional and gestational surrogacy, depending on the genetic connection of the surrogate to the child. A further distinction is made between altruistic and commercial surrogacy, depending on whether the surrogate receives remuneration. Among the Member States, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal have introduced legislation permitting altruistic surrogacy, but for some of these the legislation has not yet entered into force or further regulations are still missing. The approaches taken by these Member States as to the conditions applying to the surrogate and the intended parents can be quite different. Many other Member States have banned surrogacy. Some of these bans explicitly prohibit the procedure, whereas others have regulated assisted reproduction in such a way that surrogacy is implicitly prohibited. Since 2014, the European Court of Human Rights has issued many judgments concerning surrogacy, especially concerning parenthood established abroad. This case law requires that, if the parenthood resulting from surrogacy established abroad is not recognised, the state has to provide for a means to regularise the 'limping' legal relationship. In 2022, the European Commission made a proposal for regulation on private international law rules relating to parenthood, which would also apply to surrogacy established in a Member State. Discussions in the Council are still ongoing as to how this issue should be dealt with. The 2024 directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims explicitly identified, for the first time, the exploitation of surrogacy as a form of human trafficking.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Auf einen Blick - What if orbital debris destroyed satellites? - 21-02-2025

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Space technologies are playing an increasingly critical role in communications, defence and research. As more satellites are launched, there is a growing risk of collision, and of satellites becoming military targets. Satellite-debris collisions have the potential to destroy not just one or two but many satellites, preventing the use of those orbits for years. Although de-orbiting satellites at a faster pace may be a solution, orbital debris falling back to Earth can cause environmental harm. Europe needs to better understand the risks and take regulatory and diplomatic steps to ensure continued access to space while protecting domestic and global interests.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Studie - Wissenschaftliche Studie für den AGRI-Ausschuss − Die nächste Reform der GAP: Die Variablen der Gleichung - 23-01-2025

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Recht auf sauberes Trinkwasser in der EU - 11-12-2024

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:01:56 GMT

Die Bereitstellung von sauberem Trinkwasser, einer lebenswichtigen Ressource und einem öffentlichen Gut, wird als Angelegenheit der öffentlichen Gesundheit aufgefasst. Viele Europäerinnen und Europäer haben bereits Zugang zu sauberem und sicherem Trinkwasser, das erschwinglich ist. Neue Probleme wie Wasserknappheit, Dürren und chemische Stoffe oder Mikroplastik im Wasser führen jedoch dazu, dass gesellschaftliche und umweltbezogene Bedenken immer deutlicher heraustreten. Die Kommission wird voraussichtlich auf der Plenartagung des Parlaments im Dezember 2024 eine Erklärung zum Recht auf sauberes Trinkwasser in der EU abgeben.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Cyberviolence against women in the EU - 04-12-2024

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 09:45:49 GMT

The rise of digital technologies represents a double-edged sword for women's rights. On the one hand, the digital environment has enabled women to build networks and spread awareness about the abuse they suffer, such as through the #Metoo movement. On the other, it has provided abusers and misogynists with new tools with which they can spread their harmful content on an unprecedented scale. With the development of artificial intelligence, these trends, both positive and negative, are expected to continue. Against this backdrop, it has become clear that digital violence is as harmful as offline violence and needs to be tackled with the full force of the law, as well as through other non-legislative measures. Moreover, the digital content causing the harm – images, messages, etc. – needs to be erased. This is particularly important, as the impact on victims is profound and long-lasting. The European Union has adopted several pieces of legislation that aim to make a difference in this respect. The directive on combating violence against women, to be implemented at the latest by June 2027, sets minimum EU standards for criminalising several serious forms of cyberviolence and enhances the protection of and access to justice for victims. EU legislation on the protection of privacy is also having an impact on cyberviolence. For example, the new Digital Services Act imposes an obligation on big digital platforms in the EU to remove harmful content from their websites. This is instrumental in removing intimate or manipulated images that are disseminated on the internet without the person's consent; almost all such images portray women, according to existing data. Member States use a multiplicity of legal approaches to tackle this issue, combining criminalisation of specific cyber offences with the use of general criminal law. In some Member States, an explicit gender dimension is also included.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - EU space policy: State of play - 06-11-2024

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 23:00:00 GMT

On 9 July 2024, the successful maiden flight of the new heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 reinstated the EU's autonomous access to space. This came after several months of reliance on private United States launchers as a result of the temporary unavailability of an EU rocket. In recent years, the space sector has witnessed the conjunction of three trends. First, the space economy has grown globally, also because of competitive private actors. Second, as a consequence, space is now increasingly congested, with ever more space objects floating in orbit. Third, space has become a contested domain. With 80 countries having at least one satellite registered, space operations can now be instrumentalised: for instance, in 2021, Russia conducted an illegal anti satellite strike. In her political guidelines for 2024-2029, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, refers to space as an enabler of EU competitiveness, to be supported through investment. The guidelines mention space as a key domain for EU open strategic autonomy, to be enhanced through further cooperation by an EU–NATO partnership. Furthermore, Mario Draghi's September 2024 report on the future of European competitiveness stresses that, despite owning world-class space infrastructure and services, the EU is under-investing in space compared with its global competitors, and is lacking a unified legal framework on space. Ursula von der Leyen's mission letter to Andrius Kubilius, nominated on 17 September 2024 as Commissioner-designate for Defence and Space, names a set of initiatives to unleash a space contribution to EU competitiveness. It includes, in particular, the task of preparing a proposal for an EU space law to ensure a common EU playing field in space while ensuring security, safety, and sustainability. The letter also sets the task of fostering a strong and innovative space sector with a view to achieving several objectives, including maintaining the EU's autonomous access to space, curating EU spatial infrastructure, and enhancing the use of space data and services.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Asia's skyrocketing space race: A competition for peace? - 16-10-2024

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Over the past 20 years, new Asian players have emerged in the competition for space. Until the end of the 20th century, Japan – the only Asian country admitted to the International Space Station – played a leading role in the region. However, the beginning of the 21st century has seen the rise of other countries' space capabilities, fuelling a new space race. China has made sizeable progress, outpacing Russia as the main competitor to the United States. Beijing aims to be the world's leading space power by the mid-2040s and has integrated its space activities in the army structure. China is planning to build a permanent research station on the lunar south pole and a solar power station in space. China and Russia are increasingly teaming up in space projects. India has showed the capability to perform low-cost missions, including the successful landing on the Moon in August 2023, making it the fourth country to achieve this. South Korea has a relatively recent space history, but aims to rank among the world's top five space powers by 2045. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have revealed ambitious space policies; the UAE aims to establish the first inhabitable human settlement on Mars by 2117. Meanwhile, despite the narrative of a shared vision for humanity in space, China is accumulating major counter-space capabilities, including that of seizing control of a satellite, rendering it ineffective. The Chinese army has meanwhile designated outer space as a warfighting domain. There is also concern around the claimed pacific purpose of Iran's space programme, potentially supporting its intercontinental ballistic missile capacities. North Korea is also developing a space programme. The European Union (EU) economy, society and security are increasingly reliant on space services. The April 2021 Space Regulation established the EU space programme and the EU Agency for the Space Programme. The EU's space strategy for security and defence was adopted in March 2023.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Olivér Várhelyi – Health and Animal Welfare - 15-10-2024

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Olivér Várhelyi, the Commissioner-designate for Health and Animal Welfare, has worked on EU related issues throughout his professional career. He has been serving as Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement since 2019. From 2015 to 2019 he held the dual roles of Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Hungary to the EU, having served as Deputy Permanent Representative of Hungary from 2011 to 2015. From 2008 to 2011, Várhelyi headed the Commission's Unit for Industrial Property Rights in the Directorate General for Internal Market and Services. Várhelyi was part of the team that negotiated Hungary's accession to the EU: initially, as Head of the Legal Unit at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Head of the Cabinet of the Deputy Head of the State Secretary for Integration of Hungary (1998-2001), and later in Brussels as Legal Counsellor at the Mission of Hungary to the EU (2001-2003). In 2003, he assumed the post of Head of the Legal Service at the Permanent Representation of Hungary to the EU. In 2006, Várhelyi returned to Budapest to become Head of the EU Law Department in the Ministry of Justice. Born in 1972, Várhelyi earned a master's degree in European legal studies from Aalborg University and he holds a law degree from the University of Szeged's Faculty of Law and Political Sciences.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application - 10-09-2024

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:00:00 GMT

On 13 June 2024, as part of efforts to build a strong European health union, the EU adopted a regulation that updates and expands EU legislation on blood, tissues and cells. The new rules establish high standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin (SoHOs) intended for human application, improve the protection of donors, recipients, and offspring born from medically assisted reproduction, reinforce the principle of voluntary and unpaid donation in the EU, and strengthen the national collection systems to lower the risks of shortages. The European Commission tabled its proposal in July 2022. On 14 December 2023, �Ϸ��վ and Council reached a provisional agreement on the proposal, which was approved in plenary on 24 April 2024 and by the Council on 27 May 2024. The final text was signed on 13 June 2024, and published in the Official Journal of the EU on 17 July 2024. The regulation will come into force 3 years after its publication in the Official Journal. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Studie - The protection of mental privacy in the area of neuroscience - Societal, legal and ethical challenges - 24-07-2024

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:45:56 GMT

Advances in (neuro)technological development have led to an increase in the use and accessibility of neurotechnologies (NT), allowing brain activity to be recorded, analysed and manipulated by neurotechnological devices. While they were originally used only for clinical purposes, they are becoming more and more attractive for healthy populations willing to enhance their cognitive or physical abilities. Consumer-grade devices can be acquired and used by lay persons without supervision in work, education and entertainment environments. This state of affairs raises a multitude of open questions and the possibility of threats to data security and privacy, as well as neuropsychological, ethical and societal implications. As a result, the Neurorights Foundation (NRF) was formed in 2017 to investigate and discuss these questions and make them visible to the public. This study addresses the NRF's claims and suggestions and evaluates the need for their proposed 'neurorights'. Disciplinary evaluations of the issues at stake are followed by recommendations and policy options.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - What if focusing on the system, not just the symptoms, were key to health? - 19-06-2024

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Exposure to 'forever chemicals', air pollution, stress and many other factors depends on where a person lives and their lifestyle choices. These exposures combine over the course of a lifetime, affecting human biology and health. The 'exposome' concept offers a framework for understanding and analysing this complex reality, and ultimately for informing the shaping of evidence-based policy on chemicals, food and the workplace, as well as on pollution, public health and the environment more generally.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Cyberbullying among young people: Laws and policies in selected Member States - 13-06-2024

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon and a significant issue for young people across Europe and indeed the world. Unlike 'real-world' bullying which ends when the victim's situation changes, such as when school ends, cyberbullying can continue for its victims at any time. Cyberbullying can reach victims through social media, text messages, false information or images spread through various methods, and can be relentless. The ubiquity of electronic devices means children and young people are more digitally connected than ever before. The scope for children to become victims of online aggression and indeed to engage in bullying behaviour is wide. In addition, an even more worrying aspect is the exposure of children and young people to harmful material or their coercion into providing sexual images of themselves. The increase in young people's connectivity corresponds with the rise in volume of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the growth in the number of cases of minors approached online in what is known as 'sextortion'. Victims often feel powerless, worthless and isolated and seldom report the abuse to parents or teachers. In some cases, it can lead the victim to substance abuse, self-harm and even suicide. Legislators are trying to keep pace with the ever-changing environment. While policies at European Union (EU) and international level are aimed at preventing cyberbullying, there have been calls for stronger EU action to prevent this form of online abuse. There are EU initiatives that address elements of the issue, but there is currently no EU-wide anti-online bullying law.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Recast Eurodac Regulation - 06-06-2024

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the European Union (EU). Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision of the regulation broadened its scope to provide law enforcement authorities with access to the Eurodac database. As part of the reform of the common European asylum system in 2016, the European Commission proposed a recast of the Eurodac Regulation. The co-legislators reached a partial agreement on the proposal in 2018. As part of the broader migration and asylum pact, the new Commission presented an amended proposal on 23 September 2020. Following trilogue negotiations, a political agreement on the Eurodac was reached on 20 December 2023. �Ϸ��վ adopted the regulation at its plenary session on 10 April 2024 and the Council adopted the act on 14 May 2024. The final act was published in the Official Journal on 22 May 2024. It will apply from 12 June 2026, with the exception of Article 26, which will apply from 12 June 2029. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Screening of third-country nationals at the EU's external borders - 04-06-2024

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:00:00 GMT

In September 2020, the Commission put forward a new pact on migration and asylum, setting out a comprehensive approach to European Union (EU) migration policies that links external borders, asylum, return systems, the Schengen area of free movement and the external dimension of migration. The pact includes a proposal for a new regulation on the screening of third-country nationals at external borders aiming to clarify and streamline the rules on dealing with third-country nationals who are not authorised to enter or stay in the EU. The proposal would introduce a pre-entry screening procedure allowing national authorities at external borders to channel irregular third-country nationals to the appropriate procedure, i.e. asylum or return procedures. The screening would start with preliminary health and vulnerability checks and finish with the transmission of a debriefing form to the appropriate authorities. The proposal would provide for the establishment, by each Member State, of an independent monitoring mechanism for fundamental rights. The �Ϸ��վ adopted the regulation in April 2024 and the Council in May. The new regulation enters into force on 11 June 2024 and will apply from 12 June 2026. Fourth edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity - 24-04-2024

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI), which is being integrated into our daily lives at an overwhelming pace, has the potential to shape our digital landscape. As it can influence everything – from personal data security to national defence strategies – the issue of cybersecurity is becoming increasingly critical.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Cybersolidaritätsgesetz - 16-04-2024

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:58:33 GMT

Im April 2023 schlug die Kommission eine Verordnung über Maßnahmen zur Stärkung der Solidarität und der Kapazitäten in der EU für die Erkennung, Vorsorge und Bewältigung von Cybersicherheitsbedrohungen und -vorfällen (Cybersolidaritätsgesetz) vor. Auf der April-II-Tagung wird das Parlament voraussichtlich über die in Verhandlungen mit dem Rat erzielte politische Einigung abstimmen.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Saatgut und anderes Pflanzenvermehrungsmaterial und forstliches Vermehrungsgut - 16-04-2024

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:56:32 GMT

Am 5. Juli 2023 schlug die Kommission Verordnungen über die Erzeugung und das Inverkehrbringen von Pflanzenvermehrungsmaterial (PVM) und forstlichem Vermehrungsgut (FVG) vor. Die Vorschläge zielen darauf ab, die Verfügbarkeit von hochwertigem PVM und FVG, die bessere Nachhaltigkeit neuer Sorten und die Erhaltung der genetischen Vielfalt sicherzustellen, die für die Anpassung der Landwirtschaft und der Wälder der EU an künftige Veränderungen des Klimas von entscheidender Bedeutung sein könnten. Der Ausschuss für Landwirtschaft und ländliche Entwicklung (AGRI) nahm seine Berichte am 19. März 2024 an. Das Parlament stimmt voraussichtlich während der April-II-Plenartagung über seinen Standpunkt in erster Lesung ab.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Quantum: What is it and where does the EU stand? - 10-04-2024

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:00:00 GMT

The emergence of quantum information science and technologies marks a pivotal moment in technological progress. As the strategic importance of quantum gains global recognition, efforts are intensifying to harness its potential while also addressing security and regulatory challenges. With China, the United States and the European Union investing heavily in quantum, the race for technological dominance is well under way.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Neufassung der Eurodac-Verordnung - 08-04-2024

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:02:26 GMT

Eurodac ist eine biometrische Datenbank, in der die Mitgliedstaaten die Fingerabdruckdaten von Asylbewerbern oder irregulären Migranten erfassen müssen, um zu ermitteln, wo sie in die EU eingereist sind und ob sie zuvor Asylanträge in anderen Teilen der EU gestellt haben. 2016 schlug die Kommission vor, die Eurodac-Verordnung zu überarbeiten, um die praktische Umsetzung des Dublin-Systems zu verbessern, Rückführungen zu erleichtern und die Datenbank zur Bekämpfung der irregulären Migration zu nutzen. Das Europäische Parlament soll auf seiner April-I-Plenartagung über seinen Standpunkt in erster Lesung zu der im Zuge der interinstitutionellen Verhandlungen erzielten Einigung abstimmen.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Bodenüberwachung und -resilienz - 08-04-2024

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:25:30 GMT

Böden sind äußerst vielfältig, beherbergen mehr als 25 % der gesamten biologischen Vielfalt und sind der zweitgrößte Kohlenstoffspeicher der Erde. Auf der ersten Plenartagung im April 2024 nimmt das Europäische Parlament voraussichtlich seinen Standpunkt in erster Lesung zu einem Vorschlag der Kommission zur Schaffung des ersten EU-weiten gemeinsamen Rahmens für Böden an.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Mit bestimmten neuen genomischen Techniken gewonnene Pflanzen - 31-01-2024

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:12:28 GMT

Im Februar wird das Europäische Parlament über den Bericht über einen Vorschlag zur Regulierung von mit bestimmten neuen genomischen Techniken gewonnenen Pflanzen abstimmen, den sein Ausschuss für Umweltfragen, öffentliche Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (ENVI) angenommen hat. Der Text in der angenommenen Fassung bildet den Standpunkt des Europäischen Parlaments für die Verhandlungen mit dem Rat, der seinen Standpunkt noch festlegen muss.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - United States approach to artificial intelligence - 17-01-2024

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 23:00:00 GMT

While efforts to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) both globally and in the United States intensify, the prospects for broad Congress-passed legislation remain doubtful. In October 2023, President Biden issued a wide-reaching executive order on safe, secure and trustworthy AI. It is a positive step, but implementation will be challenging.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Auf einen Blick - What if algorithms decided what we should eat by looking at our DNA? - 09-10-2023

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Algorithm-generated diets tailored to our individual needs could bring health benefits, but at the cost of having to share our most personal data, such as our DNA. The promises are many, but so are the open questions about interactions between genes, nutrients, environment and health, and the role of socioeconomic factors underlying food choices. Precision nutrition advice, services and products will need to be governed by a range of laws and policies, as they are at the intersection between food and medicine.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Dual-use and cyber-surveillance: EU policies and current practices - 01-10-2023

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 23:00:00 GMT

This briefing paper on dual-use and cyber-surveillance provides on overview of current EU export controls of dual-use items in general and cyber-surveillance items in particular, and what the approach is in countries such as the US, the UK and Japan. It explains the impact of the sanctions against Russia on the export of dual-use items and the use of cyber-surveillance in the conflict in the Ukraine. The Dual-use Regulation 2021/821 has broadened the scope of export controls and defines a new category of dual-use items, namely ’cyber-surveillance items’ which is incorporated in the list of dual-use items in Annex I of the Regulation. Further-more, the Regulation introduces a catch-all clause which makes the export of cyber-surveillance items not listed in Annex I subject to export authorisation when intended for use in connection with internal repression and/or the commission of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Regarding the sanctions against Russia, the EU had published 11 sanctions packages by mid-November 2023, including the prohibition of direct or indirect export to Russia of dual-use items listed in Annex I of the EU Dual-use Regulation. In addition, technologically advanced items as listed in Annex VII to the sanctions Regulation 833/2014 are also prohibited for export to Russia. The EU is cooperating with the US, the UK and other allies to align on the sanctions measures against Russia. There is less international alignment regarding export restrictions on semiconductor equipment and technology destined for China.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2023 - EP

Auf einen Blick - Strengere Vorschriften für die Abwasserbehandlung - 27-09-2023

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:13:56 GMT

Die Behandlung von kommunalem Abwasser zur Beseitigung schädlicher Bestandteile ist für den Schutz der menschlichen Gesundheit sowie der Flüsse, Seen und Meere maßgeblich. Auf der ersten Oktober-Plenartagung nimmt das Europäische Parlament voraussichtlich seinen Standpunkt zu einem Vorschlag der Kommission an, mit dem die vor mehr als 30 Jahren angenommenen Vorschriften verschärft und mit den Klimaneutralitäts-, Kreislaufwirtschafts- und Null-Schadstoff-Zielen der EU in Einklang gebracht werden sollen.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2023 - EP