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Termination of the mandate of a Member of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾
The European Union counts representative democracy as one of its foundational tenets. In that regard, the mandate of a directly elected Member of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ plays a crucial role. A Member's mandate includes an immunity status, protecting Members' independence to exercise their mandate freely. This legal status can prevent legal action, measures or even criminal investigation against the Member suspected of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, this parliamentary immunity is not an individual entitlement ...
Mobile EU citizens' right to join political parties in the Member State of their residence
Article 22 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establishes the right of mobile EU citizens – i.e. those residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals – to stand as candidates in elections to the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ and municipal elections in the Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of that Member State. In two closely linked judgments, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that this included mobile EU citizens' right ...
Attività della Mediatrice europea: relazione annuale 2023
Le preoccupazioni etiche, la trasparenza e la rendicontabilità sono le principali questioni sollevate nella relazione 2023 della Mediatrice europea che fornisce anche una panoramica delle denunce e delle indagini trattate e di altri risultati. La commissione per le petizioni (PETI) ha discusso e approvato la relazione della Mediatrice nella sua relazione. Il voto del Parlamento sulla relazione della commissione PETI è previsto per la tornata di dicembre 2024.
Elezione del Mediatore europeo
A dicembre, dopo un'audizione pubblica dei candidati in seno alla commissione per le petizioni (PETI), il Parlamento europeo eleggerà il Mediatore europeo per la nuova legislatura. I candidati sono sei: Teresa Anjinho (Portogallo), ex vice difensora civica portoghese; Emilio De Capitani (Italia), ex funzionario del Parlamento europeo; Marino Fardelli (Italia), difensore civico della regione Lazio; Julia Laffranque (Estonia), ex giudice presso la Corte europea dei diritti dell'uomo; Claudia Mahler ...
Vote of investiture for the Commission
During the November III plenary session, the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ is expected to vote on the second von der Leyen Commission as a whole. This vote should be the penultimate step in the investiture process that began after the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ elections. If the Commission obtains ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s consent – by a majority of the votes cast – the European Council will then appoint its members by qualified majority, allowing the new Commission to take up its duties for the expected starting date of 1 December ...
Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: A decisive step in the investiture process
The confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate before the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s committees play a vital role in informing ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ before it decides on the proposed composition of the College of Commissioners. Ahead of the autumn 2024 hearings, ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ has adapted the rules for the process, which will apply for the members of the second von der Leyen College. First, the Legal Affairs Committee scrutinises the declaration of interests of each Commissioner-designate. Second, each Commissioner-designate ...
Rules on political groups in the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾
Members of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ may form political groups; these are organised by political affiliation, not by nationality. Since the first direct elections in 1979, the number of political groups has fluctuated between seven and ten. Following the 2024 elections, the number, size and composition of political groups is likely to continue to fluctuate, with the possible dissolution of some political groups and the creation of new ones. A minimum of 23 Members, elected in at least one quarter ( ...
'Europeanising' the electoral ballot
This briefing discusses the issue of the 'Europeanisation' of the ballot papers in Member States ahead of the 2024 European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ elections. ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ has made two recent attempts at electoral reform seeking to 'Europeanise the European elections. The second of these – still to be agreed with the Council – seeks to align electoral rules across the EU Member States. With the 2024 European elections imminent, it is useful to take a closer look at the rules as they currently stand ...
Towards new rules on transparency and targeting of political advertising
Political advertising is central to informing and influencing how people vote, and may affect citizens' perceptions of the legitimacy of their political system, mainly when published in the run-up to elections. Therefore, rules governing political advertising are vital to guaranteeing citizens' fundamental rights and the integrity of democratic processes. However, traditional campaigning regulations can be ineffective or difficult to enforce online, where new techniques are utilised to target potential ...
Unitary supplementary protection certificate for plant protection products
The supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is a specific intellectual property right that extends the basic patent's market exclusivity for plant protection products. The unitary patent became operational in the EU on 1 June 2023, unifying patent protection in all participating Member States. Despite this significant change, SPCs, which are inseparable from patent protection, remain regulated at national level. This fragmented regulatory approach has proven ineffective, leading to excessive administrative ...