News

The CULT Committee in cooperation with the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, organised an ICM entitled: “Erasmus+,ESC and Creative Europe in the current and next MFF - lessons learned and the way forward”, at the EP in Brussels on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, from 12:30 to 18:00.

The meeting brought together Members of the European Parliament, members of national parliaments, and the representatives of the European Commission and the Council.

The aim of this ICM was to share experiences and lessons learned at national and European level on the implementation of the current EU programmes under CULT committee remit (Erasmus +, European Solidarity Corps and Creative Europe) and offer opportunities to discuss the future programmes for 2028-2034 (Erasmus + and AgoraEU), which had their draft report presentations on the same day at the CULT committee meeting in the morning.

The ICM started with the presentation of the Multiannual Financial Framework, followed by two sessions, the first one devoted to the presentation of, and an exchange of views on the current Creative Europe programme and the upcoming AgoraEU programme, and the second one focusing on the current Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes and the upcoming Erasmus+.

The active involvement of national parliaments was central to the discussions, with a view to gathering national parliamentary perspectives on these popular and highly valued programmes.

The CONT Committee, in cooperation with the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, organises the ICM: “Recovery and Resilience Facility oversight and the future outlook concerning the next Multiannual Financial Framework”, at the EP on 24 June 2026, from 15:00 to 18:00.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), established in 2021 under NextGenerationEU, alongside the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), has been a key instrument in addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring economic growth in Europe.
As the RRF approaches its conclusion and negotiations on the future MFF advance, the CONT Committee members and the national members of parliaments will exchange views on experiences concerning the monitoring of the RRF, identify common challenges, share best practices, and discuss how lessons learned can inform stronger accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in the future EU long-term budget.
The meeting will be divided in two sessions that will feature opening remarks by members of national parliaments, MEPs from the CONT Committee and experts from the European Court of Auditors and OLAF/EPPO, followed by debates.
This event represent an opportunity for the EP and national parliaments to learn from each other, to raise awareness of common challenges and to share ideas and best practices.

The Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) held the ICM on “The role of the EU and its Member States in supporting global accountability mechanisms, including universal jurisdiction, international courts and special tribunals”, on 6 May 2026 at the EP in Brussels.

The meeting brought together Members of the European Parliament, national parliamentarians, international experts and civil society representatives to discuss support for international justice and accountability mechanisms.

Discussions focused on challenges facing the International Criminal Court (ICC), including sanctions targeting ICC officials and organisations cooperating with the Court, as well as possible European responses. Participants also exchanged views on universal jurisdiction and ongoing efforts to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The debate also addressed universal jurisdiction as a key tool to combat impunity for international crimes and examined ongoing efforts to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Participants emphasised that accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression remains essential to protecting victims, defending democratic values and ensuring a sustainable and rules-based international order.

The exchange provided an opportunity to share experiences, explore avenues for strengthened cooperation between national and EU levels, and reflect on concrete ways forward to reinforce international justice and accountability mechanisms.

The EMPL Committee in cooperation with the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, held the ICM "How can we improve living and working conditions in the EU? The role of minimum wage protection and collective bargaining" on 6 May 2026 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

The event comprised two sessions, bringing together representatives from the European Parliament, national parliaments, European Commission and the Cyprus Presidency of the Council, the ILO and social partners.

Members of the EMPL Committee and national parliaments discussed good practices and challenges in the transposition and implementation of the Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages. Moreover, they had the opportunity to explore the reasoning and impact of the judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU in Case C-19/23 (Denmark v Parliament and Council).

The European Parliament hosted its first Artificial Intelligence Days with national parliaments (AI Days), highlighting the need for close coordination between the European Parliament and national parliaments on AI governance.

The two-day event brought together legislators and staff of national parliaments to discuss the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence. It underscrored the growing importance of strengthened cooperation between the European Parliament and national parliaments in shaping effective AI governance. The initiative was organised with the support of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, the Strategy and Communication Unit, and the Innovation and Partnerships Unit of DG PART.

The programme opened with a staff seminar on digital and AI policies, where participants exchanged best practices and common challenges related to legislation, implementation, and scrutiny, and engaged with the European Commission on its Digital Omnibus on AI Regulation Proposal.

The Interparliamentary Committee Meeting of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), chaired by MEP Sven Simon and opened by President Roberta Metsola, focused on "The Institutional Aspects of Artificial Intelligence in the Context of European Integration". Discussions covered the AFCO own-initiative draft report, interparliamentary cooperation, and the impact of AI on democratic processes, including elections.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Interparliamentary Committee Meeting, chaired by MEP Li Andersson, addressed "Human Work in the Digital Age - artificial intelligence, new forms of working, and work-related stress", examining how AI and digitalisation are transforming the world of work. Discussions focused on adapting EU labour rules and tackling psychosocial risks linked to the digital workplace.

Both meetings saw strong participation from national parliaments.

The joint IMCO-LIBE Working Group meeting, led by MEPs Brando Benifei (S&D, IT) and Michael McNamara (RENEW, IE), focused on the implementation of the AI Act. Discussions covered national regulatory sandboxes and real-world testing, highlighting their role in fostering innovation as well as challenges related to effective enforcement.

By bringing together multiple policy areas under a single framework, the AI Days facilitated knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue. The two-day format also proved cost-efficient for national parliaments, further supporting participation. This efficient use of resources and the promotion of interdisciplinary dialogue underscored the success of this event in advancing parliamentary cooperation on AI.

The Overall, the AI Days provided a valuable platform for dialogue between the European Parliament and national parliaments, helping to align approaches, share best practices, and strengthen cooperation. Members of parliaments also had the opportunity to discuss how to safeguard democratic institutions. In a context where emerging technologies can also be used to undermine democracy, a coordinated European response remains essential.

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), in cooperation with the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, will organise an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) entitled: “The Institutional Aspects of Artificial Intelligence in the Context of European Integration.”

The meeting will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, from 15:30 to 18:30. It will bring together Members of the European Parliament, members of national parliaments, representatives of the European Commission, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) in cooperation with the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments will hold an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) entitled:"Human Work in the Digital Age - artificial intelligence, new forms of working, and work-related stress".

The meeting will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 15 April 2026 (09:00-12:45), bringing together Members of the European Parliament, Members of national parliaments, the European Commission, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and social partners.

The EP’s Joint IMCO-LIBE Working Group on the the AI Act (AIAWG), in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Parliamentary Democracy Partnerships, will hold a meeting with national parliaments entitled: "The AI Act: State of Implementation of National Sandboxes and Real-World Testing".

The meeting will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 15 April 2026 (13:00-14:30), bringing together Members of the European Parliament, Members of national parliaments, and representatives of relevant stakeholders to exchange on the implementation and enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence Act.

Co-organised by the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC), with the support of the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments (DG PART), and the European Commission (DG TAXUD).

The EU Tax Symposium has become an unmissable moment for decision makers and experts in taxation policy. In 2026 the fourth edition took place under the headline "The future of taxation: inequality and growth in the global economy".

This event brought together representatives of the European and national parliaments as well as high-level representatives of the Commission and the Council of the European Union, tax experts, academics and stakeholders.

We had the honour to welcome two Nobel Prize laureates in economics, Prof. Joseph Stiglitz (Nominated in 2001) and Prof. Philippe Aghion (nominated in 2025).

Besides the conversation with the two Nobel Prize winners presented by Mr Pasquale Tridico, Chair of FISC Subcommittee, the programme included additional high-level keynote speeches and four thematical panel discussions on the role of taxation in contributing to fairness and growth. A lively exchange of views with the audience took place in each panel.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality held an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on "Women’s rights and democracy: combating stereotypes, disinformation and violence in the digital age."

The event, organised with the support of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, aimed to foster dialogue and critical reflection on the challenges facing women's rights and democratic processes in today's digital landscape. The discussion focused on the impact of stereotypes, disinformation, and online violence, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise.