European Union

Die Anwältin, die sexuelle Verfehlungen im Bistum Basel untersucht, ist mit Bischof Felix Gmür gut bekannt. Ebenso ihr Mann. Alle drei sind im Schweizerischen Studentenverein aktiv.

Wolfsburg verliert in der Bundesliga das wichtige Duell gegen Hamburg noch nach Führung. Nach dem Spiel zoffen sich erst die Spieler auf dem Platz, dann liegen die Nerven bei den Fans blank. Sie zünden Pyros, Böller und Feuer.

Reisen, andere Länder, Menschen und Kulturen kennenlernen, das wünschen sich viele. Oft scheiterts am Geld. Die Zürcherin Stefanie Hermanni hat einen günstigen Weg gefunden, ihr Traumland Schweden nicht nur als Touristin zu entdecken.

Während Raketen über Dubai abgefangen werden, fallen Trümmerteile in die Stadt. Ein Anwohner stirbt im Stadtteil Al Barsha, als ein Fragment auf sein Auto stürzt. Zuvor hatten die Emirate den Iran öffentlich als «Feind» bezeichnet.

Ein USB-Stick streikt – und das Chaos ist perfekt: Die E-Voting-Stimmen des Kantons Basel-Stadt können am Sonntag wohl nicht gezählt werden.

Über den Tabakpräventionsfonds fliessen jährlich Millionen in Anti-Tabak-Projekte. Der Erfolg ist bescheiden, die Unzufriedenheit gross.

Le thème choisi par les Nations Unies pour la Journée internationale des femmes porte sur l'accès à la justice.

Der Formel-3-Auftakt in Australien endet im Chaos. Die Teamkollegen Sharp und Wharton räumen sich gegenseitig ab und sorgen für mächtig Stunk. Das Rennen wird abgebrochen und die Schuld Sharp zugewiesen. Der Neuseeländer fällt mit 10-Sekunden-Strafe auf Platz 16 zurück.

Stets im Infight mit dem Trainer, nie auf einer Linie mit dem Rest des Teams. Chris DiDomenico zog die Fans in seinen Bann, in Langnau war der Kanadier ein Dorfkönig.

Written by Sarah Sheil.

More than one year into the second von der Leyen Commission and six months after her first State of the Union address in this mandate, the Members’ Research Service of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) presents its twice-yearly monitoring of the Commission’s delivery. This paper analyses in which areas the Commission has focused its efforts, how much it has achieved against its commitments – primarily set out in the State of the Union address and the 2026 Commission work programme – and how its priorities are articulated.

In terms of announcements, initiatives tabled, and texts adopted, the Commission’s main focus has been on competitiveness. To meet the objectives of the Letta and Draghi reports – quoted as the foundations of this policy – much effort will still be needed, as was confirmed by Mario Draghi soon after the 2025 State of the Union address. This priority underpinned the European Council’s 12 February 2026 competitiveness retreat.

The ‘new era for European defence and security‘ comes next. The mainly non-legislative nature of the second Commission priority translates differently, with initiatives far fewer in number but of high political prominence. This policy area is at the forefront in the interinstitutional joint declaration on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2026.

Read the complete Study on ‘The policy priorities of the von der Leyen II Commission: State of play in March 2026‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

On 6 March 2026, European Council President António Costa was in Hamburg where he delivered a speech at the Matthiae Mahl event.

Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 9-15 March 2026.

President Costa will be in Baku on 11 March for a series of high-level meetings with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and senior government representatives.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Ein übermüdeter Vater in einem britischen Supermarkt erlebt einen Albtraum: Seine Karte wird an der Kasse abgelehnt, doch eine Kassiererin greift spontan ein und bezahlt den Einkauf voller Babysachen.

Lausanne feierte am Mittwoch den ersten Sieg seit neun Spielen. Nun wollen die Westschweizer mit etwas weniger Druck daran anknüpfen. Für Stürmer Diakité kommt das Spiel gegen GC gerade recht – hier kommt das Lausanne-Inside.

Die israelische Armee hat den unterirdischen Militärbunker des getöteten Staatsoberhaupts Ajatollah Ali Chamenei angegriffen. Der unterirdische Komplex befinde im Zentrum Teherans unter iranischen Regierungsgebäuden, teilte das israelische Militär mit.

Ein Jahr lang hat sie im Stillen an ihrem neuen Ich gearbeitet. Das sie exklusiv in der Kurzshow «Glamour & Gossip» enthüllt. Alles zu Linda Fähs (37) neuem Ich erzählt sie in Flavia Schlittlers Format.

Am Freitag wird ein Schulbub von einem Auto angefahren. Er war mit dem Velo auf dem Heimweg von der Schule. Die Sanität musste ausgeboten werden

Written by Clare Ferguson

The following debate will see Commission and Council statements on the situation in Iran following the US-Israel military operation, including the need to support the Iranian people. On Tuesday lunchtime, Parliament will celebrate International Women’s Day, with the focus this year on gender stereotypes, disinformation and violence, all of which weaken women’s participation in democracy. Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, is expected to address Parliament in a formal sitting on Wednesday.

The 2027 annual EU budget will be the last one under the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), and Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) is calling for a strong focus on delivery for people, the economy, the planet and providing investments for competitiveness. On Tuesday, Members are set to debate the committee’s report, which emphasises the EU budget’s role in strengthening the bloc’s cohesion in the face of a difficult geopolitical landscape. BUDG also calls to uphold a strong external policy and underlines the agreement between EU institutions that expenditure covering the financing costs of Next Generation EU must not reduce funding for EU programmes. The vote on the guidelines for the 2027 EU budget will set Parliament’s position for the forthcoming interinstitutional negotiations.

On Tuesday, Members are due to debate a Foreign Affairs (AFET) Committee report on the European Union’s enlargement strategy. To date, merit-based EU enlargement has had a largely positive effect, bringing peace and prosperity to countries joining the bloc. With nine candidate countries and one potential candidate awaiting EU membership, Parliament’s own-initiative report on EU enlargement strategy underlines its support for the process and for reform of the current procedure for admitting new members. The report also emphasises enlargement’s strategic potential to strengthen the wider region in the face of geopolitical uncertainty. Finally, the report underlines the need for a strong merit-based process where alignment with the EU’s core values is an unconditional principle of membership.

Under the Treaties, Parliament’s role is to scrutinise proposed EU legislation – and also international agreements – on behalf of European citizens. The revised framework agreement on relations between Parliament and the European Commission aims at strengthening Parliament’s prerogatives as regards the Commission’s duties to inform Parliament of its plans. On Monday, Members will discuss a report prepared by the Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) Committee. The report emphasises that the new framework agreement retains the institutional balance intended in the Treaties, while also creating a clearer and more accountable relationship between the institutions, working in EU citizens’ interests.

Ahead of the 2026 World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, taking place in Cameroon at the end of the month, Members are due to debate a resolution setting out Parliament’s position on the multilateral negotiations, on Wednesday afternoon. Here again, global instability and the retreat from global trade rules mean the need to reform the WTO is urgent, not least to replace the long-broken dispute settlement system, promote a global level playing field and make the rules more flexible. Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) has tabled a motion for a resolution underscoring Parliament’s support for the multilateral trading system and emphasising the need for greater flexibility. A delegation from the INTA committee is due to attend the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.

Closer to home, many citizens are personally concerned about the EU’s housing crisis. While housing policy remains a national competence, Parliament’s Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the EU (HOUS) has tabled a report recommending action to improve housing affordability. The committee proposes to help tackle the issue through EU rules on short-term rentals, aiming to strike a balance between promoting urban local communities and tourism income. The HOUS committee also proposes action to improve quality in the construction and energy-efficiency sectors and calls on EU governments to support people trying to get into the housing market through tax breaks. Members are due to debate the recommendations on solutions for affordable housing on Tuesday morning.

A shortage of qualified workers in various sectors continues to be an issue in many EU countries. While the EU has already provided a platform to match EU jobseekers with employers, the European Commission is proposing to introduce legislation to create an EU talent pool which would be open to non-EU citizens. Faced with international competition for talent, the proposal would allow EU countries to attract workers, while guarding against creating an alternative pathway to legal migration. Parliament is keen to ensure that the system is fair, protects against discrimination and is rolled out in all EU countries. On Tuesday, Members are set to vote on a text agreed in interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal to establish an EU talent pool.

When using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate text, images or code, many people are unaware of the legal implications of the AI tool’s use of copyrighted material as training data. This can mean that content creators, artists and other rights-holders are neither acknowledged nor paid for their input. On Tuesday, Members are therefore due to vote on an own-initiative report from the Legal Affairs Committee calling for clarification of the legal situation as regards copyright and generative AI.

The EU rules on package travel date back to 2015 and need to be updated to improve passenger protection. Members are therefore due to consider amendments to the Package Travel Directive, following an agreement reached between the co-legislators in December 2025. Parliament’s negotiators succeeded in improving the complaints procedure and consumer information provided on what is included in the ‘package’ they purchase. Parliament is scheduled to vote to conclude its first reading on the legislation to amend the Package Travel Directive on Wednesday.

Quick links to all our publications for this plenary session:

European Parliament Plenary Session March 2026 – agenda

• Parliament’s guidelines for the 2027 EU budget: Section III – European Commission
• Parliament’s own-initiative report on EU enlargement strategy
• New framework agreement on relations between Parliament and Commission
• Towards the 2026 WTO Ministerial Conference
• Addressing the housing crisis in the EU
• Proposal for a regulation establishing an EU talent pool
• Copyright and generative artificial intelligence – Opportunities and challenges
• Package travel: Improved protection for travellers