European Union

Turkey has always been a pivotal place, the stage for historic contests and mythical clashes. Modern Turkey remains a theatre for world-shaping drama. At least that was the plan...

Written by Stéphanie Pradier.

The Congress is the legislative branch of the United States (US) system of government. It is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives (the lower chamber) and the Senate (the upper chamber). The formal powers of Congress are set out in Article I of the US Constitution, and include making laws, collecting revenue, borrowing and spending money, declaring war, making treaties with foreign nations, and overseeing the executive branch. Elections to the US Congress occur every second November, with the Congress convening the following January. Additionally, every four years, these elections coincide with the presidential election. The current, 119th Congress was elected in November 2024, and convened in January 2025. The US has a long-standing two-party system, which means that nearly all members of Congress belong to either the Republican or Democratic parties. Independent members, if any, generally align or caucus with one of the two main parties. In the most recent US Presidential and Congressional elections, held in November 2024, the Republican party won the White House. They also retained control of the House with a five-seat margin – the smallest in modern history – and won back the Senate with a six-seat majority, taking account of two independents who caucus with the Democrats. This gave the Republicans a governing trifecta, with control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. This EPRS briefing provides key facts and figures about the US Congress as an institution, including relevant comparisons with the European Parliament (EP).

Read the complete briefing on ‘United States Congress: Facts and Figures‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

The Slow Food movement aims to make its Brussels event a “recurring and strategic gathering.”

Bulgaria earns more than $300 million annually from transiting Russian gas to Serbia and Hungary.

At the centre of the spat: Beijing’s plan to impose a 34% tariff on French spirits starting in July as a counterpunch against planned EU levies on Chinese electric vehicles.

Instead of calming a divided nation, he’s leaned into 'a politics of revenge' – keeping Slovakia locked in a cycle of fear and blame.

At a gathering in Turkey, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said there's support to dramatically increase military spending across the alliance.

Poland hopes to launch trilogue negotiations on the pharmaceutical package by the beginning of June, but a minority of member states continues blocking consensus.

Rules to limit financial risk are dragging on the bloc's digital economy.

Whether it's Champagne or Turrón de Jijona, tourists are eating it up.

The International Trade Committee has approved a 50% increase in tariffs on certain Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods to further reduce EU dependency.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The International Trade Committee has approved a 50% increase in tariffs on certain Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods to further reduce EU dependency.
Committee on International Trade

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

“If the UK-US deal is what Europe gets, then the US can expect countermeasures from our side,” Sweden's trade minister warned.

The Commission has said that TikTok failed to publish an advertising repository which is mandatory under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

Progressive leaders across Europe urge action to tackle the housing crisis. Led by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, the plan includes eleven proposals to ensure affordable, decent homes and tackle speculation, inequality and homelessness.

Troubles in the key US and Chinese markets put German carmakers’ adaptability to the test. But Tesla's struggles amid rising EV sales could give them a badly needed new opportunity.

RRC Sports
Competition
Advocate General Emiliou: Sports governing bodies are limited in their self-regulation if there is a significant impact on matters governed by EU law

NATO’s Mark Rutte said the agenda “is still under discussion”, but sources in the alliance say keeping the US leader smiling and avoiding another clash with Zelenskyy are taking priority.

Written by David de Groot.

The prohibition of discrimination and the protection of human rights are important elements of the EU legal order. Nevertheless, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people persists throughout the EU and takes various forms, including verbal abuse and physical violence.

Sexual orientation is now recognised in EU law as grounds of discrimination. However, the scope of the provisions dealing with this issue is limited and does not cover social protection, health care, education or access to goods and services, leaving LGBTI people particularly vulnerable in these areas.

Moreover, EU competence does not extend to recognition of marital or family status. In this area, national regulations vary, with some Member States offering same-sex couples the right to marry, some allowing alternative forms of registration, and others not providing any legal status for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples may or may not have the right to adopt children and to access assisted reproduction. These divergent legal statuses have implications, for instance, for partners from two Member States with different standards who want to formalise/legalise their relationship, and for same-sex couples and their families wishing to move to another Member State.

Combating discrimination has become part of EU internal and external policies, and is the subject of numerous resolutions of the European Parliament. However, action in this area remains problematic when it touches on issues pertaining to areas traditionally the preserve of Member States, such as marital status and family law.

This is a further updated version of a briefing first published in 2010, the previous edition of which was published in June 2024.

Read the complete briefing on ‘The rights of LGBTI people in the European Union‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about EU scrutiny on Italy’s rule of law amid a ministerial no-show, the Warsaw-Bucharest axis sparking backlash days before the vote, and so much more.