European Union

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), led by Chair David McAllister, traveled to Ottawa and Toronto from 16 to 18 September 2025. This was the AFET Committee's first official visit to Canada under the European Parliament's current mandate and after the 2025 Canadian federal elections.
During the trip, Members discussed how to further strengthen the EU's strategic partnership with Canada, reinforce the shared commitment to supporting Ukraine, and jointly address challenges such as the situation in the Middle East, China's growing global influence and geopolitical competition in the Arctic. Insights gathered from the visit will inform the Committee's ongoing work on the Recommendation on enhanced EU-Canada cooperation in the light of the current geopolitical context.
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), led by Chair David McAllister, traveled to Bern, Switzerland from 11 to 12 September 2025. During the visit, Members discussed notably the new broad package of agreements that aim to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations between the EU and Switzerland.
Political agreement on this broad package has been reached in December 2024. In Bern, Members had the opportunity to exchange with representatives of the government and parliament on the upcoming ratification processes on both sides.
Location : Switzerland
Press release
Mission report : [EN]
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

MISSION REPORT following the mission to Switzerland from 11 to 12 September 2025
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The nominees for this year’s Prize will be presented by the political groups in a joint meeting of the Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and on Development (DEVE) and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) in Brussels on 23 September, 14:30-15:30. Each year, the Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In 2024, the Prize was awarded to María Corina Machado, leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia.The AFET and DEVE Committees will vote on a shortlist of three finalists on 16 October and the Conference of Presidents will take a decision on the final laureate on 22 October.
Sakharov Prize - Presentation of the nominees - Webstreaming link
Sakharov Prize website
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

During the press conference held at the end of the informal meeting of heads of state or government of 1 October 2025 in Copenhagen, President António Costa presented the main results of the discussions.

Before the start of the informal meeting of heads of state or government of 1 October 2025, European Council President António Costa addressed the press in Copenhagen.

European Council President António Costa met with the Mayors for Housing Alliance in Brussels, followed by a press conference. 

President Costa and President von der Leyen received letters of credence from the Ambassadors of Iceland and Israel.

Council approves conclusions on life science for the Union’s competitiveness.

Council approves conclusions on the importance of research and innovation for the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the parliamentary elections in Moldova held on 28 September 2025.

On 29 September 2025, European Council President António Costa was in Madrid at the New Economy Forum to give a speech after receiving the Forum Europa Prize from the King of Spain.

The Council prolonged sanctions regime by one year, in the light of the political and social situation in Nicaragua.

The Council has adopted a regulation that will improve the overall quality of population and housing statistics collected at EU level by establishing a common legal framework for data collection.

Carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM): Council and Parliament reach a provisional agreement on its simplification.

Today the Council adopted the soil monitoring law to track soil health, manage contaminated sites and mitigate land take, aiming for healthy soils by 2050.

The Council reimposed all the restrictive measures against Iran that had been lifted after the introduction of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in July 2015 in light of UN Security Council’s decision to not extend the lifting of sanctions on Iran following the snapback mechanism invoked by the E3.

Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the closure of the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing.