During the EP session, lawmakers approved several pieces of legislation and resolutions with particular focus on consumer protection. Indicative in this respect is the adoption of the first EU-wide rules on collective redress for consumers.

On deterioration of media freedom within the EU voiced their concerns MEPs in a resolution adopted on Wednesday. Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened this deterioration, lawmakers also deplored the violence, harassment and pressure faced by journalists.

Courts across Europe can be able to exchange documents electronically and access to justice can become swifter and easier for EU citizens and businesses. This is possible through two recast regulations approved by the Parliament on Monday.

The European Parliament released on Friday the full results of its third survey this year asking European citizens their views on the Coronavirus crisis and their attitudes towards the European Union. Although 50% of Europeans feel ‘uncertainty’ again as their key emotional state as the economic impact of the pandemic takes its toll, more people now have a positive image of the EU than in the Spring.

The recent heinous terrorist attacks in Nice, near Paris, and in Vienna, have put the issue of security at the forefront of various forums and formats over the past two weeks. France and Austria last week launched a mini-summit focused on stepping up the fight against terrorism. MEPs also had such a debate during their plenary session. Interior ministers discussed this topic as well last Friday.

A high-level interparliamentary conference on migration and asylum, organised by the European Parliament and the German Bundestag, in cooperation with the Portuguese and Slovene parliaments, and the European Commission, brought together in Brussels and virtually on Thursday lawmakers from across Europe and migration experts to explore new ideas for a sustainable EU migration and asylum system.

On Wednesday, the Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on deploying additional EU funds to mitigate the immediate effects of the Covid-19 crisis under the REACT-EU instrument.

On Monday, Budgets Committee Members approved €823m in EU aid from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to be distributed to 8 Member States, EP press service reported. More than €132.7m to be made in advance payments to Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, and Portugal in response to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

European Parliament warned on Friday against “risk of abuse of power” and called on the Commission to step up its efforts by taking legal action where necessary. On Friday, Parliament adopted a resolution that takes stock of the state of European democratic values in the context of national measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, with 496 votes to 138 and 49 abstentions, EP press service reported.

After 10 weeks of hard grinding negotiations, Parliament’s budget negotiators and the Council came out of the impasse and on Tuesday reached a preliminary political agreement on the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027.