The Parliament

As the US and China accelerate AI-driven services, the EU risks falling behind without a unified regulatory approach that actively encourages innovation. In a recent op-ed, Kreab España Pablo Vera Antón addresses this challenge, calling for cohesive AI regulation to stay competitive. Prioritizing regulatory cooperation can unlock AI's potential in financial services, ensuring long-term growth and global competitiveness for the bloc. https://bit.ly/3Uc6HkF

Ukraine’s path to EU membership is marked by urgent reforms, legislative achievements and a steadfast commitment to European values — and all-out war against the country and its people. In this op-ed, Ukrainian MP Halyna Yanchenko highlights the progress of, and challenges to Ukrainian accession. https://bit.ly/3YH6k42

** The US Election Debate **     The US is just a week away from one of the most hotly contested elections in its history.     We’re diving into the key issues animating the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump -- including the implications for the EU -- with a debate moderated by The Parliament’s editor-in-chief Christopher Alessi, featuring Trip DuBard, chair of the Democrats Abroad Belgium, and Nicolas Conquer, spokesperson for the Republican Overseas France. #USElection #PMTalks

Lithuania’s Social Democrats secured 52 seats in the final round of parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the possibility of forming a 74-seat coalition if two smaller centre-left parties join them in government. The ebb and flow of political power is not uncommon in Lithuania. In an interview conducted after the first round of voting, earlier this month, Linas Kojala from the Eastern Europe Studies Centre explained why. https://bit.ly/48r1fA2

Israel's bombing of Hezbollah and incursion into southern Lebanon have already displaced over a million people. That raises the risk of a new wave of migration, which the EU is hardly open to. At its recent summit, the European Council emphasized its intent to clamp down on asylum seekers and other kinds of migration. In a Q&A, Lebanese migration researcher Eugene Sensenig says the EU's own history with sectarian conflict could illuminate Lebanon’s path forward. https://bit.ly/3NrNeZo

The Kremlin-aligned Georgian Dream party appears to have won nearly 54% of the vote in the country's parliamentary elections. It's a setback for the pro-EU opposition, and international election observers have cast doubt on the fairness of the process. The result also calls into question Georgia's future in the EU, which already put accession talks on ice earlier this year. https://bit.ly/3YGs1Be

The EU’s path to a green energy future is complicated by a critical dependency on critical minerals. Sourcing these materials is fraught with geopolitical, environmental and ethical challenges. Many mining areas are “not bringing positives to the community. They’re fueling the ongoing civil war." https://bit.ly/3NIWDMg

Bulgarians on Sunday went to the polls for the seventh time in just over three years – but, once again, political deadlock looms. Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s centre-right GERB party came out on top, with about 25% of the vote, but now faces the uphill battle of forming a coalition government. “My prediction is that once again it will not be possible to form a regular government and in March 2025 there will be new and regular early elections in Bulgaria,” Simeon Slavchev, a member of the Bulgarian Association of Legal Experts, said just ahead of the vote. Here's what's at stake for Bulgaria – and the EU. https://bit.ly/3YBkiUW

The Parliament has some fascinating policy events coming your way over the next few weeks... 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 13𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘉𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘴 Examining the tyre and rubber industries and their critical contribution to the EU economy. Speakers include MEP Andras Kulja MD. https://lnkd.in/ePNpwqbQ 𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀?  20𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘉𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘴 Discussing how Europe can further solidify its leadership in advancing circularity within the plastics industry. Speakers include MEP Biljana Borzan. https://lnkd.in/eTJj_9y9 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲’𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 4𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘉𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘴 How the cleaning products industry is preventing the spread of infection to safeguard public health and ensure that our way of life is sustainable. Speakers include MEP Maria Grapini. https://lnkd.in/eQuwQAcw Check out the full list of upcoming The Parliament events ⬇︎ https://lnkd.in/eGfjzNDU #Rubber #Tyres #Cleaning #Plastics #MEP #EuropeanParliament

Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, as envisaged in the country’s victory plan, face new challenges. Seven member countries, including Belgium, Slovenia and Spain, remain hesitant to offer an invitation. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico recently called Ukraine’s membership “a guarantee for a third world war” that he would never agree to. Zelenskyy has acknowledged that Ukraine’s accession may only be possible once the war with Russia ends. Explore the complexities behind NATO's enlargement process: https://bit.ly/3NEz9b3