Think Tank

Once dispersed in the environment, microplastic particles under 5 mm in size are extremely difficult to remove and very persistent. Today, they are present in the air, soil, freshwater, seas, oceans, plants and animals, and in several components of the human diet. Human exposure to microplastic particles is therefore widespread, raising concerns about potential health impacts. The EU has committed to addressing microplastic pollution in two action plans –on the new circular economy and on zero pollution ...

Teachers play an essential role in providing high-quality education and making education a rewarding experience for all learners. This makes teachers key to achieving a true European education area (EEA) that offers improved access to quality education and lifelong learning for all. However, the current shortage of teachers is a widespread issue across the European Union (EU). Not only is the teaching workforce ageing but the profession has become less attractive owing to factors such as challenging ...

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on the growing importance of digital health technologies, both to enable remote medical care and to facilitate the health response from international, national and local authorities. The European Commission's May 2022 proposal for a regulation on a European health data space aims to improve individuals' access to and control over their electronic personal data (primary use), while facilitating data re-use for the good of society across the EU (secondary use). The ...

The supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is a specific intellectual property right that extends the basic patent's market exclusivity for plant protection products. The unitary patent became operational in the EU on 1 June 2023, unifying patent protection in all participating Member States. Despite this significant change, SPCs, which are inseparable from patent protection, remain regulated at national level. This fragmented regulatory approach has proven ineffective, leading to excessive administrative ...

O Parlamento faz valer o seu papel institucional na elaboração das políticas europeias através do exercício das suas várias funções. A participação do Parlamento no processo legislativo, as suas competências orçamentais e de controlo, a sua participação na revisão dos Tratados e o seu direito de intervir nos processos submetidos ao Tribunal de Justiça da União Europeia permitem-lhe assegurar o respeito pelos princípios democráticos a nível europeu.