EUROPEAN COUNCIL,EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, update

Press material Tuesday, 15 September 2026

● European Council   15/09/2026 11:46 | Statements and remarks | Press statement by President Costa following the meeting with Chancellor of Austria, Christian Stocker   Guten Morgen Bundeskanzler, liebe Christian, thank you for welcoming me here in Vienna and for the productive exchange we had today.  These exchanges, in each leader’s own office are essential: they let me see our common challenges from your national perspective; and to better understand where you are coming from. Because this is how twenty-seven will arrive together, united, at our shared priorities. Our unity matters now more than ever, as we face a stark new geopolitical reality. It requires us to accelerate our work for a safe, prosperous and competitive Europe. And that needs to be reflected in one of the most important decisions we need to take this year: on our next long-term budget for the period 2028 - 2034. This cannot be business as usual. We need a new approach, with a new structure and a new way of allocating our resources. We need a budget that reinforces trust in Europe’s economy and security. A budget that addresses the concerns and expectations of our citizens. A modernised budget focused on: boosting our industry supporting our innovators protecting our citizens defending our borders And a budget in which cohesion and agricultural policy remain as key pillars to ensure regional development and food security across our continent. Like national budgets, we need to make choices and to meet our priorities within limited resources, in order to keep national contributions and the overall envelope at a reasonable level. That is why the new own resources, the new revenue streams for the EU have a place in the package. They will give us the flexibility we need to reach our shared objective. It is a decision we cannot afford to delay. We need an agreement by the end of this year.   As we face a challenging geopolitical outlook, climate change and technological transformation, now more than ever, our citizens, our companies, our farmers, our researchers demand – and deserve – predictability. Thank you, dear Christian, for your engagement and commitment to reaching an agreement. Beyond our future budget, we need to make our economy stronger. A competitive Europe is a crucial element of our strategic autonomy. We need to create the conditions for European industries and businesses to innovate, thrive, grow, and generate quality jobs for our citizens.  The ‘One Europe, One Market’ agenda sets out an ambitious timeline to achieve decisive progress in 2026 and 2027 towards: simplifying our rules and cutting red tape completing the single market, especially the capital market ensuring affordable energy supporting innovation, and reducing our strategic dependencies This work is under way; but we need to stay on track and even accelerate. To keep up the momentum, the European Council will return to competitiveness in October. And we discussed today our preparations for the October European Council, which will cover several important issues, including migration. Migration is a European challenge that requires a European response. Our work on all dimensions of this issue must continue.  I would also like to thank you, dear Christian, for Austria’s strong support for Ukraine and your commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We will continue to support Ukraine, alongside continuing to increase pressure on Russia. Finally, we discussed enlargement. Supporting Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans on their paths to membership is an investment in the security and prosperity of the whole of Europe. That process remains merit-based: when candidates deliver, we deliver, and the process moves forward. It is a process firmly anchored in the rule of law. It is also a process that we want to see moving faster: gradual integration into the European Union market is key.  Finally, dear Christian, thank you as always for your engagement, and I look forward to continuing our work together in the European Council. Thank you.   Visit the website   Press service European Parliament       15-09-2026 Plenary session EP TODAY       Tuesday 15 September European Democracy Shield The findings of Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) are the subject of a debate starting at 10.30 and a vote at midday. MEPs will be joined by Irish Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne for the Council presidency and the Democracy Commissioner Michael Mcgrath. The EUDS report makes practical recommendations to protect the EU's democratic institutions from malicious interference, hybrid attacks, and disinformation campaigns. Parliament’s President, Roberta Metsola, will join rapporteur Tomas Tobé (EPP, SE) and chair Nathalie Loiseau (Renew, FR) for a press conference after the vote at 13.30. Kyriakos KLOSIDIS (+32) 470 96 47 35 Yasmina YAKIMOVA (+32) 470 88 10 60 Defence simplification measures A joint debate on three pieces of legislation on improving the EU’s defence readiness, with Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, starts at 17.15. The new laws seek to accelerate permit-granting for defence readiness projects, simplify intra-EU transfers of defence-related products and security and defence procurement, and boost defence readiness by facilitating defence investment. The final votes on the legislation, already agreed provisionally with the member states, will take place tomorrow at around 12.30. Action against hybrid attacks EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will join MEPs to discuss rising hybrid attacks by Russia and other countries against member states in a joint debate starting at 16.00. An own-initiative report on hybrid warfare and how the EU can protect its territorial integrity and critical security and defence infrastructure will be put to a vote tomorrow at around 12.30. Escalation in the Middle East From 19.15 MEPs will hear from Kaja Kallas on the latest developments in the war between the US and Iran, with hostilities resuming after the latest ceasefire agreement between the two countries fell apart. Fresh disagreements over control of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have brought oil prices to their highest levels since July, while there are fears the conflict could spread further in the Middle East. Viktor ALMQVIST (+32) 470 88 29 42 Snjezana KOBESCAK SMODIS (+32) 470 96 08 19 @EP_Defence @EP_ForeignAff Ceuta migration crisis Again on hybrid attacks, MEPs will discuss the instrumentalisation of migrants in Ceuta and the need for a coordinated response to protect EU’s borders in a debate with Thomas Byrne for the Council presidency and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner at 13.00. Parliament will vote on a resolution on Thursday. Polona TEDESKO (+32) 470 88 42 82 @EP_Justice Heatwaves, wildfires and droughts. Lessons from the devastating heat of summer 2026 will be drawn in a debate starting at 9.00 with Thomas Byrne for the Irish Presidency of the Council, and Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management. Janne OJAMO (+32) 470 89 21 92 @EP_Environment @EP_PublicHealth In brief Mladić’s funeral and glorification of war crimes. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will make a statement to plenary at 14.45 in view of the funeral of war criminal Ratko Mladić in Serbia, followed by one round of political group speakers. Preparations for the State of the European Union debate. A series of press briefings with high-profile rapporteurs and committee chairs on what to expect from tomorrow’s debate are scheduled this afternoon from 15.30 to 18.30 in room Weiss S2.2 in Strasbourg. A reception for journalists, to be attended by Parliament’s president, Roberta Metsola, will follow from 19.00 to 21.00 in the Churchill building’s Rotonde space, Level 01. Votes At noon, MEPs will vote, among others, on: • extending the scope of the carbon border adjustment mechanism to downstream goods; • establishing the Temporary Decarbonisation Fund; • reforming the market stability reserve for the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS); • updating the emissions trading system market stability reserve for buildings; • requests to waive the immunity of Matej Tonin (EPP, SL), Afroditi Latinopoulou (Patriots, EL), Grzegorz Braun (n/a, PL) and Francisco Assis (S&D, PT); • the appointments of the chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority, and the Executive Director of the European Banking Authority; • an own-initiative report on the global role of the euro. Live coverage of the plenary session can be found on Parliament’s webstreaming site and on EbS+. For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter. Find more information regarding plenary. Press release 11-09-2026 Plenary session   EUDS Press conference: strengthening EU resilience against foreign interference     On Tuesday, EP President Roberta Metsola, rapporteur Tomas Tobé and chair Nathalie Loiseau will answer media questions after the vote on the Democracy Shield recommendations. MEPs will debate and vote on Tuesday 15 September on a report prepared by the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS), setting out practical recommendations on how to protect the EU's democratic institutions from malicious interference, hybrid attacks, and disinformation campaigns. A press conference will follow. When: Tuesday 15 September 2026, 13.30-14.00 CEST. Where: Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room, European Parliament, Strasbourg, WEISS N-1/201 - with remote participation. Who: EP President Roberta Metsola, rapporteur Tomas Tobé (EPP, Sweden) and the chair of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, Nathalie Loiseau (Renew, France). Interpretation will be available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese. Accredited media representatives are invited to attend the press conference in person. In addition, journalists can join the press conference and ask questions remotely via the Interactio platform. When connecting, enter your name and the media outlet you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video. The press conference will also be webstreamed live and on demand on Parliament’s Multimedia Centre website. Background The European Democracy Shield (EUDS) report outlines measures to enhance the EU's capacity to identify, prevent, and respond to foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) as well as other hybrid threats, and will form Parliament’s first comprehensive political position on these topics. It addresses key areas such as election integrity, the role of independent media and civil society, digital enforcement, and civil preparedness. Further information Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield Press release following the committee vote Procedure file Findings and recommendations of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EPRS)   Press release 11-09-2026 CULT   The impact of social media on young people: press conference with rapporteur Sandro Ruotolo     On Tuesday at 15.00, the rapporteur Sandro Ruotolo will hold a press conference ahead of the vote on the “Impact of social media and the online environment on young people”. Sandro Ruotolo (S&D, Italy), rapporteur of the file calling for better enforcement of rules and pushing for social media platforms to guarantee that the use of social media and the digital environment is safe, particularly for children and young people, will address the media. The vote in plenary is scheduled for Thursday. When: Tuesday 15 September, 15.00 CEST Where: European Parliament in Strasbourg, Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (WEISS N-1/201) Accredited media representatives are invited to attend the press conference in person. In addition, journalists wishing to ask questions remotely need to connect via Interactio (supported on iPad with Safari and Mac/Windows with Google Chrome). Interpretation will be available in the following languages: EN, FR, and IT. The press conference will also be webstreamed live and recorded on the Parliament’s Multimedia Centre. Further information File procedure: Impact of social media and the online environment on young people Profile of the rapporteur Sandro Ruotolo (S&D, IT) Press release: Better enforcement on rules needed for a safer social media and online environment (14.7.2026) Committee on Culture and Education