The Strasbourg plenary from 18 to 21 May was not a week of unusually sweeping legislative drama, but it offered a clear snapshot of where the European Parliament’s political energy is positioned at this point in the mandate. The agenda was dominated by industrial resilience, external partnerships, rule‑of‑law concerns and the social fabric of the Union — and while the votes themselves were steady rather than spectacular, the political mood was unmistakably shaped by developments outside the hemicycle, most notably the sudden resignation of Greens/EFA MEP Bas Eickhout.
The week opened with a debate and vote on the negative trade‑related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market. The resolution was adopted, reflecting a Parliament increasingly aligned around the need for tougher trade‑defence instruments and a more assertive industrial strategy. The centre‑left and parts of the EPP converged on the need to shield European producers from distortive practices, particularly from China, while liberal benches warned against drifting into protectionism. The vote confirmed a trend that has been building for several years: Parliament is no longer content to leave industrial resilience to the Commission and Council.
IndustriAll Europe welcomed the agreement as a long-awaited response to calls for stronger protection against unfair competition.
“The strengthened framework is a crucial step in defending Europe’s steel industry and its workers from unfair import pressure generated by global overcapacity,” said Judith Kirton-Darling, industriAll Europe’s General Secretary, arguing that more permanent and robust trade measures have been needed to safeguard industrial capacity and employment.
However, the union asserted, trade defence instruments alone cannot resolve the sector’s structural challenges. Safeguards must form part of a broader industrial strategy capable of supporting competitiveness, decarbonisation and quality employment.
“We now need the rapid implementation of the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan, stronger lead-market measures such as “Made in Europe” criteria for low-carbon steel under the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, and urgent action to tackle high energy costs and weak industrial demand. Trade measures alone will not solve the structural challenges facing the sector; they must be part of a broader industrial strategy that supports investment, decarbonisation and quality jobs.” Stressed Judith Kirton-Darling.
Transport policy also featured prominently. Parliament adopted its position on the use of railway infrastructure capacity within the Single European Railway Area — a file that goes to the heart of the EU’s ambition to shift freight and passengers from road to rail. The text was approved, with MEPs pushing for more efficient capacity allocation, better cross‑border coordination and stronger enforcement. Supporters argued that without these structural reforms, the EU’s climate and connectivity goals will remain aspirational. A separate vote on the production and marketing of forest reproductive material was also adopted, reflecting the Parliament’s ongoing effort to align agricultural and forestry rules with biodiversity and climate objectives.
A series of immunity cases added a sharper political edge to the early part of the week. Requests to waive the parliamentary immunity of Harald Vilimsky, Angelika Niebler, Nikos Pappas and Alvise Pérez were all approved, following the Parliament’s established practice of allowing national judicial proceedings to run their course. The debates were brief but pointed, underscoring the institution’s determination not to be seen as a shield for MEPs facing legal scrutiny.
Mid‑week, external relations dominated the agenda. Parliament approved implementing protocols to the EU–Cook Islands and EU–São Tomé and Príncipe Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements, consolidating the Union’s long‑standing practice of linking access to fishing resources with financial and technical support. MEPs also endorsed the EU–Uzbekistan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, accompanying their approval with a resolution setting out expectations on human rights, the rule of law, and economic reform. A recommendation on the EU’s position for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly was likewise adopted, giving MEPs another opportunity to press for a more coherent EU line on multilateralism, climate diplomacy and global security.
Justice and security files rounded out the external agenda. Parliament approved an agreement on cooperation between Eurojust and the authorities of Lebanon, aimed at strengthening judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and endorsed conditions for Canadian participation in procurement under the SAFE Instrument — a move framed as deepening transatlantic security and industrial ties. A debate on the opportunities and challenges presented by a comprehensive artificial intelligence strategy for EU trade highlighted growing concern that AI‑driven tools could both transform and destabilise global commerce if left unchecked.
The most politically charged debate of the week focused on the rule of law, fundamental rights and the misuse of EU funds in Slovakia. The resolution was adopted, with strong support from the centre‑left, liberals and Greens. It called for a robust EU response to allegations of systemic abuse of EU money and pressure on independent institutions. Conservative and nationalist groups accused the majority of singling out a member state for political reasons, but the vote confirmed that Parliament intends to keep rule‑of‑law conditionality at the heart of the EU’s financial architecture.
On Thursday, attention shifted to social policy. A resolution on advancing towards a care society and addressing the gender care gap was adopted, with MEPs pressing the Commission and member states to recognise unpaid care work, improve access to quality care services and tackle structural inequalities. Parliament also approved its positions on the multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea, prudential requirements for credit institutions in relation to securitisation exposures, and the roadworthiness package covering periodic tests and roadside inspections — individually technical files that collectively illustrate the Parliament’s determination to keep grinding through the regulatory backlog.
Yet the development that dominated political conversations in the corridors did not come from the agenda. Bas Eickhout’s resignation, following allegations of inappropriate relationships that triggered internal scrutiny within the Greens/EFA group, cast a shadow over the week. While the Greens did not disclose full details, the political impact was immediate. Eickhout, long one of the Parliament’s most recognisable figures in climate policy, leaves a significant gap in the Greens’ leadership at a moment when the group is fighting to maintain influence over the EU’s climate and industrial agenda. His departure added a layer of internal turbulence to a group already under pressure from shifting political winds.
As the session closed, the message from Strasbourg was clear: even in a week dominated by technical files, the Parliament remains determined to shape the Union’s strategic direction — and the political undercurrents running beneath the surface are as consequential as the votes themselves.
Image credit: Jonathan Marchal on Unsplash
