LIBE COMMITTEE DEBATES MIGRATION, SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCESS TO DATA

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), chaired by Javier Zarzalejos, met in Brussels on 23 and 24 February.

MEPs held an exchange of views with the European Commission and eu-LISA on the initial evaluation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), a key element in strengthening the management of the Schengen area’s external borders. The EU Anti-Racism Strategy 2026–2030 was also presented, and several security cooperation agreements were discussed, including those concerning the transfer of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data with Iceland and Norway, as well as cooperation between Europol and Ecuador to combat serious crime and terrorism.

On 24 February, marking four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session to reaffirm its support for the country. Opening the session, Parliament President Roberta Metsola stressed that the institution has remained committed to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the plenary, expressing gratitude for the European Union’s political and financial support and emphasizing the importance of preserving European unity and transatlantic cooperation in the face of Russian aggression.

Following the debate, Parliament adopted a resolution strongly condemning Russia’s war of aggression, which it considers a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. The text holds Russia, its leadership, and the Belarusian regime—whose territory was used to launch attacks against Ukraine—fully responsible for the conflict, and also denounces the involvement of other actors. Parliament calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, as well as the release of prisoners of war and deported civilians, including children.

The resolution also stresses that any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must be supported by strong and credible security guarantees for Kyiv, comparable to the collective defense commitments of NATO and the European Union. Furthermore, Parliament calls for the expansion of sanctions against Russia and for accelerating the phase-out of Europe’s energy dependence, including new restrictions on petroleum products, uranium, and Russian nuclear services, as well as the definitive dismantling of the Nord Stream pipelines as a matter of strategic security for Europe.