A provisional agreement was reached on Tuesday evening between Parliament and Council negotiators on new rules ensuring that the withdrawal of a non-resident’s driving licence is applied across all EU countries.

Currently, if a driver loses their licence following a traffic offence in a different EU country to the one where the licence was issued, the sanction will only be applicable, in most cases, in the country where the offence was committed and not where it was issued or any other EU member state. According to the agreement agreed by MEPs and the Council, a driving withdrawal, suspension or restriction will be passed on to the EU country which issued the driving licence to enforce the penalty and make sure it is followed across the whole of the EU.

Triggers for EU-wide penalties

With the new rules in place, concerned EU countries will have to inform each other, without undue delay, about decisions on driving disqualifications related to the most severe traffic offences - including drink or drug driving, involvement in a fatal traffic accident, or excessive speeding (e.g. driving 50 km/h faster than the speed limit).

During the negotiations, MEPs managed to convince EU countries to introduce a deadline of 20 working days to inform the driver concerned about a decision on their sanction and on the procedure they can use to challenge it.

MEPs also secured an obligation for the Commission to assess, five years after the entry into force of the new provisions, whether to expand the set of driving offences triggering the EU-wide application of a sanction and introduce stricter deadlines for information exchange between EU countries to enhance the implementation of new rules.

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EP rapporteur Matteo Ricci (S&D, IT) said: “This Directive is a crucial step in ensuring better road safety. By introducing clearer and more timely criteria for suspending driving privileges because of serious violations, this measure protects not only responsible drivers but the entire community. A more effective system of control and sanction will prevent accidents and save lives.”

Next steps

The informal agreement on driving disqualification rules still needs to be approved by both the Council and the Parliament.

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European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “Two thirds of Europeans want the EU to play a greater role in their protection. This is a clear call for action which we will answer. Europe needs to be stronger so that our citizens feel safer. The European Parliament will ensure that every proposal put forward is bold and ambitious enough to match the serious level of threat Europe faces. Europe must step up today, or it risks being stepped over tomorrow.”

66% of EU citizens want the EU to take a more important role in protecting them against global crises and security risks. This view is particularly strong amongst younger respondents to the survey. At the national level, results for a stronger role of the EU range from 87% in Sweden to 47% in Romania and 44% in Poland.

Almost three quarters of EU citizens (74%) believe their country has benefited from being a member of the EU. This is the highest result ever recorded in a Eurobarometer survey for this question since it was first asked in 1983. Fitting the current context, respondents mention the EU’s contribution to maintaining peace and strengthening security (35%) as the main reason why membership is considered beneficial.

In addition, there is wide agreement among EU citizens that EU Member States should be more united to face current global challenges (89%) and that the European Union needs more means to deal with the challenges ahead (76%).

Citizens expect the EU to strengthen security and defence and to enhance competitiveness

In a rapidlychanging geopolitical environment, defence and security (36%) as well as competitiveness, economy and industry (32%) are identified as the areas on which the EU should focus most to reinforce its position in the world. These are also the topics that featured high on last week’s European Council with Parliament’s President calling for faster action and bolder ambition. While the results for defence and security have remained stable compared to February/March 2024, those for competitiveness, economy and industry have increased by five points. These two areas are followed by energy independence (27%), food security and agriculture (25%) and education and research (23%).

Economic and security issues are also at the forefront when it comes to the topics citizens want the European Parliament to address as a priority. Four in ten Europeans mention inflation, rising prices and the cost of living (43%), followed by the EU’s defence and security (31%), the fight against poverty and social exclusion (31%) and support to the economy and the creation of new jobs (29%). Inflation, rising prices and the cost of living is a main priority across all age groups and with peak results recorded in Portugal (57%), France (56%), Slovakia (56%), Croatia (54%) and Estonia (54%).

As shown by the EP’s previous survey, inflation and the cost of living had already played a major role as a driving force in the last European elections and the economic situation continues to be a main concern for many Europeans. A third (33%) expect their standard of living to decrease in the next five years, seven points more than in June-July 2024. This is the case for 53% of French respondents (+8 pp) and 47% of Germans (+15 pp).

Peace and democracy remain EU core values

Looking at the values Europeans would like the European Parliament to defend, peace (45%), democracy (32%) and the protection of human rights in the EU and worldwide (22%) come first. The results for this question have remained stable, underlining citizens steadfast support for the EU’s founding values and principles.

Two-thirds of citizens support a stronger role for the EP

As historic trend lines show, in moments of crisis citizens look to the EU for decisive actions and solutions. When the EU is perceived as coming together and delivering results, support indicators are high – which is currently the case.  50% of respondents have a positive image of the EU. In the last decade, this positive perception was only higher once (at 52%), in spring 2022 in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The positive image of the EP is stable at a high level (41%). A few months into the legislative term, over six in ten (62%) citizens would like to see the European Parliament play a more important role, a six- percentage point increase compared to February-March 2024, a few months before the June 2024 European elections.

Full results can be found here.

Background

The European Parliament’s Winter 2025 Eurobarometer survey was carried out between 09 January and 04 February 2025 in all 27 EU Member States. The survey was conducted face-to-face, with video interviews used additionally in Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Malta, Netherlands, and Sweden. 26.354 interviews were conducted in total and EU results are weighted according to the size of the population in each country.

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“We expect that the European Council meeting on Thursday will take many important decisions on EU defence, competitiveness, and Ukraine issues,” the Vice-Minister underlined.

Mitkus stressed the need to continue and strengthen comprehensive, long-term support for Ukraine and boost European defence capabilities.

“In the current circumstances, a ceasefire alone will not ensure lasting peace. Putin has repeatedly demonstrated that Russia does not want peace with Ukraine – we must take decisive action, increase pressure on Russia, and strengthen Ukraine’s position to protect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” said the Vice-Minister.

He also called for the immediate start of the preparation and approval of a new package of sanctions against Russia, as well as taking decisions on the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine. During the discussion on European defence, the Vice-Minister expressed the need for all EU member states to invest at least 3% of their GDP in defence and to promptly develop and make use of EU funding instruments that would ensure Europe's long-term security. Mitkus stressed the need to boost the EU's competitiveness by deepening the single market, expanding the capital market, improving access to finance, and allowing access to private and institutional investors' funds for the defence industry and new technological infrastructure projects.

Ministers also discussed the impacts of the US funding cuts to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the need to find alternative sources to continue the organisation’s activities. Ministers stressed that independent media plays a key role in countering disinformation and propaganda by authoritarian regimes. The Vice-Minister emphasized the strategic importance of RFE/RL, especially in Russia and Belarus and other regions, where the freedom of speech and the press are restricted.

"The EU should urgently look for financing solutions, involving other partners such as Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Canada," the Vice-Minister urged. Lithuania, together with nine other EU member states, issued a joint statement on this issue.

On the margins of the Council, the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU organised an informal exchange of views with the Belarussian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya. With Tsikhanouskaya, ministers discussed the hybrid threats posed by the Belarusian regime and measures to counter them, as well as continued support to Belarusian civil society, internal democratic processes.

During the meeting with Tsikhanouskaya, the Vice-Minister reiterated Lithuania's full and unwavering support for the democratic future of Belarus.

"The European future of Belarus is in our common interest. We must strengthen the identity of Belarus and support democratic forces in building the foundations of governance for post-Lukashenka regime change,” stated Mitkus.

Lithuania's Foreign Vice-Minister also emphasized that the future of Belarus was closely linked to Ukraine's victory.

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MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee backed the creation of an EU Talent Pool, designed to make it easier to recruit non-EU nationals to jobs in sectors where there are shortages, through a dedicated digital platform that matches EU vacancies with jobseekers living abroad. Application of the new legislation would be optional for EU countries and would not affect their right to decide how many third-country workers to admit to their territory.

A fair recruitment process

MEPs adopted amendments to the proposal to ensure the application of fair recruitment standards, as set out in the International Labour Organization’s general principles, and that the platform is open to jobseekers “of all skills and qualification levels”. MEPs also want to make sure that the new tool does not lead to discriminatory practices and is free of charge for registered jobseekers.

Improved information on employers and jobseekers

Participating employers should provide details including: the person responsible for recruitment, the company registration number, and a brief description of their operations, argue MEPs. Vacancies should meanwhile include a job description, the place of work, working hours, remuneration and paid leave. MEPs also want to see more information in the profiles of jobseekers, such as their preferred EU country and when they are available, offering the possibility for them to certify their skills within the EU Talent Partnerships or via bilateral or national agreements.

Targeted communication campaigns

The Commission should promote the EU Talent Pool through awareness raising campaigns, both on and off-line, targeting SMEs in particular, recommend MEPs. They also suggest that EU delegations in third countries should to do the same for potential jobseekers.

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Rapporteur Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew, Sweden) said: “The EU is falling behind its competitors, partly because of labour shortages across our economy. Labour migration is one way to address these shortages and strengthen our competitiveness. The EU Talent Pool is a step in the right direction, by connecting the needs of our employers with workers from outside the EU. This is also a tool to create more safe and legal pathways to the EU. The result will be a Talent Pool platform that is user-friendly for all, with necessary checks on jobseekers and measures to ensure minimum safeguards against exploitation. There is also a strong link to the Talent Partnerships, reinforcing the connection between internal and external migration governance”.

Next steps

The draft rules were approved by 46 votes in favour, 25 against, and 2 abstentions. Once the report has been endorsed by Parliament as a whole during the April plenary session, talks with member states on the final shape of the bill can start.

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The meeting will focus on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, boosting defense and support for Ukraine.

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In a resolution adopted on last Wednesday, Parliament calls on the EU to act urgently and ensure its own security. This will mean, MEPs say, strengthening relationships with like-minded partners, and strongly diminishing its reliance on non-EU countries.

A so-called “White Paper” on the future of European defence, that the Commission and the High Representative are expected to present next week should put forward concrete proposals to the European Council to enable “truly ground-breaking efforts” and actions “close to those of wartime”, say MEPs, also welcoming the recently tabled ReArm plan.

The EU as a genuine security provider

To achieve peace and stability in Europe, the EU must support Ukraine and become more resilient itself, MEPs argue. The resolution states, “Europe is today facing the most profound military threat to its territorial integrity since the end of the Cold War”. It calls on member states, international partners, and NATO allies to lift all restrictions on the use of Western weapons systems delivered to Ukraine against military targets on Russian territory.

Russia – supported by its allies Belarus, China, North Korea and Iran – is “the most significant direct and indirect threat against the EU”, the resolution states. MEPs stress how recent actions and statements by the Trump administration have increased concerns about the future stance of the US towards Russia, NATO, and European security, and strongly condemn US threats against Greenland. Against this background, Parliament underlines that EU defence efforts “cannot remain limited in size, fragmented in scope, and lengthy in delivery. MEPs demand increased efforts in the military field, but also in the industrial, technological and intelligence sectors.

Ready for the most extreme military contingencies

The text says the EU must enable its administration to “move much faster through the procedures”, in case of war or other large-scale security crises. While stressing the importance of EU-NATO cooperation, MEPs also call for the development of a fully capable European pillar in NATO that is able to act autonomously whenever necessary.

MEPs believe that EU must decide on a united and clear long-term vision for the European defence industry, and call for a significant increase in common procurement of equipment from EU member states. They insist that decision-making on European defence should be less complex. They endorse the creation of a council of defence ministers, and a move from unanimity to qualified majority for EU decisions in this field, with the exception of military operations with an executive mandate.

Parliament warns that, without a substantial investment increase, EU security and defence objectives will not be reached for either military support to Ukraine, nor for the improvement of the common European security. MEPs state that “urgent needs cannot wait for the next multiannual financial framework”. They ask for “innovative solutions for finding additional funding without delay” such as a system of European defence bonds for financing large-scale military investments.

The resolution was adopted by 419 votes in favour, 204 against and 46 abstentions.

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The Ministers discussed security and defence topics arising from the current geopolitical situation and bilateral cooperation, transatlantic cooperation and U.S. presence in the region. Minister D. Šakalienė highlighted the strong Lithuanian-Polish partnership underpinned by both nations’ commitment to strengthen defence capabilities and tackle regional security issues.

“Bilateral, regional and European cooperation are the key factors in ensuring security in this difficult time. Poland is our long-time strategic partner and together we are an example of swift cooperative action,” said Minister D. Šakalienė.

Lithuania and Poland actively seek a regional decision on withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, key steps are expected in the coming days. Also, EU financial assistance instruments are planned to be used to effectively strengthen the security of the EU Northeastern border with Russia and Belarus by developing a defensive line on land, in the sea and in the air.

Minister also underscored that Lithuania and Poland cooperated to ensure a unified interpretation of the law of the sea in the region and to strengthen the Alliance presence in the Baltic Sea. The Ministers agreed that it was necessary to ensure security of the undersea infrastructure.

When addressing support to Ukraine, the Lithuanian and Polish Ministers of National Defence underscored both countries’ commitment to a lasting peace in Ukraine. “Even though the ball is in the russian side after the negotiations of the U.S. and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, we have no reason to assume that the country which persistently violates international agreements will steer away from its imperialist schemes. We need to prepare for any possible scenario,” said D. Šakalienė.

Minister also met with Deputy Marshal of the Eleventh Term Senate Magdalena Biejat, members of the Sejm’s National Defence Committee and the Poland Cyber Command.

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The Lithuanian leader underlined that 11 March holds a special place in Lithuania’s great history.

“Few moments have seen such bold leaps into the unknown, such striking examples of civic unity, and such courage to act and shoulder the burden of responsibility. Thirty-five years ago, the decision made within these walls reflected the genuine, true and enduring aspirations of the Lithuanian people. The Act of Independence, uniting the grand hall of the Reconstituent Seimas with the nation outside in the square, instantly dispelled the suffocating air of occupation,” the President spoke.

According to Gitanas Nausėda, back then, we were guided by unwavering faith and determination. “We believed in each other and trusted one another like never before. And we dared greatly—as only those who carry the truth in their heart can dare. Together, we stood strong against the economic blockade, the tragic events of January 13 and the Medininkai massacre. Ultimately, we saw the withdrawal of the occupying army,” the Head of State said.

The Lithuanian leader underlined that today, freedom is like the air we breathe—unnoticed yet vital; so commonplace that, at times, we underestimate its value.

“We have become accustomed to living in freedom, not worrying about it and enjoying all its benefits. To thinking and speaking freely, making our own decisions and shaping our lives. Yet the events of recent years, months and days compel us to return to the roots of our freedom more often. We now see more clearly that winning freedom is not enough—it must be constantly nurtured, upheld and defended. Just as Ukraine is defending it. Just as we are defending it in Ukraine,” the Head of State pointed out.

According to President Gitanas Nausėda, today, as the forces of darkness once again threaten to engulf Europe, the contribution of each and every one of us is essential: our courage and strength, our unbreakable unity as citizens, determined to build a better future together. The Head of State wished everyone to rediscover and awaken the living desire for freedom within ourselves, and to overcome all obstacles, with the Vytis and the Tricolor in our hands and a song on our lips—just as we did at the dawn of Independence.

On Tuesday, President Nausėda also participated in the Restoration of Lithuanian Independence Day celebration and the awarding of the National Independence Grant, which took place in the Hall of the Act of 11 March of the Seimas.

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The Head of State and the Marshal of the Polish Sejm discussed bilateral relations between Lithuania and Poland, defense cooperation, regional security, and support for Ukraine.

“Security and defense cooperation between our countries is of paramount importance. We are grateful to Poland for its contribution to the security of our region. We also invite Poland to contribute to NATO’s rotational air and missile defense model in the Baltic States. Strong air and missile defense is of vital importance for the security of our region,” President Gitanas Nausėda underlined.

The President also stressed the need to focus more on the fight against Russia’s disinformation activities and its attempts to rewrite European history.

“It is essential that both totalitarian ideologies—Nazism and Sovietism—are properly evaluated in Europe. The crimes committed by the Soviets must be acknowledged, internationally assessed, and publicized. We have to work together to emphasize the importance of historical memory and ensure continued political attention to this issue at the EU level,” President Gitanas Nausėda said.

The Head of State emphasized that Poland is Lithuania’s key economic partner. According to the President, Poland is a priority market for cooperation in renewable energy, information and communication technologies, and cybersecurity.

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During the meeting at the Office of the Government, the Prime Minister emphasised Lithuania’s unwavering commitment—both from its society and institutions—to supporting Ukraine. Having stood by Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s aggression in 2014, Lithuania will remain a country the Ukrainian people can firmly rely on.

“The security of Ukraine and all of Europe are inseparable. When we speak about a just and lasting peace, we are talking about our shared interest and common goal,” said Prime Minister Paluckas.

The Head of Government reassured that Lithuania’s comprehensive support and broad public backing for Ukraine will not waver. At the same time, Lithuania will continue to be Ukraine’s voice in the international community. “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” just as “nothing about Europe without Europe,” is a fundamental principle in any peace negotiations, it was noted during the meeting.

Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas highlighted cooperation in the defence industry as highly promising, aiming to combine Ukraine’s expertise and urgent needs with Lithuanian capital and experience in establishing joint defence industry ventures.

The meeting emphasized that the most reliable security guarantee for Ukraine remains full membership in the NATO alliance.

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