Europe holds the key to its own *defence*. It’s time to unlock it 🤝 💪 The EU needs: 💪 a stronger and more integrated *EU single market for defence* 🇪🇺 *a “buy European” approach* 🇺🇦 *Ukraine* to be a vital part of *the EU defence market* 🤝 to act together to *fill serious defence gaps* 🪖 its *flagship projects to move forward,* and quickly ...says the European Parliament in its proposals for the future of European defence 🇪🇺 _🔗 Read more: https://link.europa.eu/YxMd46_

_Congratulations_ to the amazing athletes representing EU countries at the *2026 Winter Paralympics* in Milano-Cortina!   ️🏂 With *90 medals in total,* EU countries truly slayed the slopes. - *Total medals won by EU countries in Milano-Cortina 2026 ❄️ 🇪🇺*   🥇29   🥈30   🥉31   - *Medals by country:*   🇮🇹 ➡️ 7🥇 7🥈 2🥉   🇦🇹 ➡️ 7🥇 2🥈 4🥉   🇫🇷 ➡️ 4🥇 4🥈 4🥉   🇳🇱 ➡️ 3🥇 3🥈 1🥉   🇸🇪 ➡️ 3🥇 4🥉   🇩🇪 ➡️ 2🥇 6🥈 9🥉   🇪🇸 ➡️ 2🥇 1🥈 1🥉   🇨🇿 ➡️ 1🥇 4🥈 1🥉   🇫🇮 ➡️ 2🥈     🇵🇱 ➡️ 1🥈 1🥉   🇸🇰 ➡️ 3🥉   🇱🇻 ➡️ 1🥉 Snow excuses, just excellence 🎉

*Happy birthday to the European Parliament! 🇪🇺🎂* On this day in *1958*, the *European Parliamentary Assembl* y gathered for the first time in Strasbourg, France. This would later become the *European Parliament* that we know today, with 720 members from 27 countries. Hear the story of how today's Parliament came to be 👆👀

Stronger together in uncertain times 🇪🇺🇨🇦 *Canada* is a *strategic partner* to the EU and a *reliable NATO ally.* The EU and Canada already work closely together on *trade, security, energy and climate action.* At a time of growing global instability, this bond matters more than ever. Parliament wants the EU to *strengthen its strategic cooperation with Canada* and take the partnership *to the next level.* _🔗 Read more: https://link.europa.eu/jTn6tB_

💶🫰 Lower income and smaller pensions. The gender pay gap usually follows women all through their lives. *Women in the EU still earn 12% less than men* on average. And the gap doesn’t stop there: *by retirement, women’s pensions are on average 24.5% lower.* In 2024, on average *16.9% of retired women* were also *at risk of poverty.* Women are more likely to take parental or maternity leave, work part-time and hold lower-paid jobs in undervalued sectors, which limits their earnings and contributes to the gender pay and pension gaps. That’s why the European Parliament is calling for an *EU action plan to close the gender pay and pension gaps,* including: 💼 *fair pay and better conditions* in women-dominated sectors 👶 *better childcare and care services* *⚖️ stronger work-life balance* 📊 Want to see how the pension gap looks in your country? Check our infographic ☝️ _🔗 More info: https://link.europa.eu/Db8PB3_

🏆 Congratulations go to _‘Sentimental Value’_ by *Joachim Trier* for taking home an Oscar! 🎬👏 The film has won the Oscar for *best international feature* at the 98th Academy Awards! But, will it win the European Parliament’s LUX Audience Award as well? *Watch the films and rate them online* to help decide this year’s winner of the *LUX Audience Award!* _🔗 Learn more: https://luxaward-rating.europarl.europa.eu/en/_

🎬 Best of luck to the European Parliament's *LUX Audience Award nominees, at the 2026 Oscars!*   *Joachim Trier*’s _'Sentimental Value'_ is nominated for nine Academy Awards. *Jafar Panahi*’s _'It Was Just an Accident'_ is nominated for two.   The Academy decides the Oscars. You help decide the LUX Audience Award!   Celebrating the universal impact of European cinema.   You can watch and rate the films to help decide the winner! ✨   _🔗 Learn more: https://lux-award.europarl.europa.eu/en_