report parliamentary committee draft, 5 June 2026
On the outcome of the Committee on Petitions’ deliberations during 2025
Document PETI-PR-789172 · (2026/….(INI))
Committee on Petitions · Rapporteur: Nils Ušakovs
AI:In short
This is the rapporteur's draft report on the Committee on Petitions' work during 2025, for Parliament to adopt as a resolution. It reports that Parliament received 2 971 petitions in 2025, the highest annual figure since 2014, and that 36.12 % were inadmissible. It sets out the main subjects raised: environment, consumer rights, justice, fundamental rights, health, property, external relations and the digital sphere. It asks for better information to citizens on EU competences, clearer Commission replies, more transparency on infringement procedures, and adequate resources for the committee. It covers the Petitions Web Portal, relations with the Commission, Council, Ombudsman and other bodies, fact-finding visits, hearings, workshops and European Citizens' Initiatives.
Position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament adopt the resolution on the Committee on Petitions' 2025 deliberations, setting out the statistics on petitions and the committee's positions on admissibility, transparency, cooperation with other institutions and the main subjects raised by petitioners.
Key points
- Parliament received 2 971 petitions in 2025, an increase of 95.7 % on 2024 and the highest annual figure since 2014.
- 1 073 petitions were declared inadmissible and 38 withdrawn; inadmissible petitions were 36.12 % of submissions, down from 40.25 % in 2024.
- 88 % of petitions came through the Petitions Web Portal, which published all petitions within days and added gender-neutral options and revised template letters.
- The committee calls for targeted outreach, including through schools, youth and civil society organisations, to cut the number of inadmissible petitions.
- It asks Member State representatives to take part in committee meetings and to answer requests for information in time, and asks the Commission for clear, timely replies.
- It welcomes the inclusion of petitions in the Commission's public register of infringement decisions and the new interinstitutional IT tool for sharing follow-up information.
- Environment remained the top concern at 18.6 % of petitions, covering pollution, waste, biodiversity, PFAS, air quality, water and climate-related risks.
- Petitions on consumer rights, justice, health, external relations, property and the digital sphere rose in 2025, including on children's online protection and housing.
- Disability petitions rose to 51 in 2025 from 25 in 2024; the committee held its Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 2 December 2025.
- The committee made four fact-finding visits in 2025: to Austria, twice to Spain and to Portugal, on environment, labour rights, migration, housing and civil protection.
- It adopted a motion for a resolution on the organisational mismanagement of EPSO competitions and one on preserving the memory of victims of the post-war communist period in Slovenia.
- It held hearings on European Citizens' Initiatives on cohesion policy for regional cultures and on safe and accessible abortion, and on Hungary's participation in the EPPO.
Who is affected
- EU citizens and residents who petition Parliament: they should get timely replies in their own language and clearer information on follow-up.
- Member states and their authorities: asked to attend committee meetings and answer requests for information promptly.
- The Commission: asked for clear, timely replies to petitions and more transparency on infringement procedures.
- Persons with disabilities: the report seeks full implementation of the UN Convention and better accessibility, education and employment.
- Petitioners on housing, health, consumer and digital issues: the report backs stronger EU action on affordability, care and online protection of minors.
Figures and deadlines
- 2 971 petitions received in 2025, up 95.7 % on 1 518 in 2024.
- 1 073 petitions declared inadmissible and 38 withdrawn in 2025.
- Inadmissible petitions were 36.12 % of submissions in 2025, against 40.25 % in 2024.
- 88 % of petitions were submitted through the Petitions Web Portal, against 82.3 % in 2024.
- 15 508 users supported petitions in 2025, with 17 638 support clicks.
- Disability petitions reached 51 in 2025, compared with 25 in 2024 and 22 in 2023.
- Environment accounted for 18.6 % of all petitions in 2025.
- The committee sent 15 requests for opinion and 1 204 requests for information to other committees in 2025.
Legal basis. Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union; Articles 20, 24, 227 and 228 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
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Full text
Motion for a european parliament resolution 67 paragraphs
(2026/….(INI))
The European Parliament,
–having regard to its previous resolutions on the outcome of the Committee on Petitions’ deliberations,
–having regard to Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union,
–having regard to Articles 20, 24 and 227 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on the right of EU citizens and residents to petition the European Parliament,
–having regard to Article 228 TFEU on the role and functions of the European Ombudsman,
–having regard to Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union concerning the right to petition the European Parliament,
–having regard to the provisions of the TFEU relating to the infringement procedure and, in particular, to Articles 258 and 260 thereof,
–having regard to Rules 55 and 233(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the report of the Committee on Petitions (A100000/2026),
A.whereas the purpose of the annual report on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions is to present an analysis of the petitions received in 2025 and of relations with other institutions, as well as to present an accurate picture of the objectives achieved in 2025;
B.whereas in 2025, Parliament received 2 971 petitions, representing an increase of 95.7 % compared to the 1 518 petitions received in 2024, of 104.6 % compared to the 1 452 petitions received in 2023 and of 144.1 % compared to the 1 217 petitions received in 2022; whereas the number of petitions received in 2025 represents the highest annual figure since 2014;
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C.whereas in 2025, 15 508 users supported petitions on Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal, representing a decrease of approximately 1.0 % compared to 2024 (15 661), a decrease of approximately 41.1 % compared to 2023 (26 331), and a decrease of approximately 30.8 % compared to 2022 (22 441); whereas the number of support actions (‘support clicks’) amounted to 17 638 in 2025, showing a marginal decrease of approximately 0.6 % compared to 2024 (17 745), a decrease of approximately 39.8 % compared to 2023 (29 287), and a decrease of approximately 36.8 % compared to 2022 (27 927);
D.whereas the overall number of petitions remains modest in relation to the total population of the EU, revealing that efforts still need to be stepped up to increase citizens’ awareness of their right to petition and the possible usefulness of petitions as a means of drawing the attention of the EU institutions and the Member States to matters that affect and concern citizens directly; whereas in exercising the right to petition, citizens expect the EU institutions to provide added value in finding a solution to their problems; whereas this right to petition must also promote fundamental principles such as the good administration of the European institutions, freedom of expression and respect for democratic expression;
E.whereas the criteria for the admissibility of petitions are laid down in Article 227 TFEU and Rule 232(1) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, which require that petitions must be submitted by an EU citizen or by a natural or legal person, either individually or in association with others, who is a resident of or has a registered office in a Member State, on matters which fall within the EU’s fields of activity and which affect the petitioners directly;
F.whereas of the petitions submitted in 2025, 1 073 were declared inadmissible and 38 were withdrawn; whereas the proportion of inadmissible petitions in 2025 remained relatively high (36.12 %), although lower than in 2024 (40.25 %); whereas further efforts are therefore required to improve citizens’ understanding of the scope of the European Union’s competences;
G.whereas the right to petition Parliament is a fundamental right of EU citizens and residents, enabling them to address Parliament directly in an open, democratic and transparent manner; whereas petitions constitute an important instrument for strengthening democratic participation, accountability and dialogue between citizens and the EU institutions;
H.whereas Parliament has long been at the forefront of the development of the petitions process internationally and continues to operate one of the most open and transparent petitions systems in Europe; whereas the Petitions Web Portal plays a central role in facilitating citizens’ access to the petitions process; whereas, in 2025, positive developments were observed in the search function of the Petitions Web Portal; whereas such technological developments have the potential to facilitate more efficient processing and analysis of petitions and to enhance user-friendly access to the petition system compared to current functionalities; whereas further work is ongoing in this area, with a view to continuing the responsible and structured development of such tools in the future, in full respect of transparency, data protection and the institutional framework of the EU;
I.whereas in 2025, 88 % of petitions were submitted through Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal, compared to 82.3 % in 2024, confirming the portal as by far the most widely used channel for the submission of petitions; whereas the Petitions Web Portal ensures the automatic publication of information on the registration and status updates of petitions, as well as the provision of additional relevant data, such as country of origin and thematic classification, together with summaries available in all 24 official languages of the EU; whereas in 2025 all petitions were consistently prepared, processed and published in a timely manner, within a few days of their adoption, thereby ensuring rapid public access to relevant information; whereas all internal and external requests for assistance concerning the use, functioning and content of the Petitions Web Portal were addressed effectively and without delay, in any of the official languages of the EU, thereby ensuring a high level of accessibility and user support;
J.whereas in 2025, work on strengthening the inclusiveness and accessibility of the Petitions Web Portal was further intensified through the introduction of gender-neutral options, revisions of template letters in all official EU languages and the continued modernisation of the platform’s technical infrastructure;
K.whereas the Committee on Petitions underlines the importance of increased transparency in the handling of petitions, including systematic feedback to petitioners at key stages of the procedure and clearer information on follow-up actions undertaken by the EU institutions;
L.whereas the activities of the Committee on Petitions are based on the input and information provided by petitioners; whereas petitions often provide valuable evidence concerning the implementation and enforcement of EU law and may contribute to Parliament’s legislative and scrutiny work;
M.whereas the right to petition enhances Parliament’s responsiveness to complaints and concerns relating to respect for EU fundamental rights and compliance with EU law in the Member States; whereas petitions constitute an important source of information regarding possible breaches or misapplication of EU law in the Member States and enable Parliament and other institutions to assess the implementation and impact of EU legislation;
N.whereas each petition is considered and examined carefully, efficiently and transparently; whereas petitioners have the right to receive a reply informing them about the decision on admissibility and follow-up actions taken by the committee within a reasonable timeframe and in their own language or in the language used in the petition;
O.whereas Rule 220 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure provides that when consensus cannot be reached, the committee coordinators may only act by a majority that clearly represents a large majority of the committee, having regard to the respective strengths of the various political groups; whereas the vast majority of decisions in the Committee on Petitions is taken by the committee coordinators, either in their meetings or via a written procedure; whereas Rule 220 also stipulates that all decisions and recommendations by the committee coordinators are deemed adopted unless contested, in which case the matter is referred to the committee for decision by simple majority; whereas such contestations occur only rarely;
P.whereas the Committee on Petitions attaches the utmost importance to the examination and public discussion of petitions during its meetings; whereas petitioners have the right to present their petitions, thereby actively contributing to the debate; whereas in 2025, the Committee on Petitions held ten committee meetings, at which 145 petitions were discussed with 97 petitioners present, who actively participated by taking the floor;
Q.whereas the main subjects of concern raised in petitions submitted in 2025 related to the environment, consumer rights, justice, fundamental rights, financial services, health, property, external relations and information society and media;
R.whereas the Committee on Petitions should ensure that its agenda reflects issues of broad relevance to European citizens and promotes a balanced consideration of petitions originating from across the EU; whereas the Committee on Petitions’ guidelines provide that meeting agendas should be structured so as to ensure thematic diversity, facilitate the joint consideration of petitions addressing similar issues and, where feasible, allow thematic discussions to draw on petitions originating from more than one Member State;
S.whereas environmental issues remained among the principal concerns of petitioners in 2025, including matters related to pollution, waste management, biodiversity protection, infrastructure projects, contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), air quality, water management and climate-related risks; whereas petitions concerning consumer rights, justice, health and external relations increased significantly in 2025 compared to 2024, reflecting citizens’ growing concerns in these policy areas;
T.whereas the number of petitions relating to disability issues increased significantly in 2025, reaching 51 petitions compared to 25 in 2024 and 22 in 2023; whereas accessibility, inclusion, education and the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) remained among the principal concerns raised by petitioners;
U.whereas in 2025, the Committee on Petitions carried out four fact-finding visits, namely to Austria, twice to Spain (to Algeciras and Barbate and to the Canary Islands) and to Portugal (Madeira), in order to assess issues raised in petitions and gather first-hand information from petitioners, national authorities and stakeholders;
V.whereas the Committee on Petitions welcomed the participation of Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in the Structured Dialogue on 14 May 2025 and stressed the importance of greater transparency in infringement procedures and better communication with petitioners regarding the state of play of such procedures;
W.whereas under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Petitions is also responsible for relations with the European Ombudsman, who investigates complaints about maladministration within the institutions and bodies of the EU; whereas in 2025, the Committee on Petitions continued its constructive relations with the European Ombudsman, as demonstrated by the active participation in the committee’s meetings of Teresa Anjinho, who presented the Ombudsman’s 2024 annual report to the committee on 24 June 2025 and took part in the committee’s Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 2 December 2025;
X.whereas the Committee on Petitions is a member of the European Network of Ombudsmen, which also includes the European Ombudsman, national and regional ombudsmen and similar bodies in the Member States, the candidate countries and other European Economic Area countries, and which aims to promote an exchange of information about EU law and policy, and to share best practice;
Y.whereas the Committee on Petitions continued its cooperation with the European Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the Fundamental Rights Agency and national parliaments on matters relating to the implementation and enforcement of EU law;
Z.whereas the Committee on Petitions continued to play an active role in the framework of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), including through the organisation of hearings on the initiatives ‘Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures’ and ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’;
1.Recalls the Committee on Petitions’ important role in protecting and promoting the rights of EU citizens and residents, and stresses that petitioners’ concerns and complaints must be examined in a timely, effective, accessible and transparent manner; recalls that all petitions must be treated through an open, democratic and transparent petition process; notes that the significant increase in the number of petitions received in 2025 further underlines the importance of ensuring efficient and coherent treatment of petitions and timely information for petitioners regarding follow-up actions;
2.Underlines the significant increase in the number of petitions submitted in 2025, which reached 2 971, but which, in a union of approximately 450 million citizens, remains a relatively low number; notes that there is a growing awareness among citizens and residents of the right to petition and an enhanced familiarity with this instrument; notes that this development may also be linked to the broader use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, which have facilitated access to information and the drafting of submissions, while at the same time increasing the volume and complexity of material requiring assessment, analysis and response by the committee; stresses that this evolution has represented an operational challenge in ensuring that petitions continue to be examined in a timely, consistent and high-quality manner, thereby preserving the added value of the petition procedure as a direct channel of democratic engagement; considers, in this context, that while the increased accessibility of the petition process is to be welcomed, the integrity and purpose of the mechanism should be safeguarded; highlights the need to provide the committee with adequate administrative and technical resources to ensure high-quality and timely follow-up;
3.Reiterates the importance of continuous public information and awareness-raising regarding the EU’s fields of competence and the role of the Committee on Petitions in order to reduce the number of inadmissible petitions; calls for targeted outreach activities, including through schools, youth organisations and civil society organisations, in order to improve awareness of the right to petition and facilitate access for underrepresented groups; notes that inadmissible petitions represented 36.12 % of petitions submitted in 2025; calls for clear and accessible communication with petitioners, including first-time users and vulnerable groups, regarding the scope of EU competences and the petition process;
4.Recalls the European dimension of the Committee on Petitions, which can be addressed by citizens and residents from all 27 Member States on issues that fall within the scope of the EU Treaties and EU law; believes that the committee, respecting national specificities, has a special responsibility to uphold this European dimension and to demonstrate the added value of European unity and integration to citizens while contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in democratic institutions;
5.Recalls the special role of the Committee on Petitions as a bridge between European citizens and the EU institutions; considers that the petitions process should strive to demonstrate clear European added value to petitioners, many of whom turn to the European Parliament as a means of seeking further redress; encourages the committee to work in a constructive and consensus-oriented manner;
6.Points out that petitions constitute a unique opportunity for Parliament and the other EU institutions to directly connect with EU citizens and maintain a regular dialogue with them, particularly in cases where they are affected by the misapplication or breach of EU law; stresses the need for enhanced cooperation between the EU institutions and national, regional and local authorities on inquiries regarding the implementation of, and compliance with, EU law; believes that such cooperation is crucial to address and resolve citizens’ concerns over the application of EU law and that it contributes to strengthening the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the EU; recalls the committee’s guidelines, which stipulate that the Member State concerned in the petition is notified in advance and is encouraged to attend the committee meeting and make a statement; calls, therefore, for the meaningful participation of Member States’ representatives in committee meetings and for timely and detailed responses to requests for clarification or information sent by the Committee on Petitions to national authorities so as to ensure the proper follow-up of petitions;
7.Recalls that petitions contribute considerably to the exercise of the Commission’s role as the guardian of the Treaties by providing citizens with an additional tool to report alleged breaches of EU law; stresses that constructive cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the Commission through timely and detailed answers from the Commission, which are based on thorough examinations of the issues raised in petitions, is essential to ensure the successful treatment of petitions; calls for continued efforts to improve the quality, clarity and accessibility of Commission replies to petitions, in particular as regards readability, relevance and accessibility for citizens;
8.Welcomes the continued cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the Commission regarding infringement procedures and the implementation of EU law; reiterates the importance of transparency concerning infringement procedures and of providing petitioners with clear information on the state of play of procedures related to their petitions; welcomes the improvement to the Commission’s initiative to include petitions in its public online register of infringement decisions, as well as the efforts made to improve the interconnection between its public register and Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal;
9.Recalls that the e-Petition database and the Petitions Web Portal constitute essential tools for handling petitions and communication with petitioners, enabling the members of the Committee on Petitions to access all necessary information in order to follow up on the state of play of each petition and to be able to make informed decisions on the treatment of the petitions; welcomes the continued modernisation of the Petitions Web Portal in 2025, including measures aimed at improving inclusiveness, accessibility and technical performance; notes the introduction of gender-neutral options and the upgrading of the platform’s infrastructure;
10.Welcomes the Commission’s achievement in establishing an interinstitutional IT tool enabling information-sharing between Parliament and the Commission concerning follow-up actions related to petitions, including infringement procedures and exchanges with national authorities; reiterates the importance of such tools for improving transparency and efficiency in the treatment of petitions;
11.Recalls that cooperation with other parliamentary committees remains essential for the comprehensive treatment of petitions; points out that in 2025 the Committee on Petitions sent 15 requests for opinion and 1 204 requests for information to other parliamentary committees, compared with 30 requests for opinion and 450 requests for information in 2024; highlights, therefore, a decrease of 50 % in the number of requests for opinion and a significant increase of approximately 168 % in the number of requests for information, reflecting the growing need for exchanges among committees and technical input in the treatment of petitions; recalls that petitioners are informed of decisions to request opinions from other committees for the treatment of their petitions; underlines that parliamentary committees should step up their efforts to actively contribute to the examination of petitions by providing their expertise so as to enable Parliament to respond more swiftly and comprehensively to citizens’ concerns;
12.Considers that the petitions network is a useful tool for facilitating the follow-up of petitions in parliamentary and legislative work; believes that regular meetings of the petitions network are crucial to enhance the visibility of the Committee on Petitions’ activities and ensure a better understanding of its work and mission, as well as to strengthen cooperation with the other parliamentary committees;
13.Underlines that environmental issues remained the principal concern raised by petitioners in 2025, accounting for 18.6 % of all petitions; points out that petitions examined by the committee concerned, inter alia, environmental impact assessments, biodiversity protection, waste management, PFAS contamination, air quality, water protection, flood risk management, preserving wildlife, the protection of brown bear populations, and the environmental impacts of infrastructure and industrial projects in several Member States; further highlights the significant number of petitions alleging breaches of EU environmental legislation in several Member States; notes that issues raised by petitioners also include biodiversity loss and the need for clearer and more effective rules to ensure the protection of air quality; stresses the need for the Commission, together with the Member States, to ensure the correct and effective implementation of EU environmental legislation;
14.Recalls that in 2025 the Committee on Petitions continued to receive petitions concerning the rule of law, democracy and the application of EU law in several Member States and non-EU countries; notes that petitions discussed in committee covered, among others, issues related to fundamental rights, judicial systems, transparency, freedom of expression and the implementation of EU law;
15.Points out that the committee also dealt with petitions concerning financial services, property rights, transport and digital rights; notes the significant increase in 2025 in petitions concerning consumer rights and justice; notes that petitions discussed in committee included issues related to passenger rights in the air transport sector, unfair contract terms, the protection of minors online, artificial intelligence, privacy and identity verification on social media platforms;
16.Highlights that a high number of petitions in 2025 concerned the protection of children’s rights in the digital environment, including online safety, the protection of minors from harmful content and the use of age-verification mechanisms on online platforms; recalls that discussions in this area focused on the implementation and enforcement of relevant EU legislation, as well as on the need to ensure a high level of protection of minors while safeguarding fundamental rights, privacy and data protection; further notes that the Committee on Petitions examined several petitions in 2025 concerning the housing situation across the EU, including issues related to affordability, access to adequate housing, evictions, property rights and the social impact of rising housing costs; notes that discussions in this area addressed the consequences of housing shortages for vulnerable or marginalised groups and young people, as well as the implementation of relevant EU policies and initiatives in the field of housing; stresses that access to affordable, decent and energy-efficient housing is increasingly becoming a major concern for citizens across the EU and calls for stronger support for policies addressing housing affordability, homelessness and housing exclusion;
17.Notes that the Committee on Petitions also examined petitions concerning labour market and employment-related issues, including the working conditions of postal workers, with particular reference to occupational health and safety, workload and employment status; stresses the importance of fair working conditions, collective bargaining, adequate wages and effective occupational health and safety protections in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights; recalls that the European Pillar of Social Rights is one of the cornerstones of EU policy in this field; notes that petitions were also received on self-employment and entrepreneurship in the EU, addressing issues related to administrative burdens and access to financing for small businesses and self-employed persons; notes, furthermore, that the committee considered petitions on the recognition of professional qualifications across Member States, highlighting concerns regarding administrative procedures, cross-border mobility and the effective implementation of relevant EU legislation facilitating labour mobility within the internal market;
18.Recalls that the Committee on Petitions examined petitions concerning the organisation and management of European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) competitions, in which petitioners raised concerns regarding transparency, technical shortcomings, communication with candidates, equal treatment and the overall conduct of selection procedures; notes that petitioners reported difficulties linked to the functioning of online testing systems, procedural delays and the accessibility of information during competition procedures; recalls that, in response to these concerns, the Committee on Petitions adopted, on 4 November 2025, a motion for a resolution on the organisational mismanagement of EPSO competitions; underlines the unanimous support expressed within the committee for the resolution and stresses the importance of ensuring transparent, fair, accessible and reliable recruitment procedures within the EU institutions;
19.Notes the significant increase in petitions concerning external relations, international humanitarian law and armed conflicts, reflecting growing public concern regarding major geopolitical developments; notes that the petitions discussed in committee raised concerns relating to the protection of human rights, compliance with international humanitarian law, democratic governance, the rule of law and the humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and political instability on civilian populations; notes that several petitioners also called for the EU to pay increased attention to issues related to humanitarian assistance, the protection of vulnerable groups and the promotion of fundamental rights and democratic principles in non-EU countries;
20.Recalls that the Committee on Petitions examined a petition concerning the remembrance and recognition of victims of the post-war communist period in Slovenia, focusing on issues related to historical memory, access to archival information and the need for appropriate acknowledgment of past human rights violations; notes that, on 24 June 2025, the Committee on Petitions adopted a motion for a resolution on preserving the memory of the victims of the post-war communist period in Slovenia; notes that the resolution addresses matters related to historical remembrance, the safeguarding of documentary evidence, and the importance of ensuring that the memory of victims is duly preserved within the framework of the EU’s values, including respect for human dignity, fundamental rights and the rule of law;
21.Notes that the Committee on Petitions examined a petition concerning the participation of Hungary in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and matters related to judicial cooperation in safeguarding the financial interests of the EU; notes, furthermore, that this petition raised issues regarding the scope and conditions of Hungary’s participation in the EPPO framework and the implications of this for the effectiveness of anti-fraud and anti-corruption mechanisms at EU level; recalls that, in response to the concerns raised, the committee organised a public hearing on 24 September 2025 focusing on the legal framework governing EPPO membership, enhanced cooperation, and the consequences of non-participation in the EPPO system; further notes that the hearing addressed cooperation between national prosecutorial authorities and the EPPO, as well as the broader implications for the protection of the EU budget and the effective enforcement of criminal law in cases affecting the financial interests of the EU;
22.Underlines the specific role of the Committee on Petitions within the EU institutional framework in supporting and monitoring the implementation of the UNCRPD; recalls that persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in many areas of life and stresses the need for the full implementation of the UNCRPD across all Member States; recalls the committee’s Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held on 2 December 2025 during the European Parliament’s Disability Rights Week, which focused on three main themes, namely accessibility, inclusive education and pathways to employment, and examined the findings of petitions in these areas; stresses the important contribution made by the Committee on Petitions to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, including through the examination of petitions concerning barriers to accessibility in public and digital environments, gaps in inclusive education systems and difficulties in accessing employment opportunities and reasonable accommodation; notes that petitions received in 2025 also highlighted persistent needs related to the effective enforcement of accessibility standards, the availability of assistive technologies, the recognition and practical implementation of rights under the UNCRPD across the Member States, and improved coordination between national authorities in ensuring equal participation in society; notes that the number of petitions concerning disability issues increased significantly in 2025 compared to previous years;
23.Stresses that equal access to affordable healthcare, mental health services and long-term care remains a key social challenge across the EU and should remain a priority for EU action; takes note that health remained one of the principal areas of concern for petitioners in 2025; notes, in particular, that the Committee on Petitions examined and discussed petitions concerning access to treatment and the need for enhanced funding mechanisms to support patients affected by rare diseases, as well as measures aimed at addressing administrative, social and financial obstacles faced by informal carers of chronically ill persons; notes, furthermore, that petitions addressed calls for strengthened EU-level support and investment in suicide prevention policies, awareness-raising activities and mental health services, as well as petitions concerning the protection of the right to education for autistic infants and young children, including issues related to early diagnosis, availability of specialised support and inclusive education frameworks; notes that, more broadly, petitions in the field of health also highlighted concerns regarding unequal access to healthcare services across the Member States and the need to ensure timely, affordable and non-discriminatory access to medical treatment and support services within the EU;
24.Notes that petitions examined in 2025 addressed issues related to international trade relations, including concerns regarding trade arrangements with the United States and the application of tariffs, as well as perceived imbalances in trade relations with certain Asian partner countries; notes that petitioners raised questions regarding the impact of such trade dynamics on European producers, sectors of strategic importance and consumers within the EU; highlights the need to ensure a fair and rules-based approach to international trade, while taking into account both the economic interests of the EU and the legitimate concerns expressed by European producers and consumers; stresses that EU trade policy should contribute to high labour, environmental and human-rights standards and support quality jobs within the EU;
25.Recalls the fact that relations with the European Ombudsman represent one of the responsibilities conferred on the Committee on Petitions by Parliament’s Rules of Procedure; welcomes the continued constructive cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the European Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, including her presentation of the Ombudsman’s annual report for 2024 to the committee on 24 June 2025;
26.Encourages continued cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the European Ombudsman in areas related to transparency, good administration and the protection of citizens’ rights; underlines the importance of effective follow-up to the Ombudsman’s recommendations by EU institutions and bodies; welcomes the continued regular contributions of the European Ombudsman to the work of the Committee on Petitions throughout the year;
27.Notes that in 2025 the Committee on Petitions organised four fact-finding visits, to Austria, to Portugal and twice to Spain, concerning issues raised in petitions related to environmental protection, labour rights, migration management, housing and civil protection; stresses the importance of fact-finding visits as a means of gathering first-hand information from petitioners, authorities and stakeholders;
28.Recalls the committee’s work in relation to education, digital environments and the protection of minors online; recalls the joint hearing of the Committee on Petitions and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection of 4 November 2025 on protecting children and adolescents in digital environments, which examined issues related to online safety, the responsibilities of digital platforms, age assurance and verification mechanisms, the exposure of minors to harmful or inappropriate content, and the effective implementation and enforcement of relevant EU legislation, including as regards platform accountability and risk mitigation measures; underlines that the exchange of views with stakeholders, competent authorities and experts highlighted the need for a coherent and child-centred approach to digital regulation, ensuring both a high level of protection for minors and the preservation of safe and trusted digital spaces for education and social interaction;
29.Stresses that the ECIs represent an important instrument for active citizenship and public participation; welcomes the committee’s continued work in the framework of the ECIs, including the hearings organised in 2025 on the initiatives ‘Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures’ and ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’; recalls the role of the Committee on Petitions in facilitating dialogue between ECI organisers, Parliament and the Commission;
30.Notes that, as a follow-up action to a petition submitted to the Committee on Petitions highlighting the need to better recognise and support small retailers within the internal market, the Commission developed and launched the European Capitals of Small Retail initiative; recalls that on 3 July 2025 Commission representatives participated in the official launch of the initiative, marking an important step in its implementation and visibility at EU level; notes that the initiative aims to promote the role of small retail businesses in urban and local economies, foster the exchange of good practice between cities, and strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the sector; considers this development to be an example of how the petitions process can contribute to identifying concrete policy needs and translating citizens’ concerns into follow-up actions at EU level, thereby reinforcing the added value of the Committee on Petitions within the institutional framework;
31.Instructs its President to forward this resolution and the report of the Committee on Petitions to the Council, the Commission, the European Ombudsman, and the governments and the parliaments of the Member States, their committees on petitions and their national ombudsmen or similar competent bodies.
Explanatory statement 111 paragraphs
Pursuant to Rule 233(7) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, the Committee on Petitions shall report annually on the outcome of its deliberations. The report aims to provide an overview of the work carried out by the committee in 2025 and includes a statistical analysis of the petitions received and processed as well as a stocktaking of other parliamentary activities such as the adoption of reports and opinions, the organisation of hearings and the committee’s relations with other EU institutions. It is worth recalling that the core work of the Committee on Petitions generates from the right to petition the European Parliament exercised by EU citizens and residents under Article 227 TFEU and is not directly linked to the work programme of the Commission.
Statistical analysis of petitions received in 2025 compared to 2024
According to the statistics, the European Parliament received 2 971 petitions in 2025, representing an increase of 95.7% compared to the 1 518 petitions submitted in 2024, 104.6% compared to the 1 452 petitions submitted in 2023 and 144.1% compared to the 1 217 petitions registered in 2022.
Users of the Petitions Web Portal have the possibility to support petitions. In 2025, 15 508 users acted as supporters, compared to 15 661 in 2024 and 26 331 in 2023. The number of supporters therefore remained broadly stable between 2024 and 2025, with a slight decrease of approximately 1.0% year-on-year, following a more pronounced decline compared to 2023. The number of supports similarly stood at 17 638 in 2025, compared to 17 745 in 2024, 29 287 in 2023 and 27 927 in 2022. This represents a marginal decrease of approximately 0.6% between 2024 and 2025, confirming a continued stabilisation of support activity at broadly consistent levels over the most recent reporting year, after higher levels recorded in earlier years, in particular in 2020 and 2021.
In 2025, 10 petitions were co-signed by more than one citizen. Of these 10 petitions, 4 were signed by more than 100 citizens; of these 4 petitions, 1 was signed by more than 10 000 citizens.
Format of petitions
In 2025, 88% of petitions were submitted via the Petitions Web Portal, while approximately 12% were submitted by post. This marks an increase in the use of the Web Portal compared to 2024, when it accounted for 82% of submissions, while postal submissions stood at 18%. The Web Portal thus remains by far the predominant channel for the submission of petitions to the European Parliament.
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Petition Format | Number of petitions | % | Petition format | Number of petitions | % | |
| Petition Portal | 2 614 | 88.0 | Petitions Portal | 1 249 | 82.3 | |
| Letter | 357 | 12.0 | Letter | 269 | 17.7 |
Status of petitions per calendar year
The following table shows the status of petitions from 2003 to 2025. It can be noted that in 2025 a very large majority of petitions (over three quarters) were closed within one year of receipt and examination by the Committee. This long-standing trend, consistently reflected in annual reports since 2010, confirms that the majority of petitions are concluded within one year of their registration. Overall, less than 10% of petitions received in each year since 2003 remain open, with the exception of the most recent years (2023–2025), as well as 2016, which recorded a significantly higher proportion of open petitions (around 15.6%). By contrast, between 2004 and 2014, the share of open petitions remained consistently very low, generally ranging between 0.2% and 1.2%. Most petitions remaining open relate to complex or long-term issues requiring continued monitoring, in particular in the fields of environmental protection, the internal market violation, the implementation of EU law, and ongoing infringement procedures before the Court of Justice of the European Union, or cases which the Committee wishes to keep under close scrutiny. A number of petitions concerning beach concessions in Italy, submitted between 2012 and 2024 and particularly concentrated in 2016, 2023 and 2024, also remain open, thereby contributing significantly to the overall statistical pattern.
| Status of petitions | |||||
| Year | Number of petitions | Open petitions | Closed petitions | ||
| 2025 | 2 971 | 555 | 18.7% | 2 416 | 81.3% |
| 2024 | 1 487 | 203 | 13.7% | 1 282 | 86.2% |
| 2023 | 1 440 | 266 | 18.5% | 1 174 | 81.5% |
| 2022 | 1 210 | 121 | 10.0% | 1 089 | 90.0% |
| 2021 | 1 388 | 125 | 9.0% | 1 263 | 91.0% |
| 2020 | 1 570 | 114 | 7.3% | 1 456 | 92.7% |
| 2019 | 1 355 | 101 | 7.5% | 1 254 | 92.5% |
| 2018 | 1 219 | 95 | 7.8% | 1 124 | 92.2% |
| 2017 | 1 270 | 53 | 4.2% | 1 217 | 95.8% |
| 2016 | 1 568 | 245 | 15.6% | 1 323 | 84,4% |
| 2015 | 1 431 | 61 | 4.3% | 1 370 | 95.7% |
| 2014 | 2 715 | 32 | 1.2% | 2 683 | 98.8% |
| 2013 | 2 891 | 29 | 1.0% | 2 862 | 99.0% |
| 2012 | 1 986 | 23 | 1.2% | 1 963 | 98.8% |
| 2011 | 1 414 | 12 | 0.8% | 1 402 | 99.2% |
| 2010 | 1 656 | 13 | 0.8% | 1 643 | 99.2% |
| 2009 | 1 924 | 5 | 0.3% | 1 919 | 99.7% |
| 2008 | 1 886 | 11 | 0.6% | 1 875 | 99.4% |
| 2007 | 1 506 | 15 | 1.0% | 1 491 | 99.0% |
| 2006 | 1 021 | 2 | 0.2% | 1 019 | 99.8% |
| 2005 | 1 016 | 2 | 0.2% | 1 014 | 99.8% |
| 2004 | 1 002 | 2 | 0.2% | 1 000 | 99.8% |
| 2003 | 1 315 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 315 | 100.0% |
Outcome of petitions
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Outcome of petitions | Number | % | Outcome of petitions | Number | % | |
| Admissible and Closed | 1 305 | 43.93 | Admissible and Closed | 551 | 36.3 | |
| Admissible and Open | 555 | 18.68 | Admissible and Open | 324 | 21.34 | |
| Inadmissible | 1 073 | 36.12 | Inadmissible | 611 | 40.25 | |
| Withdrawn | 38 | 1.28 | Withdrawn | 32 | 2.1 | |
| Sent to EC for opinion | 834 | 28.06 | Sent to EC for opinion | 377 | 24.83 | |
| Sent for opinion to other bodies | 8 | 0.27 | Sent for opinion to other bodies | 2 | 0.13 | |
| Sent for information to other bodies | 2 471 | 83.19 | Sent for information to other bodies | 735 | 48.42 |
The tables show that in 2025 the share of inadmissible petitions (36.12%) is broadly stable compared to 2024 (40.25%), although it remains one of the main categories of outcome.
By contrast, the proportion of admissible petitions closed immediately by providing information to the petitioner increased significantly in 2025, reaching 43.93%, compared to 36.3% in 2024. This indicates a higher share of petitions that could be concluded at an early stage through the provision of information.
The share of admissible petitions remaining open decreased in 2025 (18.68%) compared to 2024 (21.34%), confirming a slight reduction in the proportion of ongoing cases.
With regard to petitions referred to the European Commission for opinion, there is a noticeable increase in 2025, with 28.06% of admissible petitions being transmitted to the Commission, compared to 24.83% in 2024.
The proportion of petitions sent to other bodies for opinion remains very low, although it shows a slight increase in 2025 compared to 2024.
Finally, petitions transmitted to other bodies for information remain by far the largest category in both years (83.19% in 2025 compared to 48.42% in 2024), reflecting the central role of information exchange in the handling of petitions.
Number of petitions by country
The following two tables present the distribution of petitions by country for 2025 and 2024, both in absolute numbers and percentage terms. A significant proportion of petitions in both years concern the European Union as a whole. These petitions either raise issues of Union-wide relevance or call for coordinated measures at EU level. In some cases, petitions are simultaneously attributed to the European Union and to one or more Member States.
This methodological approach explains why the combined total of EU-level and Member State-specific petitions exceeds the overall number of petitions submitted. In both 2025 and 2024, the group of Member States most frequently concerned by petitions remains broadly stable (nine out of ten), although some changes in ranking are observed. Spain continues to be the Member State most frequently concerned by petitions in both years (367 in 2025 and 229 in 2024). While the number of petitions concerning Italy almost doubled in 2025 compared to 2024 (from 170 to 330), Cyprus recorded an increase in the number of petitions in 2025 (201 instead of 9).
A similar trend can be observed in relation to Germany, with a significant increase in absolute numbers from 142 petitions in 2024 to 200 in 2025, as well as in Greece (from 72 to 110), Poland (from 40 to 114) and Portugal (from 23 to 60). Ireland moved from third-last position in 2024, with 3 petitions submitted to 34 petitions in 2025, reaching twelfth place in the ranking. The category “Other EU countries” also increased significantly in 2025, which reflect a diversification of petitions across Member States. The number of petitions concerning non-EU countries increased in 2025 compared to 2024, rising from 125 to 299 petitions. As regards the countries at the lower end of the list, Luxembourg, Estonia and Czechia are the least concerned countries in 2025. In 2024, this position was held by Slovenia, Latvia and Ireland, while in 2023 it was Slovakia, Cyprus and Luxembourg.
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Concerned Country | Petitions | % | Concerned Country | Petitions | % | |
| European Union | 1 187 | 40.5 | European Union | 715 | 48.1 | |
| Spain | 367 | 12.5 | Spain | 229 | 15.4 | |
| Italy | 330 | 11.3 | Italy | 170 | 11.4 | |
| Cyprus | 201 | 6.9 | Germany | 142 | 9.5 | |
| Germany | 200 | 6.8 | Romania | 80 | 5.4 | |
| Romania | 147 | 5.0 | Greece | 72 | 4.8 | |
| Poland | 114 | 3.9 | France | 46 | 3.1 | |
| Greece | 110 | 3.8 | Poland | 40 | 2.7 | |
| Portugal | 60 | 2.0 | Hungary | 26 | 1.7 | |
| France | 44 | 1.5 | Portugal | 23 | 1.5 | |
| Other EU countries | 374 | 19.1 | Other EU countries | 143 | 9.7 | |
| Non-EU countries | 299 | 10.0 | Non-EU countries | 125 | 8.7 |
Languages of petitions
The data show that in 2025, as in 2024, petitions were submitted in 22 official languages of the European Union, confirming a stable linguistic diversity in the submission of petitions.
English remains by far the most used language, accounting for 33.7% of all petitions in 2025, compared to 25.5% in 2024, representing a significant increase in its relative share. Spanish continues to be the second most used language in both years, although its share decreased from 20.4% in 2024 to 14.3% in 2025. A notable change is observed in the ranking of the third and fourth most used languages. In 2025, Italian became the third most used language, increasing from 12.1% in 2024 to 13.3% in 2025, thereby overtaking German, which decreased from 15.1% in 2024 to 11.1% in 2025. Greek also shows a significant increase, rising from 6.0% in 2024 to 9.1% in 2025, reflecting a higher number of petitions submitted in this language.
Overall, English, Spanish, Italian and German together account for 72.4% of all petitions submitted in 2025, compared to 73.1% in 2024, 77.5% in 2023 and 76.2% in 2022, indicating a slight but steady diversification of languages over time. At the lower end of the distribution, Irish, Estonian and Slovenian were the least used languages in 2025, while in 2024 the least used languages were Slovenian, Slovak and Latvian.
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Petition Language | Number of petitions | % | Petition Language | Number of petitions | % | |
| English | 986 | 33.7 | English | 379 | 25.5 | |
| Spanish | 419 | 14.3 | Spanish | 303 | 20.4 | |
| Italian | 391 | 13.3 | German | 225 | 15.1 | |
| German | 327 | 11.1 | Italian | 180 | 12.1 | |
| Greek | 266 | 9.1 | Greek | 90 | 6.0 | |
| Hungarian | 130 | 4.4 | Polish | 90 | 6.0 | |
| French | 101 | 3.4 | Romanian | 66 | 4.4 | |
| Polish | 90 | 3.1 | French | 62 | 4.2 | |
| Others | 223 | 7.6 | Others | 92 | 6.2 | |
| Total | 2971 | 100 | Total | 1487 | 100 |
Nationality of petitioners
The data show a significant shift between 2024 and 2025. In 2025, German nationals represent the largest group of petitioners (17.2%), followed by Spanish (15.9%) and Italian nationals (15.8%). This marks a change compared to 2024, when Spanish nationals ranked first, followed by German and Italian nationals. Italy remains stable in third position in both years, although with a slight increase in absolute numbers and a relatively stable share. Cyprus appears as a significantly more prominent nationality in 2025 (6.7%), while it was not among the top nationalities in 2024, indicating a notable increase in petitions submitted by Cypriot nationals.
Romania shows a slight decrease in relative share, although remaining among the most frequently represented nationalities. Belgium appears in the 2025 ranking, reflecting an increase in petitions from Belgian nationals compared to the previous year. The category “Other EU nationalities” increases significantly from 11.8% in 2024 to 16.0% in 2025, indicating a broader diversification of petitions across Member States outside the main national groups. Non-EU nationalities also increase from 3.8% to 4.5%, confirming a slight but steady rise in petitions originating from third-country nationals.
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Prime petitioner nationality | Number of petitions | % | Prime petitioner nationality | Number of petitions | % | |
| Germany | 511 | 17.2 | Spain | 320 | 21.2 | |
| Spain | 467 | 15.7 | Germany | 265 | 17.5 | |
| Italy | 465 | 15.7 | Italy | 220 | 14.5 | |
| Cyprus | 195 | 6.6 | Poland | 132 | 8.7 | |
| Romania | 176 | 5.9 | Greece | 107 | 7.1 | |
| Poland | 167 | 5.6 | Romania | 108 | 7.1 | |
| Hungary | 157 | 5.3 | France | 62 | 4.1 | |
| Greece | 152 | 5.1 | Portugal | 33 | 2.2 | |
| Belgium | 72 | 2.4 | Hungary | 28 | 1.8 | |
| Other EU nationalities | 475 | 16.0 | Other EU nationalities | 178 | 11.8 | |
| Non-EU nationalities | 134 | 4.5 | Non-EU nationalities | 57 | 3.8 |
Main subjects of petitions
The tables below present the ten most frequent petition themes in 2025 and 2024. The data show that the environment remains the main area of concern for petitioners in both years, accounting for 18.6% of petitions in 2025 and 20.1% in 2024. Environmental petitions continue to cover a broad range of issues, including pollution, waste management, energy, biodiversity and environmental impact assessments. Petitions relating to fundamental rights also remain among the most recurrent themes, although their relative position in the ranking decreased in 2025 compared to 2024. It should be noted that the category “Personal Matters”, which ranks second in both years, mainly concerns inadmissible petitions. Where petitions classified under this theme are declared admissible, they are generally associated with an additional substantive policy area. Consequently, this category should be interpreted with caution when assessing the main policy concerns raised by petitioners. Several themes show a significant increase in 2025 compared to 2024, in particular, petitions concerning consumer rights increased substantially, rising from 107 petitions in 2024 to 356 in 2025, becoming the third most frequent theme in 2025. Similarly, petitions related to justice increased markedly, from 136 in 2024 to 354 in 2025, while petitions concerning health more than doubled, increasing from 105 to 225 petitions. Petitions relating to external relations also recorded a significant increase, rising from 96 petitions in 2024 to 200 in 2025. In addition, the number of petitions concerning institutions increased from 90 in 2024 to 163 in 2025, while petitions related to transport rose from 99 to 160 over the same period. A notable development in 2025 is the emergence of “Property” among the top ten petition themes, with 203 petitions compared to only 18 in 2024. Financial Services and Economic and Monetary Affairs also represent a significant area of concern in 2025, with 235 petitions submitted under this theme. Information Society and Media remain among the most recurrent themes in both years, increasing from 75 petitions in 2024 to 168 in 2025. By contrast, Internal Market, which ranked among the principal themes in 2024, no longer appears among the top ten themes in 2025. Finally, the percentage of petitions relating to animal welfare remained stable in both years (around 3.1%), while the number of petitions concerning disability increased from 20 in 2024 to 51 in 2025.
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Top 10 Petition themes | Number of petitions | % |
| Environment | 563 | 18.6 |
| Personal Matter | 382 | 13.0 |
| Consumer Rights | 356 | 12.1 |
| Justice | 354 | 12.1 |
| Fundamental Rights | 292 | 10.0 |
| Financial Services | 235 | 8.0 |
| Health | 225 | 7.7 |
| Property | 203 | 6.9 |
| External Relations | 200 | 6.8 |
| Information Society and Media | 168 | 5.7 |
| Top 10 Petition themes | Number of petitions | % |
| Environment | 300 | 20.1 |
| Personal Matter | 197 | 13.2 |
| Fundamental Rights | 169 | 11.4 |
| Internal Market | 166 | 11.2 |
| Justice | 136 | 9.1 |
| Consumer’s Right | 107 | 7.2 |
| Health | 105 | 7.1 |
| Transport | 99 | 6.7 |
| Institutions | 90 | 6.1 |
| Information Society and Media | 75 | 5.0 |
Petitions Web Portal
One key priority shaped the development of the Petitions Web Portal in 2025: Strengthening the Petitions Portal’s inclusiveness.
Work on making the Petitions Portal more inclusive was intensified during the year. A genderneutral option was introduced for user accounts, and all template letters were revised in all official languages to incorporate genderneutral language.
Moreover, continuous investment in digital accessibility resulted in an excellent accessibility score, confirming the Secretariat’s commitment to userfriendly digital services. In that context, the application platform was successfully modernised through a major infrastructure and software upgrade. The upgrade improves maintainability, scalability and futurereadiness, providing a more flexible foundation for further digital development and innovation. It also supports more efficient deployment and operational processes, contributing to their longterm reliability and performance. The PETI team also ensured that all petitions were published within a few days of adoption and that petitioner queries - received in any EU official language via the chatbot and Smart Helpdesk - were answered promptly.
Overall, the Petitions Web Portal maintained its citizenfocused approach by reinforcing its technical foundations, streamlining workflows and expanding inclusive digital features.
Relations with the Commission
The Commission remains the natural partner of the Committee on Petitions in processing petitions as the responsible EU institution for ensuring the implementation of and compliance with EU law. The committee and the Commission have a well-established and consistently maintained level of cooperation. The main contact point in the Commission is the Secretariat-General, which coordinates the distribution of petitions to the relevant Commission’s services and transmits the Commission’s replies to the secretariat of the committee. The Commission’s services participate in the meetings of the Committee of Petitions when petitions are discussed in committee on the basis of the Commission’s written reply or of other documents received. While the Commission has stepped up its efforts to provide timely responses to requests for information made by the Committee on Petitions, the committee emphasised that the responses should be clear, simple and empathic, in order to convey better understanding to petitioners.
As foreseen in Annex IV of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission, as part of the Structured Dialogue with the European Commission. the Committee on Petitions welcomed the participation of Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security and for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency Maroš Šefčovič at its meeting on 14 May 2025. The exchange of views focused on cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the European Commission in the handling of petitions, transparency and interinstitutional relations, as well as on the participation of higher-level Commission representatives in committee meetings concerning petitions related to the implementation and enforcement of Union law. In addition, the committee emphasised the need for greater transparency in infringement procedures and better communication with petitioners of the state of play of these procedures.
The Committee on Petitions welcomed the initiative of the Commission to include petitions in the Commission’s database on infringement procedures and called on the Commission to improve strategic approach on enforcing EU law, notably providing more legal clarity on the criteria the Commission is using in taking formal action under infringement and EU pilot procedures. The Committee on Petitions stressed that the Commission should accelerate the resolution of open infringements cases in order to ensure an effective and rapid response to EU law’s violations, including by deferring cases more swiftly to the CJEU.
It is also worth noting the Commission’s intervention in the Committee on Petitions’ events throughout the year. In particular, the intervention of representatives of the Commission during the presentation of the study on “Monitoring the implementation of EU law: tools and challenges – Update” (Secretariat-General, Implementation and Enforcement of EU law) on 28 January 2025.
Representatives of the Commission also participated in several PETI hearings in 2025: joint LIBE-PETI hearing on “Border checks and the future of the Schengen area” (DG HOME - Schengen and external borders; Schengen Coordinator) on 12 February 2025; hearing on “Suspension of procedures for evictions and squatting” (Task Force on Housing) on 18 March 2025; hearing on “Hungary’s accession to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office” (DG JUST - Criminal Justice) on 24 September 2025; joint PETI-IMCO hearing on “Protecting children and adolescents in digital environments” (DG CONNECT - DSA protection of minors and other societal risks; DG JUST - Consumer Law) on 4 November 2025.
On 3 July 2025, representatives of the Commission participated in the launch event of the European Capitals of Small Retail (ECoSR) Award (DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs).
Finally, on 2 December 2025, a representative of the Directorate General for Justice and Consumers - Disability Unit participated in the annual workshop on the rights of persons with disabilities.
European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI)
The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a European Union (EU) mechanism aimed at increasing direct democracy by enabling ‘‘EU citizens to participate directly in the development of EU policies.’’ The initiative enables one million citizens of the European Union, who are nationals of at least seven Member States, to call directly on the European Commission to propose a legal act in an area where the Member States have conferred powers onto the EU level. If at the end of the procedure, the ECI initiative reaches the threshold, organisers are invited to a hearing organised by the committee for petitions, to present their initiative, and afterwards, Parliament may decide to debate further and adopt a resolution in plenary on the topic.
On 25 June 2025, the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), organised, in association with the Committee on Petitions, a public hearing on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures”. The initiative called on the Commission to pay particular attention, within the framework of cohesion policy, to regions with national, ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic characteristics which differ from those of the surrounding regions. The organisers stressed the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for such regions in order to preserve their specific characteristics and contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion within the Union.
On 2 December 2025, the organisers of the European Citizen’s Initiative “My Voice, My Choice: For a Safe and Accessible Abortion” presented their initiative at a public hearing held by the FEMM committee with involvement of PETI and with the participation of the DEVE, SANT and LIBE committees in presence of Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management. During the hearing, the organisers presented the objectives of the initiative, calling on the European Commission to put forward measures guaranteeing safe and accessible abortion care across the European Union. Discussions focused on inequalities in access to reproductive healthcare services among Member States and on the possible role of the European Union in supporting women facing restrictions in accessing abortion care. Following the hearing, the initiative was debated during the plenary session in December 2025, ahead of the European Commission’s official response under the ECI procedure.
Relations with the Council
Members of the Council’s Secretariat may attend the meetings of the Committee on Petitions. Regrettably, in 2025 as in previous years, the committee did not observe the Council’s participation in the debates. In this respect, the committee considers that a more active cooperation with Member States and Council representatives would be necessary in order to facilitate the handling of petitions requiring prompt responses and reactions from national authorities.
The committee nevertheless continued to stress the importance of strengthening interinstitutional cooperation concerning the monitoring and enforcement of Union law and the effective follow-up of citizens’ concerns raised through petitions. In this regard, on 28 January 2025, the Committee on Petitions organised an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on “Strengthening cooperation for a timely and correct enforcement of EU law benefitting EU citizens”, bringing together Members of national parliaments and stakeholders to exchange views on the implementation and enforcement of Union law.
Relations with the European Ombudsman
The Committee on Petitions continued its constructive, long-standing working relations with the office of the European Ombudsman, Ms Teresa Anjinho, contributing to the increase of the democratic accountability of the EU institutions.
On 24 June 2025, Ms Teresa Anjinho presented the European Ombudsman’s annual report for 2024 to the Committee on Petitions. The activities covered by the 2024 annual report were carried out under the mandate of Ms Emily O’Reilly, who served as European Ombudsman from 2013 until the end of her term in early 2025. The 2024 annual report documents the Ombudsman’s work on dealing with citizens’ complaints concerning the EU administration. In 2024, the Ombudsman opened 415 inquiries – of which 4 on her own initiative – with complaints related to transparency and accountability (42,2%), culture of service (17.3%) and recruitment (14.1%) accounting for the biggest proportion. Ms Anjinho stressed the role of the Ombudsman in defending citizens’ rights across the EU and bridging the gap between citizens and the EU institutions, while emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships for the Ombudsman’s work.
In the frame of the Interparliamentary Committee Meeting, in January 2025, a representative of the European Ombudsman’s Office intervened on the implementation of EU law by the EU Institutions.
In 2025, the European Ombudsman, Ms Anjinho, also participated at the committee’s annual workshop on the rights of persons with disabilities “The UN CRPD Concluding Observations on the EU report, from the perspective of petitions received”, which took place on 2 December 2025.
Relations with the European Court of Auditors
Over recent years, the Committee on Petitions has built constructive working relations with the European Court of Auditors (ECA). As in previous years, the committee actively contributed to the ECA annual work programme for 2026.
On 17 March 2025, a representative of the European Court of Auditors presented the ECA Special report 28/2024: Enforcing EU law.
Relations with other EU bodies
On 28 January 2025, the Committee on Petitions, in cooperation with the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) and the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments (DG PART), organised an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) focused on “Strengthening cooperation for a timely and correct enforcement of EU law benefitting EU citizens”. The meeting was structured around two panels. The first panel examined the enforcement of EU law for the benefit of EU citizens, followed by an exchange of views with members of national parliaments, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission, a member of the European Ombudsman’s office, and closing remarks delivered by a member of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Folketing. The second panel focused on how to contribute to ensuring a timely and correct enforcement of EU law and was also followed by a debate with members of national parliaments and MEPs. Following the presentation of an update of the study commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs for the Committee on Petitions on “Monitoring the implementation of EU law: tools and challenges”, interventions were made by a member of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the Belgian Senate, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and a member of the Polish Sejm.
On 18 March 2025, the rapporteur of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) own initiative opinion on Social housing in the EU intervened in the hearing “Suspension of procedures for evictions and squatting”.
On 3 July 2025, in the frame of the launch event of the European Capitals of Small Retail (ECoSR) Award, an alternate member of the European Committee of the Regions intervened.
On 2 December 2025, a representative of the Fundamental Rights Agency took the floor in occasion of the Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Fact-finding visits
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions organised four fact-finding visits.
The Committee organised a fact-finding visit to Austria from 14 to 16 April 2025 on wolf population management and the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation, as raised in petitions Nos 1055/2019, 0827/2020, 1102/2020, and 0772/2023 concerning the wolf population, and petition No 0798/2024 concerning amendments to the EU Deforestation Regulation. The objective of the mission was to gather first-hand information, establish facts and engage in dialogue with national authorities, petitioners, environmental organisations, farmers’ representatives and other stakeholders. The delegation examined the challenges linked to balancing biodiversity protection, agricultural interests and forestry management, while also assessing the implementation and possible impact of EU environmental legislation.
From 26 to 28 May 2025, the Committee on Petitions conducted a fact-finding visit to Spain, specifically to the town of Algeciras and Barbate, concerning the labour rights of police officers in the European Union, as raised in petition No 1407/2023. The petitioner raised concerns regarding the fundamental and labour rights of police officers and called for the recognition of police work as a risk profession across Member States. During the visit, the participating members met representatives of law enforcement authorities, trade unions, petitioners and local stakeholders in order to assess the working conditions of police officers, examine occupational risks and discussing possible improvements to the protection of fundamental and social rights in the sector.
A mission to Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the Canary Island (Spain) took place from 15 to 17 September 2025 in order to assess the challenges linked to irregular migration arrivals in the region. The delegation examined the role of smuggling networks, the situation and capacity of reception facilities, and the implementation of relevant EU policies and fundamental rights safeguards. The mission enabled Members to gather information directly from local, reginal and national authorities, civil society organisations and other actors involved in migration management and humanitarian assistance.
Between 27 and 29 October 2025, the Committee on Petitions carried out a fact-finding visit to Madeira, Portugal, concerning the unaffordable housing situation and the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in response to wildfires, as raised in petitions Nos 1486/2024 and 0970/2024. The delegation met regional and national authorities, petitioners and civil society representatives to assess the impact of the housing crisis and wildfire risks on local communities. The visit allowed members to obtain a clearer understanding of the societal, environmental and civil protection challenges faced by the region and to evaluate the effectiveness of existing EU instruments and policies.
From 10 to 12 June 2025, a delegation of seven members of EMPL, LIBE and PETI Committees attended the 18th Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at UN Headquarters in New York. The main purpose of the mission was to represent the European Parliament at the UN disability rights conference, engage with international stakeholders on implementation of disability rights under the CRPD, and strengthen EU involvement in monitoring and advancing the Convention. The delegation reinforced the EU’s role as an active participant in global disability rights governance, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, education-to-employment pathways, and international cooperation under the UN CRPD framework.
Public Hearings
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions organised four public hearings, partly jointly with other parliamentary committees. The public hearings covered a wide range of subject raised in petitions.
On 19 February 2025, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Petitions organised a joint public hearing to look at the development of the Schengen area and examine the recent legislative reforms as well as the challenges facing the area. The event followed up on petitions 0585/2023 and 0509/2024 denouncing the temporary reintroduction of border control at the internal borders by some Member States. Experts in the first panel presented the historical overview of the Schengen area and the revised Schengen borders Code, which entered into force in July 2024. The second panel focused on the current state of play of the Schengen area and addressed its strengths and weaknesses. The panel also analysed the reintroduction of border controls by some Member States within the Schengen area and their consequences on EU citizens, particularly mobile workers. Members stressed the importance to strike a balance between security needs of Member States and respect of fundamental rights.
On 18 March 2025, the Committee organised a hearing, based on a set of petitions denouncing the violation of property rights in Spain, because of evictions and squatting that reduces supply, raises rental prices, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups and young people looking for housing. The public hearing aimed at addressing the concerns raised by petitioners, as well as the challenges linked to the housing crisis in different Member States, exacerbated by differing laws across the EU. Experts explored the potential for an EU-wide approach to safeguard property rights and streamline legal processes for recovery of rented properties. The Commission presented its affordable housing initiative and the European Economic and Social Committee its own initiative opinion on “social housing in the EU - decent, sustainable and affordable”.
On 24 September 2025, the Committee on Petitions organised a Public Hearing, based on Petition 0679/2024. The hearing concerned the legal framework governing membership of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), with the aim of highlighting the results achieved by the Member States participating under enhanced cooperation. The hearing was held in response to Petition 0679/2024, which called for Hungary to join the EPPO and raised concerns regarding the protection of the Union’s financial interests in Hungary. In the first panel of the hearing, the European Commission analysed the current legal framework and objectives of EPPO membership and provided an overview of ongoing cooperation between the EPPO and the Hungarian Public Prosecutor’s Office. The second panel focused on Hungary’s national anti-corruption mechanisms and considered the potential implications of the country’s possible EPPO membership.
On 4 November 2025, PETI together with IMCO organised a Public Hearing, based on Petitions No 0005/2021, 1189/2024, 1428/2024, 1479/2024 and 0081/2025. The joint IMCO–PETI hearing examined the current landscape, key challenges and policy options for safeguarding children and adolescents in digital environments. It was held in response to several petitions submitted to the PETI Committee and built on the IMCO Committee’s work in this field, including the ongoing own-initiative report (2025/2060(INI)) on the Protection of minors online and the Guidelines on the protection of minors online recently adopted by the European Commission. The first panel of the hearing assessed the societal challenges and risks that minors face online and reviewed the existing regulatory framework. The second panel considered the effectiveness of current rules’ implementation and outlined potential future initiatives to address remaining gaps. MEPs highlighted the need for a more coherent and effective EU approach to safeguarding minors online.
Workshops
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions organised three workshops covering subject-matters raised in petitions.
On 3 July 2025, the Committee on Petitions hosted the “Launch event of the European Capitals of Small Retail (ECoSR) Award”. The workshop marked the official launch of the 2026 European Capital of Small Retail Award and focused on the role of small retailers in supporting local economies and urban vitality. Discussions highlighted challenges faced by small businesses and the importance of initiatives aimed at strengthening local commerce and revitalising city centres across the European Union. The event brought together representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission, local authorities, and petitioners involved in the initiative.
On 16 July 2025, the Committee on Petitions held a workshop on “Linguistic Freedom of Citizens and Companies Regarding the Catalan Policies of Imposition, Sanction and Fine”. The workshop examined petitions related to language requirements affecting businesses and consumers in Catalonia. Discussions addressed the application of regional language legislation in the context of EU principles, including non-discrimination, consumer protection and the free movement of goods and services. Members and experts exchanged views on the balance between the promotion of regional languages and the need to ensure legal certainty and proportionality in the internal market rules.
On 2 December 2025, the Committee on Petitions held its “Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, organised during the third European Parliament’s Disability Rights Week and with the support of the Policy Department for Citizens, Equality and Culture for PETI. The workshop focused on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) in the EU, drawing on issues raised in petitions received by citizens. Discussions examined the state of implementation across Member States, highlighting both progress achieved and remaining barriers to accessibility, independent living, and equal participation. Particular attention was given to the strengthening enforcement of disability rights in practice and to the role of EU institutions in addressing gaps identified through petition cases and in ensuring full compliance with the UN CRPD framework.
Studies
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions heard presentations and discussed a number of studies, briefings and analyses commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, the Policy Department for Citizens, Equality and Culture, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) as well as documents presented by the European Commission: These included:
Study on Monitoring the implementation of EU law: tools and challenges – Update commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens, Equality and Culture at the request of PETI and discussed during the Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on 28 January 2025. The study updated the 2017 edition and provided an overview of the key actors responsible for implementing and enforcing EU law. It examined recent trends in the transposition and application of EU legislation across various policy areas, analysed the evolution of the EU Enforcement Policy and the Commission’s “Smart Enforcement” approach, then concluding with recommendations addressed to the EU institutions.
In addition, during the Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held on 1 December 2025, the following study was presented: UNCRPD Concluding Observations in relation to the EU report from the perspective of petition received. It examined the 2025 concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding the European Union and assessed their relevance to issues raised in petition submitted by the European Parliament.
Key issues
Environmental issues
In 2025, environmental issues remained among citizens’ main concerns and the Committee paid particular attention to them. Environmental protection was discussed in almost all committee meetings on the basis of petitions submitted by citizens. The Committee debated a wide range of environmental issues, including the environmental impact of infrastructure projects in several Member States, such as the construction of an incinerator and a planned motorway in France, the protection of rivers in Italy from invasive construction works, alleged environmental degradation in Gibraltar waters, and proposals relating to the implementation of the EU “3 Billion Trees” initiative in Poland.
The Committee also considered petitions concerning the consequences of PFAS contamination on water and air quality, the protection of brown bear populations in Italy, alleged environmental damage caused by battery manufacturing activities in Hungary, and issues relating to waste treatment and management. In addition, the Committee examined several petitions alleging deterioration of air quality in various towns and regions across the European Union.
The Committee also considered Petition No 0894/2025 concerning an alleged breach of Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks in relation to the 2024 floods in Valencia. The petitioner highlighted the consequences of the floods and raised concerns regarding flood prevention and risk management measures. The Committee further examined Petition No 1296/2024 concerning the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in response to the floods in Valencia. These petitions contributed to the request for a fact-finding visit to be organised in 2026.
Fundamental Rights – External Relations
In 2025, the Committee continued to receive a high number of petitions concerning fundamental rights, as well as an increased number of petitions relating to external relations. Among the issues raised by petitioners were the political situation in Venezuela, the respect for democracy and the rule of law, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Committee also examined petitions concerning the use and regulation of artificial intelligence, the protection of privacy and minors online, and proposals for mandatory identity verification for all social media users within the European Union. In addition, the Committee continued to receive petitions concerning alleged violations of the rule of law and human rights in several third countries, highlighting the need to further raise awareness among citizens about the right to petition the European Parliament.
Consumer Rights
In 2025, the Committee dealt with a broad range of consumer protection issues during its meetings. Particular attention was given to petitions concerning the strengthening of passenger rights in the air transport sector within the European Union, consumer protection against allegedly unfair practices by large companies, the situation of mortgage borrowers with loans denominated in Swiss francs in Greece, and alleged infringements of EU law concerning unfair terms in mortgage contracts in Cyprus.
Disability issues
The Committee on Petitions plays a specific protection role regarding the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) within EU policymaking and legislative activities. Within this framework, the Committee examines petitions relating to disability issues. It is noteworthy that the number of petitions concerning disability increased significantly in 2025, reaching 51 petitions compared to 25 in 2024 and 22 in 2023. In 2025, the Committee continued examining petitions showing that the main challenges faced by persons with disabilities remain accessibility, respect for disability rights, access to education and social inclusion. In most of its meetings, the Committee considered petitions raising issues related to disability rights and accessibility. Particular attention was paid to petitions concerning accessibility to education and public spaces, as well as to the implementation of the UNCRPD at EU and national level.
Finally, on 2 December 2025, during the European Parliament’s Disability Rights Week, the committee hosted its Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on ‘The UN CRPD Concluding Observations on the EU report, from the perspective of petitions received. The European Ombudsman, Ms Anjinho intervened in the workshop. The briefing entitled “The UN CRPD Concluding Observations on the EU report, from the perspective of petitions received” was presented. Based on available quantitative and qualitative evidence, including petitions to the European Parliament, the briefing focuses on three specific articles of the CRPD, namely accessibility, education and employment. These petitions provide tangible insights into how gaps in EU legislation, policy, and implementation affect the rights of persons with disabilities across EU Member States. This briefing also maps people’s lived experiences as set out in the petitions against the Committee’s recommendations as contained in the concluding observations to the EU and identifies areas where the EU is making progress, highlights persistent shortcomings and outlines where the European Parliament can strengthen legislative initiatives, improve scrutiny of Member State compliance and ensure that EU funding and policy actions are aligned with obligations under the CRPD. The invited speakers from the European Commission, the Fundamental Rights Agency and the European Disability Forum, discussed the ongoing situation and shared their reflections on areas where new actions and recommendations could be proposed.
Reports, Motions for Resolutions and Opinions
The Committee on Petitions worked intensely to adopt a considerable number of parliamentary files.
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions adopted two own initiative reports as follows: Report on Deliberations of the Committee on Petitions in 2023 ((2025/2027(INI)) PETI/10/01791 - Rapporteur: Gheorghe Falcă (EPP) – adopted on 8 April 2025; Report on Deliberations of the Committee on Petitions in 2024 ((2025/2114(INI)) PETI/10/02761 – Rapporteur: Fredis Beleris (EPP) - adopted on 24 September 2025.
The Committee also adopted the following fact-finding visits mission reports: Report of the fact-finding visit to Austria of 14-16 April 2025 PETI/10/01759 – adopted on 25 September 2025, with the aim of assessing in situ the implications of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the impact of the growing wolf population on alpine farming, based on petitions Nos 1055/2019, 0827/2020, 1102/2020, 0772/2023 and 0798/2024; Report of the fact-finding visit to Andalusia of 26-28 May 2025 PETI/10/02399, aiming to investigate petition No 1407/2023 on labour rights of police officers in the EU – adopted on 4 November 2025.
In addition, the committee adopted the following Motions for Resolutions: Short motion for resolution on Preserving the memory of the victims of the post-war communist period in Slovenia 2025/2575(RSP), PETI/10/02198 - Rapporteur Bogdan RZOŃCA (Chair) – adopted on 24 June 2025; Short motion for resolution on organisational mismanagement of European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) competitions 2025/2880(RSP), Rapporteur: Bogdan RZOŃCA (Chair) – adopted on 4 November 2025.
In 2025, the Committee on Petitions also adopted opinions, as follows: Opinion of the Committee on Petitions for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 (2025/2057(INI)) PETI/10/02342 - Rapporteur: Pál Szekeres (PfE) - adopted on 16 July 2025.
Finally, the committee adopted the following texts: Amendments to the Budget 2026 – adopted on 16 July 2025.