Parliament adopts package on trade quotas, PNR data, European Semester, defence and support for Ukraine and Syria

Decision

On 12 March 2025 in Strasbourg the European Parliament adopted a series of texts, including an EU‑Norway modification of concessions on all tariff‑rate quotas in EU Schedule CLXXV following the United Kingdom's withdrawal, an Agreement between Canada and the EU on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data, the European Semester for economic policy coordination 2025 and its employment and social priorities for 2025, a text on continuing EU support for Ukraine after three years of Russia’s war of aggression, a white paper on the future of European defence, and a call for EU support towards a just transition and reconstruction in Syria.

What Changes

The EU‑Norway text modifies concessions on tariff‑rate quotas in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal, and the Canada agreement governs the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record data between Canada and the EU; the European Semester texts set the framework for economic policy coordination and identify employment and social priorities for 2025 while the other texts set Parliament’s policy positions on support for Ukraine, reconstruction in Syria and on the future of European defence.

Who Is Affected

The adopted measures concern the EU and the United Kingdom on tariff‑rate quota arrangements, Canada and passengers whose PNR data are transferred, EU Member States under the European Semester, Ukraine, Syria, and stakeholders in European defence policy.