European Parliament President Roberta Metsola opened the plenary sitting for 6-9 July with a moment of silence to honour victims of the recent earthquake in Venezuela, the Parliament said in a brief statement.
What Parliament is doing
The opening formalities for this week’s plenary were led by President Metsola, who marked the session with a moment of silence dedicated to those affected by the earthquake in Venezuela. The gesture preceded the formal start of the parliamentary agenda for the week.
Why it matters
The moment of silence signals the Parliament’s public recognition of a humanitarian tragedy outside the EU and reflects the institution’s practice of acknowledging major international events at the start of plenary sittings. Such gestures do not constitute a policy response but are intended to express solidarity with victims of crises around the world.
What happens next
Following the opening, the Parliament proceeds with its plenary schedule for the 6-9 July sitting. The statement did not detail any subsequent debates, votes, or adopted measures related to the earthquake or any potential parliamentary actions such as emergency resolutions, humanitarian assistance proposals, or debates on EU foreign policy toward Venezuela.
Source: European Parliament press release
