The European Parliament has registered at least 20 new legislative procedures for 2026, according to data from the Parliament's open data portal. The filing pattern signals a step‐change in legislative tempo: seven ordinary legislative procedure (COD) files, four budget procedures (BUD), four non‐legislative files (NLE), and a spread of own‐initiative reports (INI), immunity cases (IMM), and resolutions (RSP). Simultaneously, the pipeline of 2025‐vintage COD proposals — 12 of which are still in committee stage — continues to move through scrutiny. Meanwhile, Parliament has already adopted more than 20 texts in early 2026, covering topics from financial stability and EU–Mercosur trade safeguards to drone warfare doctrine and European technological sovereignty.
New 2026 Legislative Proposals
Ordinary Legislative Procedure (COD) — Seven New Files
Seven COD proposals have been registered for 2026: procedures 2026/0008(COD), 2026/0010(COD), 2026/0011(COD), 2026/0012(COD), 2026/0013(COD), 2026/0044(COD), and 2026/0045(COD). All are currently in committee stage. Under the ordinary legislative procedure, these files require co‐decision between Parliament and the Council, meaning rapporteurs will draft committee reports before plenary votes and, in most cases, trilogue negotiations with the Council. The clustering of COD files early in the year suggests the Commission has front‐loaded its 2026 work programme to give committees maximum runway before the summer recess.
Budget Procedures (BUD) — Four Active Files
Budget procedures 2026/0001(BUD), 2026/0004(BUD), 2026/0037(BUD), and 2026/0038(BUD) are under consideration. These files follow the EU's annual budgetary procedure, which gives Parliament decisive power over expenditure. The adopted text TA‐10‐2026‐0038 — mobilising the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for application EGF/2025/006 BE/Audi in Belgium — illustrates how budgetary instruments are already being deployed to cushion industrial restructuring in the automotive sector.
Non‐Legislative and International Agreements (NLE)
Procedures 2026/0041(NLE), 2026/0058(NLE), 2026/0801(NLE), and 2026/0802(NLE) cover non‐legislative matters such as international agreements and institutional appointments. Notably, TA‐10‐2026‐0054 adopted Montenegro's accession to the Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments, while TA‐10‐2026‐0033 confirmed the appointment of the Vice‐Chair of the ECB Supervisory Board — a critical financial oversight role.
Own‐Initiative Reports and Resolutions
Parliament has launched own‐initiative reports 2026/2003(INI) through 2026/2015(INI), along with resolutions 2026/2518(RSP), 2026/2519(RSP), 2026/2523(RSP), 2026/2535(RSP), and 2026/2539(RSP). These non‐binding instruments allow Parliament to set political direction and signal priorities to the Commission. The resolution activity on topics such as the post‐election situation in Uganda (TA‐10‐2026‐0045), systematic oppression in Iran (TA‐10‐2026‐0046), and the situation in Northeast Syria (TA‐10‐2026‐0053) underscores Parliament's expanding foreign‐policy voice.
Continuing 2025 Pipeline — 12 COD Files Still in Committee
2025 COD Proposals Under Scrutiny
Thirteen ordinary legislative procedure files from 2025 remain in committee: 2025/0012(COD), 2025/0021(COD), 2025/0022(COD), 2025/0023(COD), 2025/0039(COD), 2025/0040(COD), 2025/0044(COD), 2025/0045(COD), 2025/0051(COD), 2025/0052(COD), 2025/0056(COD), 2025/0058(COD), and 2025/0059(COD). None have reached the plenary voting stage yet, indicating that committees are still in the deliberation and amendment phase. This carryover pipeline represents a significant legislative workload that will compete for committee time alongside the new 2026 filings.
Key Adopted Texts — Early 2026
Trade and External Relations
Parliament has adopted a request for a Court of Justice opinion on the compatibility of the EU–Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and Interim Trade Agreement (ITA) with the Treaties (TA‐10‐2026‐0008), alongside a bilateral safeguard clause for agricultural products in the same Mercosur framework (TA‐10‐2026‐0030). The Enhanced Cooperation text on the Loan for Ukraine (TA‐10‐2026‐0010) confirms continued EU financial support for Kyiv.
Security, Defence and Digital Sovereignty
The adopted text on drones and new systems of warfare (TA‐10‐2026‐0020) calls on the EU to adapt its defence posture to modern security challenges. TA‐10‐2026‐0022 on European technological sovereignty and digital infrastructure sets out Parliament's vision for reducing dependency on non‐EU technology providers. Together, these texts signal Parliament's growing assertiveness on strategic autonomy.
Institutional, Economic and Social Texts
TA‐10‐2026‐0004 addresses financial stability amid economic uncertainties. TA‐10‐2026‐0006 tackles the reform of the European Electoral Act and ratification hurdles. TA‐10‐2026‐0050 addresses subcontracting chains and workers' rights. The ECB annual report 2025 (TA‐10‐2026‐0034) and the recommendation on the 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women (TA‐10‐2026‐0051) round out the institutional and social portfolio.
Legislative Pipeline Overview
The pipeline data reveals a parliament operating at increasing intensity in the 10th term. Key structural observations from the procedure registry:
- Procedure mix: COD dominates (7 of 20 new 2026 filings), confirming the ordinary legislative procedure as Parliament's primary lawmaking channel. BUD files (4) reflect heightened budgetary activity amid fiscal pressures and defence spending debates.
- Carryover burden: 12 COD files from 2025 remain in committee, creating a dual‐track workload for key committees such as ENVI, ITRE, and IMCO.
- Adoption velocity: More than 20 texts adopted in early 2026, spanning trade, defence, digital policy, institutional appointments, and human rights — indicating a productive plenary calendar.
- NLE activity: Four new NLE files reflect ongoing international agreement work, with Montenegro and ECB appointment texts already adopted.
- Own‐initiative and resolutions: INI and RSP filings show Parliament using non‐binding instruments to set agendas on topics from electoral reform to workers' rights.
Stakeholder Impact
The 2026 legislative docket carries broad sectoral implications. The EU–Mercosur texts affect agricultural producers, the automotive and manufacturing sectors, and trade‐dependent supply chains across southern European member states. Defence and drone warfare resolutions signal procurement and R&D opportunities for European defence contractors while raising ethical and regulatory questions for civil society. The digital sovereignty text has direct implications for cloud providers, semiconductor manufacturers, and critical infrastructure operators — potentially reshaping market access conditions for non‐EU technology firms.
For workers, the subcontracting chains text (TA‐10‐2026‐0050) could tighten obligations on principal contractors and intermediaries, particularly in construction, logistics, and platform economy sectors. Citizens across all member states stand to be affected by the financial stability measures and electoral reform proposals, which touch on fiscal policy coordination and democratic participation respectively.
What Happens Next
The seven new 2026 COD proposals will move through committee deliberations in the coming months, with rapporteur appointments and draft reports expected by late spring. The 12 carryover 2025 COD files are under pressure to reach committee vote stage before the summer recess, which would enable plenary first readings in the autumn sitting period. Trilogue negotiations between Parliament, Council, and Commission are anticipated for several high‐profile dossiers, particularly those touching trade, defence, and digital policy.
Budget procedures will follow their own institutional calendar, with key votes expected before the July conciliation deadline. NLE consent votes for international agreements could come to plenary as early as March or April. The INI and RSP instruments, while non‐binding, will feed into the Commission's upcoming legislative programming for 2027, making Parliament's early 2026 positions politically significant even where they lack direct legal force.