Samenvatting plenaire stemmingen eerste helft 2012 (en)

The first part of 2012 has been eventful and the plenary sessions in Strasbourg and Brussels are where all the action happened. So what hot topics were under scrutiny from January to July? Read our article and check out the slideshow to find out.

January was the first month of the Danish presidency. MEPs discussed controversial political developments in Hungary and voted in favour of a reinforced economic union. Martin Schulz i was elected as the EP's new president.

During the February session MEPs debated how to boost employment, saved the food programme for the EU i's most deprived citizens and voted in favour of Eurobonds. Rising tensions in Syria were also in the spotlight.

In March, MEPs voted in favour of simplifying cross-border inheritance and discussed the progress of countries wishing to join the EU. The derivatives trade, air passenger rights and the situation in Belarus were at the top of the agenda during the Brussels session.

The key issue in April was an agreement on the transfer of EU air passengers' personal data to US authorities. MEPs also approved a plan to make it easier to attract private funding for EU projects and discussed the 2010 human rights report.

MEPs backed a financial transaction tax in May and discussed the reform of the economy and the gender pay gap, as well as a proposal to maximise the efficient use and recovery of natural resources.

The June session brought agreement on new ways to invest in jobs and growth, reforms to the EU's long-term budget and new rules on the labelling and content of baby milk and food for people with special medical needs.

The July session saw the controversial anti-counterfeiting ACTA trade agreement being overwhelmingly rejected by MEPs, effectively killing it. Parliament waved goodbye to the Danes and said hello to the Cypriot presidency of the Council. They also agreed the terms on which Parliament will negotiate the 2013 budget.