The continuous miniaturization and increasing complexity of the materials used in modern technology requires to have access to chemical composition, electronic structure, magnetization, and fluctuations in these properties at sub-micron and nanometer scales. X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) can provide this information. The recent years have seen a strong increase in XPEEM activities worldwide. This paper reviews the present situation and future developments of XPEEM in combination with synchrotron radiation. In particular, the role of energy filtering, aberration correction, and temporal resolution is discussed.