Car emission controls: ensuring Dieselgate doesn't happen again
The Members of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will approve on Tuesday the agreement on the new rules of type-approval and market surveillance for motor vehicles agreed by the European Parliament and the Council. By putting in place a European Commission audit system for national type approval authorities as well as the obligation for the Commission to organise and carry out tests on vehicles, the current rules have been greatly improved. The EPP Group strongly supports this new system instead of the initial push to create a new supervisory agency that would only have caused more red tape and delayed the new system's entry into force.
Composition of the European Parliament after Brexit
The Parliament has the right of initiative for a European Council decision on the allocation of seats in the EP for the next legislative period. On Tuesday, the Report on the new distribution of EP seats without the UK will be voted on in the Constitutional Affairs Committee. A vote in plenary is foreseen for the February plenary session.
Improving exchange of non-EU nationals' criminal records
The extension of the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) to third country nationals will be voted by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on Thursday. With a larger scope of the system and new mechanisms for sharing information, Member States will now be able to quickly verify if any other Member State holds conviction information on a non-EU citizen. The ECRIS, which has been a useful tool during the investigation of crime in the EU committed by EU citizens, will now allow for a more efficient EU response to the growing terrorist threats we face today and for ensuring a safer European Union for all its citizens.
Modernising the EU's trade defence instruments
The current EU trade defence law dates back to 1995. Since that time, globalisation has increased and the EU’s trade relations with non EU-countries have changed substantially. The modernisation of the old Regulation aims to make EU trade defence law more effective against illegal dumping and subsidies used by companies based in non-EU countries. On Tuesday, the Committee on International Trade will vote on the negotiation agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. "We need effective and proportionate measures to meet the challenges of the globalised world. The new Regulations are a good step to increase transparency and predictability", says Christofer Fjellner MEP, Parliament's Rapporteur on the proposal for the modernisation of the Union's trade defence instruments.
Chairman's agenda
Wednesday: Speech at the 10-year anniversary event of the Wilfried Martens Centre, Brussels
Thursday: Attendance at the CSU Party New Year's reception in Gräfelfing, Bavaria
Friday: Visit to the 'Europahaus' in Freyung, Bavaria
Press Conferences
Monday @ 11.00 hrs: Briefing on the parliamentary agenda
