EPP Group Highlights (5-9 February)

MEPs will decide on the new distribution of EP seats for the 2019 European Elections on Wednesday in Strasbourg. Using a minimal number of the seats vacated by the UK, this Report corrects the imbalances in the current allocation of seats to Member States. The EPP Group opposes Europe-wide transnational lists for the European Elections. By abolishing the direct link between elected MEPs and their constituents, such lists would only add to the perception of the EU as elitist, centralist, undemocratic and distant. After the plenary vote, the European Council will decide by unanimity. 

The new rules banning unjustified geo-blocking will be put to the final vote on Tuesday. The new rules forbid discrimination on the grounds of nationality or residence by defining the specific situations where there is no justified reason to deny access to a customer. Blocking access to websites and redirecting customers to another country-specific website without his or her consent will be prohibited. With EPP Group MEP Róża Gräfin von Thun Und Hohenstein at the helm, the EPP Group successfully managed to include in the review clause that in 2 years time, the European Commission will review the rules, considering ending geo-blocking in additional sectors such as the audio-visual or transport services. 

Members of the European Parliament will discuss the deteriorating situation in Venezuela on Tuesday and will vote on a resolution on Thursday. The EPP Group strongly rejects the decision of the National Constituent Assembly to call for early presidential elections and deeply deplores the Venezuelan Supreme Court’s decision to prevent the representatives of the democratic opposition (MUD, Mesa de la Unidad Democratica) from competing in the upcoming elections. We believe that, under the current circumstances, the European Parliament should not recognise either the elections or the authorities resulting from this illegitimate process. We also believe that the current EU sanctions should be extended to those who are directly responsible for the worsening political, social and economic situation in the country - namely president Nicolas Maduro, his inner circle, Vice-President Tareck El Aissami, the Minister of Defence and high military command. 

MEPs will debate the European Union's new Western Balkans Strategy with the EU Foreign Policy Chief on Tuesday. The six countries - Albania, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have aspirations to join the EU and each one is at a different stage of the process. The region is one of the EPP Group's priorities and we want all of them to join the EU, based on their merit and once they fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria.