Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel will be the fifth EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday morning.
Mr Michel has been Belgium’s Prime Minister since October 2014. Before that he led the Mouvement Réformateur francophone liberal party and also served as Minister of Development Cooperation between 2007 and 2011.
This will be the fifth in a series of future of Europe debates between EU heads of state or government and MEPs, following on from Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on 17 January, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on 6 February, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa on 14 March and the French President Emmanuel Macron on 17 April.
EP President Antonio Tajani and Mr Michel will give a joint press point on Thursday at 11.30 in the press room.
The next EU leader to address the House will be Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, at the May plenary session in Strasbourg.
Debate: Thursday, 3 May
Procedure: Debate on the future of Europe, without a resolution
Press point: Thursday, 3 May, at 11.30
#FutureofEU @CharlesMichel
MEPs will debate fresh proposals for the EU’s post-2020 long-term budget and revenue reform with the EU Commission on Wednesday.
In a debate following the presentation of the Commission’s new legislative proposals, MEPs will respond and reiterate their respective positions, voted on 14 March 2018, on the next multi-annual financial framework (MFF) and on the reform of the EU’s own resources – the expenditure and revenue sides of the EU budget after 2020.
MEPs want the next long-term budget to fund new priorities as well as modern, sustainable farming and the development of Europe’s regions. They underline that it must make up for any shortfall caused by Brexit. On the revenue side, they advocate strengthening existing own resources, such as customs duties on imports or agricultural duties and progressively introducing new ones.
MEPs have warned that “no agreement can be concluded on the MFF without corresponding headway being made on own resources”. Expenditure and revenue should thus be treated as a single package.
Next it will be the Council’s turn to agree its position on the next MFF, which requires Parliament’s consent. MEPs have called for talks with the Council and Commission to start without delay, to try to reach an agreement before the 2019 EU elections.
Procedure: Commission statement followed by debate
Debate: Wednesday, 2 May
#EUBudget #MFF #OwnResources
The EU should launch a diplomatic initiative for a worldwide ban on testing cosmetics on animals before 2023, says a draft resolution to be voted on Thursday.
MEPs will also debate the matter with the Council and the EU Commission on Wednesday.
Within the EU itself, the sale of all animal-tested cosmetics has been banned since 2013. MEPs point out that this has not prevented the EU cosmetics industry from thriving and providing around two million jobs. However, around 80% of countries worldwide still allow animal testing and the marketing of cosmetics tested on animals.
MEPs also note that shortcomings have appeared within the EU system, as some cosmetics are tested on animals outside the EU before being re-tested in the EU using alternative methods and placed on the EU market.
Procedure: Oral question with resolution
Debate: Wednesday, 2 May
Vote: Thursday 3 May
Migrant children: rights to health care and education must be guaranteed
All migrant children in the EU have a right to health care, psychological support and education, and if unaccompanied, should get a guardian upon arrival, MEPs will say on Wednesday.
MEPs will ask the EU Commission about the measures taken to ensure that all EU member states offer adequate protection to these minors. Following the debate with Commissioner Avramopoulos (tbc), Parliament will vote on a resolution on Thursday.
According to the latest UNHCR figures, 32,039 children arrived in Greece, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria in 2017. Of these, 46% were unaccompanied or separated children.
Procedure: Oral question to the Commission, with resolution
B8-0016/2018
Debate: Wednesday, 2 May
Vote: Thursday, 3 May
EU must help to safeguard media independence
How to safeguard media freedom, pluralism and independence will be debated on Wednesday and put to the vote on Thursday.
MEPs will ask for more support for public service providers and investigative journalism and for an independent regulatory body to monitor and report threats against journalists.
The report also stresses the need to protect whistle-blowers and encryption-related rights, calls for the chilling effects of defamation laws to be recognised, warns against arbitrary impositions of states of emergency and insists on the opportunity to invest in digital literacy to empower citizens and online users.
To mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the Parliament and the EU Commission will hold a seminar on "The situation of media and freedom of expression in Turkey" on 3/4 May. Speakers include EP President Antonio Tajani and Commissioner Johannes Hahn. Panels will focus on the following topics: "Freedom of expression: a bigger picture", "State of emergency rule and other barriers to freedom of speech", "Media independence and freedom of expression: committed civil society" and "Media independence and freedom of expression: the role of journalists".
Procedure: Non-legislative resolution
2017/2209(INI)
Debate: Wednesday, 2 May
Vote: Thursday, 3 May
#mediafreedom #mediapluralism #mediaindependance
Caterpillar: MEPs set to approve €4.6m in EU aid for 2,287 redundant workers
2,287 workers made redundant by Caterpillar Solar in Gosselies (Belgium) and five suppliers are set to receive EU aid worth €4,621,616 to help find new jobs.
Due to major structural changes in world trade patterns, Caterpillar shut down its plant in the Belgian town of Gosselies (Hainaut province, Wallonia) last year.
The Parliament will vote on co-funding measures such as start-up grants, training and allowances for the 2,287 laid off workers by mobilising European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid.
Procedure: Budgetary procedure
2018/2043(BUD)
Vote: Thursday, 3 May
#EGF #EUfunds #Caterpillar
Other topics on the agenda
Other topics for debate and vote include the following:
Annual report on the control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank for 2016, Walli, debate Wed, vote Thu
- Annual report 2016 on the protection of EU’s financial interests - Fight against fraud, Pargneaud, debate Wed
- Stalking crimes and victim protection in the EU, Council and Commission statements, debate Wed
- Current situation and future prospects for the sheep and goat sectors in the EU, Herranz Garcia, debate Wed, vote Thu
- Cohesion policy and thematic objective ‘promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures’, Novakov, debate Thu, vote Thu
- Addressing farm safety in the EU, OQ Commission, debate Wed
- Protocol to the EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (accession of Croatia), Rados, vote Thu
- EU-Korea Framework Agreement (accession of Croatia), Saïfi, vote Thu
- Subjecting the new psychoactive substance ADB-CHMINACA to control measures, Pagazaurtundua Ruiz, vote Thu
- Subjecting the new psychoactive substance CUMYL-4CN-BINACA to control measures, Pagazaurtundua Ruiz, vote Thu