Xavier Bettel to debate future of Europe with MEPs
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel will be the sixth EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday morning.
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party since 1989, Xavier Bettel was elected to the Luxembourg Parliament for the first time in 1999. He has been the country’s Prime Minister since 2013.
This will be the sixth in a series of future of Europe debates between EU heads of state or governments and MEPs, following on from:
- Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on 17 January 2018,
- Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on 6 February 2018,
- Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa on 14 March 2018,
- French President Emmanuel Macron on 17 April 2018, and
- Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel on 3 May 2018.
EP President Antonio Tajani and Mr Bettel will give a joint press point on Wednesday at 11:15.
The next EU leader to address the House will be Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, at the June plenary session in Strasbourg.
Procedure: Debate on the future of Europe, without a resolution
Debate: Wednesday, 30 May
Press point: Wednesday, 30 May, at 11.15.
#FutureofEU @Xavier_Bettel
The EU aims to combat environmental and social dumping more effectively thanks to a draft law to be debated on Tuesday and voted on Wednesday.
The EU could impose higher tariffs on dumped or subsidised imports from third countries under a new law, informally agreed by MEPs and EU ministers in December 2017, that still needs the approval of the full House.
In negotiations, MEPs also ensured that the costs to EU industry of complying with international social and environmental agreements would be reflected in the calculation of the duties.
Investigations into anti-dumping cases would be significantly shorter and would involve trade unions, and a help desk would be set up for SMEs.
The EU is updating its 1995 trade defence regulation to reflect the changing needs of EU firms, workers and consumers. The proposed measures complement recently-approved anti-dumping rules focusing on third countries that interfere heavily in the economy.
Next steps
The new law will enter into force on the day after its publication in the EU Official Journal, expected in the first half of June 2018.
Procedure: Ordinary legislative procedure
2013/0103(COD)
Debate: Tuesday, 29 May
Vote: Wednesday, 30 May
#antidumping #EUtrade
How to foster mutual trust in the functioning of the Schengen area will be debated on Tuesday and put to the vote on Wednesday.
The first annual report on the state of Schengen (the agreement between 26 member states abolishing passport and other types of control at mutual borders) addresses the main shortcomings in the implementation of the Schengen acquis, progress made in addressing these shortcomings and future steps.
MEPs condemn the continued reintroduction of internal border checks and building of physical barriers, including fences, between member states.
It is estimated that the cost of not applying Schengen for all countries for two years ranges between 25 and 50 billion euros. If all countries were to reintroduce border controls permanently, the cost over 10 years would be around €100-230 billion.
According to the Transnational Institute (TNI), European countries have built more than 1 200 kilometres of walls and borders at a cost of at least €500 million.
Procedure: Non- binding resolution
Debate: Tuesday, 29 May
Vote: Wednesday, 30 May
Press conference: Wednesday, 30 May at 15.00 with rapporteur Carlos Coelho (EPP, PT)
#Schengen
MEPs will debate and vote on a resolution giving their view on the EU Commission’s recent proposal for the next long-term EU budget (2021-2027).
MEPs voiced their first reactions to the Commission’s proposal for the next long-term EU budget (Multi-annual Financial Framework - MFF) on 2 May, immediately after Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Budgets Commissioner Günther Oettinger had presented it in plenary session (watch the video). Many said that the plans go in the right direction, but lack ambition.
On 30 May, they will vote on a plenary resolution assessing the proposal in more detail, based on EP´s initial positions on the expenditure and revenue sides of the post-2020 EU budget, as voted on 14 March (press release).
MEPs are expected to deplore the fact that the Commission plans would reduce expenditure on both the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and cohesion policy. They are also likely to underline the lack of clarity and comparability of the figures.
It is now 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: Plenary resolution
Debate: Tuesday, 29 May
Vote: Wednesday, 30 May
#EUBudget #MFF
Plans for the smarter, simpler, more sustainable, but also well-financed and truly common post-2020 EU farm policy will be debated on Monday and voted on Wednesday.
In the draft resolution, MEPs agree with the EU Commission that EU member states should be allowed to adapt the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to their needs. But they reject any “renationalisation” of the CAP, which they say, could distort competition in the single market.
The future policy should make EU farms more environmentally sustainable, foster innovation, research and smart farming practices, but above all, it must enable them to go on providing secure supplies of high-quality food to EU citizens, MEPs say. To this end, they want at least to maintain the CAP budget at its current level.
In a separate resolution, to be debated Monday and voted on Tuesday, MEPs will also assess the efficiency of current CAP tools for young farmers and call for action to ease young and new farmers’ access to credit, land, advisory services and training.
2017/2088(INI) - Young farmers
Debates:
Monday, 28 May
Votes:
Tuesday, 29 May (Young farmers)
Wednesday, 30 May (CAP reform)
Procedures: Non-legislative resolutions
Press conference: tbc
#FutureOfCAP #CAPreform #YoungFarmers
Workers sent temporarily to another EU country would from now on get equal pay for equal work in the same place, under draft rules to be approved on Tuesday.
The revised rules, which were informally agreed by the European Parliament and Council negotiators in March aim to ensure better protection for posted workers and fair competition for companies.
All of the host country’s rules on remuneration would apply to posted workers. Travel, board and accommodation costs should be paid by the employer and not deducted from workers’ salaries.
The duration of the posting has been set at 12 months, with a possible extension of 6 months. After that time limit, the worker would still be able to stay in the member state where they are posted, but all of the host country’s labour rules would start to apply.
Procedure: ordinary legislative procedure, first reading agreement
2016/0070(COD)
Debate/vote: Tuesday, 29 May
Press conference with Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP, FR), Agnes Jongerius (S&D, NL) and Commissioner Marianne Thyssen on Tuesday, 29 May at 15.00
#postedworkers