EPP Group in Vienna: 'New Fairness for Europe'
The Bureau of the EPP Group meets on Thursday and Friday in Vienna, Austria, to discuss 'New Fairness for Europe'. "Digitalisation, globalization and the dominance of some Internet giants call for more discussion in Europe about what 'fairness' means in the 21st century and how we want to shape a fair Europe for the future", say Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, and Othmar Karas MEP, Head of the Austrian Delegation. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, new Spanish Popular Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado and others will be in Vienna to debate that topic with the MEPs.
New optional Pan-European pensions
Parliament's Committee on Economic Affairs votes on a legal framework for a new Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP) on Monday. The EPP Group is in favour of a simple, safe, transparent and low cost pension product, which does not replace existing systems but is an additional option for those who want it.
Venezuela's Refugee Crisis Requires an EU Response
Venezuela's economic collapse is fast turning into one of the world’s largest refugee crises, comparable with Syrians leaving their war-torn country or Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar. The migration crisis and the humanitarian situation in Venezuela have worsened since the power grab of Nicolas Maduro's oppressive regime last May, which has undermined all principles for democratic elections and has expelled opposition parties - including the 2017 Sakharov Prize winner represented by the Democratic Opposition in Venezuela - from participating in the presidential elections. The EPP Group is convinced that serious breaches of the rule of law and human rights in Venezuela must be swiftly addressed with concrete measures from the EU and the international community. A debate in DROI will follow on Thursday.
New rules to combat fraud of credit cards and online payments
The Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Monday will take a decision on introducing several updates to existing legislation targeting fraud of credit cards and non-cash means of payments, such as direct debit and online transfers. The report introduces new online crime offences and increases the penalties for such offenders. The MEPs will also vote on provisions protecting the victims of such crimes.
Single Market: the mutual recognition of goods
The Single Market in goods, one of the greatest achievements of the EU, still needs to be completed. The mutual recognition of goods is necessary to ensure the free movement of products in the EU. On Monday, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will vote the report by Ivan Stefanec MEP that calls for setting up administrative cooperation to help speed up recognition of products that do not fall under harmonised EU law. The draftsman of this legislation proposes to enhance cross-border cooperation by establishing a Coordination Group composed of the representatives from the competent authorities and the Product Contact Points in the Member States. The Report favours the use of SOLVIT, a service provided by national administrations, as an alternative to court proceedings to solve problems with market access for goods from different Member States.
Chairman's agenda
Tuesday: Meeting with Peter Neher, President of the Federal Association of Non-statutory Welfare, Brussels
Thursday: EPP Political Assembly, Brussels
Thursday-Friday: EPP Group Bureau meeting in Vienna
Saturday: Regional CSU Party Congress in Lower Bavaria
Press Conferences
Friday @11.00 hrs: Pre-session briefing
