CO2 reduction targets for cars and vans
The European Parliament will vote on Wednesday on the new rules setting the CO2 reduction targets for cars and vans. The EPP Group is committed to fighting climate change and we want to do it while creating jobs and growth at the same time. We aim at reaching a realistic and balanced policy on the future demands for CO2 emissions reductions from cars and vans after 2020.
Updated rules on audiovisual media services
The European Parliament will vote for the new EU legislation on Audiovisual Media on Tuesday. The EPP Group succesfully negotiated a level of protection for internet media services similar to that in place for traditional broadcast media. This means that users will get equal protection (for instance relating to advertising) whether they are watching a film on traditional TV or on-demand TV. Sabine Verheyen, the EPP Group MEP responsible for the dossier, pointed out that the result is also great news for the European film sector and our European cultural diversity: video on demand platforms will have to assign 30% of their catalogue to European productions. This will give a boost to European creativity in the audiovisual sector.
Priorities for the October EU Summit
Internal security, migration and Brexit will be at the top of the EU Summit agenda on 18 October in Brussels. Members of the European Parliament will set their priorities for this meeting in plenary in Strasbourg on Tuesday. EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber will lead the debate.
Rule of law in Romania
Last August, another riot took place on the streets of Bucharest, with violent clashes between riot police and protestors. The debate on the rule of law in Romania has now been going on for several years and we want to ensure that Romania takes over the EU Council Presidency next year with no uncertainty and instability. On Monday, the Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee will discuss the latest developments in Romania with European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, whilst the Plenary will hold its debate on Wednesday.
Free flow of non-personal data in the European Union
The Regulation on the free flow of non-personal data is one of a series of proposals in the Digital Single Market strategy. It will remove obstacles to the free movement of non-personal data (any data that is not related to identifiable persons) thus establishing the fifth freedom in the EU - the free flow of data. It will make it easier for professional users to switch between cloud services. The EPP Group successfully fought to reduce the data protectionism that is threatening the digital economy. The debate will take place on Wednesday, the vote on Thursday.
Fairer treatment for farmers and SMEs
The Agriculture and Rural Development Committee will vote on Monday in Strasbourg on the European Commission's proposal on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain. The proposal will grant farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises greater certainty and fairer treatment which the EPP Group has long fought for. Mairead McGuinness MEP leads the dossier on behalf of the EPP Group.
Eurojust: strengthening its role to ensure further security
On Wednesday, the European Parliament will debate the final agreement between the Commission, the Council and the Parliament on the new legislative framework for the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust). The focus on the legislative changes is on the fight against organised crime and the disruption of criminal organisations, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism and cybercrime. The vote on the final agreement will be taken on Thursday.
Greater convergence of VAT rates within the EU
The European Parliament debates and votes on changes to the EU's VAT system on Tuesday and Wednesday. The aim is to ensure greater convergence in VAT rates, which so far are set by Member States. The current fragmentation of the VAT system is an obstacle to the internal market. Parliament wants to delete the list of goods and services eligible for reduced VAT rates and replace it by a new, negative list of products to which reduced VAT rates cannot be applied. Parliament also wants to fix bands for standard VAT rates from 15% to 25%. "We need to end 25 years of working with a preliminary solution. The VAT system we have now was never meant to be permanent. It urgently needs reform," says Werner Langen MEP, who negotiated the file on behalf of the EPP Group.
Chairman's agenda
Saturday 29 September: speech at a roundtable on agricultural politics - Wurmannsquick, Bavaria
Sunday: speech at the European Symposium together with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder and former Minister of Finance Theo Waigel - Ottobeuren, Bavaria
Monday: CSU bureau meeting - Munich
Tuesday: speech on the preparation of the next European Council in the EP plenary - Strasbourg
Wednesday: speech on the Future of Europe debate with Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas in the EP plenary, bilateral meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas - Strasbourg
Press Conferences (1-5 October)
Tuesday @11.10: EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber's plenary briefing
Tuesday @16.00: Sirpa Pietikäinen, Petri Sarvamaa and Henna Virkkunen on ”The Future of Europe”