EPP Group to debate EU issues in Warsaw
Strengthening European security, creating the European Energy Union and achieving better living standards for our citizens through regional policies: these are the topics that will be at the core of the political debates of the EPP Group Bureau meeting in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday and Friday. The event will feature a special intervention by the German Minister of Defence, Dr Ursula von der Leyen MP, and NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg. The speakers will include the President of Civic Platform, Grzegorz Schtetyna MP, the President of the Polish People‘s Party, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, and the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete.
Tadeusz ZWIEFKA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845258 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175258
Twitter: @TadeuszZwiefka
Pedro López de Pablo, Tel: +32 475 493 352
Agata Byczewska, Tel: +32 473 841 093
Abolishing the time change
In an online consultation conducted last year by the European Commission, more than 80 percent of the participants expressed their support for abolishing the time change. Now the time has come. On Monday, the lead committee on the file, the Transport and Tourism Committee, will vote on its position. The seasonal time change should be abolished in 2021.
Pavel SVOBODA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845303 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175303
Twitter: @1PavelSvoboda
Hanna Vauchelle, Tel: +32 489 391 366
Boosting women's participation in politics
On Thursday, on the eve of International Women's Day, the European Parliament will organise an Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting on 'Women's Power in Politics'. The topic chosen this year is at the heart of women's rights because it defines women's capacity to participate and decide on the collective governing of our societies, particularly in the framework of the upcoming European elections. The EPP Group MEP responsible for women's issues, Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz, will chair a panel on 'The real power of women in politics and how to boost it'.
Agnieszka KOZŁOWSKA-RAJEWICZ
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845420 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175420
Twitter: @AKRajewicz
Justine De Almeida, Tel:
EP's candidate for Chief European Public Prosecutor to be decided
On Thursday, the Conference of Presidents will decide on the European Parliament's candidate for the post of Chief European Public Prosecutor. Laura Codruţa Kövesi, the former Romanian Chief Prosecutor, was proposed for the role last week by the Committees on Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs and Budgetary Control. The European Parliament will then discuss the confirmed nominee with Member States in order to come to a common decision. The EPP Group values Mrs Kövesi not only for her competence but also for her independence and boldness which she has proved during her career.
Roberta METSOLA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845686 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175686
Twitter: @RobertaMetsola
Hana Bambasová, Tel: +32 484 278 754
Matthew Bonett, Tel: +32 476 890 558
Promoting reconciliation in the Western Balkans: youth perspective
EPP Group Vice-Chairman Andrey Kovatchev MEP will host the EPP Group Conference on 'promoting the reconciliation process in the Western Balkans: youth perspective' next Tuesday. The conference will place strong emphasis on the role of youth initiatives and participation in further promoting reconciliation processes between the Western Balkans countries to secure peace and stability in the region. The representatives of the main European Youth organisations (YEPP, European Democrat Students, Young European Federalists and European Youth Forum, ...) and the EPP Sister Parties Youth organisations will be sharing their views with Members of the European Parliament on the possibility of reinforcing their cooperation, their common vision and use the aspirations for European integration to overcome divisions of the past.
Andrey KOVATCHEV
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845662 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175662
Twitter: @andreykovatchev
Vladislav Panayotov Velev, Tel: +32 484 199 498
Creating an instrument for development cooperation
The Foreign Affairs and Development Committees will vote jointly on Monday on establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), providing the legal basis for around €90 billion worth of EU assistance to third countries worldwide in 2021-2027. The new instrument foresees an increase of 11% compared to the resources allocated to the instruments and funds under the EU's current long-term budget. It represents a major overhaul of the EU External Action financing as it merges ten existing financing instruments, with the aim of increasing coherence and flexibility. An additional instrument, the European Nuclear Safety Instrument, will complement this. The EPP Group supports a more streamlined architecture for the EU external financing instruments as long as it clearly respects the objectives of the Union' s underlying policies, particularly regarding the Union's neighbourhood and Africa, and it increases transparency, accountability and efficiency of EU funds for external action while enhancing the rights of scrutiny of the European Parliament.
Cristian Dan PREDA
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845261 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175261
Twitter: @CDPreda
Frank ENGEL
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845162 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175162
Constantina Voutounou, Tel: +32 486 046 168
Establishing a new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
Members of the Fisheries Committee will vote on Thursday on the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Gabriel Mato MEP, Parliament Rapporteur for this legislation, claims: "With more than €6 billion over the 2021-2027 period, the new fund will continue to support the European fisheries sector in the move towards more sustainable fishing practices. It will also support innovation and investment contributing to the implementation of the landing obligation (development of selective fishing gear, improvement of port infrastructure...). Thirty percent of the fund’s budget will be devoted to action aimed at mitigating climate change. Small-scale coastal fisheries and outermost regions would receive special attention."
Gabriel MATO
BRU: +32 (0)2 2845237 - STR: +33 (0)3 88 175237
Twitter: @GabrielMatoA
Jean-Luc Feixa, Tel: + 32 477 680 090
