Summary

Next week will be a committee week in the European Parliament.  Next week will also be the last week of parliamentary activities before the Summer break.  There will be interesting votes in committee, as well as public hearings, as the Parliament seeks to “clear the decks” before the summer.

The Parliament will resume its activities as of August 28, 2017. 

On Monday, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (“ITRE”) will organize a public hearing on “Clean Energy Package – The Future of the EU Electricity Market“.  The hearing will touch on the Clean Energy Package adopted by the European Commission on November 30, 2016.  The hearing seeks to allow ITRE Committee Members, relevant stakeholders and experts to discuss the content of the package. 

On Tuesday, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (“ENVI”) will vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations on the Commission proposal to amend the Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (“RoHS 2”).  This proposal aims to solve problems caused by RoHS 2, in order to make it more compliant with circular economy principles.  Solutions proposed by the Commission include: avoiding that the secondary market operations for medical devices, monitoring and control instruments be prohibited by July 22, 2019 (which would be non-compliant with the principle of circular economy as it would reduce the lifetime of products); and permitting the repair of “new-in-scope EEE”, other than medical devices and monitoring and control devices, with spare parts that are not compliant with RoHS 2. 

On the same day, the ENVI Committee will vote on its own-initiative report on “legitimate measures to protect whistle-blowers acting in the public interest when disclosing the confidential information of companies and public bodies.”  The report seeks to reinforce the protection of whistleblowers to enhance public health protection.  The ENVI Committee proposes that the definition of whistle-blower be broadened to encompass as many scenarios as possible; and the scope of reporting should be extended to breach of the public interest and not only cover unlawful acts.  Committee members also aim to allow such reporting to an independent institution or to the public, alongside clear reporting mechanisms.

Also on Tuesday, the ENVI Committee will vote on its report on the Commission proposal on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry.  The proposal seeks to set an obligation for each EU Member State to compensate emissions generated by land use by an equivalent elimination of CO₂ from the atmosphere.  This measure is part of the implementation of the Paris Agreement. 

Finally, on Tuesday, there will be a hearing on the impact of Brexit on aviation, organized by the Committee on Transport and Tourism (“TRAN”).  The likely impact of Brexit on the aviation industry (including from the perspective of airlines, airports and the tourism industry) will be debated among stakeholders and high-profile representatives.

A last hearing of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (“EMPL”) will take place on Thursday.  The hearing will focus on the Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work.  The objective of this public hearing is to discuss the economic and scientific rationale behind the Commission proposal aimed at amending the Directive on the same subject, and its main implications for the actors concerned.  For further information, see the program of the hearing here.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, July 10, 2017 

Committee on Foreign Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• Hearing – The role of the future Comprehensive Agreements with Armenia and Azerbaijan16:00 – 18:30

Committee on Budgets

• Draft Amending Budget no 3 to the General Budget 2017 Increasing the budgetary resources of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) to pursue the reduction of youth unemployment across the European Union and updating the staff establishment plans of the decentralized agency ACER and the joint undertaking SESAR2 (BUD)

  • Rapporteur: Jens Geier (S&D, DE)

• Mobilization of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Italy (BUD) – Consideration of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Giovanni La Via (EPP, IT)

• Draft amending budget no. 4 to the general budget 2017 accompanying the proposal to mobilize the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Italy (BUD) – Consideration of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Jens Geier (S&D, DE)

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

15:00 – 18:30

• Discussion with Mr Geert Dancet, Executive Director of ECHA

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: on GMO soybean DAS-68416-4 – Consideration of draft motion for a resolution

  • Co-rapporteurs: Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, FI), Karin Kadenbach (S&D, AT), Valentinas Mazuronis (ALDE, LT), Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL, IE), Bart Staes (Greens/EFA, BE), Eleonora Evi (EFDD, IT)

• Discussion with the Commission on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

15:00 – 18:30

• Public hearing – ‘Clean Energy Package – The Future of the EU Electricity Market’ 

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• Reporting on the implementation of the EU readmission agreements, with particular reference to the ongoing work of the Joint Readmission committees – discussion on the state of play with Simon Mordue, Deputy Director-General for Migration, DG HOME, European Commission (15.00-15.45)

• EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), (COD) –  discussion on draft report

  • Rapporteur: Axel Voss (EPP, DE)

Joint debate (16.45 – 17.40)

• Schengen Information System (COD) – debate on three reports relating to return of illegally staying third-country nationals, border checks and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

  • Co-rapporteurs: Jeroen Lenaers (EPP, NL) and Carlos Coelho (EPP, PT)

• European Border and Coast Guard – discussion with the Commission on their report

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Committee on Foreign Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (09.00 – 11.15)

• EU political relations with Latin America (INI) – Vote on a report

  • Rapporteur: Javi López (S&D; ES)

• Establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace (COD) – Vote on a report and on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Arnaud Danjean (EPP, FR)

• Arms export: implementation of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (INI) – Vote on a report

  • Rapporteur: Bodil Valero (Greens/EFA, SE)

End of votes

• Jordan – Discussion with Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (11.15)

• Estonian presidency – Discussion with Sven Mikser, Foreign Minister of Estonia on the Estonian Presidency priorities (15.00)

Committee on International Trade

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (10.00)

• Recommendations to the Council, the Commission and the EEAS on the negotiations of the modernization of the trade pillar of the EU-Chile Association Agreement (INI) – Vote on a report

  • Rapporteur: Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández (S&D, ES)

• Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Chile on trade in organic products (NLE) – Vote on a recommendation

  • Rapporteur: Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández (S&D, ES)

End of votes

• The priorities of the Estonian Presidency in the area of International Trade Policy – Presentation by Urve PALO, Minister for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, representing the President-in-Office of the Council

• Discussion on EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement / Economic Partnership Agreement

Joint debate

• Recommendation on the negotiating mandate for EU trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. Reports by Daniel Caspary (EPP, DE)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

9:30 – 19:30

• Discussion with Niels Thygesen, Chair of the European Fiscal Board (09.30-10.30)

Votes (12.00-12.30)

• Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as regards transitional arrangements for mitigating the impact of the introduction of IFRS 9 on own funds and the large exposures treatment of certain public sector exposures denominated in non-domestic currencies of Member States (COD) – Vote on a report and on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Peter Simon (S&D, DE)

End of votes

• Discussion with Elke König, Chairperson of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) (16.00-17.30)

• Economic dialogue and discussion with Toomas Töniste, ECOFIN President and Minister for Finance of Estonia (18.00-19.30)

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

09:00 – 18:30 

Votes

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: on GMO soybean DAS-68416-4 – Adoption of motion for a resolution

  • Co-rapporteurs: Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, FI), Karin Kadenbach (S&D, AT), Valentinas MAZURONIS (ALDE, LT), Lynn BOYLAN (GUE/NGL, IE), Bart Staes (Greens/EFA, BE), Eleonora Evi (EFDD, IT)

• Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment – Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Adina-Ioana Vălean (EPP, RO)

• Procedural rules in the field of environmental reporting – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Francesc Gambús (EPP; ES)

• Legitimate measures to protect whistle-blowers acting in the public interest when disclosing the confidential information of companies and public bodies – Adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur: Luke Ming Flanagan (GUE/NGL, IE)

• Continuing current limitations of scope for aviation activities and to prepare to implementing a global market-based measure from 2021 – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Julie Girling (ECR, UK)

• Inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry into the 2030 climate and energy framework and amending Regulation No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council on a mechanism for monitoring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and other information relevant to climate change – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Norbert Lins (EPP, DE)

End of votes

• Presentation of the Council Presidency’s program – Discussion with Mr Siim Kiisler, Minister of Environment, Estonian Presidency

• Presentation of the Council Presidency’s program – Discussion with Mr Jevgeni Ossinovsk, Minister of Health and Labour, Estonian Presidency

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

9:00 – 12:30

Votes 

• General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2018 – all sections – Consideration of budget amendments – Vote on budgetary amendments

  • Rapporteur: Jerzy Buzek (EPP, PL)

• Copyright in the Digital Single Market – Adoption of draft opinion

  • Zdzisław Krasnodębski (ECR, PL)

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

15:00 – 18:30

• Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Visit of Ms Kadri Simson, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure (Energy, Industry), Ms Urve Palo, Minister for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology (Telecom, Space, SMEs) and Ms Mailis Reps, Minister for Education and Research (Research)

Committee on Transport and Tourism

9:00 – 12:30

• Safety rules and standards for passenger ships (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Daniela Aiuto (EFDD, IT)

• Registration of persons sailing on board passenger ships operating to or from ports of the Member States of the Community and amending Directive 2010/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on reporting formalities for ships arriving in and/or departing from ports of the Member States (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE, ES)

• System of inspections for the safe operation of ro-ro ferry and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending Directive 2009/16/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on port State control and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Dominique Riquet (ALDE, FR)

• Multilateral Agreement on the Establishment of a European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) (NLE) – adoption of draft recommendations

  • Rapporteur: Roberts Zīle (ECR, LV)

• Cross-border parcel delivery services(COD) – vote on a draft regulation

  • Rapporteur: Lucy Anderson (S&D, UK)

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency – discussion with Kadri Simson, Minister for Economic Affairs and Infrastructure

• Hearing on ‘The impact of BREXIT on aviation’ (15.00-17.30)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

09:00 – 18:30

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency of the Council – discussion with Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs

Committee on Culture and Education

9:00 – 18:30

• The future of the Erasmus+ program – vote on a draft resolution further to a question for oral answer

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency – discussion with Mailis Reps, Minister of Education and Research, and Indrek Saar, Minister of Culture

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• Hearing on media pluralism and freedom in the EU (09.00-11.00

• Fighting anti-Gypsyism: fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU (INI) – discussion on draft report (11.00-11.40)

  • Rapporteur: Soraya Post (S&D, SE)

• Common procedure for international protection in the Union (COD) – discussion on amendments (11.40-12.30)

  • Rapporteur: Laura Ferrara (EFDD, IT)

• Priorities of the Estonian Council Presidency of the EU – discussion with Estonian Ministers, Andres Anvelt, Minister of the Interior and Urmas Reinsalu, Minister of Justice  (15.00-17.00)

• Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography – Implementation of Directive 2011/93/EU (INI) – discussion on draft report (17.00-17.30)

  • Rapporteur: Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP, SE)

Votes (17.30-18.10)

• Fight against Cybercrime (INI) – vote on draft report

  • Rapporteur: Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (EPP, EL)

• Uniform format for residence permits for third country nationals (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Jussi Halla-Aho (ECR, FI)

Joint meeting with the Women’s Rights Committee (18.10-18.30)

• EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – vote on draft report

  • Co-rapporteurs: Christine Revault D’allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D, FR) and Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP, SE)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

18:10 – 18:30

Joint meeting with the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee

• • EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – vote on draft report

    • Co-rapporteurs: Christine Revault D’allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D, FR) and Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP, SE)Wednesday, July 12, 201709:00 – 18:30

Subcommittee on Human Rights

• Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2016 and the European Union’s policy on the matter (INI) – Discussion and presentation of a working document

  • Rapporteur: Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (EPP, DE) (09.00-09.45)

Jointly with the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and in association with the Delegation for Relations with Afghanistan

• Hearing on Women’s rights in Afghanistan

Committee on Development

09:00 – 18:30

Jointly with the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

• Emergency Support within the Union and European funds for the reception and integration of applicants for international protection in Greece – Exchange of views with Ioannis Mouzalas, Minister for Immigration Policy of Greece, Annabelle Roig Granjon, UNHCR, and with Commission representatives of DG HOME and DG ECHO (11.00-12.30)

• Estonian presidency priorities “in development and humanitarian aid – Exchange of views with Sven Mikser, Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs (15.00-16.30)

• The EU-Africa Strategy: a boost for development (INI) – Discussion on report

  • Rapporteur: Maurice Ponga (EPP, FR)

Subcommittee on Security and Defence

09:30 – 18:30

In association with the delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (15.00-18.30)

• Implementation of the EU-NATO Warsaw Joint Declaration – Discussion with Timo S. Koster, Director of Policy and Capabilities, NATO and Gábor Iklódy, Director, Crisis Management and Planning Directorate, EEAS

• Regionalization of CSDP missions in the Sahel area and stocktaking of EUTM Mali – Discussion with Jacques Fradin, Head of Division, Integrated Strategic Planning, EEAS

Committee on Budgetary Control

09:00 – 18:30

• ECA Special Report 6/2017: EU response to the refugee crisis: the “hotspot” approach (Discharge 2016) – Presentation of the Special Report by the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible, Hans Gustaf Wessberg and consideration of working document

  • Co-rapporteurs: Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL, NL) and Caterina Chinnici (S&D, IT)

• The efficiency and effectiveness of the personnel selection activities carried out by the European Personnel Selection Office –  Discussion with Nicholas David Bearfield, Director of EPSO, follow-up to ECA Special Report 9/2009

14.30 – 15.00

• The European External Action Service’s management of its buildings around the world – Discussion with Gianmarco Di Vita, Director General for Budget and Administration in the EEAS

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• Public hearing – The impact of business models, including the platform economy, on employment and social security in the EU

Votes

• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Czesław Hoc (ECR, PL)

• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Anne Sander (EPP, FR)

• European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound) – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Enrique Calvet Chambon (ALDE, ES)

• Minimum income policies as a tool to tackle poverty – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Laura AGEA (EFDD, IT

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

09:00 – 18:30

• Presentation of the Council Presidency’s programme with Ms Kadri Simson, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure and Ms Urve Palo, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology

Committee on Regional Development

09:00 – 18:30

• Workshop on “EU macro-regional strategies”

• Priorities of the Estonian presidency of the Council – discussion with Jaak Aab, Minister for Public Administration

Committee on Fisheries

09:00 – 18:30

• Sustainable management of external fishing fleets (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Linnéa Engström (Greens/EFA, SE)

• Multi-annual plan for demersal stocks in the North Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks (COD) – vote on a draft regulation and vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur Ulrike Rodust (S&D, DE)

• Priorities of the Estonian presidency of the Council – discussion with Siim Valmar Kiisler, Minister of Environment

• Hearing: on ‘The role of Advisory Councils in the new, regionalized CFP’ (15.00 – 16.30)

Committee on Legal Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU – discussion with Urmas Reinsalu, Estonian Minister of Justice (09.00-09.45)

• Hearing on the ELI-UNIDROIT Civil Procedure Project: state of play and next steps(15.00-16.00)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

09:00 – tbc.

• Search and rescue (SAR) activities in the Mediterranean – discussion with experts (09.00)

• Subjecting N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures (NLE) – discussion on draft report (10.45-10.50)

  • Rapporteur: Brice Hortefeux (EPP, FR)

Votes (10.50 – 11.00)

• Entry/Exit System (EES) – vote on two reports on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Agustín Díaz De Mera García Consuegra (EPP, ES)

• Emergency support within the Union and European funds for the reception and integration of applicants for international protection in Greece – discussion with the Greek Minister for Immigration Policy, Ioannis Mouzales, Annabelle Roig Granjon, UNHCR and Commission representatives from DG HOME and DG ECHO

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• Composition of the European Parliament (INL) – discussion on draft report (09.10-10.00) – to be confirmed

  • Co-rapporteurs: Danuta Maria Hübner (EPP, PL) and Pedro Silva Pereira (S&D, PT)

• Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Article 50 TEU) – discussion with Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, BE), Parliament’s coordinator for the withdrawal negotiations (11.10-12.00)

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU – discussion with Matti Maasikas, President-in-office and Deputy Minister for EU Affairs of the Republic of Estonia (15.00-16.00)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

09:00 – 12:30

• Priorities of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU – discussion with Jevgeni Ossinovski, Minister of Health and Labour of the Republic of Estonia (09.00)

• Women’s economic empowerment in the private and public sectors in the EU – vote on draft report

  • Rapporteur: Anna Hedh (S&D, SE)

Afternoon

• Hearing on Women’s Rights in Afghanistan – jointly with the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Delegation for Relations with Afghanistan (15.30-17.45

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

09:00 – 15:30

• Presentation of the Council Presidency’s programme – Discussion with Jevgeni Ossinovski (Minister of Labour and Health) and Kaia IVA (Minister of Social Protection)

• Public hearing – Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

09:00 – 12:30

• Laying down rules on the making available on the market of CE marked fertilizing products – Adoption of draft report

• • Rapporteur: Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz (EPP, HU)

Committee on Regional Development

• State aid rules and cohesion policy – discussion with Margrethe Vestager, Commissioner for Competition

• Recent and future developments in cohesion policy – discussion with Corina Creţu, Commissioner for Regional Policy