Summary

Next week is committee and political group week in the European Parliament.  Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will prepare for the plenary session in the week of July 2.  However, this week also sees a number of interesting votes, debates, and committee meetings.

On Monday, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (“LIBE”) will vote on the situation Hungary, pursuant to the European Parliament resolution of May 17, 2017, due to an alleged serious breach of EU values in that country.  If adopted by the plenary, the Parliament’s reasoned opinion would trigger, for the first time, the rule of law procedure described in Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union (“TEU”, see here).  This would mean that the Council could in principle impose sanctions on the Member State, including a suspension of its voting rights, unless and until the Council determines that the Member State has addressed its concerns.  See the resolution here, and the draft report by Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands) here.

Also on Monday, the LIBE Committee will hold a hearing on the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica case.  Committee Members will question experts and Facebook representatives on issues such as data protection, alleged election interference and cybersecurity.  See the draft program here.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the EU-Neighborhood East (“Euronest”) Parliamentary Assembly will bring together MEPs and national parliamentarians from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to debate the fight against corruption and money laundering.  The group will also adopt resolutions on regional security, foreign direct investment, energy efficiency, and ways to tackle undeclared labor.  See the draft program here.

On Thursday, the Committee on Foreign Affairs (“AFET”) will vote on the draft report on the state of EU-U.S. relations.  The Committee will discuss, in particular, the recent “America First” policy and EU-U.S. disagreements on trade, the Iran deal and the Middle East peace process.  See the draft report by Elmar Brok (EPP, DE) here.

Also on Thursday, the Special Committee on the Union’s authorization procedure for pesticides (“PEST”) will hold a hearing on the authorization of plant protection measures by Member States.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, June 25, 2018

Committee on Budgetary Control

15:00 – 18:30

Debates

• ECA Special Report 14/2018 (Discharge2017): The EU Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centres of Excellence: more progress needed – Short presentation of the special report by Bettina JAKOBSEN, ECA Member responsible
  • Rapporteur: Zigmantas BALCYTIS (S&D, LT)
• ECA Special Report 15/2018 (Discharge 2017): Strengthening the capacity of the internal security forces in Niger and Mali: only limited and slow progress – Short presentation of the special report by Bettina JAKOBSEN, ECA Member responsible
  • Rapporteur: Gilles PARGNEAUX (S&D, FR)

Committee on Regional Development

17:00 – 18:00

Votes

• Increase of the financial envelope of the Structural Reform Support Programme and adapt its general objective (COD) – adoption of draft report by Ruža Tomašić (ECR)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

14:30 – 20:00

Votes (14.30-15.00)

• The situation in Hungary (pursuant to the European Parliament resolution of 17 May 2017 – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL)
• Guidelines for Member States to prevent that humanitarian assistance is criminalised – adoption of a draft motion for a resolution
  • Rapporteur: Claude MORAES (S&D, UK)

Debates

• Opinion 3/2018 – EDPS Opinion on online manipulation and personal data – presentation by Giovanni BUTTARELLI, European Data Protection Supervisor (15.00-15.30)
• Hearing on the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica Case – Part 2: Use of Facebook users’ data by Cambridge Analytica and impact on data protection (in association with the Industry, Research and Energy, Constitutional Affairs and Legal Affairs committees). In this second part, Members will question experts and Facebook representatives on issues such as data protection implications, alleged election interference and cybersecurity. (15.30-20.00)

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

• No meetings of note

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

• No meetings of note

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Joint meeting: Special Committees on Terrorism and TAX3

09:00 – 11:00

• Joint Public Hearing – Special Committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance and the Special Committee on Terrorism: The use of tax frauds, including VAT or carousel fraud, to finance terrorism

Committee on Foreign Affairs

09:30 – TBD

Vote

• An extraordinary meeting of the AFET Committee will be organised on Thursday, 28 June, starting at 09:30, to vote on the draft report on The state of EU-US relations
  • Rapporteur: Elmar BROK (EPP, DE)

Special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance

11:00 – 13:00

Debates

• Public hearing – VAT Fraud

Committee on Budgets

09:00 – 18:30

Voting time

• 2019 budget – Trilogue mandate (BUD) – Consideration and adoption
  • Rapporteur: Daniele VIOTTI (S&D, IT)
• Draft amending Budget No 3 to the General Budget 2018 – Extension of the Facility for refugees in Turkey (BUD) –
  • Rapporteur: Siegfried MURESAN (EPP, RO) – Consideration and adoption

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

09:00 – 12:30
Debates

• Joint debate EMPL-ECON – Economic Dialogue and exchange of views on the 2018 European Semester – Country-Specific Recommendations with Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President and Commissioner for the Euro & Social Dialogue, Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility and Pierre MOSCOVICI, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

11:30 – 13:00

• Website of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs