Summary

Next week, there will be a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Several significant debates, votes and committee meetings will take place.

On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will vote on a report on cross-border parcel delivery prices. Under the new proposed legislation, part of the e-commerce package, cross-border parcel carriers will be required to report their prices to national authorities and to the European Commission, who will then publish the tariffs. This in turn would allow companies and consumers alike to compare prices more easily. See the report here.

On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on a resolution on the framework of future EU-UK relations prepared by the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group and approved by the Conference of Presidents. The resolution provides that although an association agreement could be an appropriate framework for the future EU-UK relationship, even countries that are closely aligned with the EU, with identical legislation, cannot enjoy benefits or market access similar to EU Member States. See the draft resolution here.

Also on Wednesday, MEPs will vote on the European Parliament’s draft negotiation position on reforms to the EU’s long-term budget, post-2020 (Multi-Annual Financial Framework). The draft negotiating position provides that the EU should promote research programs, support young people and small companies, as well as continue to support farming and regional policies. However, new priorities, including defense, security and migration, should also be financed.

On the same day, MEPs will debate the additional US duties on imported steel and imported aluminum, as well as the EU’s response, with Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade.

On Thursday, MEPs will vote on two proposals on the EU’s corporate tax system: the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (“CCCTB”) and the Common Corporate Tax Base (“CCTB”).  The aim of the proposals is to enforce taxation in the country where the company’s profits are generated, in an attempt to curb profit shifting. The proposals introduce a single set of tax legislation that, if passed, would apply throughout the European Union. Moreover, digital data would be used to calculate any tax liabilities. See the reports here and here.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, March 12, 2018

Plenary session

• Gender equality in EU trade agreements
  • Rapporteur: Malin BJÖRK (GUE/NGL, SW), Eleonora FORENZA (GUE/NGL, IT)
• Committee: INTA, FEMM
• Cross-border parcel delivery services
  • Rapporteur: Lucy ANDERSON (S&D, UK)
• Committee: TRAN
• Initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles and driving licences
  • Rapporteur: Peter LUNDGREN (EFDD, SW)
• Committee: TRAN
• EU-Comoros fisheries partnership agreement: denunciation
  • Rapporteur: João FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT)
• Committee: PECH
• EU-Comoros fisheries partnership agreement: denunciation (resolution)
  • Rapporteur: João FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT)
• Committee: PECH
• Gender equality in the media sector in the EU
  • Rapporteur: Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ (EPP, CZ)
• Committee: FEMM
• A European strategy on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems
  • Rapporteur: István UJHELYI (S&D, HU)
• Committee: TRAN
• Improving the sustainability of developing country debt
• A European Strategy for the promotion of protein crops

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

19:00 – 20:30

• Report back on the fact-finding mission to Amsterdam in the light of the relocation of the seat of the European Medicines Agency (22 February 2018)

Vote

• Location of the seat of the European Medicines Agency (COD) – Vote
• Rapporteur: Giovanni LA VIA (EPP, IT)

End of vote

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

19:30 – 21:30

• The Future of Food and Farming (INI) – consideration of draft report
• Rapporteur: Herbert DORFMANN (EPP, IT)

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Plenary Session

09:00 – 12:20

KEY DEBATES

• Guidelines on the framework of future EU-UK relations
• Preparation of the European Council meeting of 22 and 23 March 2018

12:30 – 14:30

Votes followed by explanations of votes

• Nominal composition of the special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance
• Implementation of the Protocol on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the Research Fund for Coal and Steel
  • Rapporteur: Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR)
• Committee: BUDG
• EU-New Zealand agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters
  • Rapporteur: Daniel CASPARY (EPP, DE)
• Committee: INTA

Debates

• The next MFF: Preparing the Parliament’s position on the MFF post-2020
  • Rapporteur: Isabelle THOMAS (S&D, FR), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL)
• BUDG
• Reform of the European Union’s system of own resources
  • Rapporteur: Gérard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (EPP, PL)
• Committee: BUDG
• New agenda for the EU-Central Asia relations in the framework of the 13th Annual Ministerial Meeting
• European Semester for economic policy coordination: Annual Growth Survey 2018
  • Rapporteur: Hugues BAYET (S&D, BE)
• Committee: ECON
• European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the Annual Growth Survey 2018
  • Rapporteur: Krzysztof HETMAN (EPP, PL)
• Committee: EMPL
• Action Plan on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Plenary session

Debates
09:00 – 11:50

• Debate with the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, on the Future of Europe

12:00 – 14:00

VOTES followed by explanations of votes

• Order of voting on amendments: amendment of Rule 174(8) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
  • Rapporteur: Richard CORBETT (S&D, UK)
• Committee: AFCO
• Rail transport statistics
• Report: Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR)
• Committee: TRAN
• Texts on which debate is closed

15:00 – 23:00

Debates

• Topical debate (Rule 153a)
• Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base
  • Rapporteur: Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, FR)
• Committee: ECON
• Common Corporate Tax Base
  • Rapporteur: Paul TANG (S&D, NL)
• Committee: ECON
• Guidelines for the 2019 Budget – Section III
• Report: Daniele VIOTTI (S&D, IT)
• Committee: BUDG
• Implementation of the Treaty provisions concerning national Parliaments
• Europass: framework for skills and qualifications
  • Rapporteur: Svetoslav Hristov MALINOV (EPP, BG), Thomas MANN (EPP, DE)
• Committee: EMPL, CULT
• Creative Europe Programme (2014 to 2020)
  • Rapporteur: Silvia COSTA (S&D, IT)
• Committee: CULT

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

14:00 – 15:30

• Follow-up to the Inquiry Committee into emission measurements in the automotive sector (EMIS) recommendations under ENVI remit – Discussion witht Elżbieta BIENKOWSKA, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Plenary session

Debates

09:00 – 11:50

• Lagging regions in the EU
  • Rapporteur: Michela GIUFFRIDA (S&D, IT)
• Committee: REGI
• The role of EU regions and cities in implementing the COP 21 Paris Agreement on climate change
  • Rapporteur: Ángela VALLINA (GUE/NGL, ES)
• Committee: REGI

12:00 – 14:00

VOTES followed by explanations of votes

• Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135)
• Texts on which debate is closed

15:00 – 16:00

Major interpellations