Summary

This past week, the European Parliament held a plenary session in Strasbourg.

On Tuesday, November 13, Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) approved the report on the proposal for a Directive on the promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Resources prepared by the Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (“ITRE”).  The Proposal sets new ambitious binding targets for renewables (32%) and energy efficiency (32.5%) by 2030.  It also aims to improve the design and stability of support schemes for renewables, the sustainability of the use of bioenergy, and to increase the level of ambition for the transport and heating/cooling sectors.  The Recast Directive will repeal the existing Directive on Renewable Energy Sources (“RES”).  See the adopted parliamentary report here.

On Wednesday, November 14, MEPs approved the report, prepared by ITRE, on the European Electronic Communications Code.  The Code is part of the Commission’s Digital Single Market (“DSM”) Strategy and contains a range of safeguards aimed at EU-level harmonization for 5G and spectrum management, high-speed broadband technology, and seeks to level the regulatory playing field for “Over the Top” (“OTT”) services with that of traditional telecoms services.  See the adopted parliamentary report here.

Next week will be a committee week in the European Parliament.  A few interesting discussions will take place in committee.

On Tuesday, November 20, the Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (“JURI”) will vote on its draft report on the Proposal for a Directive on Protection of Persons Reporting on Breaches of Union Law (whistleblowers).  Among other things, the Proposal lays down common standards for protection at the EU level, covering a wide range of EU law breaches in different sectors (including, public procurement, financial services and food) and wide-ranging activities, such as competition law, product safety and data protection.  See the draft report here, the amendments tabled to the draft report here and here, and the Proposal here.

On the same day, the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (“ENVI”) will vote on its report on the Proposal for a Regulation establishing the LIFE program 2021-2027.  The LIFE program is the only EU funding initiative entirely dedicated to environmental and climate objectives.  The new program for 2021-2027 would support projects in the areas of nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, clean energy transition, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.  See ENVI’s draft report on the Proposal here, and the Proposal here.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, November 19, 2018

Committee on Development

15:00 – 19:00

Debates

• Investing in food security for a future free of hunger – presentation and exchange of views with David BEASLEY, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
• Strengthening the EU’s partnership with Africa – MEPs will discuss a priority expressed in the latest State of the Union speech by the Commission’s President: closer partnership with Africa. Deputy Director-Generals from DG DEVCO, European Commission, Koen DOENS and Marjeta JAGER will hold a presentation and participate in the discussion

Committee on International Trade

15:00 – 18:30

• Trade Policy Day – Trade-for-All: What are the benefits for our people? – (See Public hearings) (16.00-18.30)

Committee on Budgetary Control

15:00 – 18:30

Committee on Culture and Education

15:00 – 18:30

• Interparliamentary Committee meeting on European Cultural Heritage – parallel working sessions

Committee on Legal Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• Hearing on cross-border family disputes: safeguarding children’s rights, hosted by Elisabeth MORIN-CHARTIER (EPP, FR) , European Parliament Coordinator on Children’s Rights and Pavel SVOBODA (EPP, CZ) , Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee (15.00-17.30)

Joint meeting: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Legal Affairs committees

17:45 – 18:30

• Justice Programme (COD), co-rapporteurs Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) and Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&D, AT) – consideration of draft report

Committee on Legal Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• European Youth Hearing (EYE 2018 follow-up hearing) (15.00-15.45)

Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Committee on Development

09:00 – 18:30

Debates

• Human Rights Week – on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights- Jointly with the Committee on International Trade

Committee on International Trade

09:00 – 18:30

Debates

• Establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (COD) – Consideration of draft opinion by Marietje Schaake (ALDE, NL). Presentation and exchange of views with Koen Doens, Deputy Director-General, and Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, DG DEVCO, European Commission (09.00-12.00)

Votes (10.00)

• WTO: the way forward (INI) – Vote on report
  • Rapporteurs: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE) and Paul Rübig (EPP, AT)
• State of play of the ongoing trade negotiations with Mercosur.

UN Treaty on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights – Exchange of views with the EEAS on the latest round of negotiations (14.30-18.30)

Committee on Budgetary Control

09:00 – 12:30

Electronic votes

• Assessing how the EU budget is used for public sector reform – Adoption of draft report (INI)
• Brian HAYES (EPP, IE)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Electronic votes

• Economic Dialogue and exchange of views with Mário CENTENO, President of the Eurogroup (10.00-11.30)
• Public Hearing with Danièle NOUY, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB (see  Public Hearings) (14.30-16.30)
• Appointment of the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (NLE) – Exchange of views with the candidate (16.00-17.00)

Votes (17.00-18.30)

• Appointment of the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (NLE) – Vote of report
  • Rapporteur: Roberto GUALTIERI (S&D, IT)
• Covered bonds and covered bond public supervision (COD) – Vote on a report
  • Rapporteur: Bernd LUCKE (ECR, DE)
• Exposures in the form of covered bonds(COD) – Vote on report
  • Rapporteur: Bernd LUCKE (ECR, DE)
• Annual Report on the financial activities of the European Investment Bank (INI)
  • Rapporteur: Barbara KAPPEL (ENF, AT)

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

09:00 – 17:00

Votes

• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) – COD) – Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations.
  • Rapporteur: Czesław HOC (ECR, PL)
• European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound) (COD) – Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations.
  • Rapporteur: Enrique CALVET CHAMBON (ALDE, ES)
• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) (COD) – Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations
  • Rapporteur: Anne SANDER (EPP, FR)
• Coordination of social security systems (COD) – Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations
  • Rapporteur: Guillaume BALAS (S&D, FR)
• Establishing a European Labour Authority (COD) – Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations.
  • Rapporteur: Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL)
• Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (COD) – Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations
• Rapporteur: Laura AGEA (EFDD, IT)
• European Youth Hearing following the European Youth Event 2018 – Exchange of views (14.30-16.00)
• Human Rights Week : Presentation of the study of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on ‘Combating child poverty: an issue of fundamental rights’ – Exchange of views (16.00-17.00)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• Interparliamentary Committee meeting on European Cultural Heritage – plenary session

Votes

• Education in the digital era: challenges, opportunities and lessons for EU policy design (INI) – adoption of draft
  • Rapporteur: Yana TOOM (ALDE, ET)
• New European Agenda for Culture (INI) – adoption of draft
  • Rapporteur: Giorgos GRAMMATIKAKIS (S&D, EL)

Committee on Legal Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (10.00 – 12.30)

• Protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law (COD), adoption of draft report and vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations
  • Rapporteur: Virginie ROZIÈRE (S&D, FR)
• Use of digital tools and processes in company law (COD), adoption of draft report and vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations
  • Rapporteur: Tadeusz ZWIEFKA (EPP, PL)
  • Cross-border conversions, mergers and divisions (COD), adoption of draft report and vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations,
  • Rapporteur: Evelyn REGNER (S&D, AT)
• Expedited settlement of commercial disputes (INL), adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Tadeusz ZWIEFKA (EPP, PL)
• Cross-border restitution claims of works of art and cultural goods looted in armed conflicts and wars (INI), adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Pavel SVOBODA (EPP, CZ)

Debates (14.40 – 18.30)

• Supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products (COD), consideration of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Luis DE GRANDES PASCUAL (EPP, ES)
• Representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers (COD), consideration of amendments
  • Rapporteur: Geoffroy DIDIER (EPP, FR)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

08:30 – 18:00

Votes (09.15 – 10.00)

• Community statistics on migration and international protection (COD) – adoption of draft report and vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations and on the composition of the negotiating team
  • Rapporteur: Cecilia WIKSTRÖM (ALDE, SE)

Debates

• Ad-hoc Delegation to Slovakia and Malta, 17-20 September 2018 – presentation of draft mission report (10.00-10.40)
• FRONTEX – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – exchange of views with Fabrice LEGGERI, Executive Director on the annual activity report 2017 and the implementation of Regulation (EU) 656/2014 (11.10-12.00)
• Joint debate as part of the European Parliament Human Rights Week – 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights – exchange of views with Michael O’FLAHERTY, Director of the Fundamental Rights Agency (12.00-12.30)

Hearing (14.30 – 18.00)

• The situation of the Rule of Law in Poland, in particular as regards the independence of the judiciary

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Committee on Foreign Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (09.00 – 13.00)

• Annual report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (INI) – Vote on amendments
  • Rapporteur: David McALLISTER (EPP, DE)
• Human rights concerns in private military and security companies’ operations affecting third countries (INI) – Vote on amendments
  • Rapporteur: Karol KARSKI (ECR, PL)
• Recommendation to the Council, Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on Defence of academic freedom in the EU’s external action (INI) – Vote on amendments.
  • Rapporteur: Karol KARSKI (ECR, PL)
• EU Guidelines and the mandate of the EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU (INI) – Vote on amendments.
  • Rappporteur: Andrzej GRZYB (EPP, PL)
• Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Japan, of the other part (NLE) – Vote on a recommendation (consent).
  • Rapporteur: Alojz PETERLE (EPP, SI)
• EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement – Vote on amendments.
  • Rapporteur: by Alojz PETERLE (EPP, SI)
• Exchange of views with David ZALKALIANI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (15.00-18.30)
• Exchange of views with Ambassador Gordon SONDLAND, U.S. Ambassador to the EU (17.30)

Joint AGRI – DEVE meeting

17:30 – 18:30

• Exchange of views with Tom ARNOLD, Chair of the Task Force Rural Africa, on the work of the Task Force

Committee on Budgets

17:30 – 18:30

• Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats (BUD) – Adoption of draft report (to be confirmed)
  • Rapporteur: Daniele VIOTTI (S&D, IT)

Joint meeting: Economic and Monetary Affairs and Women’s Rights and Gender Equality committees

09:00 – 09:30

Vote

• Gender equality and taxation policies in the EU (INI) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteurs: Marisa MATIAS (GUE/NGL, PT) and Ernest URTASUN (Greens/EFA, ES)

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (10.00 – 12.30)

• “ITRE will vote on the dedicated programmes for several files under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 including for research, space, digital agenda and energy.” See draft agenda
• Implementation and functioning of the .eu top level domain name (COD) – Vote on the report and on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations. Report by Fredrick Federley (ALDE, SE)
• Brexit and the Horizon Europe Programme – Workshop

Committee on Transport and Tourism

09:00 – 18:30

• Presentation by DG MOVE – Aviation Safety Unit – on List of air carriers subject to an operating ban in the Community
• Hearing following the European Youth Event 2018

Committee on Regional Development

15:00 – 18:30

• Adjustment of annual pre-financing for the years 2021 to 2023 (COD) – Decision on procedure (Rule 50(1) – without amendment)
  • Rapporteur: Iskra MIHAYLOVA (ALDE)

Committee on Regional Development

09:00 – 18:30

• Exchange of views on the occasion of Human Rights Week: “UN Declaration on rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas” and on global challenges affecting human rights in agriculture

Committee on Fisheries

14:30 – 18:30

Votes

• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for Mediterranean swordfish and amending Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006 and (EU) 2017/2107 (COD) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Marco AFFRONTE (Verts/ALE)
• Fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area (COD) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Linnéa Engström (Verts/ALE)
• Establishing a multi-annual plan for the fisheries exploiting demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea (COD) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Clara Eugenia AGUILERA GARCÍA (S&D, ES)

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (11.00 – 12.30)

• EP Rules of Procedure: revision (REG), adoption of draft report (to be confirmed)
  • Rapporteur: Richard CORBETT (S&D, UK)
• Differentiated integration (INI), adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Pascal DURAND (Greens/EFA, FR)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

09:00 – 12:30

• Hearing on “Children victims or witnesses of gender-based violence within families” (11.00-12.30)

Committee on Petitions

09:00 – 18:30

Votes

• Report on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions during the year 2017 (INI) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Cecilia WIKSTRÖM (ALDE, SE)
• Annual report 2017 on the activities of the European Ombudsman (INI) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Eleonora EVI (EFDD, IT)
• Natura 2000 cases of violations – oral questions to the Council and Commission – consideration and adoption of a draft oral question

Joint meeting with Budgetary Control and Legal Affairs Committees (14.30)

• Exchange of views with the European Ombudsman on her Recommendation of the European Ombudsman in joint cases on the European Commission’s appointment of a new Secretary General

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Committee on Foreign Affairs

09:00 – 12:30

Debates

• Exchange of views with Aidarbekov Chingiz AZAMATOVICH, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan (11.00)
• EU-Russia political relations – (See Public hearing)

Debates

Committee on Budgets

09:00 – 12:30

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy / Committee on Transport and Tourism

09:00 – 12:30

Joint meeting with TRAN

• Establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (COD) – Vote on a report by Henna Virkkunen (EPP, FI), Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, RO) and Pavel Telička (ALDE, CZ) (09.00-10.00)
• Roaming in the Union – one year on. (See Public hearing)

Committee on Transport and Tourism

09:00 – 12:30

Votes

• Common rules for the operation of air services in the Community (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations
  • Rapporteur: Claudia TAPARDEL (S&D, RO)
• Autonomous driving in European Transport (INI) – adoption of draft report
  • Rapporteur: Wim VAN DE CAMP (PPE, NL)

Committee on Regional Development

09:00 – 12:30

Votes

• Mechanism to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context (COD) – adoption of draft report
• Matthijs van Miltenburg (ALDE)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

08:30 – 12:30

• Joint AGRI-CONT Public Hearing on “Leader experiences – lessons learned and effectiveness of EU funds for rural development”

Committee on Fisheries

09:00 – 12:30

• Workshop on “The discard ban, landing obligations and the maximum sustainable yield in the western Mediterranean”

Committee on Petitions

08:30 – 12:30

Jointly with the Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Vote

• Ombudsman’s strategic inquiry O1/2/2017 on the transparency of legislative discussions in the preparatory bodies of the Council of the EU (INI), adoption of draft joint report,
  • Rapporteurs: Jo LEINEN (S&D, DE) and Yana TOOM (ALDE, EE)