Summary

This week is a mixed committee and mini plenary week at the European Parliament. Several interesting meetings and votes will take place.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament’s plenary session will debate the annual EU budget for the year 2018. Before it can be signed off by Parliament President Antonio Tajani, the provisional agreement negotiated by the Parliament and EU Member States must be approved by the plenary. In the 2018 budget, MEPs advocated for youth unemployment support and supplementary funding for SMEs.

On the same day, MEPs will debate the idea of a multilateral court for the arbitration of trade conflicts, as opposed to the existing investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. MEPs are expected to call on the Commission to acknowledge that disputes in trade partnerships, such as CETA or TTIP, should be adjudicated on by such as court.

On Thursday, MEPs will vote on a report on VAT obligations for supplies of services and distance sales of goods. The new legislation would facilitate the cross-border exchange of information between national authorities in order to combat VAT fraud. The legislation would also simplify VAT rules for e-commerce.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, November 27, 2017

Committee on Budgetary Control

15:00 – 18:30 

• 2016 discharge: EU general budget – Commison (DEC). Discussion with Commissioner Marianne THYSSEN, responsible for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labourt Mobility, in the presence of Iliana IVANOVA, Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible

  • Rapporteur: Joachim ZELLER (EPP, DE)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, jointly with Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

15:00 – 18:00

Joint meeting with the Committee on employment and Social Affairs (15.00-16.45)

• Economic Dialogue, Annual Growth Survey discussion and Alert Mechanism report with Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union and Pierre MOSCOVICI, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and CustomsCommittee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (16.45-18.00)

• Economic Dialogue and exchange of views on the Commission’s opinion on Draft Budget Plans of euro area member state, with Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union and Pierre MOSCOVICI, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

15:00 – 16:45

• Economic Dialogue and exchange of views on Annual Growth Survey with Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union and Pierre MOSCOVICI, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs 

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

15:00 – 18:30

• Agenda not available

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• CEAS reform package – discussion on state of play with different legislative proposals by the Commission and Estonian Council Presidency’s view to ensure coherence throughout CEAS (15.00-16.00)

• Infringement procedure against UK (CSI and free movement) – discussion with the Commission (16.00-16.30)

• ETIAS (COD) – joint discussion on state of play of interinstitutional negotiations on two reports by Kinga GÁL (EPP, HU) (16.30-16.45)

• i-OCTA 2017 – discussion with Philipp AMANN, Head of Unit Strategy, European Cybercrime Centre (Europol) (16.45-17.30)

• Eurojust (COD) – discussion on state of play of interinstitutional negotiations (17.30-17.45)

• Progress report on European Agenda on Migration and Fifth report on operationalisation of European Border and Coast Guard – discussion with Commission

  • Rapporteur: Axel VOSS (EPP, DE)

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 

Committee on International Trade

14:30-18:30

• Discussion on Macro-Financial Assistance

• Discussion on Report on Implementation of Free Trade Agreements

Committee on Budgetary Control

09:00 – 18:30

• 2016 discharge: EU general budget – Commission (DEC). Discussion with Commissioner Phil HOGAN, responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development with Nikolaos MILIONIS, Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible. Followed by a short presentation of the recently published ECA Special Report (No 15/2017): Ex-ante conditionalities and performance reserve in Cohesion (9.00-12.30)

• Respective rapporteurs: Joachim ZELLER (EP, DE) and Georgi PIRINSKI (S&D, BG)

• ECA Special Report 17/2017: Commission’s intervention in Greek financial crisis. Presentation by Baudilio Tomé MUGURUZA, ECA Member responsible (14.30-15.30)

  • Rapporteur: Hannu TAKKULA (ALDE, FI) 

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

09:00 – 12:30

• Coordination of social security systems – Consideration of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Guillaume BALAS (S&D, FR)

• Protection of workers from risks when exposed to carcinogens or mutagens at work – Consideration of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Claude ROLIN (EPP, BE)

• Presentation of Commission staff working document Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2017 (ESDE)

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Votes

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: phosphates in meat – Adoption of motion for a resolution.

  • Rapporteurs: Christel SCHALDEMOSE (S&D, DA), Bart STAES (Greens/EFA, BE)

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: the use of sweeteners in fine bakery wares – Adoption of motion for a resolution

  • Rapporteur: Françoise GROSSETÊTE (EPP, FR)

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Technical standards for the establishment and operation of a traceability system for tobacco products – Adoption of motion for a resolution

  • Rapporteur: Piernicola Pedicini (EFDD, IT)

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Technical standards for security features applied to tobacco products – Adoption of motion for a resolution

  • Rapporteur: Piernicola Pedicini (EFDD, IT)

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106 : Renewing the approval of the active substance glyphosate (revised Commission draft act) – Adoption of motion for a resolution

  • Rapporteur: Kateřina KONEČNÁ (GUE/NGL, CZ)

• A global end to animal testing for cosmetics – Adoption of questions for oral answer

  • Co-rapporteurs: Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN (EPP, FI), Miriam DALLI (S&D, MT), Julie GIRLING (ECR, UK), Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE), Stefan ECK (GUE/NGL, DE), Eleonora EVI (EFDD, IT), Marco AFFRONTE (Greens/EFA, IT), Sylvie GODDYN (ENF, FR)

• Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the linking of their greenhouse gas emissions trading systems – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Christofer FJELLNER (EPP, SV)

• International ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans in the context of the 2030 SDGs – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: José Inácio FARIA (EPP, PT)

• European Solidarity Corps – Adoption of draft opinion –

  • Rapporteur: Eleonora FORENZA (GUE/NGL, IT)

• Cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments – Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations –

  • Rapporteur: Julie GIRLING (ECR, UK)

End of votes

• Public hearing – The Impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on the environment, public health and food safety

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

09:00 – 18:30

Votes

• Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast) – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur:José BLANCO LÓPEZ (S&D, ES)

• Energy efficiency – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Adam GIEREK (S&D, PL)

End of votes

• Exchange of views with Mr Tibor NAVRACSICS, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, as part of the Structured Dialogue

• Study on “Review of EU-third country cooperation on policies falling within the ITRE domain in relation to Brexit”, presentation by J. Scott MARCUS

Committee on Fisheries

09:00 – 18:30

• Discussion with João AGUIAR MACHADO, Director General of DG MARE, European Commission

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

09:00 – 18:15

• Hearing on agreements and cooperation with third countries on migration management and return. The objective of the hearing is to address key elements of the EU external action with third countries on migration management and as regards the EU policy on return. The hearing is structured in three panels: cooperation with third countries and democratic oversight, Mobility Partnerships as an instrument for dialogue and cooperation and EU return policy

• Implementation and funding of migration related activities in Libya – Discussion with representatives of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, European Commission, European External Action Service and the Estonian Council Presidency (14.30-16.00)

• Joint meeting with the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee on Report on implementation of Directive 2011/99/EU

• European Migration Network – Study on illegal employment of third-country nations in the EU – Discussion with a representative of the German National Contact Point of the EMN Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (16.45-17.30)

• Eurodac system for the comparison of fingerprints of applicants for international protection and identifying illegally staying third-country nationals or stateless persons

  • Rapporteur: Monica MACOVEI (ECR, RO) 09:00 – 18:30

Committee on Constitutional Affairs, jointly with the Committee of Petitions

• European citizens’ initiative – discussion with Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the European Commission on the new proposal for a regulation (15.30-16.30)

• Workshop on the implications of Brexit on the Irish border (16.30-18.00)

• Joint meeting with the Committee on Legal Affairs on the interpretation and implementation of the interinstitutional agreement on Better Law-Making (18.00-18.30)

Committee on Petitions, jointly with the Constutional Affairs Committee meeting

09:00 – 18:30

• European citizens’ initiative – Discussion with Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice President of the European Commission on the new proposal for regulation (15.30-16.30)  

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

• Plenary session

15:00 – 23:00

 Debates

• 2018 budgetary procedure

• Decision adopted on the State of energy Union 2017

• Decision adopted on the Fair Taxation package II

• Transitional arrangements for mitigating the impact of the introduction of IFRS 9

• Instrument contributing to stability and peace

• Situation in Yemen

• Negotiations for a Convention establishing a multilateral court for the settlement of investment disputes (MIC)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

19:00-21:30

•  “The Future of Food and Farming” – Presentation of the Commission Communication by Phil HOGAN, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Plenary Session

09:00 – 11:20 Debates

• Ranking of unsecured debt instruments in insolvency hierarchy

• Implementation of the European Disability Strategy

11:30-13:30 Votes and explanation of votes

• Draft amending Budget No 6/2017: Reduction of payment and commitment appropriations in line with updated forecasts of expenditure and update of revenue (own resources and fines)

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteur: Jens GEIER (S&D, Germany)

• Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget 2018

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteur: Inese VAIDERE (EPP, LV)

• Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteur: Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO)

• Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2017/003 GR/Attica retail

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteur: Marie-Pierre VIEU (GUE-NGL, FR)

• Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2017/005 FI/Retail

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteur: Răzvan POPA (S&D, RO)

• 2018 budgetary procedure

  • Committee: BUDG

  • Rapporteurs: Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), Richard ASHWORTH (ECR, UK)

• Changes to the resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion and to the resources for the investment for growth and jobs goal and for the European territorial cooperation goal

  • Committee: REGI

  • Rapporteur: Iskra MIHAYLOVA (ALDE, BG)

• EU-Egypt Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation: participation of Egypt in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

  • Committee: ITRE

  • Rapporteur: Sofia SAKORAFA (GUE-NGL, GR)

• EU-Algeria Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation: participation of Algeria in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

  • Committee: ITRE

  • Rapporteur: Sofia SAKORAFA (GUE-NGL, GR)

• EU-Lebanon Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation: participation of Lebanon in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

  • Committee: ITRE

  • Rapporteur: Sofia SAKORAFA (GUE-NGL, GR)

• EU-Jordan Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation: participation of Jordan in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

  • Committee: ITRE

  • Rapporteur: Sofia SAKORAFA (GUE-NGL, GR)

• Accession of Chile, Iceland and Bahamas to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Committee: JURI

  • Rapporteur: Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG)

• Accession of Panama, Uruguay, Colombia and El Salvador to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Committee: JURI

  • Rapporteur: Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG)

• Accession of San Marino to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Committee: JURI

  • Rapporteur: Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG)

• Accession of Georgia and South Africa to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Committee: JURI

  • Rapporteur: Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG)

• Transitional arrangements for mitigating the impact of the introduction of IFRS 9

  • Committee: ECON

  • Rapporteur: Peter SIMON (S&D, GE)

• Instrument contributing to stability and peace

  • Committee: AFET

  • Rapporteur: Arnaud DANJEAN (EPP, FR)

• Ranking of unsecured debt instruments in insolvency hierarchy

  • Committee: ECON

  • Gunnar HÖKMARK (EPP, SW)

• Value added tax obligations for supplies of services and distance sales of goods

  • Committee: ECON

  • Rapporteur: Cătălin Sorin IVAN (S&D, RO)

• Administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of value added tax

  • Committee: ECON

  • Rapporteur: Luděk NIEDERMAYER (EPP, CZ)

• Situation in Yemen

• Implemenation of the European Disability Strategy

  • Committee: EMPL

  • Rapporteur: Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE)