Summary

Next week will be a political group week and a committee week in the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will hold meetings with their respective political party to prepare the plenary session, to be held from October 1 to 4, 2018, in Strasbourg. During the plenary week, MEPs are expected to vote on the reform of EU rules on audiovisual media, including online streaming platforms, and on new CO2 emission reduction targets for passenger cars.

Next week, a few interesting discussions will take place in committee.

On Monday, September 24, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (“ITRE”) will vote on its legislative opinion on the proposal for a single use plastic Directive. The legislative proposal aims to reduce the amount of plastic marine litter from single use plastic items and fishing gear containing plastic. See the Commission proposal here, the draft opinion here , the amendments tabled to the draft opinion here.

On the same day, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (“AGRI”) will debate on a proposal for a Directive on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain. A number of amendments will be discussed, such as the extension of the scope to all agricultural products, the extension of the “buyer’s” definition to include those operators that buy and sell products on the EU market, and also the inclusion of a definition of “unfair trading practice” and the introduction of a payment term for non-perishable products set at 60 days from the receipt of the invoice. See the Commission proposal here, the draft report here, the amendments tabled to the draft report here and here.

On the same day, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (“ECON”) will hold a discussion on a proposal for a Regulation on the promotion of the use of SME growth markets. A number of amendments will be discussed, including simplification of the rules on market abuse for SMEs that are listed on “SME growth markets”. More specifically, it calls for an exemption for enterprises in growth markets from the obligation to keep a list of individuals closely related to persons with managerial responsibilities, MEPs also call for the preservation of accepted national market practices for liquidity contracts and an extension of the possibility of using them in financial markets. See the Commission proposal here and the draft report here.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, September 24, 2018

Committee on Development

15:00 – 19:00

Debates

• Hearing “Engaging the African diaspora in Europe to promote effective development cooperation policies”. Introduced by MEP Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, the hearing offers a chance to hear about initiatives of the African diaspora in Europe. With Marie Chantal Uwitonye, head of the African Diaspora Network in Europe, and Hans Stausboll representing the Commission.

Special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance

Committee on Budgets

15:00 – 16:30

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• Monetary Dialogue with Mario DRAGHI, President of the European Central Bank (15.00-17.00)

Votes (18.00 – 18.30)

• Prudential requirements of investment firms (COD – Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations

  • Rapporteur: Markus FERBER (EPP, DE)

• Prudential supervision of investment firms (COD) – Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations.

  • Rapporteur: Markus FERBER (EPP, DE)

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

18:30 – 19:00

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Vote 17:30 – 18:30

• The role of Employee Financial Participation in creating jobs and reactivating the unemployed (INI) – Vote on a report by Renate WEBER (ALDE, RO)

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

15:00 – 18:30

• Workshop – Brexit and industry and space policy (15.00-16.00)

• The aim of the workshop is to give Members the chance to explore in detail the impacts of Brexit on industry and space policy for the EU27. Three high level speakers will give a general overview of the potential impacts of Brexit; consider the implications for EU business; and examine the implications for EU space policy. Their presentations will be followed by a question and answer session with Members.

Committee on Legal Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

Debates

• Reporting back on the mission to Montpellier

• Expedited settlement of commercial disputes – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Tadeusz ZWIEFKA (EPP, PL)

• Protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Virginie ROZIÈRE (S&D, FR)

Joint meeting: Constitutional Affairs and Petitions committees

14:30 – 15:15

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

15:15 – 18:30

• Hearing on the withdrawal agreement between the EU and the UK (15.30-16.45) – presentation by experts – Draft programme

• Hearing on the Institutional structure and governance of existing forms of enhanced cooperation (16.45-18.00) – presentation by experts – Draft programme

Committee on Petitions

15:15 – 18:30

Votes

• Oral question to the Council and Commission on the role of the German Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) in cross-border family disputes – consideration and adoption of a draft question

Presentation

• Fact-finding Visit to Donana National Park, Andalucia, Spain – preliminary oral report by the Head of delegation Pál CSÀKY (EPP, SK)

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Committee on Budgets

Debates

09:00 – 18:30

• Draft Amending Budget No 5 to the General Budget 2018 Cancellation of the reserve related to the support to Turkey from the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA II), reinforcement of the European Neirbourhood Instrument (ENI) and of the Humanitarian Aid for orther urgent actions and modification of the establishment plan of the Innovation & Networks Executive Agency (INEA) in the context of the WiFi4EU initiative (BUD) – Consideration and adoption

  • Rapporteur: Siegfried MURESAN (EPP, RO)

• Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund – EGF/2018/001 NL/Financial service activities – The Netherlands (BUD)

  • Rapporteur: Ivana MALETIC (EPP, HR) – Consideration and adoption

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Committee on Budgets

09:00 – 18:30

• General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019 – all sections (BUD) – Adoption of budget amendments

  • Co- rapporteurs: Daniele VIOTTI (S&D, IT) and Paul RÜBIG (EPP, AT)

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Committee on Foreign Affairs

09:00 – 13:00
Debate (12.00 – 13.00)

• Sakharov Prize 2018: Presentation of candidates. Jointly with the Committee on Development and the Subcommittee on Human Rights

Special Committee on the Union’s authorisation procedure for pesticides

14:00 – 17:30
Debates

• EU authorisation procedure for pesticides – Consideration of draft report –

  • Co-rapporteurs: Bart STAES (Greens/EFA, BE), Norbert LINS (EPP, DE)

• Study on the Guidelines for submission and evaluation of applications for the approval of active substances in pesticides

• Briefing on the Impact of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 on innovation and the development of alternatives and new plant protection products

Committee on International Trade & Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Votes

09:00 – 09:20

• Import of cultural goods

  • Rapporteurs: Alessia Maria MOSCA (S&D, IT), Daniel DALTON (ECR, UK)

Committee on International Trade

Votes

09:00 – 12:30

• Adoption of draft report: Harnessing globalisation: trade aspects (2018/2005(INI)).

  • Rapporteur: Joachim SCHUSTER (S&D, DE)

Debates

• Ad hoc delegation to Japan, 18-20 September 2018: presentation of the outcome of the mission

• Council Decision on the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan (2018/0091(NLE)) – consideration of draft recommendation (consent).

  • Rapporteur: Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT)

Committee on Budgetary Control

Votes

09:00 – 18:30

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Debates

09:00 – 17:30

• The use of facebook users’ data by Camridge Analytica and the impact on data protection (RSP), consideration of motion for a resolution, rapporteur Claude MORAES (S&D, UK) (09.00-10.00)

• State of play of works on the assessment of the adequacy of the Japan data protection legal framework – presentation by the Commission (10.00-10.30)

Votes (10.30 – 10.45)

• Election of the 3rd vice-Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

• Short-stay visa waivers: Agreement between the European Union and Barbados, Mauritius, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Seychelles and the Bahamas – adoption of six draft recommendations (consent)

• Rapporteur: Emilian PAVEL (S&D, RO)

Debates

• Community statistics on migration and international protection (COD), consideration of draft report, rapporteur Cecilia WIKTRÖM (ALDE, SE) (10.45-11.30)

• European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (eu-Lisa) – presentation of the consolidated annual activity report of the agency for 2017 by Krum GARKOV, Executive Director of eu-Lisa (11.30-12.30)

• Strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement (COD), consideration of draft report

• (15.00-15.30)

  • Rapporteur: Gérard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE)

Hearing (15.30 – 17.30)

• “The Implementation of the Facilitation Directive and humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants”Draft programme will soon be available

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Votes (10.00 – 11.00)

• The situation of women with disabilities (RSP), adoption of question for oral answer and motion for a resolution

  • Rapporteur: Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT (EPP, ES)

• Hearing on gender equal workplaces: best practices and use of care services (11.00-12.30). The purpose of the hearing is to identify and share the best practices for enhancing equality between women and men in the workplace as implemented by employers (big companies) as well as to discuss the practical implications of a developed network of care services for women’s participation at the labour market