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 next plenary session, to be held from October 2 to 5, in Strasbourg.

A few interesting discussions will take place in committee.

On Monday, members of the Committee on International Trade (“INTA”) will vote on their report on the EU-Africa Strategy.  The objective of this report is to foster the EU’s contribution to Africa’s growth and development, by assisting Africa in improving its business climate, fighting against poverty, corruption and money laundering, and managing natural resources.  The EU would support initiatives aimed at enhancing the African economy and at ensuring that Africa enhances its production and processing capacity to reduce imports and take full advantage of Africa’s own resources. 

On the same day, the INTA Committee will discuss the Commission proposal for a regulation on the screening of foreign investment in strategic sectors.  The Parliament had called on the Commission to introduce an act to regulate and control third-country investment in the EU, so as to avoid market disturbance.  The Parliament proposed investment limitations, such as preventing foreign companies from benefitting from advantages in the EU, where the same benefits are not offered to European companies in their home countries.  The Commission introduced its proposal for a regulation establishing a framework for screening of foreign direct investments into the European Union on September 13, 2017.

On Tuesday, the special parliamentary Committee on Money Laundering and Tax Evasion (“PANA”) will question representatives of UEFA, FIFA and other European associations of football (soccer) agents, on the transparency of the transfer markets, football club financing and players’ image rights.

On Wednesday, the Budgets Committee (“BUDG”) will vote on the amendments tabled to the draft EU 2018 budget.  MEPs are expected to counter cuts made by the Council of the EU, with a view to sustaining and fostering research, education, migration and reducing youth unemployment.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, September 25, 2017 

Subcommittee on Human Rights

15:00 – 19:00

• Public Hearing on the Rights of LGBTI people outside the EU and the implementation of the EU Guidelines

Committee on Development

15:00 – 18:30

Jointly with the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)

• Implementation of the Joint Staff Working Document (SWD(2015)0182) – Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Transforming the Lives of Girls and Women through EU External Relations 2016-2020 2017/2012(INI)  – Workshop linked to the joint report)

  • Co-rapporteurs: Linda McAVAN (S&D, UK), Dubravka ŠUICA (EPP, HR)

  • 16.30 – 18.30

• New tools and best practices for humanitarian aid, particularly in the context of protracted displacement – discussion with the European Commission (DG ECHO) and NGOs

• 18.10 – 18.30 Votes

• General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2018 – all sections 2017/2044(BUD) – Adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur for the opinion: Charles GOERENS (ALDE, BE)

Subcommittee on Security and Defence

15:00 – 18:30

• Long Term Review of the European Defence Agency – discussion with Jorge DOMECQ, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency

• Implementation of the Preparatory Action on Defence Research – discussion with: Jorge DOMECQ, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency; Alain ALEXIS, Head of Unit, Defence, Aeronautic and Maritime Industries, DG GROW I.4, European Commission

• Security situation in the Middle East – U.S. and Israeli perspectives – discussion with: Marco MORETTINI, Deputy Head of Division for Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and Regional Policies, EEAS; Reuel Marc GERECHT, Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, U.S.; Yossi KUPERWASSER, Senior Fellow, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, former Director General of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, Israel

Committee on International Trade

15:00 – 18:30

• Towards a digital trade strategy – 2017/2065(INI) – Consideration of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL)

• Screening of foreign investment in strategic sectors – discussion

  • Rapporteur: Franck PROUST (EPP, FR)

  • Votes

• Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the other part 2017/2035(INI) – adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur: David BORRELLI (EFDD, IT)

• Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the other part 2016/0166(NLE) – adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur: David BORRELLI (EFDD, IT)

• The EU-Africa Strategy: a boost for development  2017/2083(INI) – adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur for the opinion: Maria ARENA (S&D, BE)

  • End of voting

• Discussion with Mats HARBORN, President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China

Committee on Budgetary Control

15:00 – 18:30

Votes

• Discharge 2015: General budget of the EU – Council and European Council (DEC) – vote on a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Bart Staes (Greens/EFA, BE)

• Control of spending and monitoring of EU Youth Guarantee schemes cost-effectiveness (INI) – vote on a draft resolution

  • Rapporteur: Derek Vaughan (S&D, UK)

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)

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

15:00 – 18:30

• Legislative scrutiny – Action plan on the Reinforcement of SOLVIT: Bringing the benefits of the Single Market to citizens and businesses – COM(2017) 255 final

Committee on Transport and Tourism

15:00 – 18:30

Votes

• International ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans in the context of the 2030 SDGs – vote on an opinion

  • Rapporteur: Cláudia MONTEIRO DE AGUIAR (PPE, PT)

• Adapting a number of legal acts providing for the use of the regulatory procedure with scrutiny to Articles 290 and 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU – vote on a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Georg MAYER (ENF, AT)

End of Votes

• Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation –  consideration of a draft report

  • Rapporteur:      Isabella DE MONTE (S&D, IT)

• Saving Lives: Boosting Car Safety in the EU – consideration of a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH (PPE, DE)

• Presentation by the Commission, DG MOVE, of proposal for the revision of Regulation 868/2004 (on competition in air transport)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

15:00 – 18:30

• Hearing on “A comparative analysis of global agricultural policies. Lessons for Europe?”

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

15:00 – 18:30

• Mini Hearing “Evaluating drug policies and state of play in the EU legislation” (15.00 – 17.00)

• Votes

• Council decision on the putting into effect of certain provisions of the Schengen acquis relating to the Visa Information System in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania (CNS) – vote on a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Agustín DÍAZ DE MERA GARCÍA CONSUEGRA (PPE, ES)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

15:00 – 18:30

Joint meeting with the Committee on Development

• Implementation of the Joint Staff Working Document (SWD(2015)0182) – Gender equality and women’s empowerment: transforming the lives of girls and women through EU external relations 2016-2020 (INI)

  • Co-rapporteurs: Linda McAVAN (S&D, UK) and Dubravka ŠUICA (EPP, HR)

• Workshop linked to the above report

• Contraception and family planning – discussion (17.00-18.00)

• Vote (18.00)

• FEMM Committee Calendar 2018 – vote

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Committee of Inquiry to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion

09:00 – 12:30

• Tax-planning, do celebrities and companies breach EU law? – Public hearing

Committee on Budgets

10:30 – 18:30

Votes

• 2017 Budget: Section III – Commission

  • Rapporteur: Jens GEIER (S&D, DE)

• 2017 Budget: Other Sections

  • Rapporteur: Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE)

• Building policy

  • Rapporteur Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE)

• General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2018 – all sections (BUD) – vote on a draft regulation

  • Co-rapporteurs: Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO) and Richard ASHWORTH (ECR, UK)Committee on Budgets

  • 09:00 – 17:00

  • Wednesday, September 27, 2017

• No agenda available

• Thursday, September 28, 2017

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

14:00 – 17:30

Votes

• Minimum income policies as a tool to tackle poverty – Adoption of draft report

  • Rapporteur: Laura AGEA (EFDD, IT)

• Economic policies of the euro area – Adoption of draft opinion

  • Rapporteur: Yana TOOM (ALDE, ET)

  • End of votes

• Implementation of the European Disability Strategy – Consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE)

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

09:00 – 18:30

• Contracts for the online and other distance sales of goods – Presentation of second Impact assessment of substantial amendments – Commercial guarantee for lifespan

  • Rapporteur: Pascal ARIMONT (EPP, BE)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

Votes (10.30 – 11.30)

• Fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism (INI) – vote on a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Soraya POST (S&D, SE)

• European Public Prosecutor’s Office (APP) – vote on a draft report

  • Rapporteur: Barbara Matera (PPE, IT)

  • End of votes

• Joint debate on the SIS II package (15.00 – 15.45)

• Use of the Schengen Information System for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals (COD) – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Jeroen LENAERS (PPE, NL)

• Establishment, operation and use of the Schengen Information System (SIS) in the field of border checks (COD) – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Carlos COELHO (PPE, IT)

• Establishment, operation and use of the Schengen Information System (SIS) in the field of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (COD) – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Carlos COELHO (PPE, IT)

  • End of joint debate

• Countering money laundering by criminal law – consideration of draft report (15.45 – 16.20)

  • Rapporteur: Ignazio CORRAO (EFDD, IT)

  • Joint debate (15.45 – 16.20)

• Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council Seventh Report on the Progress made in the Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement – Presentation by Marten Verwey, EU coordinator for the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and Head of the Structural Reform Support Service, European Commission

• Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council – Fourteenth report on relocation and resettlement – Presentation by Henrik Nielsen, Head of Unit, DG HOME, European Commission

• European Court of Justice Judgment in Joined Cases C-643/15 and C-647/15 of 6 September 2017 on the actions brought by Slovakia and Hungary against the provisional mechanism for the mandatory relocation of asylum seekers – Presentation by the EP Legal Service

• End of joint debate

• EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) (COD) (17.30 – 18.00) – consideration of amendments

  • Rapporteur: Axel VOSS (PPE, DE)

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

09:00 – 18:30

• No agenda available