The Week Ahead 03 – 09 October 2016

Plenary

Paris agreement. Parliament is ready to vote on the UN Climate Change agreement struck in Paris last year. If the Council approves the agreement on Friday, Parliament is set to give its consent on Tuesday noon.

EU summit. In preparation for the 20-21 October European Council summit of EU leaders, MEPs will discuss trade negotiations, latest developments and progress on migration policy and future EU-Russia relations with Council and Commission representatives on Wednesday morning.

Export ban on torture goods. New EU rules to prevent trade in goods and services that may contribute to torture or execution in third countries will be debated and put to a vote on Tuesday. Parliament has focused on inserting a ban on the marketing and transit of such goods as well. A press conference with the rapporteur Marietje Schaake, Trade Committee chair Bernd Lange and Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is scheduled for 15.30.

Mobile roaming.  Proposed “fair use” safeguards to prevent mobile phone users from taking unfair advantage of EU rules on zero roaming charges will be debated in plenary on Tuesday evening.

Conflict of interests of Commissioners. Following several media reports to do with the business ties of past and present Commissioners, MEPs will quiz the Commission Tuesday evening on how it plans to prevent conflicts of interest for its members in the future. They will also address recent revelations known as “Bahama leaks”. (Debate Tuesday)

Greece. Parliament will hold a debate with Commissioner Pierre Moscovici on Tuesday afternoon about the state of Greece’s economic adjustment programme, its impact and the prospects for future negotiations between Greece and its creditors.

Poland. Women’s rights and attempts to make Poland’s stringent abortion and reproductive health laws still more restrictive will be debated on Wednesday afternoon.

Calais. The situation in and around the informal migrant camp in Calais (France) is up for a debate on Tuesday afternoon. More than 7,000 asylum seekers and migrants are seeking to reach the UK.

Committees

Structured dialogue on possible suspension of structural funds for Spain and Portugal. MEPs from the Regional Development and Economic Affairs committees will debate a possible proposal for suspension of EU structural funds for Spain and Portugal with the EU Commission, following the Council decision to trigger the “excessive deficit” procedure for both countries. The committees will then draw up a recommendation to the Commission. (Monday)

President’s diary. EP President Martin Schulz will chair the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, on Wednesday in Strasbourg. He will meet Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and National Council Speaker Andrej Danko in Bratislava on Thursday. On Friday, Mr Schulz will participate in the Conference of EU Parliaments Presidents, still in Bratislava.