The Week Ahead 04 – 10 June 2018
Facebook/misuse of data. Following up on the meeting on 22 May between Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Parliament’s political leadership, MEPs will debate how to ensure data protection and prevent illegal use of collected personal information in a public hearing. The speakers include journalists and whistle blowers behind the media revelation of the Cambridge Analytica Case. (Monday)
Mobility package. The Transport Committee will vote on improving working conditions in road transport and competition between hauliers. The draft rules will help step up enforcement to fight illegal practices, such as use of letterbox companies or breaking the limits for operating in national markets after a cross-border delivery (so-called ‘cabotage’). They will also clarify rules on the application of national minimum wage laws as well as ensuring proper rest conditions for drivers. (Monday)
Digital Union: free flow of non-personal data in the EU. A proposal banning member states from imposing unjustified territorial restrictions on processing non-personal data in the EU (e.g. in financial, health, tax, telecommunications sectors and government) will be voted on by the Internal Market Committee. This would cut red tape and remove unnecessary barriers for businesses. It is considered a key factor for a competitive European data economy. (Monday)
Pesticides’ authorisation. The Special Committee on EU authorisation procedure for pesticides will look into the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) opinion on draft assessment reports and the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) classification of active substances, with representatives from both agencies. (Thursday)
Sakharov Prize/30th anniversary conference. MEPs from the Foreign Affairs, Human Rights and Development Committees will look back on 30 years of the Sakharov Prize. During a two-day conference, they will highlight the EU’s engagement in human rights through debates with high level experts, Sakharov Prize winners and human rights defenders from all over the world, and visit the (itinerant) exhibition “They Defend our Freedoms – 30 years of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought”. (Monday and Tuesday)
Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the June plenary debates and votes, among others on the upcoming EU summit, the Iran nuclear agreement, the composition of Parliament and redistribution of seats after next year’s European elections, the safety and privacy of drones, cyber security and EU-NATO relations. MEPs will also continue their discussions with EU heads of state or government on the future of Europe, this time with Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
President’s agenda. EP President Antonio Tajani will deliver the opening speech at the European Development Days and meet Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou, Liberia’s President George Weah and Montenegro’s President Milo Djukanovic, on Tuesday.
