The Week Ahead 05 – 11 September 2022
Committee and political group meetings, Brussels
Ukraine’s Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal will meet EP President Roberta Metsola and political groups to discuss the latest developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as ways for the EU to continue its support for Ukraine (Monday).
Spyware in Greece. The EP Inquiry Committee on the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance software will discuss the Greek spyware scandal with journalist Thanasis Koukakis (TBC) and other guest speakers (Thursday).
COVID-19/pharmaceutical industry. Parliament’s special committee on COVID-19 (COVI) will hold a first debate with four pharmaceutical companies that worked on developing vaccines and therapeutics during the COVID-19 pandemic – Gilead Sciences, Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Moderna (Monday).
Czech Council Presidency. Czech ministers will outline the priorities of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU to the Civil Liberties and Legal Affairs committees (Monday).
Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 12-15 September session, in which they will assess the State of the European Union with Commission President von der Leyen. MEPs will debate and vote during plenary on draft legislation on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and on proposals to halt deforestation, and are set to give their final green light to new rules on the minimum wage. They will also prepare for the plenary debates on the risk of a breach of the EU’s core values in Hungary and with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
SOTEU/Conference of Presidents. To prepare the State of the European Union debate, Commission President von der Leyen will join the EP Conference of Presidents, comprising President Metsola and political group presidents (Thursday).
President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will join a Facebook live chat on the SOTEU and give an address at the opening of an exhibition outlining Russian war crimes on Monday. President Metsola will chair an EP Bureau working lunch with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, she will give a speech at an event with the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE), sign a roadmap between Parliament and Council on the Common European Asylum System and the New European Pact on migration and asylum, and host a reception for EU correspondents. On Friday, the President will be in Cyprus, where she will meet President Nicos Anastasiades and President of Cyprus’ House of Representatives Annita Demetriou, with press conferences following both meetings.
Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing with the Parliament’s political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels).
Welcome briefing for EU correspondents. A briefing for journalists recently arrived in Brussels will take place in the Anna Politkovskaya room on Wednesday from 16:00 to 18:30. Other accredited media who would like more information about the latest EP media products are also welcome to join.
