The Week Ahead 09 – 15 January 2017

Commissioner Oettinger’s new portfolio. Three parliamentary committees will quiz Commissioner Günther Oettinger on his new portfolio for Budget and Human Resources. The new tasks were assigned to Mr Oettinger by Commission President Juncker following the resignation of Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva. (Monday at 18:00)

Refugees. The Civil Liberties Committee will discuss the implementation of the EU – Turkey deal on refugees and migrants, the state of play on relocation and resettlement operations and the Commission’s recommendation to resume transfers of refugees back to Greece under the Dublin convention. In a separate debate, UNHCR director for Europe Vincent Cochetel will present proposals for better protecting refugees in the EU. (Thursday)

Robots. Proposals for the first-ever set of rules at EU-level to address legal and ethical issues raised by the increased use of robotics and artificial intelligence, will be voted in the Legal Affairs Committee. MEPs will call for legislation to define who is liable for robots’ actions, increase safety, as well as introduce a code of conduct to ensure compliance with fundamental ethical principles. (Thursday)

Maltese Council Presidency. Maltese Ministers will present the priorities of the Council Presidency in the fields of security and justice and support to EU businesses. These will be debated with the Civil Liberties and Legal Affairs committees. (Thursday)

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the mid-term elections of the president, 14 vice-presidents and five quaestors of the European Parliament, as well as the composition of all parliamentary committees. They will also prepare for a debate with Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on the programme of the incoming EU Council presidency.

President’s agenda. EP President Martin Schulz will meet Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and the Chairman of the High Level Group on Own Resources Mario Monti, on Tuesday. President Schulz will meet New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English on Thursday, followed by a press point.  On the same day, he will meet the French National Assembly President Claude Bartolone.