The Week Ahead 09 – 15 October 2023

Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’). The Industry and Budgets committees will vote on the set-up of a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform designed to support EU projects in developing critical and emerging strategic technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy and medical technologies. According to the proposal, STEP could mobilise up to €160 billion in new investments. As part of the revision of the EU’s long-term budget, MEPs propose an additional €3 billion (Monday).

Euro 7/car emissions. The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee will adopt its position on the so-called Euro 7 standards for emissions from cars, vans, lorries and buses. The objective of the proposal is to improve air quality, with a particular emphasis on urban areas, by reducing air pollutant emissions from road transport (Thursday).

Product liability in the digital age. The Legal Affairs and Internal Market and Consumer Protection committees will adopt their position on the update of the EU Product Liability Directive, which is nearly 40 years old. The proposal aims to bring the EU’s product liability regime up to speed with the digital age and protect consumers more effectively, including from psychological harm and data corruption caused by defective products, by including software and artificial intelligence in the rules for the first time (Monday).

2023 Sakharov Prize: the finalists. In a joint secret vote in the Foreign Affairs and Development committees and the Human Rights Subcommittee, MEPs will choose the three finalists for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The winner will be chosen by Parliament’s Conference of Presidents on 19 October (Thursday).

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 16-19 October plenary session, where MEPs will debate and vote on setting up a Ukraine Facility to support the country’s recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, on the 2024 EU budget, on the Commission’s work programme for 2024, on fisheries control rules to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and on the European Citizens’ Initiative “Fur-Free Europe”. MEPs will also debate their priorities for the 26-27 October European Council and vote on a resolution on the relations between Serbia and Kosovo after the recent deadly clashes.

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).

President’s diary. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will be on Monday in Birgu, Malta, where she will hold two meetings with students, one at De La Salle College and a second at St Edward’s College. On Tuesday, in Brussels, she will present the book ”Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology”, with the author Anu Bradford.