The Week Ahead 18 – 24 November 2024
Extraordinary plenary session, Commission hearings, committee and political groups meetings
Ukraine/Extraordinary plenary session with President Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address Parliament from Ukraine in an extraordinary plenary session marking 1000 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. EP President Roberta Metsola will make a statement at the beginning of the session, and political group leaders will speak after President Zelenskyy’s intervention (Tuesday at 11:00).
Commission hearings/Final evaluation. Once all committees have adopted their evaluation letters on the Commissioner-designate hearings, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of the procedure and forward its recommendations to Parliament’s Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group leaders). They will conduct the final evaluation and decide whether to declare the hearings process closed.
Climate change/COP29. A Parliament delegation will attend the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, which is discussing a new collective goal for providing financial support for global climate action. MEPs want all major and emerging economies with high emissions and high GDP to contribute financially and they want the EU to step up its green diplomacy (Monday to Friday).
Priorities of the Hungarian Presidency/Economic affairs and innovation. Hungary’s Finance Minister Mihály Varga and Culture and Innovation Minister Balázs Hankó will discuss with the Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Industry, Research and Energy committees, respectively, on Hungary’s priorities for the rotating Council presidency (Monday and Thursday).
Plenary Preparations. MEPs will prepare for the 25-28 November session, where they are setto debate the programme of the new Commission with President-elect Ursula von der Leyen before voting on the approval of the full college. During the session, MEPs will also debate and vote on the 2025 EU budget, honour the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, discuss strategies for strengthening children’s rights in the EU, and assess recent legislation regarding the LGBTQI community and the need to tackle discrimination.