The Week Ahead 28 January – 03 February 2019
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Plenary
Holocaust Remembrance Day. Parliament will hold an International Holocaust Remembrance ceremony at 15.00 on Wednesday. EP-President Tajani will open the formal sitting, followed by a speech by Charlotte Knobloch, former President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and former Vice-President of the European Jewish Congress and the World Jewish Congress.
Brexit. Parliament is set to debate the state of play on Brexit, following the vote in the UK’s House of Commons on 29 January. The decision on the exact timing will be taken by the full house at the beginning of the session.
Venezuela. MEPs are set to assess the latest developments in Venezuela and adopt a resolution on the subject. The final decision will be taken at the opening of the session on Wednesday.
Future of Europe/Juha Sipilä. Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä will debate the future of Europe with MEPs on Thursday morning. This will be the sixteenth in a series of future of Europe debates between EU heads of state or governments and MEPs. EP President Antonio Tajani and Prime Minister Sipilä will hold a press point following the debate.
Aggressive attacks against democratically elected. Following recent attacks in different EU member states, both verbal and physical, MEPs will debate how to combat the climate of hatred and physical violence against democratically elected mandate holders on Wednesday afternoon.
Rule of Law in Hungary. MEPs will assess the current situation in Hungary and debate the developments since September 2018 in the country regarding the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Revamping the EP’s rule book. To step up transparency, Parliament will vote on a series of changes to its internal rules, such as the reform of Members’ standards of conduct (including transparency rules and measures to prevent harassment) or parliamentary questions and interpellations. Key actors involved in the legislative process would have to publish online all meetings with interest representatives falling under the scope of the Transparency Register.
Committees
Visa exemption for UK citizens. The Civil Liberties Committee will vote on Tuesday on a new law that adds the UK to the list of countries whose nationals do not need a visa to enter the EU. It will be applicable once the UK becomes a non-EU country and if EU citizens travelling to the UK are also exempt from visa requirements.
Mario Draghi. The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will meet on Monday with ECB President Mario Draghi for their regular monetary dialogue to discuss the ECB’s activities and the progress to be made in the area of banking union. This is expected to be Mr Draghi’s last formal visit to Parliament before his mandate comes to an end.
President’s diary. EP President Antonio Tajani will have a bilateral meeting with Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä on Thursday morning before the latter addresses MEPs.
Press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing on the week’s activities at 11.00 a.m. on Monday, in the “Anna Politkovskaya” EP press conference room.
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