The Week Ahead 28 November – 04 December 2022

ECB/Lagarde. Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will discuss with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde the current situation in the Eurozone, particularly inflation as a global challenge and the consequences for EU monetary policy (Monday).

Energy crisis. Members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee will discuss with Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson the latest developments on the EU’s response to the energy crisis (Tuesday).

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko. The Regional Affairs Committee will hold a debate with Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv (subject to constraints related to the situation in Kyiv) (Wednesday).

Inquiry on use of spyware/Spain. The EP Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware organises a hearing on the situation in Spain (Tuesday).

Waste shipments. The Environment and Public Health Committee will vote on draft legislation to better protect the environment and human health from the shipment of waste. It includes provisions to facilitate shipments of waste for reuse and recycling in the EU and ensure the EU does not export its waste challenges to non-EU countries (Thursday).

European elections. The Constitutional Affairs Committee will adopt a series of proposals to strengthen EU citizens’ right to vote and stand in European elections when residing in a different member state. The aim is to address the difficulties faced by mobile EU citizens and ensure as many people as possible participate in the 2024 elections (Thursday).

Hearing of Frontex leadership candidates. The Civil Liberties Committee will hear the three candidates proposed by the Commission for the post of executive director for the EU border agency Frontex – Terezija Gras from Croatia, Frontex’s current executive director ad interim Aija Kalnaja from Latvia, and Hans Leijtens from the Netherlands (Wednesday).

Conference on the Future of Europe. Parliament, Council and Commission will host a feedback event in Parliament’s premises in Brussels. In exchanges with representatives of the institutions, citizens who participated in the European Citizens’ Panels during the Conference will have the chance to review and comment on what the institutions have done since the Conference’s proposals were delivered in May. The three Presidents of the EU institutions will open the event (Friday).

10 years of EP democracy support. To mark the 10th anniversary of Parliament’s democracy support activities, MEPs and representatives of the democracy support community will gather at a high-level event on ‘Supporting Parliamentary Democracy Worldwide: Building democratic resilience’. President Metsola will open the event (Tuesday and Wednesday).

Sweden’s Presidency of the Council. EP President and leaders of political groups (Conference of Presidents) will go to Sweden to meet his Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and her Majesty Queen Silvia, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Riksdag, to prepare the Swedish presidency of the Council, starting on January 2023 (Wednesday).

President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will participate on Monday in the “Digital Opportunity for Europe: Rights, Values, Information” event by Osservatorio TuttiMedia, in Milan, Italy, and later, in Brussels, she will attend the inauguration of the Parliament’s Forum for Academic Freedom. On Tuesday, President Metsola will meet the Presidents of Belgium’s Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux and Senate Stephanie D’Hose, and deliver the opening remarks at the European Ideas Forum 2022 “Reshaping Europe Through Crises”. On Wednesday, the EP President will have a bilateral meeting with Sweden’s Prime Minister Kristersson and the two will hold a joint press conference. President Metsola will also meet the Speaker of the Riksdag Norlén, his Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, and her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden. On Thursday, she will deliver the welcome speech at the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly.