Summary
Next week, there will be a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Several significant debates and votes will take place, in addition to various committee meetings.
On Monday, the plenary will debate a draft report on a proposal for a directive regarding enhancing cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments. This debate follows the adoption of the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (“ENVI”). The Commission has introduced the proposal aiming to achieve and implement the European Union’s climate change and clean energy targets for 2030, including a 40% cut of CO2 emissions. The Commission’s proposal for the directive can be found here, and the draft report here.
On Wednesday, the plenary will vote on the final EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (“CETA”), which aim to enhance trade and investments between Canada and the bloc. Under EU law, the Parliament’s consent is necessary for the treaty to come into force. The Parliament’s recommendation proposes that Parliament’s consent be given. See the recommendation here.
On Thursday, the plenary will vote on a report adopted by the Committee on Legal Affairs (“JURI”), on Civil Law Rules on Robotics. The report calls on the Commission to submit a proposal for a directive on the topic, to cover legal and ethical issues associated with ever more sophisticated robots. In particular, MEPs are concerned with civil liability rules for accidents, such as those involving driverless cars. The draft report can be found here.
Also on Thursday, the plenary will vote on an own-initiative adopted by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (“ITRE”) on the European Cloud Initiative. The European Cloud Initiative aims to bolster the EU’s potential in the area of cloud computing, through advancing the bloc’s development of high-performance computing (“HPC”). Furthermore, MEPs emphasized that cloud computing standardization should be expedited, and that raising awareness of cloud computing more generally is of vital importance. The draft report can be found here.
Finally, on the same day, the plenary will debate a draft report on the Commission Communication “An Aviation Strategy for Europe” adopted by the Committee on Transport and Tourism (“TRAN”). The Aviation Strategy for Europe aims to foster the growth of the EU aviation sector by opening new markets and creating additional opportunities for companies through the conclusion of new international agreements with key countries. The strategy also intends to plan the means to manage growth in traffic. The Commission wishes for the EU to maintain its leadership on passenger rights and safety, as well as environmental protection, while fostering innovation and proposing a clear framework for drones. See the Communication here, and the draft report here.
Meetings and Agenda
Monday, February 13, 2017
Plenary:
17:00 – 23:00 (Debates)
Cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments
Rapporteur: Ian Duncan (ECR, UK)
Committee: ENVI
Annual report on EU competition policy
Rapporteur: Tibor Szanyi (S&D, Hungary)
Committee: ECON
Short Presentation on the report Promoting gender equality in mental health and clinical research
Rapporteur: : Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea (ALDE, Spain)
Committee: FEMM
Short Presentation on the report Priorities for the 61th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
Co-rapporteurs: Constance Le Grip (EPP, France) and Maria Arena (S&D, Belgium)
Committee: FEMM
Short Presentation on the report Control of the Register and composition of the Commission’s expert groups
Rapporteur: Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL, Netherlands)
Committee: CONT
Short Presentation on the report The role of whistle-blowers in the protection of EU´s financial interests
Rapporteur: Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL, Netherlands)
Committee: CONT
Short Presentation on the report Revision of the European Consensus on Development
Co-rapporteurs: Norbert Neuser (S&D, Germany) and Bogdan Brunon Wenta (EPP, Poland)
Committee on Foreign Affairs
19:00 – 20:00
Discussion on EU-Swiss relations with Jacques De Watteville, Swiss State Secretary and Chief EU Negotiator on institutional issues, and Christian Leffler, EEAS Deputy Secretary-General for Global and Economic issues
Committee on Budgets
19:00 – 20:00
Agenda not available
Committee on Budgetary Control
19:00 – 21:30
Agenda not available
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
19:30 – 21:00
Agenda not available
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Plenary:
9:00 – 11:50 (Debates)
Joint debate – Future of the EU –
Possible evolutions of and adjustments to the current institutional set-up of the European Union
Rapporteur: Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium)
Committee: AFCO
Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty
Co-rapporteurs: Mercedes Bresso (S&D, Italy) and Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany)
Committee: AFCO
Budgetary capacity for the Eurozone
Co-rapporteurs: Pervenche Berès (S&D, France) and Reimer Böge (EPP, Germany)
Committees: ECON and BUDG
12:00 – 14:00 (Votes)
EU-Cook Islands sustainable fisheries partnership agreement
Rapporteur: João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal)
Committee: PECH
EU-Cook Islands sustainable fisheries partnership agreement (Resolution)
Rapporteur: João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal)
Committee: PECH
15:00 – 23:00 (Debates)
State of play of the second review of the economic adjustment programme for Greece
Situation in the West Bank, including settlements
2016 Report on Albania
Rapporteur: Knut Fleckenstein (S&D, Germany)
Committee: AFET
2016 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
Rapporteur: Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, Romania)
Committee: AFET
Joint debate – European Semester 2017
European Semester for Economic Policy Coordination: Annual Growth Survey 2017
Rapporteur: Gunnar Hökmark (EPP, Sweden)
Committee: ECON
European Semester for Economic Policy Coordination: employment and social aspects in the Annual Growth Survey 2017
Rapporteur: Yana Toom (ALDE, Estonia)
Committee: EMPL
Single Market Governance within the European Semester 2017
Rapporteur: Antonio López-Istúriz White (EPP, Spain)
Committee: IMCO
Banking Union – Annual Report 2016
Rapporteur: Danuta Maria Hübner (EPP, Poland)
Committee: ECON
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Plenary:
9:00 – 11:50 (Debates)
Joint debate – EU-Canada CETA – EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
Rapporteur: Artis Pabriks (EPP, Latvia)
Committee: INTA
Conclusion of the EU-Canada CETA
12:00 – 14:00 (Votes)
EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement
Rapporteur: Charles Tannock (ECR, UK)
Committee: AFET
EU-Mongolia Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation
Rapporteur: Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, Germany)
Committee: AFET
EU-Mongolia Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation (Resolution)
Rapporteur: Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, Germany)
Committee: AFET
Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (Product Coverage Annex)
Rapporteur: Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández (S&D, Spain)
Committee: INTA
15:00 – 23:00 (Debates)
Combating terrorism
Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany)
Committee: LIBE
Reinforcement of checks against relevant databases at external borders
Rapporteur: Monica Macovei (ECR, Romania)
Committee: LIBE
EU law enforcement information exchange and the replacement of pre-Lisbon instruments
Civil Law Rules on Robotics
Rapporteur: Mady Delvaux (S&D, Luxembourg)
Committee: ITRE
European Cloud Initiative
Rapporteur: Jerzy Buzek (EPP, Poland)
Committee: ITRE
Joint debate – European Structural and Investment Funds
Investing in jobs and growth – maximizing the contribution of European Structural and Investment Funds
Rapporteur: Lambert van Nistelrooij (EPP, Netherlands)
Committee: REGI
Delayed implementation of ESI Funds operational programs – impact on cohesion policy and the way forward
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Plenary:
9:00 – 11:50 (Debates)
Aviation Strategy for Europe
Rapporteur: Pavel Telička (ALDE, Czech Republic)
Committee: TRAN
Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135)
12:00 – 14:00 (Votes)
Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135)
Texts on which debate is closed
15:00 – 16:00 (Debates)
Commission’s approval of Germany’s revised plan to introduce a road toll
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
10:00 – 12:00
Consideration of draft report Posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services
Co-rapporteurs: Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP, France), Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Netherlands)
Committee on Regional Development
9:30 – 11:00
Agenda not available