Next week, there will be committee and political group meetings in the European Parliament.

Most Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will be preparing the plenary session that will be held from February 11 to 14, in Strasbourg.  However, interesting debates and hearings will take place.

On Monday, February 4, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (“LIBE”) will debate the draft report on Preventing the Dissemination of Terrorist Content Online, prepared by MEP Daniel Dalton (ECR, UK).  MEP Dalton has expressed concern about the Commission’s proposal, which includes an obligation for social media platforms to take down flagged terrorist content within one hour.  The draft report reduces the scope of the proposed regulation to apply only to publically available content.  The one-hour deadline, however, remains in play.  The report also weakens the monitoring obligations for social media platforms but does not exclude any pro-active measures that platforms are required to take.  See the draft report here.

Also on Monday, the Special Committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance (“TAX3”) will hold a public hearing on Deutsche Bank.  The Committee will hear from representatives from BaFin (“Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht“) and Deutsche Bank. See the program here.

On Thursday, February 7, the Committee on Budget (“BUDG”) will hold a joint meeting with the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (“ECON”) to discuss the draft report on Guidelines for the 2020 Budget – Section III (i.e., the Commission budget), prepared by MEP Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE).   According to the rapporteur, the political priorities in Section III for the next EU budget are, to keep financing research and innovation that enhance economic competitiveness and fuel economic growth, which will contribute to public security, citizens’ work and living conditions, and the fight against climate change. See the draft report here.

Also during that meeting, the Commission will present a proposal for a Council Regulation for Measures to Accommodate the Implementation and Financing of the General Budget of the EU post-Brexit.  The proposal attempts to avoid, or at least mitigate, any disruption in funding for recipients of EU spending programs and other actions when Brexit will occur.  The Commission also expects that this proposal will foresee in a financial settlement between the EU and the UK.  See the proposal here.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday, February 4, 2019

Committee on Culture and Education

15:00 – 18:30

Meeting

  • Establishing the European Solidarity Corps programme (COD) – adoption of draft report.
    • Rapporteur: Michaela Šojdrová (EPP, CZ)
  • Exchange of views with the Commission on a proposal for a legally binding act – Erasmus+ contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit

Joint meeting: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Legal Affairs committees

16:15 – 16:35

Vote

  • Justice programme (COD) – adoption of draft report.
    • Co-rapporteurs: Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&D, AT) and Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

15:00 – 17:30

 Debate (15.00-15.30)

  • Preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online (COD) – consideration of draft report.
    • Rapporteur: Daniel DALTON (ECR, UK)

 Votes (16.35-17.30)

  • Draft Agreement on Cooperation between Eurojust and Georgia (CNS) – vote on simplified procedure (Rule 50(1) – with amendment): report.
    • Rapporteur: Sylvia-Yvonne KAUFMANN (S&D, DE)
  • Council of Europe Convention for the protection of individuals: automatic processing of personal data. Protocol: ratification by Member States (NLE) – adoption of draft recommendation (consent).
    • Rapporteur: József NAGY (EPP, SK)
  • Establishing an exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting for the period 2021-2027 (the ‘Pericles IV programme’) (COD) – adoption of draft report.
    • Rapporteur: Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL, NL)
  • Visa Information System (VIS): visa processing (COD) – adoption of draft report.
    • Rapporteur: Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT)

Special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance

18:30 – 20:00  

Public Hearing

  • Public hearing on Deutsche Bank

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance

09:00 – 12:00

Public Hearing

  • Public hearing on the “Impact of tax evasion and money laundering on local real estate markets, in particular in European cities.”

European Parliament Press Seminar – The Digital Single Market – achievements and challenges

12:30 – 20:00

Special event

  • The EP press service is organizing a seminar for journalists on “The Digital Single Market – achievements and challenges”. MEPs will present rules adopted during this term and ongoing files in this area, including on copyright reform, as well as discussing challenges for the next Parliament, particularly on artificial intelligence.
    • Contacts: Eva EGIDO

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

European Parliament Press Seminar – The Digital Single Market – achievements and challenges

09:00 – 12:30

Special event

  • The EP press service is organizing a seminar for journalists on “The Digital Single Market – achievements and challenges”. MEPs will present rules adopted during this term and ongoing files in this area, including on copyright reform, as well as discussing challenges for the next Parliament, particularly on artificial intelligence.
    • Contacts: Eva EGIDO

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Committee on Budgets

09:00 – 11:30

Joint meeting with the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

  • Guidelines for the 2020 Budget – Section III (BUD) – Consideration of draft report
    • Rapporteur: Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE)
  • Proposal for a Council Regulation on measures concerning the implementation and financing of the general budget of the Union in 2019 in relation to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union (APP)
    • Presentation by the Commission

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

09:00 – 11:00

Meeting

  • Study on “A comparative analysis of global agricultural policies: lessons for the future CAP”. Presentation by Simone Sterly (IFLS – Institut für ländliche Strukturforschung, Germany) and Rael Jongeneel (Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands). Study requested by the AGRI Committee, commissioned and managed by Policy Department B

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

10:30 – 12:15

Votes (12.00-12.15)

  • Community statistics on migration and international protection (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from inter-institutional negotiations.
    • Rapporteur: Cecilia WIKSTRÖM (ALDE, SE)
  • Establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) (COD) – vote on the provisional agreement resulting from inter-institutional negotiations
    • Rapporteur: Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES)