Summary
Next week will be a plenary week in the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will convene in Strasbourg to discuss and vote on several key issues.
On Monday, MEPs will debate the impact of U.S. tariffs on agriculture products that the U.S. imposed after the WTO ruled that Airbus received illegal subsidies of the European Union. Among others, the U.S. imposed tariffs up to 25% on goods such as whiskey, cheeses, and pork. The EU regrets the decision of U.S. The WTO has already issued final conclusions in favor of the EU in a similar dispute regarding U.S. subsidies for Boeing. This could give rise to a right of the EU to impose similar retaliatory measures. The EU considers that the U.S. should hold off imposing its own measures until the latter dispute is determined.
On Monday, MEPs will also debate the crisis of the WTO’s Appellate Body. On December 10, the tenure of two of the three current members of the Appellate Body will expire. This would render the Appellate Body inquorate, preventing it from rendering any rulings. The current and previous administrations of the U.S. have blocked new nominations, as they argue that the Appellate Body has engaged in judicial activism by issuing rulings that stretch beyond its perceived mandate.
On Wednesday, MEPs will have their final vote on the next European Commission. In contrast to the very tight vote on the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen for Commission President, it is generally expected that the European Parliament will approve the complete College of Commissioners by a wide margin, not the least because MEPs have already approved each candidate individually. This has, however, not been a straightforward process, and the Parliament had rejected three candidates from France, Hungary, and Romania. Alternative candidates were heard and approved last week. The United Kingdom has been reluctant to nominate a Commissioner since they are in the process of withdrawing from the EU and political appointments cannot be made during a general election campaign. Nevertheless, the current European Commission is of the view that the United Kingdom is still under the legal obligation to nominate a Commissioner, as long as their withdrawal is not complete. It therefore launched an infringement procedure against the United Kingdom before the European Court of Justice for the failure to uphold its legal obligation.
Meetings and Agenda
Monday, November 25, 2019
Plenary Session
17:00 – 21:00
Debates
- Resumption of session and order of business
- Joint debate – Climate change
- Climate and environmental emergency – Council and Commission statements
- 2019 UN Climate Change Conference (COP25)
- EU accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence
- Measures to address the impact on European agriculture of the WTO ruling on the Airbus dispute
- EU-Ukraine Agreement amending the trade preferences for poultry meat and poultry meat preparations provided for by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement – Rapporteur: Enikő Győri (EPP, HU)
- The 30th Anniversary of the Velvet revolution: importance of the fight for freedom and democracy in Central and Eastern Europe for the historical unification of Europe – Commission statement
- One-minute speeches (Rule 172)
Committee on Budgets
19:00 – 21:00
- Outcome of the conciliation Budget 2020 – Exchange of views
- Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece (BUD)
- Rapporteur: Eva KAILI (S&D, EL) – Adoption of draft report
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
19:30 – 22:30
Hearings
- European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) – Appointment procedure – hearing of the shortlisted candidates
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
19:30 – 21:30
Debate
- The Conference on the Future of Europe and the role of the European Parliament – exchange of views
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Plenary Session
9:00 – 11:50
Debates
- Preparation of the European Council meeting of 12 and 13 December 2019 – Council and Commission statements
12:00 – 12:30
Formal sitting
- Address by Oleg Sentsov, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2018
12:30 – 14:30
Votes followed by explanations of votes
- Nomination of a member of the Court of Auditors – Joëlle Elvinger
- Rapporteur: Olivier CHASTEL (RENEW, BE)
- Nomination of a member of the Court of Auditors – François Roger Cazala
- Rapporteur: Isabel García Muñoz (SD, ES)
- Nomination of a member of the Court of Auditors – Alex Brenninkmeijer
- Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP, CZ)
- Nomination of a Member of the Court of Auditors – Nikolaos Milionis
- Rapporteur: Sándor Rónai (S&D, HU)
- Nomination of a Member of the Court of Auditors – Klaus-Heiner Lehne
- Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP, CZ)
- Mobilization of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2020
- Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE)
- EU-Ukraine Agreement amending the trade preferences for poultry meat and poultry meat preparations provided for by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
- Rapporteur: Enikő Győri (EPP, HU)
- Children rights in occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child
15:00 – 21:00
Debates
- EU response to extreme meteorological events and their impacts: how to protect European urban areas and their cultural heritage – Commission statement
- 2020 budgetary procedure: joint text
- Report: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE), Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, ES)
- Public discrimination and hate speech against LGBTI people, including LGBTI free zones – Commission statement
- Crisis of the WTO appellate body – Commission statement
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
10:00 – 10:30
Vote
- European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) – Appointment procedure – vote on the candidates for the post of EDPS
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Plenary Session
9:00 – 11:30
Debates
- Presentation by the Commission President-elect of the College of Commissioners and their programme
12:00 – 12:30
Votes
Election of the Commission
- Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece
- Rapporteur: Eva Kaili (S&D, EL)
- Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats
- Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE)
- Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2020
- Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE)
- 2020 budgetary procedure: joint text – Report: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE), Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, ES)
12:30 – 13:00
- Award of the LUX Prize
15:00 – 21:00
Debates
- Interference from other countries in our democracies and elections – Topical debate (Rule 162)
- Eastern neighborhood developments – Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
- Situation in Israel and Palestine, including the settlements – Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
- Situation in the broader Middle East region, including the crisis in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon – Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
- On-going negotiations for a new EU-ACP Partnership Agreement – Oral questions
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Plenary Session
9:00 – 11:50
Debates
- Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)
- Imprisonment of human rights defenders and freedom of religion in Algeria
- Cuba, the case of José Daniel Ferrer 8
- Haiti
12:00 – 14:00
Votes followed by explanations of votes
- Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)
- EU/USA Agreement on the allocation of a share in the tariff rate quota for imports of high-quality beef
Rapporteur: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE)
- EU/USA Agreement on the allocation of a share in the tariff rate quota for imports of high-quality beef (resolution)
Rapporteur: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE)
- Situation in Bolivia – Motions for resolutions
- Climate and environmental emergency – Motions for resolutions
- 2019 UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) – Motions for resolutions
- EU accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence – Motions for resolutions
- Measures to address the impact on European agriculture of the WTO ruling on the Airbus dispute – Motions for resolutions
- Recent actions by the Russian Federation against Lithuanian judges, prosecutors and investigators involved in investigating the tragic events on 13 January 1991 in Vilnius – Motions for resolutions
- Crisis of the WTO appellate body – Motions for resolutions 9
- On-going negotiations for a new EU-ACP Partnership Agreement – Motions for resolutions
15:00 – 16:00
Debates
- Major interpellations (Rule 139)
Committee on Budgetary Control
9:00-12:00
- Discharge 2018: General budget of the EU – European External Action Service (DEC) – Exchange of views with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica MOGHERINI, in the presence of the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible, Pietro RUSSO
- Rapporteur: Tomáš ZDECHOVSKY (EPP, CZ)
- 2018 discharge: General budget of the EU – European Commission (DEC) – Exchange of views with Neven MIMICA, Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation & Development, in the presence of the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible, Baudilio Tomé MUGURUZA
- Rapporteur: Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE)
- 2018 discharge: General budget of the EU – 8th, 9th,10th and 11th EDFs (DEC) – Exchange of views with Neven MIMICA, Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation & Development, in the presence of the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible, Baudilio Tomé MUGURUZA
- Rapporteur: Michèle RIVASI (Greens/EFA, FR)
Friday, October 29, 2019
No meetings of notes