Brussels, 19/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The major focus of MEPs' attention at the plenary session of the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 November will, without any doubt, be the deadlock over the budget. José Manuel Barroso is scheduled to make a statement in the afternoon of Wednesday 24. He will also use his appearance at the EP to set out the Commission's work programme for 2011. Exchange rates will also be one of the key issues of the session, along with the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA). Joint debates are also scheduled on information on medicines, fisheries, the Cancun summit, energy policy and international trade. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate the conclusions of the last European Council. Statements from the Commission and the Council on the outcome of the G20 are expected. The Lux Prize will be awarded on Wednesday late morning. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will address Parliament at midday on Tuesday.
Monday 22 November
5.00pm-midnight
Joint debate on ECB report 2009 (report by Burkhard Balz); Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the ECB, will take part in the debate.
Commission statement - Latest developments on international currency exchange rates.
Common VAT system and duration of minimum standard rate obligation (report by David Casa).
Joint debate - Information on medicinal products (report by Christofer Fjellner).
Commission statement - Urgent aid to Haiti.
Joint Debate - Fisheries: - long-term plan for the anchovy stock in the Bay of Biscay and the fisheries exploiting that stock (report by Izaskun Bilbao Barandica); - multiannual plan for the western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel and the fisheries exploiting that stock (report by Pat the Cope Gallagher); - prohibition of highgrading and restrictions on fishing for flounder and turbot in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound (report by Marek Jósef Gróbarczyk); - use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture (report by João Ferreira).
Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (report by Jill Evans).
Short presentations of the reports by Ivo Belet (public service broadcasting in the digital era) and Christian Ehler (civilian-military cooperation and the development of civilian-military capabilities).
Tuesday 23 November
9.00am-11.20am
Statement by the president of the EP on the natural disasters in the European Union and Council and Commission statements on the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women and peace and security.
11.30am-midday
Votes, including on mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund: - Ireland - floods in November 2009 (report by Reimer Böge); - aid granted in the framework of the German alcohol monopoly (report by Paolo De Castro); - agreements for scientific and technological cooperation with Ukraine, the Faroe Islands, Japan and Jordan (reports by Herbert Reul); - EU-Salomon Islands fisheries partnership agreement (report by Maria do Céu Patrão Neves); - ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2009 (report by Eva Joly).
Midday-12.30pm
Formal sitting: Address by Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia.
12.30pm-1.00pm
Continuation of votes.
3.00pm-7.00pm
2011 budget: statement by Jose Barroso, President of the European Commission.
Presentation of the Commission work programme for 2011.
Commission statement on an agenda for new skills and jobs.
7.00pm-8.30pm
Question time.
9.00pm-midnight
Commission statement on the measures to be taken to free Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.
Oral questions to the Commission on simplification of the CAP and the situation in the beekeeping sector.
Wednesday 24 November
9.00am-11.45am
Debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting (28-29 October) and economic governance. Council and Commission statements on the results of the G20 summit.
11.45am-midday
Award of the Lux Prize.
Midday-1.00pm
Votes including on the protocol to the partnership and cooperation agreement between the EC and Moldova (recommendation by Graham Watson) and proposals for resolutions - ACTA.
3.00pm-7.00pm
Joint debate: Cancun summit and energy policy.
Council and Commission statements on preparations for Cancun.
Towards a new Energy Strategy for EUROPE 2011 - 2020 (report by Lena Kolarska-Bobiñska).
Council and Commission statements on the future of the Africa-EU strategic partnership in the run-up to the 3rd Africa-EU summit.
Council and Commission statements on the situation in Western Sahara.
Statement by Catherine Ashton on Ukraine.
9.00pm-midnight
Joint discussion on international trade: - human rights, social and environmental standards in international trade agreements (report by Tokia Saïfa); - international trade policy in the context of climate change imperatives (report by Yannick Jadot); - corporate social responsibility in international trade agreements (report by Harlem Désir); - and an oral question to the Commission on anti-dumping procedures.
Thursday 25 November
9.00am-11.50am
Joint debate on the European ombudsman's reports: - European ombudsman's activity report for 2009 (report by Mariya Nedelcheva); - special report from the European ombudsman to the European Parliament following the draft recommendation to the European Commission in Complaint 676/2008/RT (report by Chrysoula Paliadeli).
26th Annual Report on Monitoring the Application of EU Law (report by Eva Lichtenberger).
Oral question to the Commission on the review of the competition horizontal cooperation rules.
Midday-1.00pm
Votes: Texts on which debate is closed.
3.00pm-4.00pm
Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Iraq, Tibet and Burma).
4.00pm-5.00pm
Votes: Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. (O.L./transl.rt)