Brussels, 23/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's next plenary sitting in Strasbourg from Monday 22 to Thursday 29 October will have a packed agenda, with leading political issues such as the refugee crisis and the Volkswagen scandal, and numerous items of draft legislation.
At 10.00 on Tuesday 27 October, following the European Summit of 15 October and the special summit on 25 October on the Western Balkans immigration route, and ahead of the summit with African countries in La Valetta on 11-12 November, the EP will have the opportunity to discuss the refugee crisis. The debate will be attended by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
The EP will also discuss the outbreak of violence between Israel and the Palestinians. A resolution on improving emissions gas checks in the car industry and the lessons to be learnt from the recent Volkswagen scandal will be put to the vote on Tuesday, following the debate on 6 October with Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska.
A source at the European Parliament commented that there was no shortage of legislative work either.
Tax rulings. The EP will adopt its negotiating position on a proposal to make member states share information about their tax rulings (sweetheart deals) with multinational companies. The EP's special TAXE committee will vote on Monday evening on its recommendations for the fight against tax evasion.
Roaming and net neutrality. The ban on roaming charges for mobile phone use abroad in the EU, which is due to come into force in June 2017, and new rules on the right of access to the Internet will become law when the EP makes its final vote on the new telecoms package on Tuesday.
GMOs. The European Parliament may reject a proposal to allow any EU member states to restrict or ban the sale or use in its land of food and feed containing EU-authorised GMOs. The EP's environment committee and most of the political groups recommend that the EP rejects the proposals.
Novel food. Draft rules to encourage novel food and simplify their authorisation will be voted on on Wednesday. This includes food with modified molecular structure, micro-organisms, mushrooms, algae, insects and food grown from cells or tissues (debate and vote on Wednesday).
Right to vote in European elections. The European Parliament will call for changes to allow European passport-holders aged at least 16, including those living abroad, to vote in European elections. It will calls for the introduction of electronic voting, online voting and postal votes in all EU member states and wants the main candidates for the presidency of the European Commission to be put forward by EU political parties at least twelve weeks before the elections.
Sakharov Prize 2015. On Thursday, the Conference of Presidents will announce the winner of the Sakharov Prize 2015 for freedom of thought. Finally, on Tuesday, the Commission will unveil its work programme for 2016. (Original version by Lionel Changeur)