Brussels, 15/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament will resume work in Strasbourg after the Christmas break on Monday 18 January with an agenda dominated by the spat between the European Commission and Poland, the balance sheet of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU and the new Dutch Presidency's priorities. With the prime ministers of both countries, Xavier Bettel and Mark Rutte, expected to attend in Strasbourg on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
A raft of foreign policy debates are planned on Wednesday afternoon on the situation in Iran, Saudi Arabia, the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the peace process in Colombia, along with a report on the results of the COP21 by French foreign minister Laurent Fabius. On Thursday morning, the MEPs will discuss the fight against terrorism.
One of the most sensitive issues will be the European Commission's opening on 13 January of the rule of law mechanism measure against Poland, which will be discussed on Tuesday afternoon. Beata Szydlo, the Polish prime minister, will attend the debate, and Jean-Claude Juncker may also attend to explain the Commission's move. MEPs will have the opportunity to learn the rationale behind the decision, explained EP spokesperson Jaume Duch. Each of the presidents of the EP political groups will address the debate after the invited politicians. The vote on the resolution will not take place in January, but instead in the first sitting in February.
The S&D and ALDE groups, for which Sophie in 't Veld is rapporteur on the rule of law mechanism, and also the Greens/EFA, back the European Commission's approach. The S&D said that what's happening in Poland is undermining the EU's democratic foundations. The ECR, however, of which the Polish government's PiS party is a member, says the Commission's move should be based on objective facts rather than bias.
Other issues to be addressed in the plenary include France's request for activation of the mutual defence clause in the EU treaty to request aid for member states in the 'war' against Islamic State (IS), which is due to be debated on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, and summed up in a resolution to be voted on on Thursday.
For the digital economy, the EP's recommendations on measures to improve European consumers' access to goods and services online will be discussed and voted upon on Tuesday. MEPs call for rapid introduction of the sixteen single digital markets measures announced by the Commission in May. Finally, on the question of car exhaust fumes, during a debate on Thursday, the EP will appoint the 45 members of a special temporary investigative committee established in December.
The special committee will investigate violations of EU rules on car emissions tests and the alleged failure to comply with EU rules. On Monday, members discussed whether or not to oppose the new rules for emissions tests in real conditions recently unveiled by the Commission. The vote will take place in February.
The Greens/EFA wanted to add a debate on the Danish law to confiscate refugees' precious metal and jewellery to the plenary's agenda, but the debate will now take place at the EP's civil liberties committee. The Greens/ELA still hope that a debate will be held by the plenary. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)