CALENDAR / Main activities of the european institutions
3-9 April
Monday 3 April
Luxembourg. Council of Ministers. Agriculture and Fisheries Council. Agriculture: - examination in view of defining the agricultural aspects in the “Omnibus” regulation; - examination of the Commission report on implementation of surfaces of economic interest; - miscellaneous: simplification of post-2020 CAP rules.
Luxembourg. Council of Ministers. Foreign Affairs Council. – Syria: examination of the situation in view of forthcoming Brussels conference and EU strategy; adoption of conclusions. – Yemen: adoption of conclusions. – Libya: examination of the situation and report from the High Representative on the subject of the first Quatuor meeting on Libya. – Arab League: Exchange of views with Mr Aboul-Gheit, Secretary General of the organisation.
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Informal meeting of Ministers for Employment, Social Policy and Health (and on 04/04). *Employment: - knowledge and skills as bridge to autonomy of the EU’s active population. – Means employed to tackle inequality in the EU labour market as the main factor of employment inequality.
Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session (to 06/04). * Debates: - Oral questions to the Commission: European Solidarity Corps; human trafficking, rotten meat from Brazil. – Palm oil and the deforestation of tropical forests (Konečná – ENVI). – Fishing vessel characteristics (Kuhn – FISHERIES); – Role of women in rural areas (Petir, Senra Rodriguez – AGRI, FEMM) – Vote on the 3 reports on 04/04.
Strasbourg. European Parliament. Committee activities. – EMPL: vote on the directive for the harmonisation of accessibility requirements for products and services. – BUDG: vote activation of the Solidarity Fund for natural disasters in the United Kingdom, Cyprus and Portugal. – BUDG-ECON: vote on the amendments to the proposal for extending the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI 2.0) and the report on EFSI implementation.
Tuesday 4 April
Brussels. European Council and Council of Ministers. High-level international conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region” and what assistance should be provided to Syria and countries in the region (and on 05/04). 70 delegations including 53 states at ministerial level, as well as international organisations, will be represented there to evaluate aid to Syria for the country’s reconstruction once the conflict has ended, as well as for countries in the region taking in refugees.
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Informal meeting for employment, Social Policy and Health Ministers. *Social policy: - the labour market as a vehicle for social inclusion (by highlighting the necessity of no longer depending on welfare payments).
Strasbourg. European Commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners. Commission seminar for preparing reflection documents on Europe’s social dimension up to 2025 and on the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union for the period leading up to 2025 (elaboration of White Paper)
Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - Investigation into automobile sector emissions measures (Gieseke, Gerbrandy – EMIS); - type approval and marketing surveillance for motor vehicles (Dalton – IMCO – and vote). *Solemn session: speech by a new German President, Mr Steinmeier. *Votes on reports for which the debate has been closed and recommendations have been made following investigation into automobile emissions. *Debate: - state of progress in secondary examination of the adjustment programme for Greece. - Medical devices and in vitro medical devices (Willmott, Liese – ENVI); - managing refugee and migrant flows, role of external action (Valenciano, Diaz de Mera Garcia Consuegra – AFET, DEVE); - review of 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (Olbrycht, Thomas – BUDG); - Monetary funds (Gill – ECON); - Prospectus for publication in the event of securities to the public (Jezek – ECON) – Vote on these reports on 05/04.
Luxembourg. * European Court of Justice. # Ruling: C-544/15 (Fahimian – Possibility of refusing a study visa to student for public security reasons and concern that the studies would provide knowledge that could be used for abusive purposes in the student’s country).
Wednesday 5 April
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Finance Ministers’ Meeting 5+5 (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia and Libya).
Brussels. Council of Ministers. Coreper I and II.
Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - negotiations with United Kingdom after notification of its intention to leave the EU and vote for resolution. *Votes: – certain aspects of company law (Zwiefka – JURI); - Ratification of the 2010protocol on toxic substances (Svoboda – JURI); - Application of the Schengen acquis in Croatia (Melo – LIBE); - 2018 forecast for income and expenditure at the European Parliament (Ashworth – BUDG); - Mobilisation of the EGF (Negrescu – BUDG); Mobilisation of the Solidarity Fund for natural disasters in the United Kingdom, Cyprus and Portugal (Fernandes – BUDG); - automated data exchange: 5 reports (Moraes, Sargentini, Zdechovsky, Hyusmenova, Grapini – LIBE); - reports presented on 04/04 (see above). *Debates: - hate speech, populism and this information in social media networks; - wholesale roaming markets (Kumpula-Natri – ITRE – vote on 06/04)); - visa waivers for Ukrainian citizens (Gabriel – LIBE – vote on 06/04); - notability of protection provided by EU-US protection shield (vote on 06/04); - 2016 report on FYROM (Vajgl – AFET); - recommendations to the Council on women (OQ to the Council).
Luxembourg. * European Court of Justice. # Decisions: - C-598/14 P (EUIPO/Szajner – Opposition to registration of the Laguiole brand); - C-217/15 (Orsi) and C-350/15 (Baldetti – possibility of taking legal action against a natural person whose company has already been the subject of fiscal penalties). *General Court of the EU: #Decision: T-361/14 (HB e.a./Commission – Commission’s refusal to register citizens' initiative to guarantee protection to stray animals in the EU).
Thursday 6 April
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Informal meeting of ministers for competitiveness (industry and the single market). – Maltese Presidency priorities. – Presentation on start-ups and scale ups (case studies, difficulties, role of financial instruments Innovfin). – Floating SMEs on the stock exchange: difficulties and possibilities, business environment. – EESC, EIB and SME experiences with start-ups and scale-ups
Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - International Day of the Roma (OQ to the Council and Commission); - debate on human rights violations, democracy and the rule of law (Russia, Belarus, Bangladesh). *Votes: European Solidarity Corps and reports debated on 05/04).
Luxembourg. * European Court of Justice. # Decision: C-668/15 (Jyske Finans – possibility for a bank to demand a person born in a third country for a document confirming ID, as well as a driving license). #Conclusions: C-671/15 (APVE e.a. – possibility of establishing agreements contrary to EU law in the agricultural sector).
Friday 7 April
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Informal Eurogroup. Greece: negotiations to finalise the second recovery plan follow-up mission.
Valetta (Malta). Council of Ministers. Informal meeting of economy and finance ministers (and 08/04). Suspect banking loans.
