05/02 - 11/02/2018

Monday 5 February 

• Brussels. Council of the EU. EU-Georgia Association Council to be attended by HR Federica Mogherini and the Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili. – Stock-take on bilateral relations in the framework of the Eastern Partnership and the neighbourhood policy. – Examination of the implementation of the Eastern Partnership and the neighbourhood policy. – Examination of the implementation of the EU/Georgia association agreement and free-trade zone. – Municipal elections and reform of the Constitution in Georgia. – Role of communication in the fight against misinformation. – Reinforcing cooperation in the fields of justice, liberty, security and human rights and security and defence matters. – Progress report in the visa liberalisation agreement and impact on short stays.
• Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session (to 08/02). *Debates: - 2016 report of the ECB (Fernández - ECON); - Manipulation of scientific research by multinationals following emissions tests on monkeys and humans by the German automotive industry; - Countering geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination (von Thun and Hohenstein – IMCO); - Decision adopted on the “Fair taxation” package II and III (Commission); - Cost-effectiveness ratio of emissions reductions and low-carbon investments (Girling – ENVI); - Speeding up innovation in the field of clean energies (Buzek – ITRE).
• Strasbourg. European Parliament. Activities of the committees (to 08/02).

Tuesday 6 February

• Strasbourg. European Commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners. – Strategy for a successful accession to the EU of Serbia and Montenegro as favoured candidates in the Western Balkans and laying emphasis on the primacy of law, the fundamental rights, the fight against corruption and organised crime and the overall stability of the region (Mogherini).
• Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - Debate with the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, on the future of Europe. * Votes: - Request to lift the immunity of Steeve Briois (Regner – JURI); - EU-Brazil scientific and technological cooperation agreement (rec. Ciocca – ITRE); - Mandate and composition of a special committee on the European pesticide authorisation procedure (vote on 08/02); – Texts on which the debate is closed; reports by Thun and Hoenstein, Girling, Fernández Buzek (see 05/02). *Debates: - Zero tolerance of female genital mutilation (oral question Commission – FEMM); - Decision on the strategy of enlargement to the Western Balkans (Commission); - Situation in Zimbabwe (HR Mogherini); - Human rights in Turkey and situation in Afrin, Syria (HR Mogherini); – Situation in Venezuela (HR Mogherini); - situation of the UNRWA (HR Mogherini).
• Luxembourg. * Court of Justice of the EU. #Judgments: C-359/16 (Altun e.a. – Ability for a national jurisdiction to leave unapplied, in the event of fraud, the E101/A1 certificate issued to posted workers in the European Union). #Conclusions: C-163/16 (Louboutin and Christian Louboutin - can a trademark which combines colour and shape be rejected or cancelled on grounds set out by EU trademark law?).

Wednesday 7 February

• Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - Composition of the European Parliament (Hübner, Silva Pereira – AFCO); - Revision of the framework agreement on relations between Parliament and the Commission (González Pons – AFCO). *Speech by a representative of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2017). *Votes: - Early end of the term in office of Parliament Vice-President Ryszard Czamecki). – Texts for which the debate is closed: Hübner-Silva Pereira and González Pons reports (see above), Protection of minorities in the member states of the EU, addition of Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago and Tunisia to the list of high-risk third countries, zero tolerance of female genital mutilation (C06/02). *Debate: - Consequences of deepening inequality for European citizens; - Reform of European Union electoral law (oral question Hübner - AFCO – Council); - Rule of law under threat from the reform of the Romanian judicial system (Council and Commission); - EU external action fund: guarantee fund for external actions; EU guarantee to the EIB against losses in the funding of investments outside the EU (Gardiazabal Rubial – BUDG); - Annual report on the financial activities of the EIB (Gardiazabal Rubial - BUDG); - Reduction in the space granted to civil society (Council and Commission); - Situation of female human rights defenders and support of the EU (oral question – HR and Commission/political groups).
• Brussels. Council of the EU. Coreper II and Art.50.
• Luxembourg. * Court of Justice of the EU. #Judgments: joined cases C-304/16 and C-643/16 (American Express – applicability of EU regulation on interchange fees on card payments when American Express enters into an agreement with co-branding partners or agents, so that the commission agreed upon in the framework of such a scheme is subject to the limits set out by the regulation).

Thursday 8 February

• Strasbourg. European Parliament. Plenary session. *Debates: - Provisions on summer time (Commission); - Cases of violations of human rights and democracy (Russia, Egypt, Haiti). *Votes: - Resolutions on cases of violations of human rights, democracy and the rule of law; - Nominative composition of the special committee on the authorisation of pesticides (see above); - Texts on which the debate is closed: Gardiazabal Rubial report (see 07/02), situation in Turkey, Venezuela and of the UNRWA (see 06/02), provisions on summer time (see above). *Debates: grand interpellations (art.130 b of the internal regulation).

Friday 9 February

• Brussels. Council of the EU. EU-Azerbaijan cooperation Council. – State of EU/Azerbaijan bilateral relations in the framework of the Eastern partnership and the European neighbourhood policy. – State of negotiations on the new EU/Azerbaijan bilateral agreement. – Economic, commercial and energy Corporation (South-European gas corridor and energy efficiency). – Sectorial cooperation: agreement in the civil aviation sector. – Implementation of agreements on visas and readmission. – Democracy and rule of law.