CALENDAR / Main activities of the european institutions
19/02-25/02
Monday 19 February
Brussels. Council of the EU. ‘Agriculture and Fisheries’ Council. *Agriculture: – Exchange of views on the communication of the Commission on the future of food and agriculture. – Coupled support: direct payments, environmental payments, rural development. – EU strategy for the bio-economy: the role of agriculture in the framework of the revision of the strategy for the bio-economy (economy of resources, sustainability, innovation and reduction of emissions) to meet the climate and energy targets up to 2030. – ‘Proteins’ plan of the EU: information on the future report of the Commission taking stock of the EU’s deficit in vegetable protein and illustrating the economic viability of these crops. – EU-Africa: launch of the working group to reinforce the EU-Africa partnership in the field of agriculture and food. – Strategic choices for the Common Agriculture Policy: discussion over an informal lunch.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Eurogroup. – Greece: the country’s progress in implementing the priority actions in the framework of the third monitoring mission of the third bailout plan. – Ireland: stock-take of the work of the eighth post-financial assistance monitoring programme. – ESM: discussion on the future of the European Stability Mechanism. – ECB: preparations for the election of a new vice-president of the European Central Bank. – Completion of Banking Union: discussion between Twenty-Seven on the definition of benchmarks concerning risk reduction ahead of the forthcoming Eurozone sonnets.
Brussels. European Parliament. Activities of the committees (to 22/02). -ECON-EMPL-BUDG: European parliamentary week 2018 looking at economic, social and budgetary questions (tax policy, Banking Union, digitalisation and the future of work, disparities between member states) (to 20/02). – LIBE: hearing of experts on European citizenship and its relationship to the fundamental rights, including minorities’ rights. – CONT: examination of draft reports concerning the execution of the 2016 budget of the other institutions, agencies and joint undertakings (and 20/02). – DEVE: public hearing on the subject ‘Education and training: using EU aid to support young people’, with representatives of the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, the Commission and various NGOs. – FEMM: hearing on women as a change factor in the states of the southern partnership
Tuesday 20 February
Brussels. Council of the EU. Economic and Financial Affairs Council. – Sustainable finance: discussion on the creation of a global strategy on the basis of the recommendations of an expert group. – Budget: budgetary discharge 2016 and orientations ahead of the negotiations for the 2019 budget. ECB: possible recommendation of the Council with a view to the appointment of the new vice-president. – Public procurement: role of public procurement in investment and innovation.
Brussels. European Parliament. Activities of the committees. – ENVI: discussion with the Vice-President of the Commission, Jyrki Katainen, on the new measures adopted in January (circular economy, anti-plastics strategy, etc.). – LIBE: hearing on the situation and future of the Schengen zone. – CONT: hearing of the Belgian candidate to join the Court of Auditors, Annemie Turtelboom, and secret ballot. – TRAN: hearing on the impact of Brexit on maritime transport (maritime companies, ports, etc.); hearing of the various stakeholders on the rights and obligations of rail passengers ahead of the revision of the relevant regulation.
Luxembourg. *Court of Justice of the EU. #Conclusions: C-441/17 (Commission/Poland – Poland’s infringement of the ‘habitat’ directed by approving an appendix to the forestry management plan concerning the forestry district of Bialowieza).
Wednesday 21 February
Brussels. European commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners. Preparations for the informal summit of heads of state or government on institutional issues on the multiannual financial framework.
Brussels. European Parliament. Activities of the committees. – IMCO: structured dialogue with Commissioner Bieńkowska on the implementation of the single market strategy (storage of products, single digital gateway, etc.). – EMPL: hearing of experts ahead of the drafting of the legislative report on work/life balance for parents and carers. – AFCO-PETI: public hearing on the European citizens’ initiative and the Commission’s proposal for a revision of the relevant regulation. – ITRE: public hearing on the revision of the ‘gas’ directive (extension of the directive to gas pipelines to and from third countries and possible effect on EU gas market). – PETI: examination of a series of environmental petitions. – JURI: public hearing on class actions in the EU, to be attended by members of Parliament, representatives of the Commission and other stakeholders.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Coreper II and Article 50.
Luxembourg. *Court of Justice of the EU. #Judgements: C-518 (Matzak – should on-call time at home of a professional firefighter be considered working time, if the obligations upon him or her significantly restrict the options for other activities?). *General Court of the EU: #Judgment: T-731/17 (Klyuyev – application for the freezing of the assets of Sergey Klyiyev, brother of the former head of administration of the Ukrainian president during the period from March 2014 to March 2015, to be lifted).
Thursday 22 February
Brussels. European Parliament. Activities of the committees. – IMCO: structured dialogue with Commissioner Gabriel on the implementation of the single market strategy (digital single market, cyber-security, etc.)
Luxembourg. *Court of Justice of the EU. #Judgements: C-103/ (Porras Guisado – interpretation of the directive prohibiting pregnant workers to be made redundant in the event of a collective redundancy). – C-328/16 (Commission/Greece – Greece’s non-compliance with the judgment concerning its infringement of the directive on the quality of wastewater). C-336/16 (Commission/Poland – Poland’s non-compliance with air-quality standards). #Conclusions: - C-632/16 (Dyson – interpretation of the regulation on the labelling of the energy efficiency of vacuum cleaners). – C-44/17 (The Scotch Whisky Association – Abusive use by a German producer of whiskey of the word ‘Glen’ in the name of its product).
Friday 23 February
Brussels. European Council. Informal summit of heads of state or government. – Institutional questions: composition of the European Parliament following the elections of 2019 and possible trans-national lists. Multiannual financial framework: political priorities for the future financial framework post-2020. This summit will be held between 27 in the framework of the programme of the leaders.
Brussels. Coreper I.
Brussels. European Commission. High-level conference on the Sahel: discussions with the African countries of the Sahel on reinforcing international support to these countries in the field of security and development, particularly through the joint G5 Sahel force (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger).
