13/03/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 13 March, Parliament gave its go-ahead (471 votes for and 195 votes against including the Greens, GUE/NGL, the German delegation of S&D, and 24 abstentions) to Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France) to lead negotiations on the European programme for defence-related industrial development on the basis of the text voted on in committee end February (see EUROPE 11966). The vote on Grossetête’s negotiating mandate had been requested by the Greens/EFA and the GUE/NGL, who disagreed with the content of the report (see EUROPE 11979). Interinstitutional talks (trialogue) with the Council are to begin on Thursday 15 March. The next trialogues will be on 10 April and 3 May (with, if necessary, a last meeting on 22 May). The aim is to reach agreement in May so it may be submitted to plenary at the end May or in June. (PH)