The debate with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Tuesday 12 February in Strasbourg on the future of Europe is expected to be one of the major events of the next European Parliament plenary session.
The debate with Mr Conte promises to be “epic, said a Parliament spokesperson on Friday 8 February. The GUE/NGL group expressed hope that the Italian government would be taking action to tackle working class inequality and condemned the violence against demonstrators and journalists.
At the next plenary session, which runs from 11 to 14 February, MEPs will be holding a number of important votes, particularly on the 2021-2027 financing rules for cohesion policy (see EUROPE 12177), on international trade, on setting up a European instrument for screening foreign direct investment on security grounds (see EUROPE 12141), and on the free trade and investment agreements between the EU and Singapore (see EUROPE 12179).
On Friday, both the Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups reiterated their opposition to the texts on foreign direct investment and the EU/Singapore trade agreement.
The Parliament should endorse the interinstitutional agreement on the proposal for a decision to strengthen the EU's civil protection mechanism for responding more effectively to natural disasters (forest fires, floods, health emergencies) or man-made disasters (terrorist attacks, chemical attacks, nuclear threats) in the EU or third countries (see EUROPE 12159, 12177).
The Parliament will also vote on the report dealing with the implementation of directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides (see EUROPE 12179).
On Thursday, the Parliament will also approve the interinstitutional agreement on the proposal harmonising the costs of cross-border payments in euros throughout the EU (see EUROPE 11991, 12169).
Fishing agreement with Morocco. The Parliament will vote on the recommendation concerning the conclusion of the sustainable fisheries partnership agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco (see EUROPE 12178).
The Greens/EFA group announced that, along with the GUE/NGL group and other MEPs, it will be tabling a resolution in plenary to refer the agreement to the EU Court of Justice for an opinion. The Greens/EFA group repeated its view that the agreement with Morocco is illegal.
The ECR and Greens/EFA groups highlighted the plenary vote on animal welfare during transport (see EUROPE 12180).
Border guards. On Friday, the EPP group highlighted the vote being held on 11 February in the Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties on the European Border and Coast Guard.
Important trilogues. The Greens/EFA Group also raised what may be the final trilogues on Tuesday 12 February on: - the proposal for a regulation to establish performance standards for reducing CO2 emissions from the European fleet of heavy commercial vehicles and new buses (see EUROPE 12188); - on copyright reform in the EU (see other news).
The Parliament press service is also organising an information session for journalists on Wednesday, 100 days before the European elections. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)