For this last plenary session of 2019, MEPs meeting in Strasbourg will discuss the results of the European Summit on 12 and 13 December, which failed to reach a consensus between the Twenty-Seven on carbon neutrality in 2050 (see EUROPE 12389/1) and was marked on Friday 13 December by Boris Johnson's clear victory in the parliamentary elections in his country, making it extremely likely that the UK will leave the EU on 31 January 2020. MEPs are therefore expected to discuss Brexit again in this debate, scheduled for the morning of Wednesday December 18.
This session will be marked by other important debates, such as the long-awaited one on Malta, which MEPs from the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee visited ten days ago (see EUROPE 12389/6). The Parliament as a whole will be gripped by the difficulties and possible political interference in the investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia that these MEPs observed during their two-day mission to the island. A resolution will be put to the vote on Thursday 19.
Regarding Rule of law matters, on Wednesday MEPs will vote on a resolution on LGTBI-free zones in Poland. Wednesday morning, they will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
European Ombudsman, environment and digital taxation.
As regards European sectoral policies, on Tuesday, the European Parliament will elect its new European Ombudsman for a five-year term, with five candidates running including the current Ombudsman, the Irish Emily O'Reilly. The other candidates are: the Italian Giuseppe Fortunato, current Ombudsman of the Italian region of Campania, the Estonian Julia Laffranque, judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 12298/29), the Latvian Nils Muižnieks, former Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and the Swedish Cecilia Wikström, former MEP of the Liberal Group. The election will be held by secret ballot.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Parliament will debate and vote on reducing the use of bee-killing pesticides. With regard to animal welfare, the recent sinking in Romania of a cargo ship with 14,000 sheep on board will provide an opportunity for a debate on animal protection and animal welfare in transport. MEPs will discuss this issue on Tuesday 17 with the EU Council and the Commission.
Another subject: the misuse of EU funds in some Member States in connection with "reports of land grabbing and abuse of power in some Member States", says the Parliament in its newsletter. During this session, MEPs will continue to discuss e-commerce and VAT fraud, with support for measures to save €137 billion a year (the debate will take place on 16 December and the vote the next day).
On Monday, they will also debate digital taxation, with a resolution put to the vote on 18 (see EUROPE 12382/5).
Foreign Affairs and Human Rights
With regard to human rights, two important events will be held in Strasbourg: the presentation of the Sakharov Prize on 18 December to Uighur activist and academic Ilham Tohti, imprisoned in China. His daughter, Jewher Ilham, will receive this award on his behalf and will be heard by the Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs on Monday evening, 16 December.
In the afternoon of the 18th, following this ceremony, MEPs will debate the situation of Uighurs in China, with a resolution adopted the following day. Other topics on the agenda include the situation in Venezuela. (Original version in French by the editorial staff)