CALENDAR / Main activities of european institutions
From 11/05 to 17/05/2020
Monday 11 May
Brussels. European Parliament. Committee activities (videoconference). – AGRI: discussion with the Commissioner for Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, on measures to combat the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the agricultural sector. – TRAN: examination of several Commission legislative proposals concerning the 4th railway package, aviation, ports and the Omnibus Directive; discussion with the Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, on the future of the transport sector in the context of the Green Deal. – DROI: impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on human rights in detention facilities (existing best practices and implementation of guidelines and orientations by prison authorities, situation in countries that have and have not implemented mass releases of detainees and effects on vulnerable groups and human rights defenders in prisons). – ENVI: discussion with Commissioner Adina Vălean on sustainable mobility after the Covid-19 pandemic; discussion with the Commission on its activities for the development of vaccines and treatments. – BUDG: vote on the reports on: the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2021 – Section I – European Parliament (rapp. Olivier Chastel); requests for transfers under the 2020 budget – Section III – Commission (rapp. Monika Hohlmeier) and other sections (rapp. Eider Gardiazabal Rubial).
Tuesday 12 May
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of Defence Ministers, also attended by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. – Security and defence implications of the Covid-19 pandemic: work of the task force established to facilitate the exchange of information on national military assistance to civil authorities in response to the pandemic; – implications for CSDP missions and operations in terms of responsiveness, solidarity, preparedness, capabilities and partnerships; assessment of the strategic consequences of the pandemic for security and defence.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Health Ministers’ videoconference. – Impact of the pandemic on access to medicines – how to avoid shortages and ensure their availability – and future activities to this end, in particular for the development of a strategy in this area.
Brussels. European Parliament. Committee activities (videoconference). – ENVI: discussion with Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius (Environment, Oceans and Fisheries) of the new action plan for the circular economy and the biodiversity strategy for 2030; evaluation of the activities of the European Medicines Agency during the pandemic with its director, Guido Rasi. – LIBE: examination of internal border controls in the Schengen area; discussion on the report of the working group on Schengen area control and debate with representatives of the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council and the European Commission. – JURI : examination of draft reports on intellectual property rights for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, on ethical aspects of AI, on robotics and related technologies and on a civil liability regime for AI; consideration of a working paper on AI in relation to the interpretation and application of international law as it relates to the EU’s civilian and military purposes and state authority outside the criminal justice system.
Wednesday 13 May
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of Ministers of Agriculture. – Assessment of the measures related to Covid-19 taken to limit the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the agriculture and fisheries sectors (ongoing and planned actions) and possible new measures to support these sectors.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of the EU Military Committee. – Consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in the security and defence sector and provisions to counter them.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Preparatory Proceedings: Coreper II.
Brussels. European Commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners (videoconference). Follow-up to the European roadmap for the lifting of coronavirus containment measures: – Communication on tourism; – Health and safety protocols for major tourist sites – hotels and other accommodation; – Guidelines for a safe and healthy resumption of passenger transport; – Guidelines on the lifting of internal borders; – Recommendation on reliable and attractive travel vouchers as an alternative to reimbursement (Timmermans, Vestager, Schinas, Jourova).
Brussels. European Parliament. Plenary session (videoconference) (through 16/05). See the final draft agenda: https://bit.ly/3cc20PA
Luxembourg. * EU Court of First Instance: #Judgments: Joined Cases T-607/17 (Volotea v Commission), T-716/17 Germanwings v Commission) and T-8/18 (easyJet Airline v Commission – should the Court of First Instance dismiss the actions against the Commission’s decision declaring unlawful the aid granted by Italy to several airlines serving Sardinia?)
Thursday 14 May
Brussels. Council of the EU. Eurogroup Finance Ministers' videoconference. – Operationalisation of the ESM instrument. – Policy debate on the recovery plan.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Preparatory Proceedings: Coreper I and PSC.
Luxembourg. * Court of Justice of the European Union. #Judgments: – cases C-924/19 PPU and C-925/19 PPU (Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság Dél-alföldi Regionális Igazgatóság – compliance with EU law of the status and treatment of foreign nationals placed in a detention zone in Hungary). – C-266/19 (EIS – what is meant by the concept of ‘available telephone number’ within the meaning of the rules on the exercise by a consumer of his right of withdrawal?). – C-17/19 (Bouygues travaux publics et al – what social legislation applies in the event of fraudulent employment certificates for posted workers?) #Conclusions: – C-129/19 (Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri – Italy – Are Member States under an obligation to provide fair and appropriate compensation to victims of violent and intentional crime residing in their territory?) – C-663/18 (B S and C A – Marketing of cannabidiol – CBD – May a Member State oppose the importation from another Member State of cannabidiol oil extracted from the whole hemp plant?)
Friday 15 May
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of Foreign Ministers. – Middle East Peace Process and recent Israeli decisions. – Situation in the Middle East. – Other items.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of Ministers responsible for Industry and the Internal Market. – Future EU recovery plan and possible measures to ensure the full functioning of the Single Market and a prompt recovery of all EU industrial sectors.
