Preparations for the forthcoming European Council on 10 and 11 December will be the hottest topic at the European Parliament's plenary session, which opens on Monday 23 November and closes on Thursday.
This session is being held in the aftermath of the European Council meeting which failed to convince Poland and Hungary to lift their veto on the 2021-2027 budget and the post-Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan (Slovenia will eventually join the majority) (see EUROPE 12605/1).
With the coronavirus and the race for vaccines as a backdrop, the session, again in virtual format, will also focus on fundamental rights in the EU, as well as future consumer rights, imminent or envisaged by the Commission for the next 5 years.
Preparation for the December summit. MEPs will hold a debate on Wednesday morning with Ursula von der Leyen and the German EU Council Presidency ahead of the summit of Heads of State or Government on 10-11 December, building on the results of the virtual summit on 19 November.
The EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework and Economic Recovery Plan, vaccines against Covid-19, terrorism and the EU's climate targets are among the issues MEPs are expected to discuss.
This summit should in particular make it possible to reach an agreement on raising the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 55% by 2030, as the German Presidency hopes. However, if the EU27 have difficulty in agreeing on the 2021-2027 MFF and the Economic Recovery Plan, as they have committed to do, the climate issue could be overshadowed
Fundamental rights. MEPs, in a debate on Wednesday, are expected to denounce the recent decision of the Polish Constitutional Court to sign an near-total ban on abortion in the country (see EUROPE 12588/9). This decision had already been openly condemned by a majority of political groups in the European Parliament, namely the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, the Greens/EFA and the GUE/NGL (see EUROPE 12594/15).
The plenary will debate the threats to media pluralism in several Member States on Monday. MEPs will discuss issues such as political interference, pressure on journalists, disinformation and the role of online platforms. They will also vote on the own-initiative report by Magdalena Adamowicz (EPP, Poland) on this subject (see EUROPE 12506/19), which was also the subject of EU Council conclusions (see EUROPE 12605/23).
In a debate on Tuesday on the basis of the European Commission’s annual report on fundamental rights, MEPs are expected to warn against the deterioration of these rights and EU values within the EU and to stress the critical need for a mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (results of Thursday’s vote).
MEPs will also debate the growing phenomenon of homelessness in the EU and are expected to vote in favour of an EU target to eradicate housing exclusion and end homelessness, which affects 700,000 people in Europe, by 2030.
Consumer rights. The subject will be addressed from different aspects, legislative and otherwise.
MEPs are expected to vote on the class actions directive without any problems after the Interinstitutional Agreement reached in June. This legislation will give consumers across the EU greater opportunities to defend their rights collectively, by having qualified entities represent them in court when businesses commit the same breach of EU law against them (see EUROPE 12517/15).
MEPs will also debate the recommendations made by Parliament’s committee for a more sustainable single market, which introduces a right of redress and limits practices that shorten the life of products through planned obsolescence (see other news and EUROPE 12590/17) (vote Wednesday).
They will also address improving the safety of products and services to step up the fight against unsafe products and services – in particular those sold online – whether chemicals, software or other products posing risks to consumer safety, whether manufactured in the EU or imported (see EUROPE 12590/7).
They will also discuss the Consumer Agenda, recently presented by the Commission to guide consumer policy, with the green and digital transition and post-Covid-19 economic recovery as priorities (see EUROPE 12602/14).
Response to the Covid-19 pandemic and impact of the crisis. On Monday, MEPs will adopt their opinion on the amendment to the VAT directive to temporarily exempt Covid-19 vaccines, test kits and related services from VAT (see EUROPE 12591/1).
MEPs will also debate the new industrial strategy requested from the European Commission in committee to take account of the impacts of the crisis and post-Covid recovery, including long-term reconstruction and resilience (see EUROPE 12584/9).
A debate is also scheduled for Monday evening on the foreign policy implications of the Covid-19 epidemic and another on how to make development more effective and aid more efficient (votes on both resolutions on Wednesday).
Trade. Thursday’s vote on the trade policy review and the final vote on the regulation on reducing customs duties with the United States are of particular interest for future transatlantic relations.
The traditional pre-session press briefing will take place on Monday 23 November at 4 p.m.
To see the very full agenda of the session: https://bit.ly/3pGOgU6 (Original version in French by Aminata Niang, with Agathe Cherki and Léa Marchal)