CALENDAR / Main activities of european institutions
From 7 to 11 December 2020
Monday 7 December
Brussels. Council of the EU. Foreign Affairs Council. - Overview of current international issues (post-election situation in Georgia, parliamentary elections in Venezuela, relations with Turkey). – Transatlantic relations: exchange of views (future priorities in EU-US cooperation). – Strategic autonomy: exchange of views on how to increase the EU’s resilience. – Adoption of a sanctions framework for human rights violations in the world. – Other business: discussions on the National Security Act in Hong Kong; adoption of conclusions on Lebanon. – Points A.
Berlin. Council of the EU. Informal Meeting of Consumer Protection Ministers. – Discussion on the new 2021-2025 ‘Consumer Agenda’ focusing on the green and digital transition and the recovery of the post-Covid-19 economy: the meeting will be chaired by the German Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, Christine Lambrecht, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Justice and Consumer Protection, Didier Reynders, and the Chair of the European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Anna Cavazzini.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Informal videoconference of Telecommunications Ministers. – Data Governance Act: policy debate. – Miscellaneous: information by the Presidency on the European initiative on processors and semiconductor technologies and on proposals for various regulations (privacy and electronic communications, combating online sexual abuse of children, programme for a digital Europe, European Centre of Competence in Cybersecurity); information by the Presidency on the Council conclusions on cybersecurity of connected devices; information by the Polish delegation on the legal framework for the security of networks and information systems; information by the Commission on its 2021 work programme; presentation by the incoming Portuguese Presidency of its work programme.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Videoconference of the members of the EU/Algeria Association Council. – Security: recent developments in the region. – Update on the implementation of the EU-Algeria Partnership (good governance, rule of law and protection of fundamental rights, trade issues). – Diversification of the Algerian economy and cooperation between the energy sector and the green economy. – Migration and mobility.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Preparatory proceedings: Security Committee.
Brussels. European Parliament. Committee activities: – LIBE: vote on Birgit Sippel’s draft report on electronic evidence (vote on amendments + final vote) – agenda https://bit.ly/3mHLHPX. – LIBE-FEMM: amendments to the report on the implementation of the Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings (vote on 11/12). – FEMM: public hearing on the role of the EU in the fight against attacks on women’s rights defenders and women’s rights in general – agenda https://bit.ly/39IiqRf. – DEVE: agenda not available. – INTA: expert hearing to assess trade policy measures that can help the EU achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal – agenda https://bit.ly/3mIpYav. – CONT: agenda https://bit.ly/3mDPkpU – AGRI: expert hearing on ‘EU agriculture after Brexit’ – agenda https://bit.ly/2VDN3PD. – FISC: debate on the resolution on the revision of the European blacklist of tax havens – agenda https://bit.ly/33MebQZ. – ECON: agenda https://bit.ly/3on8QYe. – EMPL-ECON: dialogue with the European Commission on the European Semester 2021 in the presence of Commissioners Dombrovskis (Economy at the service of the citizen), Gentiloni (Economy) and Schmit (Social Affairs). – JURI: vote on the report on the use of artificial intelligence in the civil and military fields and discussion of the reports on corporate responsibility for environmental damage and on the challenges for sports event organisers in a digital environment agenda https://bit.ly/36EJv68
Tuesday 8 December
Brussels. Council of the EU. General Affairs Council. – Preparation of the European Council of 10-11/12. – EU-United Kingdom negotiations on future relations: state of play of the negotiations. – Legislative priorities for 2021 and objectives and priorities for the period 2020-2024: information from the Presidency. – Action plan for European democracy: information from the Commission.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Informal videoconference of Transport Ministers. – Eurovignette: policy debate on the revision of EU rules on road charging to take account of the environmental impact of vehicles. – Single European Sky: policy debate on the Commission proposals following the work of the Council Working Party on Aviation (recasting of the Single Sky Regulation and amendment of the basic Regulation of the European Aviation Safety Agency). – Miscellaneous: information by the Presidency on a new approach to mobility, the progress of the proposals on rail transport, the impact of the Covid-19 on the rights of air passengers; information by the Commission on crew changes in maritime transport in the context of the Covid-19; information by the Luxembourg delegation on concerted investment in the extension of the European rail network, by the Finnish delegation on a high-level meeting on connected and automated driving and by the Austrian delegation on socially responsible connectivity; presentation of the work programme of the future Portuguese Presidency.
Brussels. Council of the EU. Preparatory proceedings: PSC; EU Military Committee.
Luxembourg. * Court of Justice of the EU. #Rulings: – Joined Cases C-620/18 (Hungary v Parliament and EU Council) and C-626/18 (Poland v Parliament and EU Council – are the actions for annulment brought by Hungary and Poland against the directive strengthening the rights of posted workers to be upheld?) – C-584/19 (Staatsanwaltschaft Wien – Falsified transfer orders – for the purposes of the proper functioning of the European investigation decision system, must the public prosecutor’s office of a Member State offer the same guarantees of independence as a judicial authority competent to issue a European arrest warrant?)
Wednesday 9 December
Brussels. European Commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners. – European Climate Pact (Timmermans). – Strategy for sustainable and intelligent mobility (Timmermans). – Sustainability requirements for batteries in the EU (Timmermans/Šefčovič). – EU agenda on the fight against terrorism: prevent, protect, respond, anticipate (Schinas). – Progress report on Security Union (Schinas). – Strengthening Europol’s mandate (Schinas) – Digital Services Act (Vestager). – Legislation on digital markets (Vestager).
Brussels. Council of the EU. Preparatory proceedings: Coreper I and II, PSC.
Luxembourg. * Court of Justice of the EU. #Rulings: C-132/19 P (Groupe Canal +/Commission – can commitments given by a company to the Commission in the context of a cartel procedure be relied on as against a third party which is a contracting party of that company?)
Thursday 10 December
Brussels. European Council. Summit of Heads of State or Government (and 11/12). – Covid-19: update on the situation and the state of coordination, including on vaccines, screening and progressive lifting of restrictions. – Climate change: definition of a new emissions reduction target for 2030. – Security: combating terrorism and violent extremism, including online. – External relations: situation in the Mediterranean and relations with Turkey; EU relations with the southern neighbourhood; relations with the US and other foreign policy issues (relations with China and Russia).
Brussels. European Parliament. Committee activities: – AFET: agenda not available. – BUDG: agenda https://bit.ly/3mCUe6B. – ENVI: trilogue. – INTA: agenda https://bit.ly/3lOm5zG. – AFCO: agenda https://bit.ly/3mJxfqr. – ANIT: public hearing on the protection of animals during transport and related operations – agenda https://bit.ly/3mK28LB. – ECON: vote on the resolution on the revision of the EU blacklist of tax havens of the FISC Sub-Committee.
Friday 11 December
Brussels. European Council. Summit of Heads of State or Government. (see above)
Brussels. European Council. Euro Summit. Meeting amongst EU27: – Banking Union and Capital Market: progress to date and directions for the future. – President’s report on progress on Banking Union; update on the reform of the European Stability Mechanism and the introduction of the Single Resolution Fund safety net following the agreement reached at the Eurogroup on 30/11.
Brussels. European Parliament. Committee activities: – RIGHT: agenda not available. – BECA: hearing of seven specialists in cancer prevention on the effects that the environment can have in the development of cancers, including radiation, air pollution or exposure to chemicals, pesticides or carcinogens at work - agenda not available.
