MEPs will meet in Strasbourg from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 January, with the aim of appointing Eva Kaili’s replacement, who is mired in Qatargate, for one of the 14 posts of Vice-President of the European Parliament. This first plenary session of 2023 will also address the priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council, the EU’s response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Uber Files investigation.
Election of a Vice President
On Wednesday 18 January, MEPs will elect a new Parliament Vice-President, following the dismissal of former Social Democrat Eva Kaili (Non-attached Member, Greece) from the post because of suspected corruption involving Qatar (see EUROPE 13083/1). According to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, in the event of a vacancy, a new Vice-President is elected to replace his or her predecessor in the order of precedence - the Member who is elected will thus become the fifth Vice-President of the institution.
Nominations may be made by one twentieth of the Members of Parliament or by a political group. The following are official candidates: Marc Angel (Luxembourgian) for the S&D Group (see EUROPE 13097/23), Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (French) for the Greens/EFA and Annalisa Tardino (Italian) for Identity and Democracy.
While a candidate needs an absolute majority of votes cast to be elected, the S&D Group was confident of a “strong and solid majority” for Mr Angel. The President of Renew Europe, Stéphane Séjourné (French), has already announced that his group will vote for the Luxembourgian.
Waiver of immunity
Following a request from the Belgian judicial authorities investigating Qatargate, Parliament President Roberta Metsola (EPP, Maltese) is expected to announce on Monday that the request for the waiver of immunity of two of her members has been received and is now about to be examined (see EUROPE 13098/8, 13091/10). Those MEPs are Andrea Cozzolino (S&D, Italian) and Marc Tarabella (S&D, Belgian). The Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs will then assess the request, in camera, and make a proposal for a decision, which will ultimately be voted on by all MEPs in plenary.
In a separate investigation, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested the waiver of immunity of Eva Kaili and Maria Spyráki (EPP, Greek) in relation to alleged fraud against the EU budget. This fraud is linked to the management of their parliamentary allowance and the remuneration of their accredited parliamentary assistants. In order to consider this request, Parliament is expected to amend its rules of procedure to align it with the mandate of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, in a vote on Tuesday. The President is expected to announce the launch of the procedure later in the session (see EUROPE 13098/31).
Swedish Presidency of the EU Council
On Tuesday morning, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will present his country’s priorities for the EU Council Presidency to MEPs. Sweden calls for a ‘greener, safer and freer’ Europe and highlights four areas of work: - EU security and unity; - competitiveness; - the ecological and energy transition; - democratic values and the Rule of law (see EUROPE 13085/31).
IRA and competitiveness
MEPs will also discuss the outcome of the European Council on 15 December with its President, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The EU’s response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is expected to feature prominently in the debate, scheduled for Wednesday morning. The three institutions have been calling for several months for a united and rapid response to protect European businesses from the negative consequences of the IRA (see EUROPE 13085/2, 13097/4).
This is also why the Commission and the Council of the EU are planning to brief MEPs on the EU strategy to boost competitiveness, trade and quality employment, also on Wednesday morning. Parliament is expected to vote on a resolution on this issue at its mini-plenary session on 1 February, just days before an EU summit on the same issue.
Uber Files and platform workers
Wednesday will continue with a debate on Uber Files. In the summer of 2022, this investigation revealed the roots of the VTC platform’s lobbying of public authorities to influence social legislation (see EUROPE 13051/31).
In the beginning of the week, Parliament is expected to decide whether to vote in plenary on the draft report by Elisabetta Gualmini (S&D, Italian) on digital platform workers. The text was approved by the Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on 12 December (see EUROPE 13083/31). The plenary procedure provides that no new confirmation vote will be held unless requested within a 24-hour period following the announcement of the mandate on Monday evening by Mrs Metsola. However, the (low) number of signatures required to organise a vote (70) has been reached, according to some sources, thus most probably opening the door to a vote on Thursday 19 January.
Food prices
On Tuesday afternoon MEPs will question Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski on the issue of food price inflation in Europe caused by the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. A discussion on the effects of inflation on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) expenditure took place on 9 January in Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture (see EUROPE 13096/3). The Commission is preparing a mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
Justice
A few hours later, MEPs will question the Commission on the prospects of creating a tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine (see EUROPE 13074/3). Parliament will vote on a resolution on this issue on Thursday.
Foreign affairs
On foreign affairs, MEPs will debate three annual reports on Tuesday: the report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy by David McAllister (EPP, German), the report on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy by Tom Vandenkendelaere (EPP, Belgian) and the report on human rights and democracy in the world and the EU’s policy on the matter by Isabel Wiseler Lima (EPP, Luxembourgian). They will vote on these reports on Wednesday.
In the late afternoon, MEPs will debate with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the European response to the demonstrations and executions in Iran (see EUROPE 13095/16). The EU has already adopted sanctions against Iran over its human rights violations. A resolution will be put to the vote on Thursday.
On Tuesday evening, the High Representative will make a statement on strengthening Euro-Latin American relations. The year 2023 could mark a turning point with an EU/Latin America summit scheduled for the second quarter under the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council, 8 years after the last summit, which was held in Madrid (see EUROPE 12995/7).
On the commercial side, progress has been made with Chile (see EUROPE 13081/19), and perhaps soon with Mexico. According to the Europeans, Lula’s return to the Brazilian presidency could also help overcome environmental disputes over the EU/Mercosur agreement.
Foreign affairs will then be addressed on Wednesday afternoon, with debates on cases of violations of human rights, democracy and the Rule of law. MEPs will focus on the humanitarian consequences of the blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh (see EUROPE 13084/31) and on the situation of journalists in Morocco, in particular Omar Radi. They will vote on resolutions on these issues on Thursday.
Fundamental Rights
Also on Wednesday, MEPs will discuss the terrorist risks posed by far-right networks challenging the democratic order. December of last year, Europol warned about the rise of transnational networks of right-wing extremists organising themselves online (see EUROPE 13088/35).
The debate should address recent events such as the arrest of 25 individuals in Germany in December 2022 who were seeking to re-establish the German Reich.
It will also look at the storming of democratic institutions in Brasilia by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, refusing to recognise Lula’s victory (see EUROPE 13095/14). Parliament will adopt an urgent resolution on the subject on Thursday.
Spain and the Rule of law
On Wednesday, MEPs will debate the state of the Rule of law in Spain to “protect it from impunity”, according to the title of the debate. Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties held a similar debate on 12 January, which ended in invectives between Spanish MEPs (see EUROPE 13098/13). The judicial reform planned by the Spanish government has been blocked for months by the Spanish right wing, which accuses it of political appointments.
Environment
Parliamentarians will debate the Commission’s proposed revision of waste shipment rules in November 2021 on Monday evening (see EUROPE 12834/3). The debate will be followed by a vote on the report by Pernille Weiss (EPP, Danish) on Tuesday to decide Parliament’s negotiating position (see EUROPE 13075/6).
Taxation
After a debate on Monday afternoon, Parliament will vote on Tuesday on its negotiating position on the ‘Unshell’ Directive aimed at preventing the misuse of shell companies for tax purposes. MEPs in Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs voted on the text in November (see EUROPE 13074/42).
Health
On Tuesday, the Commission and EU Council will make a statement in the Chamber on the rise in respiratory infections and medicines shortages in the EU.
Audiovisual
On the same day, Parliament will discuss consumer protection in the online video game market. On Wednesday, they will vote on a draft text focusing on minors and proposing measures on pre-purchase information and advertising as well as parental control and mental health.
The plenary session will also be an opportunity for MEPs to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the single market. In addition to holding a ceremony, they will hold a debate on the subject on Monday afternoon, before adopting a resolution on Wednesday. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot with the editorial staff)