MEPs will be meeting in Strasbourg from 11 to 14 March for a plenary session that is becoming increasingly busy as the end of the legislative cycle approaches. In addition to the sensitive issue of due diligence, they will also vote on the Artificial Intelligence Act and the European Media Freedom Act. Energy performance of buildings, waste reduction and road transport will be the focus of the week at the European Parliament.
Digital. On Monday 11 March, MEPs will debate the text of the provisional agreement on the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) (see EUROPE 13305/1). This was already approved at the end of January by the Committee on Industry and the Internal Market, which is responsible for the dossier. The vote on the text is scheduled for the following day.
Environment. Discussions will continue on the ‘Green Claims’ directive. The European Parliament’s Committees on Environment, Internal Market and Consumer Protection adopted their position on 14 February by a very large majority. The MEPs will vote the following day (see EUROPE 13351/15).
Energy. MEPs will be called to debate the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (see EUROPE 13310/6). Discussions on this text, which aims to define the tools needed to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050, led to an agreement in December 2023 (see EUROPE 13310/6), which is due to be confirmed on Tuesday.
Justice. The debate will continue on two other provisional agreements reached at the end of last year - the directive on the violation of EU sanctions (see EUROPE 13334/34) and the revision of the directive on liability for defective products (see EUROPE 13314/5) - before being voted on Tuesday.
Transport. At the end of this first day, the draft report on the mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), adopted in December by the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) (see EUROPE 13309/5), will be presented. The vote will take place on Tuesday.
Harassment and violence in the workplace. On Tuesday morning, a few days after International Women’s Day, MEPs will debate the International Labour Organization’s Convention 190 on Harassment and Violence in the World of Work and a decision by the EU Council inviting Member States to ratify it (see EUROPE 13140/25).
Women’s Rights. Another debate is planned to highlight Parliament’s commitment to gender equality. Members of the Spanish women’s national football team, world champions, are expected to illustrate the link between sport and politics.
Environment. On Tuesday afternoon, MEPs will be asked to approve the provisional political agreements reached by the Parliament and the EU Council on industrial emissions and the corresponding proposal for a regulation on the emissions portal. The agreements were validated on 11 January (see EUROPE 13326/7).
Transport. The MEPs will also vote on the revision of the rules on the weights and dimensions of road transport vehicles, the draft report on which was adopted in February (see EUROPE 13350/7). The draft report on the regulation governing the use of railways infrastructure capacity, adopted by TRAN last week, will also be put to the vote (see EUROPE 13363/9).
Finances. Tuesday will also see a vote on Othmar Karas’ draft report on amending certain regulations on financial services and investment support with regard to certain information requirements.
Consumers. The report on the ‘Green Claims’ directive will also be voted on. The following day, Wednesday, MEPs will vote on the two texts modernising and amending the alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and on the report on toy safety in the EU.
Media. Tuesday will also be devoted to the European Media Freedom Act. On 15 December, the co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on this highly politicised issue. The vote to ratify it will take place on Wednesday (see EUROPE 13315/6).
Enlargement and the future of the EU. Also on Tuesday afternoon, the European Commission is due to present MEPs with its ideas for reforming European policies with a view to the future enlargement of the European Union to more than thirty Member States by 2030. As part of the reflection on the future of the EU initiated in Granada by the EU27 (see EUROPE 13266/1), the EU institution will aim to contribute to the debate on the impact that the accession of Ukraine, for example, will have on the Common Agricultural Policy and to identify new political priorities for the EU. At the same time, the European Council is developing, for the summer, its strategic agenda for the next legislative cycle. Still on the subject of the future of the EU, the Finnish Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, will be presenting his ideas to MEPs on Wednesday.
Foreign Affairs. During Question Time to the Commission, MEPs will question Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová on the preparedness of EU governments to fight foreign interference, particularly from Russia. Foreign interference is a cause for concern just several weeks before the European elections.
Climate. MEPs will then discuss the assessment of climate risks in the EU in order to improve its security and resilience, following a statement on the subject from the Commission.
Internal market/industry. At the end of the day on Tuesday, the hot topic of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive will be on the agenda: the Commission and the EU Council will be making a statement to MEPs on the subject. The Member States have so far refused to approve the agreement reached between European Parliament and EU Council negotiators (see EUROPE 13366/12).
Ukraine. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate with Commission and EU Council representatives ‘how to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children being forcibly deported to Russia’. According to the Children of War initiative of the Ukrainian National Information Bureau (NIB), more than 19,500 children have been expelled or forcibly displaced and only 388 have been returned. The EU has on several occasions adopted sanctions against those responsible for the deportation of these children.
In addition, the autonomous trade measures abolishing tariffs on imports from Ukraine and Moldova may be put to the vote on Wednesday, according to two sources (see EUROPE 13366/21).
Confiscation of assets. On Wednesday MEPs will be asked to approve the political agreement reached with the EU Council in December on the freezing and confiscation of assets (in particular those of Russian oligarchs) (see EUROPE 13312/11).
Digital. The vote on the Artificial intelligence Act (AI Act) is also scheduled for Wednesday, with a debate on Tuesday (see EUROPE 13311/17).
Environment. The European Parliament will then vote, again on Wednesday, on reducing food and textile waste, following approval of the mandate in committee (see EUROPE 13350/9).
Internal market/industry. On Wednesday, votes will be held on the reports on compulsory licences (patent package) by Adrián Vázquez Lázara (Renew Europe, Spanish) and the statute for European cross-border associations by Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, German), following debates on Tuesday.
Single Permit. Finally, also on Wednesday morning, following a debate on Tuesday evening, MEPs will be asked to approve the agreement reached with the Council of the EU on 20 December on the revision of the Single Permit Directive (see EUROPE 13318/2).
Budget. On Wednesday afternoon, the debates will focus on the ‘European Semester’ budgetary process, which determines the economic and social policy priorities for 2024. The MEPs’ position will be adopted shortly afterwards. Discussions will continue on the section devoted to the social dimension of economic policies, with a debate focusing on the 2024 priorities in terms of employment and social policies.
This will be followed by a debate on the budget guidelines for 2025, which will be voted on immediately afterwards.
Finances. Later on Wednesday evening, MEPs are also due to debate the draft report on the financial rules applicable to the Union’s general budget. The vote will take place on Thursday.
Wednesday’s second voting session will also focus on the resolution on closer ties between the EU and Armenia and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, already debated on 27 February (see EUROPE 13359/10).
Transport. The revision of the directive on certain reporting requirements in the fields of road transport and aviation will also be voted on.
In addition, as part of the debates on cases of violations of human rights, democracy and the Rule of law, the European Parliament will be examining on Wednesday evening ‘the immediate risk of widespread famine in Gaza and the attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries’. MEPs will vote on a resolution on this subject on Thursday.
Finally, on Wednesday evening, they will also discuss a draft resolution on the repressive environment in Afghanistan. The vote on this text is also expected on Thursday.
Trade. On Thursday, MEPs will be asked to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with Japan on the circulation of data. On the industry side, the provisional agreement on the protection of industrial designs will be put to the vote.
Active ageing. On Thursday afternoon, the Commission will address the MEPs with a declaration on healthy lifestyles and active ageing in the EU. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry, with the editorial staff)