MEPs will be meeting in Strasbourg from 10 to 13 March for a plenary session marked by international events and their repercussions on the EU. Support for Ukraine, strengthening the EU’s defence and competitiveness will be addressed in a number of ways. On Tuesday, at noon, the plenary session will also celebrate International Women’s Day by welcoming four figures committed to freedom and justice: the leader of the Belarusian Democratic Forces, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the Belarusian activist Palina Sharenda Panasiuk, and the Ukrainian activists Lenie Umerova and Tata Kepler.
In the afternoon, MEPs will debate the Roadmap for Women’s Rights, a document adopted on Friday (see other news) by the European Commission and intended to serve as a ‘compass’ for the future strategy for equality between men and women.
Institutional. MEPs will question the European Commission on its first 100 days of work on Wednesday afternoon. The focus will be on defence, migration, competitiveness and simplification. This last subject will also be dealt with separately in a debate on Monday, in order to react to the Commission’s first ‘omnibus’ packages (see EUROPE 13588/4).
In this regard, the EPP Group has requested that the accelerated procedure be used to adopt the text suspending the application of the CSRD and CSDDD directives, while the broader changes in the omnibus package are adopted.
These subjects are also due to be addressed on Tuesday in the Chamber during an exchange on the Special European summit on 6 March (see EUROPE 13594/1, 13594/2), followed by a second debate to prepare for the next European Council on 20 and 21 March.
Competitiveness. The ‘Clean Industrial Deal’, presented by the Commission at the same time as its ‘omnibus’ packages (see EUROPE 13588/1), will also be discussed on Tuesday in Strasbourg, as will the automotive industry action plan (see EUROPE 13593/14).
Economic and social policies. On Wednesday morning, the MEPs will debate the ‘European Semester for economic policy coordination’ and the social and employment priorities for 2025, with a vote scheduled the same day.
In the afternoon, they will hear the Commission present its Union of Skills project (see EUROPE 13593/18) and have a debate on how to “fight for more and better opportunities to study, train or work in the EU and to bring our talent home”. Following this, the Commission will issue a statement on “the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights” in restructuring processes. A vote on the subject is scheduled for Thursday.
Migration. The MEPs will hold talks on Tuesday afternoon with the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, on the new legislative initiative on returns, presented on the same day.
Security. On Tuesday, the MEPs will have the opportunity to react to the Commission’s recent proposals on defence financing (see EUROPE 13592/1) and to set out their expectations for the ‘White Paper’ on the same subject, due on 19 March. A resolution to this effect will be put to the vote on Wednesday.
Foreign affairs.
- Moldova. On Monday, the European Parliament will vote on the European Parliament/EU Council agreement establishing macro-financial assistance for Moldova (see EUROPE 13594/24).
- Ukraine. A resolution will be put to the vote on Wednesday on support for Ukraine, three years after the start of the war. The debate took place at the February plenary session (see EUROPE 13577/4). However, in the afternoon, the MEPs will discuss Russian frozen assets as a result of the sanctions.
- Middle East. MEPs have scheduled a debate on Tuesday on “the need for EU support for reconstruction and a just transition in Syria”, on which they are due to adopt a resolution the following day.
Without a resolution this time, they will discuss the deteriorating situation in Gaza due to the non-extension of the ceasefire.
Resolutions on human rights. On Wednesday evening, MEPs will debate three cases of violations of human rights, democracy and the Rule of law: - in Thailand, with the recent expulsion of Uighur refugees to China (see EUROPE 13590/20); - in Sudan, where there is a serious political, humanitarian and human rights crisis (see EUROPE 13590/19); - in Azerbaijan, where Armenian hostages are being held illegally and have been subjected to show trials. Three separate resolutions will be put to the vote on Thursday lunchtime.
Justice. On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will question the Commission and EU Council on the state of negotiations on the regulation on the cross-border recognition of parenthood. The oral question, adopted by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) in February (see EUROPE 13583/14), aims to clarify the obstacles to the EU Council. And for good reason: this text, which Parliament supports, is currently being blocked by several Member States opposed to the automatic recognition of children born through surrogacy or from same-sex families.
Agriculture. At a debate on Thursday 13 March, MEPs and the Commission will discuss the future direction of the agri-food sector in the European Union. The Commission will present its ‘Vision for Agriculture and Food’ (see EUROPE 13586/12). MEPs are expected to question the Commission on the implementation of this roadmap in the run-up to the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034.
Climate. On Monday, the European Parliament will open its plenary session with a Commission statement on support for the EU’s most vulnerable regions in the face of the devastating effects of climate change, particularly in the wake of the cyclone on the Réunion Island.
Health. On Tuesday, the Commission will present the new Critical Medicines Act to MEPs (see EUROPE 13537/30). This legislation aims to remedy the serious shortages of medicines and medical devices, reduce external dependency for critical medicines and ingredients and guarantee the supply of affordable medicines.
Energy. On Thursday MEPs will debate the action plan for affordable energy prices, which the Commission will briefly explain in the Chamber after it was officially presented on 26 February (see EUROPE 13588/3).
The day before, they will also exchange views on accelerating the withdrawal of Russian gas from the EU.
Research. On Tuesday, Parliament will vote on the own-initiative report proposing to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities with a view to the Tenth Research Framework Programme (FP10) (see EUROPE 13583/12).
Education. At the close of this plenary session on Thursday, the Commission will present a declaration on the potential of European Universities alliances to shape a European education area. The initiative, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, aims to strengthen the EU’s academic competitiveness by facilitating student mobility and the recognition of diplomas (see EUROPE 13589/14). A European diploma project is under discussion to harmonise qualifications and increase the attractiveness of European higher education on the world stage. (Original version in French by the editorial staff)