MEPs will be meeting in Strasbourg from 31 March to 3 April for a plenary session dominated by European security and defence, the situation of the European steel industry, the future of the EU’s internal security and the state of the Rule of law in Hungary.
European security and defence. On Tuesday 1 April, the MEPs will debate the 2024 reports on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the Common Security and Defence Policy and, finally, on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy in this area. These reports will be put to the vote on Wednesday.
War in Ukraine/Justice. On Tuesday morning, MEPs will debate Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine, following a statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. The political groups will be able to express their views on defending the architecture of international justice.
Foreign affairs. Also on Tuesday, the MEPs will again discuss “the dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement” with Kaja Kallas.
Turkey. MEPs will then discuss recent events in Turkey, in particular the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main political opponents (see EUROPE 13604/11, 13607/25).
DRC. On Tuesday afternoon, the MEPs will also debate the targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the defence of religious freedom and security, with a resolution to be voted on 3 April. On Wednesday, they will again examine the legal proceedings against journalists in Cameroon.
Iran. On Wednesday afternoon, the European Parliament will discuss the executions in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences on activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. They will also talk about the continuing repression by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime in Belarus. Resolutions on these subjects will be put to the vote on Thursday.
EU internal security. On Tuesday afternoon, MEPs will debate with the Commission the new European Internal Security Strategy presented the same day by the Commission. On the same day, they will also vote on the report by Malik Azmani (Renew Europe, Dutch) on strengthening the security of EU citizens’ identity cards and residence documents.
Preparedness. On Tuesday, the MEPs will also debate the Commission’s new Communication on the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, presented on 26 March (see EUROPE 13608/1).
Hungary. On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will debate the impact of recent legislative changes in Hungary on respect for fundamental rights. On 18 March, Hungary passed a bill banning gay pride marches in the country and allowing the authorities to impose fines on organisers and participants. This debate is without resolution. The EPP is also concerned about a new reform being prepared on elective mandates, which could target Hungarian MEPs in particular.
Competitiveness. The subject of simplification, and therefore of the ‘omnibuses’ will still be very much on the agenda: on Tuesday lunchtime, the MEPs will vote on whether to use the urgency procedure to adopt their position on the so-called ‘Stop the Clock’ Directive. This postpones the application of the CSRD and CSDDD directives (see EUROPE 13608/3). If the urgency procedure is approved, the report can be voted on as early as Thursday.
Industry. On Wednesday, MEPs will debate the Commission’s Steel and Metals Action Plan (see EUROPE 13601/9), before discussing energy-intensive industries and ways of supporting them. This second debate will be followed by the vote on a resolution on the same day (see EUROPE 13602/4).
Economic and financial affairs. On Monday evening, the Commission will make a statement on the integration of European capital markets, after presenting its vision of a ‘Savings and Investment Union’ (see EUROPE 13603/5).
On Tuesday, Parliament will also be asked to approve macro-financial assistance of €4 billion to Egypt and €500 million to Jordan (see EUROPE 13605/16).
Budget. MEPs will vote on the draft guidelines for the EU’s 2026 budget on Wednesday, following a debate on Monday. Smoothly approved in committee (see EUROPE 13604/7), the text could be rejected in plenary after more than 90 amendments were tabled by the PfE, ECR, ESN, but also by the EPP.
Cohesion. On Tuesday 1 April, the EU Council and the Commission will make a statement in plenary on improving the implementation of cohesion policy through the mid-term review. The Commission will adopt this mid-term review on the same day (see EUROPE 13609/6).
Environment. MEPs will have to decide on their position regarding the ‘One Substance, One Assessment’ package (see EUROPE 13582/21), a set of three proposals aimed at making the safety assessments of chemicals faster, simpler and more transparent by optimising the work of the EU agencies (ECHA and EFSA) and creating a common data platform for chemicals.
Sea. On Wednesday 2 April, MEPs will debate the next ‘European Oceans Pact’, which will bring together all EU policies relating to the oceans and support the ‘blue economy’. Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, is expected to present this plan in May or June (see EUROPE 13583/6).
Health and tourism. The future ‘EU Action Plan on Rare Diseases’ will be debated in the European Parliament on Thursday 3 April. On the afternoon of Thursday 3 April, the European Parliament will also be discussing with the Commission healthcare tourism and the protection of EU patients abroad.
Corruption/justice. On Monday evening, the Commission and the Parliament will debate the need to guarantee democratic pluralism and strengthen integrity, transparency and anti-corruption policies in the EU. The S&D group criticised the EPP for refusing to include a reference to the European ethics body in the title of the debate.
On Wednesday afternoon, Parliament will vote on a recommendation to support an enhanced cooperation agreement between the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, Eurojust and the competent authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (see EUROPE 13594/23).
Fundamental Rights. Another debate, on 2 April, will focus on the implementation of the EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation. MEPs will assess Member States’ efforts under this 2020-2030 strategy to support the Roma in the EU (see EUROPE 12576/9).
Social Europe. On Wednesday afternoon, the European Parliament will be discussing Social Europe and solutions to make the cost of living cheaper, protect jobs and “wages and health for all”.
Media. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the role the EU can play in supporting democratic media, following the US administration’s announced dismantling of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Ten Member States have already offered European financial support (see EUROPE 13603/26).
Culture. On Monday, the Commission will make a statement on the future ‘Cultural Compass’, presented as a strategic framework for integrating culture into all EU policies and enhancing its economic potential. Commissioner Glenn Micallef launched consultations on 21 March with a view to an initiative by the end of 2025 (see EUROPE 13605/13). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with the editorial staff)