EU Parliament Agenda

Plenary session – Strasbourg

State of the Union. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will deliver his first State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday morning at 09.00, followed by a debate on achievements to date and the Commission’s 2016 work programme. Prior to the debate, Jean-Claude Juncker will attend Parliament’s Conference of Presidents on Tuesday at 10.00 to discuss the Commission Work Programme for 2016.

Migration and refugee crisis. EU and member states’ responses to the unprecedented flow of migrants and refugees will be debated with the Commission, following the State of the Union debate on Wednesday. A day later, MEPs will vote a non-binding resolution to wind up the debate. On Wednesday, however, they will vote their opinion on a first proposal by the Commission for the relocation of 40,000 refugees from Italy and Greece.

Foreign affairs. Parliament will debate the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process with EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, on Wednesday afternoon, before voting its position on it on Thursday. MEPs and Ms Mogherini will also discuss the situation in Belarus and the Iran nuclear agreement.

Animal cloning. Parliament’s first-reading position on a draft law which would ban the cloning of all farm animals, their descendants and products derived from them, including imports, in the EU, will be debated and voted on Tuesday. A press conference with the rapporteur is scheduled for 15.00.

Trade in seal products. MEPs are to adopt stricter exemptions to the EU ban on the trade in seal products on Tuesday. A deal struck with Council in June allows Inuit communities to sell seal products but removes the derogation that authorised trading in seal products derived from hunts conducted to protect fishing stocks. (Debate Monday, vote Tuesday)

Right2Water citizen’s initiative. The European Commission’s response to the very first EU citizens’ initiative (ECI) petition on the “Right2Water” will be debated on Monday followed by a vote on Tuesday on a resolution recommending a strengthening of the ECI mechanism. The rapporteur will hold a press conference on Tuesday at 15.30. (Debate Monday, vote Tuesday)

Agricultural markets crisis. The Agriculture Committee will debate the current crisis on agricultural markets, especially in the dairy and meat sectors, with Commissioner Phil Hogan late on Tuesday afternoon. Falling prices have affected farmers in many member states, exacerbating the effects of the prolonged Russian embargo on food imports from the EU.

President’s diary. Parliament President Martin Schulz will meet Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, at 17.30. On Wednesday morning, he will open and chair the plenary debate on the State of the Union. Mr Schulz will then meet Selahattin Demirtaş, Leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) of Turkey, on Wednesday at 16.30, followed by press point.

Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing at 16.30 on Monday. (EP Press conference room, Strasbourg)

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