The Week Ahead 04 – 10 April 2022

War against Ukraine. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss with Council and the Commission what the EU can do to protect children fleeing war in Ukraine, in particular from trafficking and exploitation. A resolution will be put to the vote on Thursday.

EU summits. On Wednesday morning, MEPs will review the spring European Council and its outcomes with Presidents Michel and von der Leyen and EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell. The debate will be wrapped up by a resolution. On Tuesday, MEPs will also discuss the results of the EU-China summit scheduled for 1 April, which is expected to focus on China’s position regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the future of bilateral relations.

Question times with Ursula von der Leyen and Josep Borrell. On Tuesday at 15.00, MEPs will question President von der Leyen about what the Commission has achieved in the past two years and about the implementation of its political priorities. Afterwards, they will quiz EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on the EU’s security and defence strategy for the coming decade. (Tuesday)

Energy infrastructure. Parliament is set to approve a deal reached with EU governments on updated rules to select which energy projects, such as high-voltage transmission lines, pipelines, energy storage facilities or smart grids, would be eligible to receive EU funds. The aim is to align the existing law with the objectives of the EU’s Green Deal. (Tuesday)

Climate change. MEPs will discuss with the Commission the latest IPCC report, which calls for urgent measures to limit global warming to 1.5°C and shows that the impact of climate change is greater than previously estimated. (Monday)

Closing the gender pay gap. On Tuesday, MEPs will set their position ahead of talks with member states on a draft law to ensure that women and men earn the same when doing the same job.

Rule of law in Hungary and Poland. On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will take stock of the EU’s response so far to the democratic backslide in Hungary and Poland and are set to urge the French Presidency and the Commission to move forward and ensure the respect of rule of law.

Conference on the Future of Europe. On 8-9 April, the Conference’s Plenary will meet in Strasbourg, where the nine Working Groups on the different priority topics will present their consolidated proposals.

President’s Diary. EP President Metsola will meet Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday. On Tuesday, she will have an online meeting with the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani. On Wednesday, President Metsola will have a meeting with Rachid Talbi Alami, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Morocco and President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. In the afternoon, she will give the opening address at the meeting of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Last-minute briefing. On Monday at 16.30, Parliament’s Spokesperson will hold a press briefing on the plenary session, which starts at 17:00.

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