The Week Ahead 10 – 16 October 2022

Belarus/Tsikhanouskaya. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a leader of the democratic forces in Belarus, will address MEPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee. She is expected to outline her views on the war in Ukraine, the role of Belarus in the conflict and the latest political developments in her country (Thursday).

2022 Sakharov Prize finalists. MEPs on the Development and Foreign Affairs Committees and the Human Rights Subcommittee will vote to select three finalists for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The nominees include the people of Ukraine and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Brazilian environmental and indigenous activist Sônia Guajajara, and Colombia’s Truth Commission (Thursday).

COVID-19/pharmaceutical industry. Parliament’s special committee on COVID-19 (COVI) will hold a second debate with pharmaceutical companies that worked on vaccines and therapeutics during the COVID-19 pandemic: Pfizer, CureVac, Novavax, Glaxo Smith Kline and HIPRA (Monday). The committee will also discuss the global response, the upcoming international pandemic treaty, and the EU Court of Auditors’ evaluation of the EU’s COVID-19 vaccine procurement efforts (Thursday).

Trade/Anti-Coercion Instrument. The International Trade Committee will adopt its position on the EU’s proposed Anti-Coercion Instrument. The new measure would empower the Commission to deploy restrictions on trade and investments as a last resort in case a non-EU country tries or threatens to coerce the EU or any member state into taking specific policy choices (Monday).

Intelligent road transport systems. The Transport Committee will vote on an update to the rules on Intelligent transport systems (ITS) to improve transport digitalisation. ITS apply information and communication technologies, such as a journey planner or eCall, to make mobility safer, more efficient and more comfortable (Monday).

Women Speakers of national parliaments. Women speakers of various EU national parliaments, as well as the deputy speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, will gather to discuss the humanitarian situation and assistance to Ukraine’s refugees in EU countries, among other issues. EP President Metsola will kick off the debate (Wednesday).

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 17-20 October session, during which MEPs will debate and vote on Parliament’s demands for the COP27 climate conference in Egypt, the EU budget for next year, the rollout of recharging stations on major EU roads, new mandatory targets for fewer emissions in the maritime sector, and the Commission’s 2023 work programme. They will also look ahead to the 20-21 October European Council summit, debate the social and economic consequences of the war against Ukraine, vote on resolutions on Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area and on the Rule of Law in Malta, as well as hear from Slovakia’s President Zuzana Čaputová.

President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will meet Odile Renaud-Basso, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Vasco Alves Cordeiro, president of the European Committee of the Regions, as well as deliver the keynote address at the opening session of the European Week of Regions and Cities, on Monday. On Tuesday, President Metsola will give the keynote address at the EU Ambassadors’ Conference.

Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing with the Parliament’s political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels).