The Week Ahead 16 – 22 March 2026
Committee meetings, Brussels
Digital omnibus on AI. The committees on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs will adopt their position on the digital omnibus on artificial intelligence (AI), which seeks to delay the application of certain rules on high-risk AI systems and simplify various provisions included in the AI Act. Among the amendments to be voted, is the introduction of a ban on AI “nudification” systems (Wednesday).
Kaja Kallas/foreign affairs. Committee on Foreign Affairs MEPs and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will discuss recent events at the global stage, focusing on the EU’s response and the Commission’s forthcoming initiatives in the field of EU external action (Tuesday).
Child sexual abuse online. Parliament and Council negotiators will try to reach a deal on the prolongation of an exemption to EU privacy legislation allowing for the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material online (Monday).
European tourism. The Transport and Tourism committee is expected to propose the creation of new transport connections to less-frequented destinations and caps on visitor numbers to relieve pressure on places experiencing overtourism. Other measures MEPs may recommend for a more sustainable tourism industry include targeted support for low- or zero-emission vehicles, and high-speed and night trains (Wednesday).
EU Public Prosecutor’s activities in 2025. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi will present and discuss with MEPs in the Budget Control and Civil Liberties committees the 2025 activities of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (Wednesday).
The future of democracy support. Parliament is hosting a conference on the future of democracy support with key MEPs, representatives of the Cyprus Council Presidency, the Commission, the Council of Europe, and several experts. The event will start with a video message by Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola and an opening address by the President of Moldova’s Parliament, Igor Grosu (Wednesday and Thursday).
EU Tax Symposium 2026. Parliament and Commission will co-host the 2026 edition of the EU tax symposium under the headline “The future of taxation: inequality and growth in the global economy”. The symposium will bring together ministers, senior policymakers, academics, and Nobel Prize winners (Monday and Tuesday).
European Council. President Metsola will address EU leaders at the 19-20 March European Council that will focus on Ukraine, the Middle East, competitiveness, the next EU multiannual financial framework, European defence and migration. President Metsola’s intervention will be followed by a press conference (Thursday).
President’s diary. President Metsola will be in Berlin on Monday where she will address the Federation of German Industries’ managing directors’ conference. On Tuesday, still in Berlin, the President will address the Europa 2026 Conference, meet Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and participate in a townhall discussion with students. On Wednesday, in Brussels, she will meet United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. On Sunday, President Metsola will participate in the commemoration ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the 22 March 2016 terror attacks in Brussels.
