The Week Ahead 19 – 25 February 2024
Seat of the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Agency. For the first time, Parliament and Council will jointly vote to determine the seat of a new EU body, the Anti-Money Laundering Agency (AMLA) (Thursday evening).
Revision of the EU Customs Code. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will adopt its position on the overhaul of the EU customs system. The updated Code is intended to take into account the growth of online shopping, especially from non-EU countries, as well as additional tasks linked to recent legislation on product safety and the protection of environment, animal welfare and human rights. The revision would establish an EU Customs Authority and a system of trusted traders to free up resources for customs authorities (Thursday).
ACP-EU. The Joint Parliamentary Assembly of OACPS (Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States – ACP) and the EU, bringing together EU and national parliamentarians, will meet in Luanda, for the first time since the new Samoa agreement was signed (Monday to Wednesday).
Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 26 – 29 February plenary session. MEPs will debate and take final votes on the nature restauration law, on new rules on EU environmental crimes and related sanctions, on financial aid for Ukraine, on protecting journalists and human rights defenders from intimidation, on the revision of the EU’s long-term budget, on increasing the EU’s competitiveness and resilience in strategic sectors, on political advertising rules, on an EU-wide digital wallet, and on new rules on short-term rentals. MEPs will also debate and vote on new driving licences rules, on trade agreements with Chile, on the annual ECB report (with Christine Lagarde), and on the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies. Parliament will also vote on a resolution calling for the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine and will debate the war in Gaza, including developments related to the ICJ ruling and the UNRWA.
100 days to the European elections. EP Press Service organises a technical briefing for media on how to cover the 6-9 June European elections. It will include information on the Elections Press Tool Kit, “unfinished business” and first milestones of the next legislature, “What Europe Does For Me” database, European election data and the election days and night (Thursday at 11.00).
Pre-session press briefing. The EP’s 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).
President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will be in Malta on Monday. On Tuesday, she will be on an official visit to Greece, where she will meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (followed by a press point), Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Parliament President, Constantine Tassoulas, before delivering a keynote speech on “The EU ahead of the European elections” at the Hellenic Parliament, and participating in a Town Hall discussion with young people. On Wednesday, she will meet the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze. On Thursday, she will give the keynote speech at the “Forum Europa”, followed by a Q&A session. On Friday she will be in Malta and on Saturday, she will pay an official visit to Rome, where she will receive the “Premio Internazionale Bonifacio VIII, per una cultura della Pace” and participate in a Town Hall discussion with young people.