The Week Ahead 22 – 28 May 2023

Fighting pollution/industrial emissions. MEPs on the Environment Committee will vote on their position on the revision of EU industrial emissions rules that currently cover over 30,000 large industrial plants and 20,000 intensive livestock farms. The revision aims to stimulate the green transition of large industries, with significant health and environmental benefits (Wednesday).

Asset recovery and confiscation. The Civil Liberties Committee will vote on new rules to beef up EU‘s regime for recovering criminal assets. The draft bill would extend the scope of the EU‘s confiscation rules, ensure that all member states can quickly and effectively seize criminal assets, and close existing loopholes. Proceeds from organised crime in Europe are estimated to be worth around €139 billion annually (Tuesday).

2024 European elections/Parliament’s seats.The Constitutional Affairs Committee will vote on a draft proposal on the number of seats in the European Parliament, and their distribution among EU countries, ahead of the 2024 elections. The seat distribution takes into account the population of member states and follows the principle of “degressive proportionality” (Wednesday).

EU enlargement. The Foreign Affairs Committee will adopt two resolutions evaluating the progress made by North Macedonia and Albania towards EU membership. MEPs are expected to invite the government in North Macedonia to intensify its efforts to improve governance and access to justice, and to ask Albania to demonstrate steady progress in guaranteeing the rule of law and fundamental rights (Wednesday).

European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics”.MEPs will debate animal testing in cosmetics with the initiators of a citizen’s initiative to secure better animal welfare and environmental protection, in a public hearing hosted by the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee.The European Citizens’ Initiative on “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics”, with nearly 1.5 million signature collected in one year, wants the EU to strengthen its animal testing ban (Thursday).

President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will give the opening address at the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities “Building an inclusive future for persons with disabilities in the EU”, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the President will meet Latvia’s Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, in Brussels, and participate in the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. On Thursday, President Metsola will be in Vienna, where she will deliver a speech at the Austrian National Council plenary, and meet its President Wolfgang Sobotka, the President of the Federal Council Gunther Kovacs and Chief Rabbi Jaron Engelmayer, together with representatives of the Jewish Community. She will also participate in a town hall discussion with young Austrians. On Friday in Vienna President Metsola will meet Austria’s Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg, the President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer as well as inaugurate the Europa Experience Space.

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