The Week Ahead 25 April – 01 May 2022

War in Ukraine/women. The Women’s Rights Committee will adopt a resolution and an oral question on the impact of Russian aggression on women. MEPs will look into the many unofficial reports that refugees are at increased risk of trafficking and sexual exploitation and that women are at risk of becoming victims of rape as a weapon of war (Monday).

EU Digital COVID Certificate. A proposal to extend the validity of the EU Digital COVID Certificate for another year, before it expires on 30 June, will be voted on by the Civil Liberties Committee (Thursday).

Foreign subsidies to firms. The International Trade Committee will vote on new rules to allow the Commission to investigate if companies receive subsidies – for example capital injections or tax exemptions – from non-EU countries, and take countermeasures when necessary. The goal is to ensure fair competition by extending state aid rules beyond the EU (Monday).

Parliament’s right of initiative. The Constitutional Affairs Committee will vote on proposals that would consolidate Parliament’s right to propose EU laws and start EU legislative procedures. The text addresses issues related to Parliament’s existing right of initiative in several areas and seeks to establish a general direct right of initiative for the only EU institution that is directly elected (Thursday).

Final Plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Almost one year after the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe, its Plenary will meet to conclude its work. It is expected to reach a consensus on the final set of proposals prepared by the nine Working Groups, which will then be delivered to the Executive Board in anticipation of the Conference’s final report (Friday and Saturday).

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 2-5 May plenary session where MEPs will debate the situation in Ukraine and the EU’s response to the war, hear from Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and hold the first question time with European Council President Charles Michel. MEPs will also debate and vote on the final recommendations of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence, changes to the EU electoral law and a proposal for a common charger for mobile phones and other small electronic devices.

Conference of Presidents/Stoltenberg. The EP President and political groups’ leaders (Conference of Presidents) will hold a debate with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Thursday).

President’s diary. EP President Roberta Metsola will meet the Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Ville Itälä, on Thursday. On Friday, the President will meet the Ambassador and Head of the United Kingdom Mission to the EU, Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby, and European Data Protection Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski, as well as deliver the opening address at the opening of the temporary exhibition “When Walls Talk”, at the House of European History.

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).