News > Weekly European Agenda | 19/04/2021
Weekly European Agenda | 19/04/2021
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19-25 April 2021
Monday 19 April
- EP: DEVE, EMPL, CULT, LIBE, FEMM
- EC: Launch of the CoFoE
- EC: Timmermans delivers speaks on climate change at the US House of Representatives.
- EC: Šefčovič receives the Deputy Secretary General of NATO
- EC: Dalli speaks at conference on the European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 organised by the Portuguese Presidency
- Presidency: Conference Inclusion and Equity in Education – challenges and perspectives
- EIB: Webinar on enterprise financing and investment in Ireland
Tuesday 20 April
- EP: LIBE, 9th Euronest Assembly
- EC: Von der Leyen chairs the Steering Board of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force
- EC: Šuica speaks at the ‘AU-EU-UNICEF High Level Education Event: Building Skills for the Future’
- EC: Gentiloni talks to the President and Vice President of the Assembly of European Regions.
- EESC: Conference on Energy poverty at the crossroads of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal
- Presidency: Event on Protection from Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance,
- Presidency: Event on “Europe – a Knowledge and Science Bridge Towards a Global Circular Economy”
- OSCE: Counter-Terrorism Conference 2021
Wednesday 21 April
- EC: College Meeting
- EC: Gabriel holds a call with the Director for Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment at the WHO
- EESC: Event on the new EU Roma framework
- CoR: Event on the future of cross-border cooperation and border regions in Europe
Thursday 22 April
- EP: AFET, DEVE, EMPL, FEMM committee meetings
- EC: Von der Leyen attends the Global Leaders Summit hosted by the US Presidenton the occasion of Earth Day.
- EC: Timmermans visits with the Prime Minister of Belgium.
- EESC: Event on the European economic and financial system: fostering openness, strength and resilience in the COVID-19 context
- CoR: SEDEC committee meeting
Friday 23 April
- EC: Von der Leyen receives the Prime Minister of Hungary
- EC: Jourová speaks at an online roundtable on the European Democracy Action Plan organised by the World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid
- Commissioner Wojciechowski holds a call with representatives of COPA-COGECA (European Farmers-European Agri-Cooperatives)
- Ombudsman: Speaks at Conference “What Future for Europe’s Borders?
Institutional Agendas
European Parliament
Monday 19 April
Committee on Development
Votes: The role of the EU’s development cooperation and humanitarian assistance in addressing the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic
There will be a joint debate with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets on the implementation report on the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
There will be a debate to consider a draft report on the topic of protecting workers from asbestos
Committee on Culture and Education
There will be an exchange of view on the freedom of the press in Belarus as well as Europe’s Media in the Digital Decade.There will also be a presentation of the study on “Disinformation and Science: A survey of the gullibility of students with regard to false scientific news”.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
There will be a debate on the adequate protection of personal data by the United Kingdom presented by the European Data Protection Board, as well as a debate on the Annual Report 2020 of the European Data Protection Supervisor. There will be an exchange of views with Commissioner Schinas on Mental health care and care for vulnerable asylum applicants in Greek reception facilities.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
There will be a hearing on empowering EU supports for women entrepreneurs and investors. There will also be an exchange of views of equality between women and men in the European Union in 2018-2020.
Tuesday 20 April
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Votes: Preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online – Adoption of a draft recommendation for second reading. Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited, Maximillian Schrems (“Schrems II”) – Adoption of a motion for a resolution.
9th Euronest Assembly
The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, comprised of 60 MEPs and 10 members from each of the parliaments of the Eastern European Partners will meet remotely to discuss post COVID-19 recovery, the situation in Belarus, and countering energy security threats in the Eastern Partnership on the agenda for 19-20 April.
Thursday 22 April
Committee on Foreign Affairs
There will be a debate on the adoption of recommendations of the report on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey (INI).
There will also be an exchange of views with the Prime Minister of Palestine.
Consideration of a draft report on The Arctic: opportunities, concerns and security challenges (INI), will also be debated.
Committee on Development
There will be a structured dialogue with Commissioner Urpilainen.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
Votes: Promoting gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers (INI) – Adoption of draft report.
There will be a joint hearing with the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on the Commission’s proposal for a Pay Transparency Directive.
Find an overview of the parliamentary agenda here.
Council of Ministers
Monday 19 April
Informal video conference of foreign affairs ministers
The High Representative Josep Borrells will brief the minsters on current affairs, review a number of recent developments and upcoming events, including recent developments in Georgia, India, Myanmar, Mozambique, and in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiations.
Tuesday 20 April
Informal video conference of European affairs ministers
Topics to be discussed include EU-UK Relations, Conference on the Future of Europe, Annual Rule of Law Dialogue country-specific discussion, COVID-19 EU coordination and Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process.
An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.
European Commission and High Representative
Monday 19 April
Launch of citizens’ platform for the Conference on the Future of Europe
Commissioner Timmermans delivers a speech on The Global Fight against Climate Change to the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber at the US House of Representatives.
Commissioner Šefčovič receives the Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Commissioner Dalli delivers a speech at the High-level conference on the European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 organised by the Portuguese Presidency.
Tuesday 20 April
President Von der Leyen chairs the Steering Board of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force.
Commissioner Šuica delivers a speech at the ‘AU-EU-UNICEF High Level Education Event: Building Skills for the Future‘,
The event is organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) through its Department of Education, Science and Technology, the European Commission and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Commissioner Gentiloni holds a call with the President and Vice President of the Assembly of European Regions.
Wednesday 21 April
College Meeting
The college meeting will discuss the communication on climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy and the communication on the global approach to research, innovation, education and youth. The college will also review the Non-Financial Reporting Directive and follow-up to the white paper on artificial intelligence.
Commissioner Gabriel holds a call with the Director for Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment at the World Health Organization.
Thursday 22 April
President Von der Leyen attend the Global Leaders Summit hosted by the President of the United States, on the occasion of Earth Day.
Commissioner Timmermans visits with the Prime Minister of Belgium.
Commissioner Wojciechowski holds a call with representatives of COPA-COGECA (European Farmers-European Agri-Cooperatives).
Friday 23 April
President Von der Leyen receives the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Commission Šuica delivers a speech on the Conference of the Future of Europe ‘Forum on the Future of Europe’ event organised by Equipo Europa.
Commissioner Jourová will speak at an online roundtable on the European Democracy Action Plan organised by the World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid.
A full list with meetings of Commissioners can be found here; the Commissioners’ weekly activities can be found here; the agenda of the College Meetings can be found here; Commission events can be found here.
European Economic and Social Committee
Tuesday 20 April
Conference on Energy poverty at the crossroads of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal
The EESC will hold a major online conference that will bring together high-level representatives of European organized civil society, European institutions, national and local authorities and the academic world. The objective of the conference is to build a strong narrative by setting energy poverty as a priority and focus on how they can fight against energy poverty.
Wednesday 21 April
The new EU Roma framework: views and expectations for the future of the Roma communities
The hearing will look at the proposals and plans outlined in the new Roma framework in more detail. It will also include a discussion with civil society organisations.
Thursday 22 April
The European economic and financial system: fostering openness, strength and resilience in the COVID-19 context
The EESC will debate the the specific policy recommendations and key actions that the communication of the European Commission on The European economic and financial system: fostering openness, strength and resilience, contains. The hearing will feed directly into the upcoming EESC opinion on the Commission’s communication and the related inter-institutional debate.
More information about EESC events can be found here.
The agendas of the different EESC meetings can be found here.
Committee of the Regions
Wednesday 21 April
The future of cross-border cooperation and border regions in Europe
This online event aims to create dialogue on how better provision of public services across borders would increase quality of life how to make public services more efficient.
Presentation of the Chamber of National Ambassadors of the Covenant of Mayors
This first meeting will follow the signing ceremony of all Covenant Board Members in the framework of the presentation of the “Covenant-Europe for a fairer, climate-neutral Europe” aiming to step up the climate ambitions and accelerate a just climate transition. In this first meeting, the National Ambassadors will discuss on the Covenant national strategy and on their role as ambassadors.
Thursday 22 April
Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture
Topics on the agenda are The EU as an LGBTQI freedom zone, Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) and the Pact for Skills, The New European Bauhaus initiative and the Horizon Europe Missions.
More information about Committee of the Regions events can be found here. The agendas of the different Committee of the Regions meetings can be found here.
Portuguese Presidency
Monday 19 April
Inclusion and Equity in Education – challenges and perspectives
Education plays a vital role in our society and it is the basis for personal fulfilment, employability and engaging in active and responsible citizenship. In line with the first principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the right of all to inclusive, quality education should always be assured. The conference is aimed at promoting debate on creating conditions for inclusion and equity in education.
Monday 19 April – Tuesday 20 April
European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030
This conference aims to discuss the essential areas that affect the daily lives of people with disabilities, such as accessibility, independent life, deinstitutionalisation, community-based and person-centred social services, employment and inclusive education. This topic is of particular relevance as the European Commission launched the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 on 3 March 2021.
Tuesday 20 April
Protection from Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance
The fight against all forms of discrimination is one of the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU. This conference aims to promote the European democratic values, including the celebration of the “10th Anniversary of the Istanbul Convention. The state of play”, the “Informal Dialogue on Integration”, both in April, and the High-Level Conference on the Rule of Law, in May.
Tuesday 20 April – Wednesday 21 April
Europe: a Knowledge and Science Bridge Towards a Global Circular Economy
This international conference will be hosted by the Portuguese Presidency and CECOLAB. The conference will focus on six key areas: Green and global Europe; Knowledge and science: the pillar and the basis for the development of the circular economy; Green funds and financial instruments; Regional symbioses; Younger generation; and Contribution of the circular economy to a sustainable economic recovery post-COVID-19.
The agenda of the Portuguese Presidency can be found here.
European Ombudsman
Friday 23 April
What Future for Europe’s Borders?
The European Ombudsman will deliver the keynote speech for this conference.
For more information visit this site.
The EU Ombudsman calendar of activities can be found here.
European Investment Bank
Monday 19 April
Enterprise financing and investment in Ireland – tackling the challenges of COVID-19, digitalisation and climate change
The Central Bank of Ireland, the Economic & Social Research Institute and the European Investment Bank are hosting this webinar “Enterprise financing and investment in Ireland”. The pandemic has severely impacted investment activity in Ireland. Firms have to cope with substantial revenue losses which affected their investment strategies. The results of the EIB Investment survey for Ireland will be also presented.
The agenda of the EIB can be found here.
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Tuesday 20 April – Wednesday 21 April
OSCE-Wide Counter-Terrorism Conference 2021
The Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship will host the OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism virtual Conference 2021 “Reinforcing a Comprehensive Approach in Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (VERLT) in a Changing Landscape”. The conference aims to addressing the root causes of violent extremism and radicalisation that lead to terrorism, exploring tools for preventing terrorism and VERLT online within a human rights framework and how to move away from violent extremism.
More information can be found here.
