News > Weekly European Agenda 18/07/2022
Weekly European Agenda 18/07/2022
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18 – 24 July 2022
Monday 18 July
- EP: Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
- EP: INTA delegation to Bangladesh
- EP: CONT delegation to Poland
- CoM: Agriculture and Fisheries Council
- CoM: Foreign Affairs Council
- EC: von der Leyen visits the Republic of Azerbaijan
- EC: Schmit participates in the summer seminar on children’s rights
- EESC: Communicating fundamental rights and the rule of law
Tuesday 19 July
- EP: Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
- EP: INTA delegation to Bangladesh
- EP: CONT delegation to Poland
- CoM: EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council
- CoM: Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Internal market and industry)
- EC: Wojciechowski receives Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Slovenia
- EC: Ferreira meets with Minister for Southern Italy and Territorial Cohesion
- EESC: Conference on relief and reconstruction of Ukraine and its European perspective
- Presidency: Conference “Importance of Modern Technologies for European Defence and Security“
- OSCE: Combating Human Trafficking in Conflict Situations: The Role of Frontline Workers and National Referral Mechanisms
Wednesday 20 July
- EP: Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
- EP: INTA delegation to Bangladesh
- EP: CONT delegation to Poland
- CoM: Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Internal market and industry)
- EC: College Meeting
- EC: Borrell participates in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group video-conference
- Presidency: Conference “Importance of Modern Technologies for European Defence and Security“
- Presidency: Presidency Workshop on Preparedness and response to long-term emergencies
Thursday 21 July
- EP: Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
- CoM: Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Research)
- EC: Lenarčič meets the new President of the National Assembly in Slovenia
- EC: Jourová meets with CO-CEO of Czech News Center
- Presidency: Presidency Workshop on Preparedness and response to long-term emergencies
Friday 22 July
- EP: Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
- CoM: Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Research)
- EC: Jourová meets with President of the Czech Senate
- EC: McGuinness meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
Institutional Agendas
European Parliament
This week, MEPs will be working outside the European Parliament, either in their respective constituencies or in Parliamentary delegations.
Monday 18 July – Wednesday 20 July
INTA delegation to Bangladesh
Between 18 and 20 July, a delegation of the International Trade Committee will visit Bangladesh to discuss the country’s status as a beneficiary of the EU’s Everything but Arms trade preference scheme through which all Bangladeshi exports (except arms and ammunition) can enter the EU duty- and quota-free. MEPs will also look into how the country has prepared for its upgrading to the General Schemes of Preferences, a program that requires that several international labour, social and environmental conventions are applied in the beneficiary country.
CONT delegation to Poland
A delegation of the Budgetary Control Committee will go to Warsaw on a fact-finding trip to look into how taxpayers’ money is being managed and whether the governance systems and procedures in place are fit for the upcoming challenge of managing the recovery funds. MEPs will meet investigative journalists and associations of judges, prosecutors and NGOs, as well as public authorities, government and parliament members. At the end of the visit, there will be a press conference.
Monday 18 July – Friday 22 July
Fact Finding Mission to Washington D.C.
A delegation of the PETI Committee will go to Washington DC from 18 to 22 July, to raise awareness and discuss the impact of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on EU citizens and to have exchanges of views with tax officials, Senators and Representatives in Congress and stakeholders, to find concrete solutions for the problems of the numerous EU citizens and their family members impacted by the extraterritorial application of citizenship-based taxation. The PETI delegation is a follow-up of recently discussed petitions relating to the effects of FATCA on EU citizens, especially those with dual EU-US nationality, including difficulties for US residents in the European Union to access some financial services and alleged infringements of EU rights and exemptions from some consumer protection legislation.
Find an overview of the parliamentary agenda here.
Council of Ministers
Monday 18 July
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
EU agriculture ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss the recent Commission’s proposal on the regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products and agree on a set of conclusions for the aquaculture sector. Ministers will also receive a presentation by the Czech presidency regarding its main priorities in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. They will additionally discuss the market situation in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the implementation of the new common agricultural policy (CAP), including the approval of national strategic plans. Finally, they will exchange views on the regulation on the making available of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the transport of animals in the EU, the impact of recent drought in member states and sanitary and phytosanitary measures under the WTO. The Czech Presidency will present its work programme in the agriculture and fisheries sectors and outline its main priorities. This session will be public. Ministers will discuss the recent proposal from the Commission regarding the regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products under its farm to fork strategy. Ministers are expected to voice their concerns regarding the proposed ambitious reduction targets, and to stress the need for viable sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides before setting obligatory reduction targets at EU and national level. They are moreover expected to call on the need to take into account the different starting point of each member state. This session will be public. Ministers will discuss the implementation of the new common agricultural policy (CAP) and the approval of strategic plans. On this, ministers are likely to call for the swift adoption of national strategic plans by the Commission. Ministers will welcome the European Commission’s document “Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU Aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030” and agree on a set of conclusions on aquaculture, in the aim to build a sustainable, resilient and competitive marine and freshwater aquaculture sector. In doing so, they will stress the need to give the appropriate high priority to the sector, including taking into account the specificities of each type of aquaculture system, ensuring the economic and social stability and development of aquaculture businesses and guaranteeing the safety of marketed products. This session will be public.
Foreign Affairs Council
The Foreign Affairs Council will exchange views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, with the participation via video teleconference of Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba. The Council will also hold a discussion on relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, and digital diplomacy. Under current affairs, ministers will discuss foreign information manipulation and interference, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a possible EU-Israel association council, the upcoming ministerial meeting between the EU and the League of Arab States, and the situation in Sri Lanka and Tunisia. The Council is due to approve conclusions on: EU Digital Diplomacy, foreign information manipulation and interference, EU priorities at the 77th United Nations General Assembly, and EU development aid targets for 2022.
Tuesday 19 July
EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council between the European Union and Azerbaijan will hold its eighteenth meeting on Tuesday, 19 July 2022 in Brussels, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell will lead the EU delegation. The Cooperation Council will discuss the state of play and next steps of the EU- Azerbaijan bilateral relations, focusing on the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership Priorities and Sectoral cooperation, and the Eastern Partnership and the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan. The Cooperation Council will then exchange views on political matters, including regional issues, democracy, rule of law and human rights.
Tuesday 19 July – Wednesday 20 July
Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Internal market and industry)
Ministers responsible for the internal market and industry will hold an informal meeting in Prague on Wednesday 20 July. During the meeting, the topic of which is increasing the added value of industry across regions, the ministers will focus on the internal market, dual transition and resilience in the context of the war in Ukraine. The meeting will be presided by the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela.
Thursday 21 July – Friday 22 July
Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Research)
Synergies in the use of national and European budgets for research, development and innovation will be the subject of a political debate between the ministers of the EU Member States and the invited associated countries.
An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.
European Commission and High Representative
Monday 18 July
von der Leyen visits the Republic of Azerbaijan
President Ursula von der Leyen will visit the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Schmit participates in the summer seminar on children’s rights
Commissioner Nicolas Schmit will participate in the summer seminar on children’s rights, organised by the Ombudsman for children and youngsters of Luxembourg; will receive Ms Corinne Cahen, Minister for Family Affairs and Integration of Luxembourg; participates in the signing ceremony of the EU Cohesion Policy Partnership Agreement with Slovakia, alongside Ms Elisa Ferreira and Ms Veronika Remišová, Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia.
Tuesday 19 July
Wojciechowski receives Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Slovenia
Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski will receive Ms Irena Šinko, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Slovenia; will receive members of the ‘Comité du Commerce des céréales, aliments du bétail, oléagineux, huile d’olive, huiles et graisses et agrofournitures’ (COCERAL) to discuss facilitation of export of grains from Ukraine.
Ferreira meets with Minister for Southern Italy and Territorial Cohesion
Commissioner Elisa Ferreira will meet with Ms Mara Cafargna, Minister for Southern Italy and Territorial Cohesion, for the adoption of the 2021-2027 Partnership Agreement with Italy; will visit the Data Center Unico Regionale Lazio funded by Cohesion Funds; will meet with Mr Renato Brunetta, Minister for Public Administration.
Wednesday 20 July
College Meeting
The College of Commissioners will gather to discuss winter preparedness for energy.
Borrell participates in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group video-conference
High Representative Josep Borrell will participate in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group video-conference.
Thursday 21 July
Lenarčič meets the new President of the National Assembly in Slovenia
Commissioner Janez Lenarčič will meet the new President of the National Assembly Urška Klakočar Zupančič in Slovenia.
Jourová meets with CO-CEO of Czech News Center
Commissioner Vĕra Jourová will meet with Ms Libuše Šmuclerová, CO-CEO of Czech News Center in Prague.
Friday 22 July
Jourová meets with President of the Czech Senate
Commissioner Věra Jourová will meet with Mr Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Czech Senate and with Professor Milena Králíčková, Rector of Charles University in Prague.
McGuinness meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
Mairead McGuinness meet with Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia; with Mr Jānis Bordāns, Minister of Justice; with Mr Jānis Reirs, Minister of Finance; with Mr Ieva Jaunzeme, Director General of the State Revenue Service and customs Office; with representatives of the Finance Latvia Association in Riga, Latvia.
An overview of the Commission College can be found here; the Commissioners’ weekly activities can be found here; the agenda of upcoming College meetings can be found here; Commission events can be found here.
European Economic and Social Committee
Monday 18 July
Communicating fundamental rights and the rule of law
Over the last years, the EU founding values have been increasingly challenged, making the consensus on which they are based seem more fragile than ever. While the EU has addressed these threats by becoming more active in defence of democracy, fundamental rights, the rule of law, discourses have also risen portraying such action as political battles based on unclear or relative criteria. Participants in the hearing will discuss how to address this phenomenon, and more generally how to better communicate fundamental rights and the rule of law to the whole population.
Tuesday 19 July
Conference on relief and reconstruction of Ukraine and its European perspective
The Section for External Relations of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising the Conference on relief and reconstruction of Ukraine and its European perspective on 19 July (9:30 to 17:30) in Kraków. The Conference aims to discuss activities supporting people fleeing the war, look at the role of civil society and start discussions on how to better support the work of civil society organisations now and in the post-war future. The Conference will bring together around 200 participants, including civil society representatives, EU authorities and representatives of the Polish and Ukrainian governments.
More information about EESC events can be found here.
The agendas of the different EESC meetings can be found here.
Czech Presidency
Tuesday 19 July – Wednesday 20 July
Conference “Importance of Modern Technologies for European Defence and Security“
Modern technologies change „the rules of the game“ and the EU must be prepared. The conference will focus on identifying challenges to joint force development and using existing EU tools to overcome these issues. It will also address the significance of EDTs for future operational and strategic environment, and finding concrete synergies between EU and NATO.
Wednesday 20 July- Thursday 21 July
Presidency Workshop on Preparedness and response to long-term emergencies
Opening expert seminar to address the selected CZ PRES priority in the field of civil protection.
The agenda of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU be found here.
OSCE
Tuesday 19 July
Combating Human Trafficking in Conflict Situations: The Role of Frontline Workers and National Referral Mechanisms
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is organizing an event where frontline responders from countries neighbouring Ukraine can share their experience on effective response systems to combat human trafficking of women and children, who can be especially vulnerable to trafficking. The event will be held on 19 July 2022 in Vienna, in the margins of the 2022 Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting III. The event will gather frontline responders from Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, who will share their practical experiences dealing with the influx of refugees from Ukraine. The following issues will be discussed: What are current challenges to ensure identification and protection of women, children and unaccompanied minors fleeing from the armed conflict in Ukraine within transit countries?; How are survivor and victim-centred, trauma-informed, gender- and child-sensitive approaches incorporated in protection strategies implemented at border crossings, reception facilities, other interim protection centres, etc. to combat trafficking of people fleeing armed conflict?; Which multi-disciplinary frameworks exist at the local level, especially at border crossings, reception facilities and other interim protection centres, to ensure gender-sensitive and child-sensitive strategies to combat human trafficking in transit countries of refugees fleeing from the armed conflict in Ukraine?
The agenda of the OSCE can be found here.
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