News > Weekly European Agenda | 15/02/2021
Weekly European Agenda | 15/02/2021
If you would like to receive a summary of each week’s institutional agenda in your inbox every Monday, sign up here.
15-22 February 2021
Monday 11 November
- Eurogroup
- EC: Timmermans participates via videoconference call in the European Round Table for Industry on the European Green Deal
- EESC: Award ceremony of the EESC Civil Solidarity Prize 2020
- Presidency: International conference on EU-NATO Cooperation
- Ombudsman: Meeting with the French Ombudsman
Tuesday 12 November
- Informal ECOFIN meeting
- EC: Vestager holds a videoconference call with CEO of SAAB
- CoR: CIVEX meeting
- Presidency: Conference on climate challenges and industrial and energy transition after the crisis
- CoE: Debates on Accessibility of the electoral process
Wednesday 13 November
- EC: College meeting
- CoR: SEDEC meeting
- Presidency: Hearing on the role of social economy in a fair and sustainable recovery
Thursday 14 November
- EC: Kyriakides holds a videoconference call with the G7 Health Ministers and EU Scientific Advice Platform on COVID-19
- CoE: Conference on Unboxing hate speech
Friday 15 November
- Informal education ministers meeting
- EC: Timmermans holds a videoconference call with Federal Minister for Energy of Belgium
- Presidency: High-Level Conference on the Future of EU Security and Defence
- FRA: Crime, victims and rights: what can EU countries do to strengthen victims’ rights? Online event
Institutional Agendas
European Parliament
There are no parliamentary activities scheduled this week as MEPs work on external parliamentary activities and constituency work. Parliamentary activities will resume on 22 February with parliamentary committee meetings
Council of Ministers
Monday 15 February
Eurogroup Video Conference
The Eurogroup will exchange views on macroeconomic developments and policy prospects in the euro area, the international role of the euro, and the recent developments in the solvency of the corporate sector in light of the pandemic among other things.
Tuesday 16 February
Informal video conference of economic and finance ministers
Ministers will have an exchange of views on the current economic situation and outlook based on the European Commission’s winter forecast, annual budgetary procedures, and international issues such as promoting an EU Global Recovery Initiative to respond to increasing challenges among developing and low-income countries to finance recovery
Friday 19 February
Informal video conference of education ministers
Further details of this meeting can be found here.
An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.
European Commission and High Representative
Monday 15 February
Timmermans participates via videoconference call in the European Round Table for Industry on the European Green Deal.
Vestager holds a videoconference call with Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management and Minister for Finance of the Netherlands.
Jourová holds a videoconference call with Vice President of Public Policy of Netflix.
Tuesday 16 February
Timmermans holds a videoconference call with Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Vestager holds a videoconference call with Mr Micael Johansson, CEO of SAAB.
Hahn participates in the informal video conference of the Economic and Finance Ministers
Wednesday 17 February
College Meeting
This week the college will meet to discuss strengthening the EU’s contribution to rules-based multilateralism, trade policy review including WTO reform initiative, an action plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries, and communication on a bio-defence preparedness programme
Timmermans participates via videoconference call in the event-series on European Businesses’ engagement in the Green Transition.
Borrell participates via videoconference in the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence.
Thursday 18 February
Schmit holds a videoconference call with representatives of the Social Platform.
Kyriakides holds a videoconference call with the G7 Health Ministers.
Kyriakides holds a videoconference call with the EU Scientific Advice Platform on COVID-19.
Friday 19 February
Timmermans holds a videoconference call with Federal Minister for Energy of Belgium.
Vestager meets with CEO of Danish Think Tank Europe.
European Economic and Social Committee
Monday 15 February
Award ceremony of the EESC Civil Solidarity Prize 2020
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will reward 23 not-for-profit initiatives carried out by natural persons, civil society organisations or private companies to tackle the Covid-19 crisis and its manifold consequences.
Tackling non-performing loans in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic
the ECO has decided to organise a hearing to discuss the action plan and to collect the views of various organisations on the topic of tackling non-performing loans in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EESC intends to use the findings and conclusions of the event to feed into the final version of the EESC opinion.
Wednesday 17 February
Improving the framework for sustainable finance
The conference will take stock of what has been achieved so far in the EU in the field of sustainable finance, will discuss upcoming initiatives, and will come up with policy recommendations.
The role of social economy in a fair and sustainable recovery
A hearing requested by the Portuguese presidency on the role of social economy in the creation of jobs and in the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The hearing will focus on two questions; How to reinforce the role of social economy in a fair and sustainable recovery and what are the main policy priorities to include in the future Action Plan on social economy.
More information about EESC events can be found here.
The agendas of the different EESC meetings can be found here.
Committee of the Regions
Tuesday 16 February
Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) Meeting
The meeting will discuss the enlargement package 2020, the new pact on migration and asylum, the new strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, strengthening the Committee of Regions in the institutional framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe among other things.
Wednesday 17 February
Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC) Meeting
The meeting will discuss the EU action plan against racism, media in the digital decade, adequate minimum wages, implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights from a local and regional perspective, achieving the European education area, and the LGBTIQ equality strategy among other things.
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 15 February
International conference on EU-NATO Cooperation
The purpose of this conference is to analyse EU-NATO security and defence cooperation, as interdependent strategic partners. The conference will highlight the competitive advantage of each security institution in cooperative security and collective defence, examine the specific domains of complementarity between them, and discuss how the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy and NATO can best articulate their security and defence roles to provide stability in the Euro-Atlantic order and in the wider world.
Tuesday 16 February
Conference on Climate challenges and industrial and energy transition after the Crisis
Held by Portugese Embassy in Prague. More information can be found here.
Friday 19 February
High-Level Conference “Finding Direction with a Strategic Compass? Reflections on the Future of EU Security and Defence“
More information about this event can be found here.
The agenda of the Portugese Presidency can be found here.
European Ombudsman
Monday 15 February
Meeting with the French Ombudsman
The European Ombudsman is meeting Claire Hedon, via conference call to exchange views on topics of common interest as part of the European Network of Ombudsmen.
The EU Ombudsman calendar of activities can be found here.
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
Friday 19 February
Crime, victims and rights: what can EU countries do to strengthen victims’ rights? Online event
FRA will present and discuss the results of the first-ever EU-wide survey on crime victimisation. It promises key insights that will guide policy-makers in shaping their victim support measures.
Information on upcoming FRA events can be found here.
Council of Europe
Tuesday 16 February
3rd Scientific Electoral Experts Debates – Accessibility of the electoral process
A debate organised by the Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania in cooperation with the Venice Commission on “Accessibility of the electoral process” will feature electoral experts addressing universal suffrage, one of the main principles of electoral law.
Thursday 18 February
Unboxing hate speech
A discussion on hatred, exclusion and verbal violence, which pose a growing threat to democracy, will be organised under the framework of the German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. This discussion underscores how hate speech violates human rights, corrodes solidarity and debate culture, and drives people out of the public arena. Christine Lambrecht, Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs will chair the event.
Find an overview of Council of Europe events here; the PACE diary here; the Congress calendar of events here; information on forthcoming judgments here; the calendar of hearings here; information on Venice Commission events here; the agenda of the Commissioner of Human Rights here; and the Chairmanship agenda here.
No comments