News > Weekly European Agenda | 15/06/2020
Weekly European Agenda | 15/06/2020
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15-21 June 2020
Monday 15 June
- EP: DEVE, LIBE
- Informal Energy Council
- Foreign Affairs Council
- General Affairs Council (Cohesion Policy)
- EC: Von der Leyen speaks to Boris Johnson
- EC: Reynders joins European Affairs Council
- EC: Borrell speaks to Iraqi Prime Minister
- Presidency: Virtual conference on cultural heritage
Tuesday 16 June
- EMI: Talking Europe with Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen
- EP: PETI, IMCO, EMPL, ENVI
- General Affairs Council (European Affairs)
- Foreign Affairs Council (Defence)
- EC: Jourová speaks at event on disinformation
- EC: Johansson talks to EESC President Jahier
- EESC: Meeting of the Section for External Relations
Wednesday 17 June
- EP: Plenary Session
- EC: College meeting
- EC: Von der Leyen takes part in the EPP Summit
- EC: Šuica joins EP plenary debate on the CoFoE
- EESC: Meeting of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship
Thursday 18 June
- EP: Plenary Session
- Eastern Partnership leaders’ video conference
- EC: Von der Leyen and Borrell join the Eastern Partnership summit
- EC: Borrell participates in the NATO defence meetint
- EC: Timmermans speaks to Canadian Environment Minister
- CoR: Webinar on the impact of the COVID-19 on EU regions and cities
- Presidency:European Corporate Governance Conference
Friday 19 June
- EP: Plenary Session
- European Council video conference
- EC: Von der Leyen joins European Council summit
- EC: Kyriakides speaks to Chinese Minister of Health
- EC: Jourová at Copenhagen Democracy Summit
European Movement International
Talking Europe with Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen
As the first event of a new series of online discussion, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, the European Commission’s Director General for Communication, will discuss what the EU has been doing to address the COVID-19 pandemic and to communicate its efforts.
More information about this event can be found here.
Institutional Agendas
European Parliament
Monday 15 June
Committee on Development (DEVE)
Votes: Implementation of the common commercial policy – annual report 2018; Shortage of medicines – how to address an emerging problem; The EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests.
Debate: The EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries: state of play (exchange of views with the Commission); The EU’s development cooperation with Eritrea: state of play and the EU’s policy
objectives (exchange of views with the Commission and the EEAS); The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity and poverty – urgent
needs and sustainable responses (exchange of views with David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme).
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)
Debates: Strengthening Media Freedom: the Protection of Journalists in Europe, Hate Speech, Disinformation and the Role of Platforms; Structured dialogue with Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency; Follow-up on the situation of refugees and migrants in the Central Mediterranean.
Tuesday 16 June
Committee on Petitions (PETI)
Votes: Draft Motion for a Resolution on international and domestic
parental abduction of EU children in Japan; Draft Motion for a Resolution on the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities in the COVID-19 crisis;
Discussion of petitions.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)
Votes: The European Forest Strategy – The Way Forward;
Exchange of views with the Commission on the National Energy and Climate Plan; Exchange of views with the Commission on the European Recovery Package and the link with the European Green Deal and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wednesday 17 – Friday 19 June
Plenary Session
The European Parliament will vote on a number of issues, including on the Conference on the Future of Europe; the future EU-UK relations; a number of aviation agreements between the EU and third countries; the Eastern Partnership, in the run-up to the June 2020 Summit; the Western Balkans, following the 2020 summit; the EU disability strategy post 2020; a proposal to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria; the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment. Moreover, Parliament will be briefed by the Council and Commission ahead of the European Council meeting this week.
Find an overview of the plenary agenda here. Find the agendas of the committee meetings here.
European Council
Thursday 18 June
Eastern Partnership leaders’ video conference
The conference will bring together the heads of state or government of the EU and the leaders from the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) The meeting is chaired by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and will be attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the High Representative, Josep Borell. Leaders are expected to discuss the EaP’s long-term policy objectives and the development of the post 2020 deliverables to be endorsed in a physical summit in early 2021.
Friday 19 June
European Council video conference
EU leaders will discuss the issue of a recovery fund to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and a new EU long term budget. The proposal for a new recovery instrument and for the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 presented by the European Commission on 27 May 2020 will be at the heart of the discussion. The EU leaders’ discussion will serve as a thorough preparation for a summit at a later date which, if possible, will be a physical meeting.
The meeting page can be found here.
Council of Ministers
Monday 15 June
Informal Energy Council
The Croatian presidency is hosting this informal video conference of EU energy ministers to discuss aspects related to the energy sector within the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the European Green Deal, in particular how innovative technological solutions in the energy sector can benefit from the plan’s instruments. The European Commission will also give an update regarding national energy and climate plans (NECPs) and Lithuania will inform ministers on nuclear safety in the neighbourhood region. Finally, the incoming German presidency will present its work programme in the field of energy.
Foreign Affairs Council
In this video conference, foreign affairs ministers will discuss transatlantic relations. Ministers will also be informed about a number of recent developments and upcoming events, including the Sudan Partnership conference.
General Affairs Council (Cohesion Policy)
Ministers will hold a policy debate on cohesion policy as a building block of the EU’s recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak. In their debate, ministers will focus on the best way to use cohesion policy to strengthen national and regional crisis response capacities, and lay the basis for a sustainable economic recovery.
Tuesday 16 June
General Affairs Council (European Affairs)
Ministers will prepare for the European Council this week where EU leaders are expected to discuss the recovery fund to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and the new EU long term budget. Ministers will also discuss EU-UK relations. They will be briefed by Michel Barnier on the state of negotiations. In public session, the incoming German, Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies will present the 18-month programme of the Council, running from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021.
Foreign Affairs Council (Defence)
Defence ministers will hold a video conference to discuss the EU security and defence agenda. Ministers are expected to discuss the EU operational engagement, including force generation and the gradual resumption of Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations. They will also review the different defence initiatives, including PESCO, as well as the financial and human resources. A meeting of the steering board of the European Defence Agency will be convened prior to the videoconference.
An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.
European Commission and High Representative
Monday 15 June
Von der Leyen speaks to Boris Johnson
President von der Leyen will meet Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, together with Mr David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, via videoconference.
Reynders joins European Affairs Council
Commissioner Reynders takes part in the Informal videoconference of Ministers responsible for European Affairs.
Borrell speaks to Iraqi Prime Minister
HR/VP Josep Borrell holds a videoconference call with Mr Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Prime Minister of the Iraqi federal government.
Tuesday 16 June
Jourová speaks at event on disinformation
Commissioner Jourová speaks at the Forum on COVID-19 Social Media Disinformation hosted by the Institute for Data, Democracy and Politics at the George Washington University.
Johansson talks to EESC President Jahier
Commissioner Johansson participates in a videoconference meeting with Mr Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
Wednesday 17 June
College meeting
Commissioners will discuss President von der Leyen’s strategy for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine as well as a white paper on an instrument on foreign subsidies” (VP Vestager) and a report on the impact of demographic change (VP Suica).
Von der Leyen takes part in the EPP Summit
President von der Leyen joins the online EPP summit that convenes ahead of every European Council.
Šuica joins EP plenary debate on the CoFoE
Vice-President Šuica participates at European Parliament plenary session on the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Thursday 18 June
Von der Leyen and Borrell join the Eastern Partnership summit
President von der Leyen and HR/VP Borrell will join the online conference that is chaired by Council President Charles Michel and will bring together leader from the EU Member States and the Eastern Partnership countries.
Borrell participates in the NATO defence meeting
HR/VP Borrell participates in the NATO Defence Ministerial videoconference.
Timmermans speaks to Canadian Environment Minister
Executive Vice-President Timmermans holds a videoconference with Mr Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister for Environment and Climate Change of Canada.
Friday 19 June
Von der Leyen joins European Council summit
President von der Leyen participates in the European Council, via videoconference.
Kyriakides speaks to Chinese Minister of Health
Commissioner Kyriakides holds a videoconference call with MA Xiaowei, Minister of Health of the People’s Republic of China.
Jourová at Copenhagen Democracy Summit
Commissioner Jourová speaks at Copenhagen Democracy Summit.
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 16 June
Meeting of the Section for External Relations
The Section will debate and opinion on the “Implementation of Free Trade Agreements” and an opinion on “A post COVID-19 emergency: the design of a New Multilateral Matrix”.
Wednesday 17 June
Meeting of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship
The Section will discuss the Gender equality strategy of the Commissio and will hold a debate on gender issues and the COVID-19 pandemic with Carlien Scheele, Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
More information about EESC events can be found here.
The agendas of the different EESC meetings can be found here.
Committee of the Regions
Thursday 18 June
Webinar on COVID-19’s impact on EU regions and cities
The COVID-19 pandemic is having enormous repercussions in the EU. In addition to the human and social cost, economies and public finances are under considerable strain. All levels of government are mobilised to mitigate its effects, starting by the ones closest to citizens, the local and regional levels. Cities and regions have been on the frontline to fight the pandemic, building solidarity within their territory and providing a wide range of public services during lockdown, to protect and help their citizens. They are also working on a slow exit from the lockdown, implementing precautionary measures while supporting local businesses and communities. This will also be the occasion to highlight the importance to participate in the CoR-OECD joint survey, as there are still many uncertainties about the impact of the COVID-19.
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.
Croatian Presidency
Monday 15 – Thursday 18 June
Virtual conference on cultural heritage
This conference focuses on the role of cultural heritage in socio-economic development and preservation of democratic values. 2h-long video conference sessions will be held via Zoom.
Thursday 18 June
European Corporate Governance Conference
The 25th European Corporate Governance Conference will focus on the question of “Sustainability, Boards and Investment: What’s next for Corporate Governance?”. In light of the pandemic, the discussion will also reflect the impact of COVID-19 on corporate governance.
The agenda of the Croatian Presidency can be found here.
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