News > Weekly European Agenda | 23/03/2020
Weekly European Agenda | 23/03/2020
23-29 March 2020
Monday 23 March
- CoM: Foreign Affairs Council
- EC: Lenarcic calls High Commissioner of UNHCR
- EC: Várhelyi receives High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
- EC: Várhelyi receives Minister of Foreign Affairs
- EC: EU-Arab aviation summit
- EIB: Stakeholder engagement meeting (webinar)
Tuesday 24 March
- CoM: General Affairs Council
- EC: EU-Arab aviation summit
- EC: Várhelyi receives OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
- EC: Outermost regions Forum 2020
- EIB: Stakeholder engagement meeting (webinar)
Wednesday 25 March
- EC: Outermost regions Forum 2020
- EC: College meeting
- EC: Lenarčič holds a video call with Executive Director of UNICEF
Thursday 26 March
- European Council: video conference on the COVID-19 outbreak
- EP: Extraordinary Plenary Session
- EP: LIBE
- EP: EMPL
- EC: Gentiloni holds a videoconference with Executive Chairman of the Santander Group
Institutional Agendas
European Council
Thursday 26 March
Video conference on the COVID-19 outbreak
The members of the European Council will follow up, by video conference, on the EU’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The heads of states and governments will focus on: limiting the spread of the virus, providing medical equipment, promoting research, including research into a vaccine, tackling socio-economic consequences, and helping citizens stranded in third countries.
An overview of planned European Council meetings can be found here.
European Parliament
Thursday 26 March
Extraordinary Plenary Session
MEPs will meet in Brussels to debate and vote on the first three legislative proposals of the European Commission to tackle the effects of the COVID19 pandemic in EU Member States. On the agenda: the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, a legislative proposal to extend the scope of the EU Solidarity Fund to cover public health emergencies, a Commission proposal to stop the so-called ghost flights caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The plenary session will be the first to use a long-distance voting system.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).
Find an overview of the parliamentary agenda here.
Council of Ministers
Monday 23 March
Foreign Affairs Council
On the agenda: a discussion on current affairs with the aim of reviewing pressing issues on the international agenda.
Tuesday 24 March
General Affairs Council
Ministers will discuss Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process, with particular attention to Albania and North Macedonia. The European Semester, and the rule of law situation in Poland and Hungary will also be addressed.
An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.
European Commission and High Representative
Monday 23 March
Lenarcic calls High Commissioner of UNHCR
Commissioner Janez Lenarcic calls the Filippo Grandi, High Commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
Várhelyi receives High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi H.E. will meet with Valentin Inzko, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Várhelyi receives Minister of Foreign Affairs
Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi receives H.E. Mr. Nassif Hitti, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Monday 23 March – Tuesday 24 March
EU-Arab aviation summit
Organised by the European Commission and the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) and serves as a platform for a strategic dialogue on shared key challenges and future cooperation. The summit will be held in Beirut, Lebanon.
Tuesday 24 March
Várhelyi receives OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi will receive OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier.
Tuesday 24 March – Wednesday 25 March
Outermost regions Forum 2020
The event brings together the Presidents of the outermost regions, Ministers from their Member States, the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms and other members of the Commission, stakeholders, and experts interested in learning from the experience of these special EU regions. The Forum will review progress made under the 2017 Communication on a renewed strategic partnership with the EU’s outermost regions. In addition, the Forum will address three major themes for the outermost regions: climate change and biodiversity, circular economy and blue economy.
Wednesday 25 March
College meeting
Commissioners will discuss 2020 Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy. Vice-President Borrell will be responsible for the meeting.
Lenarčič holds a video call with Executive Director of UNICEF
Commissioner Janez Lenarčič will hold a video call with Ms. Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF on Wednesday.
Thursday 26 March
Gentiloni holds a videoconference with Executive Chairman of the Santander Group
Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni holds a videoconference with Ana Botin, Executive Chairman of the Santander Group.
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 Investment Bank
Monday 23 March – Tuesday 24 March
Stakeholder engagement meeting (webinar)
The EIB is engaging on the EIB Group’s Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025 through a series of 4 webinars. It will be an opportunity for interested stakeholders to voice their opinions and share their expertise with the EIB’s experts leading this transition. The EIB’s climate, environment and social experts will also answer questions sent in by the audience.
The agenda of the EIB can be found here.
