EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 18-23 July 2022
This week, This week, farm ministers discuss the market situation in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and also drought, transport of animals and deforestation; foreign affairs ministers exchange views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine; and MEP delegations viait the US, Poland, Bangladesh, Israel and France. The week's events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings and other EU-related conferences and events. Events for the week of 18-23 July 2022.
Monday 18 July
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament delegations
Economic affairs/EU-US relations: an Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee delegation will travel to Washington DC to look into EU-US relations in light of the war in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia and the worsening global economic situation. MEPs will meet with legislators, government officials, US regulatory agencies, international organisations, think tanks and businesses (Sunday to Thursday).
Budgetary control/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 to Wednesday).
International trade/Bangladesh: MEPs of the Trade Committee travel to Dhaka to get first-hand information on the country's trade with Europe and its progress in adapting to the more demanding trade standards. MEPs will look into how the country has prepared for its upgrade to GSP+, an EU programme that requires that 27 international labour, social and environmental conventions be in place in the applicant country. MEPs are expected to emphasise that Bangladesh must implement and respect these rights, especially in the field of labour (Monday to Wednesday).
Pegasus inquiry/Israel: a delegation of the Inquiry Committee on the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware will be in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to discuss spyware, cybersecurity and fundamental rights with local experts and stakeholders. During the visit, they will meet politicians, academics, digital rights experts, and the leadership of NSO Group, the provider of Pegasus spyware (Monday to Wednesday).
Transport/France: a delegation of the Transport and Tourism Committee will visit the ports of Dunkirk and Calais in France to assess the implementation of the Connecting Europe Facility and Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) projects. MEPs will also look into how Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine are affecting ports' activity (Monday to Wednesday).
Monday 18 July
European Economic and Social Committee | Events/Conf/Fairs | Justice and citizens' rights
Communicating fundamental rights and the rule of law
Brussels
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.
Monday 18 July
Council of the EU and European Council | High Level Visits | Food, farming and fisheries
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Brussels
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. Czech presidency programme
The Czech Presidency will present its work programme in the agriculture and fisheries sectors and outline its main priorities. This session will be public.
Agriculture
Plant protection products
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.
Agricultural markets
Ministers will hear information from the Commission and exchange views on the current situation of agricultural markets, especially in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ministers are likely to state their concerns with regards to the impact of the war on input prices and energy. They will moreover discuss the impact of recent climate conditions in the EU on member states' prospects for this year's harvest.
Implementation of the new CAP
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. This session will be public.
Fisheries
Aquaculture
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.
Other matters
Deforestation
Ministers will exchange views on information provided by the presidency on the state of play of the regulation on the making available of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation. This session will be public.
Transport of animals
Ministers will, based on information from the Danish delegation, discuss the need to update the legislation on the transport of animals in the EU. This session will be public.
Drought
The Hungarian delegation will provide information on the impact of the recent drought on the country's harvest. This will be taken with the market situation update.
WTO and SPS
Ministers will discuss, on behalf of the French delegation, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This session will be public.
Monday 18 July
Council of the EU and European Council | High Level Visits | Business, taxation and competition - Security and defence
Foreign Affairs Council
Brussels
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 - Wednesday 20 July
European Committee of the Regions | Events/Conf/Fairs | Energy, environment and climate
13th ENVE Commission meeting and Conference
Brussels
The agenda foresees the adoption of the following opinions: Energy package on gas, hydrogen and methane emissions Towards a structural inclusion of Cities and Regions in UNFCCC COP27. The agenda also foresees exchanges of views on the following opinions: EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.
Tuesday 19 - Wednesday 20 July
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Research and innovation
Conference "Importance of Modern Technologies for European Defence and Security"
Prague, Czech Republic
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
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Institutional affairs
Presidency Workshop on Preparedness and response to long-term emergencies
Pilsen, Czech Republic
Opening expert seminar to address the selected Czech EU Presidency priority in the field of civil protection.