EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 20-25 May 2019
This week, education, youth, culture & sport ministers meet to discuss language teaching and fostering creativity; the Commission holds the annual Energy Infrastructure Forum; and Europe votes in the European elections 2019. 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 20 to 25 May 2019.
Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate, Research and innovation
Meeting of the Energy and Managing Authorities Network (EMAN)
Brussels
This meeting will address the latest policy developments in energy and cohesion policies, including a presentation of the 4th state of the energy union and the latest state of play for cohesion policy.
Focusing on the future programming as well as implementation, the meeting will also address Commission initiatives such as the ones related to coal regions in transition and energy poverty, and programmes such as InvestEU and Horizon Europe and their synergies with cohesion policy.
Preparing the post-2020 period and the role of cohesion policy in delivering the energy and climate goals will be an important part of the meeting. The ongoing process with the national energy and climate plans and their role in the future programming will also be presented.
Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 May
European Economic and Social Committee, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Culture, education and youth, Employment and social rights
2nd Policy learning forum on upskilling pathways: a vision for the future
Brussels
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising together with the European centre for the development of vocational training (CEDEFOP) a 2nd policy learning forum (PLF).
The event aims at bringing together governments, social partners, and civil society to help each other in the definition and implementation of the Council recommendation 'Upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults', adopted in December 2016.
This year's PLF follows on a successful similar of 2018 and is part of a series of events aiming to create a platform for mutual learning on upskilling adults with low-level of skills.
Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 May
European Aviation Safety Agency, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Transport and travel
Workshop on competency-based training and assessment, including evidence-based training
EASA, Cologne, Germany
This workshop of European aviation safety agency (EASA) will be dedicated to the development and implementation of competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) for pilots, including evidence-based training (EBT).
The aim is to hold an interactive workshop attended by representatives from the commercial air transport community, training organisations and national aviation authorities (NAAs). The workshop will give the opportunity to exchange views with industry and NAA representatives across Europe.
The topics for discussion will focus on the main aspects of CBTA development and implementation, and on the evaluation of the available methodologies and practices.
Monday 20 May
European Economic and Social Committee, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate
EU Forest Strategy: fit for purpose?
Brussels
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will issue in 2019 an opinion from the perspective of organised civil society on the EU Forest Strategy - 'A new EU Forest Strategy: for forests and the forest sector' - in light of the European Commission's progress report.
The strategy engages the Commission, Member States, and stakeholders to work together towards a common vision and a coherent planning and implementation of forest-related policies.
It sets two key objectives for 2020: ensuring that all forests in the EU are managed according to sustainable forest management (SFM) principles; strengthening the EU's contribution to promoting SFM and reducing deforestation at global level.
Both require the full engagement of civil society in its full diversity to be effectively met.
On 20 May, the NAT section of the EESC will hold a debate on the EU Forest Strategy and the way forward with representatives from the EU institutions and civil society stakeholders, with a view of providing input to the preparation of the EESC opinion on this topic.
Tuesday 21 May
Council of the EU and European Council, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
General Affairs Council
Brussels
The Council will hold, in public session, a policy debate on the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. The debate will focus on the EU budget for external action, in particular on funding for development policy and the European neighbourhood policy.
Ministers will start preparations for the European Council meeting on 20-21 June 2019 by discussing an annotated draft agenda.
Under any other business, the Commission will present its "Communication on further strengthening the Rule of Law within the Union".
Tuesday 21 - Wednesday 22 May
European Chemicals Agency, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Consumer affairs and public health, Research and innovation
ECHA conference
Helsinki, Finland
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is organising a conference on 21-22 May 2019 that will offer participants insight into the current priorities in EU chemicals regulation after the final REACH registration deadline. The event will be packed with training sessions, discussions, and networking opportunities.
Tuesday 21 - Wednesday 22 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Employment and social rights
ESF transnational cooperation: including and empowering people throughout life
Brussels
The 2019 annual European Social Fund (ESF) Transnational Platform event (ESFTP19) will be the closing event as the ESF Transnational Platform has now entered its final stage of implementation.
This year the aim is to extend the appeal of the conference beyond the 9 ESF thematic networks to gather around 300 participants from ESF managing authorities, policymakers, stakeholders at EU and national levels, project promoters, and users.
The objective of the conference is twofold:
- to disseminate to a wide audience the lessons learnt from ESF transnationality, in particular from the work of the thematic networks, as well as from transnational projects
- to exchange on how the ESF and transnationality can concretely support the experimentation of approaches to tackle unmet social and labour market needs, as well as pressing societal challenges
Testimonials from selected ESF funded projects, including transnational ones, will illustrate how the ESF has improved people's living and/or working conditions.
Tuesday 21 May
Presidency of the Council of the EU, Political Meetings, Food, farming and fisheries
Ministerial Conference on a Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea
Bucharest, Romania
The conference is co-organized by Romania and the European Commission. Its aim is to enable the Black Sea littoral countries (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine) and the Republic of Moldova to adopt a Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea at the level of ministers with competences in the field of maritime affairs, in the presence of a high-level representative of the European Commission. The agenda, which has been negotiated with the support of the European Commission, focuses on fields related to the „blue economy", which can contribute to the sustainable economic development of the region and especially of the coastal regions (maritime affairs, fisheries and aquaculture, research and innovation, connectivity, environment protection, tourism, education and the development of skills required for a maritime economy).
The adoption of the Common Maritime Agenda is one of the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, within the third pillar – „Europe, as a stronger global actor".
Wednesday 22 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Business, Security and defence
European defence industrial development programme information day
Brussels
The European Commission will host an information day on the European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP).
The EDIDP provides € 500 million in co-financing over 2019-2020 for the joint industrial development of defence equipment and technologies in all domains (air, land, sea, cyber and space). It is a test phase in view of a more ambitious EU programme in the next EU multi-annual financial framework. The EDIDP will be implemented directly by the European Commission.
At this information day, the Commission will inform participants on the EDIDP regulation (highlighting differences compared to the preparatory action on defence research) and the topics covered by the EDIDP 2019 calls. They will also explain participation modalities and access to the participant portal.
EDIDP financial support is limited to public or private undertakings from legal entities established in the EU countries. Industry, be it larger companies or SMEs, clusters defence industry associations, national or European research institutes and universities are all invited to participate.
Wednesday 22 - Thursday 23 May
Council of the EU and European Council, Political Meetings, Culture, education and youth
Education, Youth, Culture & Sport Council
Brussels
The Council will discuss youth and education issues on the 22 May, and culture and sport on the 23 May.
Youth
Ministers are expected to adopt conclusions on young people and the future of work.
The Council will also adopt a resolution establishing guidelines on the governance of the EU youth dialogue. It serves as a forum to better understand youth concerns and the challenges faced by young people.
Ministers are expected to hold a policy debate on young people as agents of democracy in the EU, following a presentation from two teenagers.
Education
Ministers are expected to adopt a recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages. The aim is to ensure that more young people can master two languages in addition to their first language.
Ministers are also expected to adopt a recommendation on high quality early childhood education and care systems. It aims to support member states in their efforts to improve access to and quality of their early childhood education and care systems.
The Council will also adopt conclusions on the implementation of the recommendation on upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults.
Ministers will hold a policy debate on 'Building the future of Europe: The contribution of education and training to strengthening social cohesion'.
Any other business
Ministers will be informed about the following:
- DiscoverEU, an EU initiative allowing young people the opportunity to travel around Europe
- world conference of ministers responsible for Youth 2019 and Youth Forum Lisboa + 21 (Lisbon, 22 and 23 June 2019)
- France's bid to host the world skills competition in 2023
- work programme of the incoming Finnish presidency
Culture
Ministers are expected to adopt conclusions on fostering young creative generations. These conclusions highlights the importance of young generation's access to culture, in order to develop creative, intercultural and communication skills.
The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on the promotion of European film works by improving the cross-border circulation of audio-visual creations and co-productions.
Ministers will hold a policy debate on disinformation, entitled 'From tackling disinformation to rebuilding EU citizens' trust in the media'.
Sport
The Council is due to adopt a resolution on the representation and coordination of EU member states in World Anti-Doping Agency foundation board meetings.
Ministers will adopt conclusions on access to sport for persons with disabilities. The aim of these conclusions is to facilitate access to grassroots sports by all persons with disabilities.
Ministers will also hold a public policy debate on the topic 'Increasing the participation of children and young people in sport in 21st century Europe'.
Any other business
Ministers will be informed about the following:
- the nomination of Veszprém for European capital of culture 2023
- fifth centenary of the first circumnavigation of the world led byFernão de Magalhães and Juan Sebastián Elcano
- work programme of the incoming Finnish presidency
Wednesday 22 - Thursday 23 May
Presidency of the Council of the EU, Political Meetings, EU regional and urban development
Annual Meeting of INTERREG programs
Bucharest, Romania
For the last 29 years, the European Union has been investing in European Territorial cooperation through Interreg, a financing instrument for regional development across borders, which despite its limited financial allocation proved a real added value to the European Union. Territorial cooperation is central to the construction of a common European space and it is a cornerstone of the European integration process.
During the 2014-2020 programming period, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration is responsible, as Managing Authority or National Authority, for 12 Interreg Programmes, which are being implemented both at internal and external borders of the European Union.
Romania is delighted to welcome the Interreg community in Bucharest. The two days ahead are filled with exciting discussions on both the present, and also the future, as the legal framework negotiations on the cohesion policy are making good progress, a goal we have committed to when taking on the rotating Presidency of the European Union Council.
Thursday 23 - Friday 24 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate
Energy Infrastructure Forum 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
The annual Energy Infrastructure Forum is organised by the European Commission and takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Representatives of the EU institutions, transmission system operators, project promoters, regulators, energy companies, NGOs and civil society, and the financing community meet to discuss the challenges of developing Europe's energy infrastructure and building an internal energy market.
Thursday 23 - Friday 24 May
Presidency of the Council of the EU, Events/Conf/Fairs, Employment and social rights
Mutual information system on social protection
Bucharest, Romania
This meeting will bring together experts in the field of social protection and social inclusion.
The Mutual information system on social protection (MISSOC) is an important source of updated, comparable, online information on social protection systems in European countries.
The main focus of the Romanian Presidency in the field of employment and social policy is 'Mobility of labor as a key element in balancing the labor market'. In this context, the meeting will discuss themes like geographic mobility, undeclared work, and identifying/removing technical, legal, and bureaucratic obstacles hindering or discouraging the return of mobile workers to their country of origin.
Thursday 23 - Friday 24 May
European Committee of the Regions, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate
Conference on biodiversity and ecosystem services: a common agenda to 2020 and beyond
Brussels
The European Commission, in cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), is organising this conference with the objective to look back at what has been achieved by the EU, to draw on lessons learned, and to reflect on the main challenges for the future. The conference provides the starting point for the public consultation of the final evaluation of the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020.
The EU high-level conference will bring together EU policymakers and stakeholders, to take stock of achievements in the field of nature and biodiversity during this Commission, as well as to reflect on the state of biodiversity and nature's contributions to people in the EU and globally, and challenges for the future. It will also mark the 40th anniversary of the EU birds directive.
The public consultation will be an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to the evaluation of the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020. Stakeholders and decision-makers within, as well as beyond, the environment and conservation community will discuss and reflect on achievements, factors of success, as well as barriers to implementation and progress towards the targets.