EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 19-24 April 2021
This week, foreign affairs ministers discuss Myanmar, Ethiopia and Ukraine; the Commission holds conferences on European financial supervision and connected and automated driving; MEPs and the Council Presidency try to find agreement on the EU's climate law; and MEPs in committee vote on EU-Turkey relations. 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 19-24 April 2021.
Monday 19 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee & political group meetings
European Parliament, Brussels
A digital platform for the Conference on the Future of Europe: the Co-Chairs of the Executive Board of the Conference (Parliament's Guy Verhofstadt, the Council Presidency's Ana Paula Zacarias, and Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica) will unveil the new multilingual tool that will allow citizens from across Europe to contribute to the Conference directly, at a press conference in the European Commission (13:00).
Plenary preparations: political groups will prepare the 26 - 29 April plenary session, where MEPs will debate and vote on launching negotiations with member states on the Digital Green Certificate, on rail passenger rights, on a new law preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online, on the discharge of the 2019 budgets and on a mandatory transparency register. MEPs will also respond to the outcomes of the 25-26 March EU summit. They will discuss and vote on a wide range of EU programmes, such as the Horizon Europe research programme, which among other issues will help the EU's health systems prepare for future pandemics and to decarbonise industry.
Monday 19 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Economy and the euro - Research and innovation
Debt relief and restructuring in the COVID debt pandemic
Online
The Centre for European Studies (CefES) and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) are co-hosting this webinar during which two renowned professors will present their papers:
- 'Legal air cover' by Ugo Panizza
- 'Borrowing costs after debt relief' by Andrea Presbitero
Monday 19 April
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Enlargement, external relations and trade
International conference on the Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy
Lisbon, Portugal
This EU Presidency event aims to provide a follow-up to the results of the annual review conference and discuss in greater depth the pressing issues of the Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), in particular:
- the detailing of experts for Civilian CSDP missions
- intensified coordination between the areas of justice and home affairs and the CSDP
- the strengthening of civil and military synergies.
An additional aim is to integrate the civilian dimension of the CSDP into the Strategic Compass process that is underway.
Monday 19 - Tuesday 20 April
European Medicines Agency - Other bodies and agencies | Events/Conf/Fairs | Consumer affairs and public health - Research and innovation
Workshop on artificial intelligence in medicines regulation
Online
Artificial intelligence (AI) and novel digital technologies hold the promise of increasing efficiency and capacity in healthcare and of providing deeper insights from big data.
The objective of this workshop is to:
- inform on the state-of-the art use of AI in medicines with keynote presentations
- hear the views of stakeholders and experts on the AI actions in the big data task force and identify any gaps.
Tuesday 20 April
Council of the EU and European Council | Political Meetings | Enlargement, external relations and trade
Informal video conference of foreign affairs ministers
Video conference
EU ministers of foreign affairs will be briefed by the High Representative Josep Borrell on current affairs, reviewing a number of recent developments and upcoming events. These are expected to include the latest developments in Georgia, India, Myanmar, Mozambique, and in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiations.
The Council will then exchange views on Ethiopia and Ukraine.
Ministers will also hold an informal exchange with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
Tuesday 20 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
European Parliament, Brussels
EU Climate Law: MEPs and the Council Presidency will attempt to find an agreement on the EU's climate law, which as part of the European Green Deal would make it a legal requirement for the EU to become climate-neutral by 2050. Parliament has played an important role in pushing for a more ambitious EU climate framework, as well as declaring a climate emergency in 2019 (afternoon).
9th Euronest Assembly: the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, comprised of 60 MEPs and 10 members from each of the parliaments of the Eastern European Partners (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) will meet remotely. Parliament President David Sassoli will open the meeting. Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi (recorded message) and Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya are among the speakers.
Tuesday 20 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Research and innovation - Transport and travel
3rd European conference on connected and automated driving (EUCAD 2021)
Brussels
The European Commission, together with the ARCADE project, is organising the 3rd European Conference on connected and automated driving (EUCAD 2021).
EUCAD 2021 will be a high-level, evidence-based conference where policy challenges meet innovative solutions to deliver on societal benefits. This unique event in Europe will bring together political leaders from the European Commission and EU countries with high-level representatives of industry, knowledge institutes and road authorities to exchange knowledge and experience on the most recent technological developments and policies in the area of cooperative, connected and automated mobility (CCAM).
Tuesday 20 April
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Justice and citizens' rights
The 3rd wave of the revolutions and the fight never definitely won for freedom and democracy
Online
This conference is part of a cycle of conferences organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU, called 'Europe after the pandemic: How to overcome the crisis, deepen the European project, rebuild the transatlantic link, and restore cohesion after the pandemic?'.
On this 5th conference, the panel discusses the lessons learned from the April and the Velvet revolutions and how they could inspire future transformations.
Tuesday 20 April
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Research and innovation - Security and defence
The impact of disruptive technologies on defence
Lisbon, Portugal
This EU Presidency conference will convene high-level representatives from defence Ministries, defence research centres, industry, and European institutions. Its main objective is to promote an insightful discussion on the need for the EU to further develop innovative and disruptive technologies to enhance its defence capabilities, with 3 dedicated sessions:
- Disruptive technologies and the expected impact for defence - to set the scene on the EU's intent to deal with emerging disruptive technologies and their expected impact on capability development.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) - AI is one of the technology trends most frequently discussed these days and considered to be essential when developing defence-related research and innovation. Defence is lagging behind in civil applications, and this gap in the military capability must be seriously taken into account.
- Autonomous systems (AS) - The impact of AS is considered to be so extensive that any area of defence missing out on this technological area will also miss out on the technological evolutions of the future.
Tuesday 20 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Transport and travel
EU road safety - Results conference
Online
The EU road safety results conference is an opportunity to engage with EU countries' authorities and all stakeholders on the progress being made with implementing the 'safe system' approach. In particular, it will allow participants to learn how work towards the key performance indicators set out in the 'Next steps towards vision zero' policy framework is moving forward. It will also offer a forum for analysis and exchange between senior EU policymakers and the wider European road safety community.
Tuesday 20 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Business, taxation and competition - Economy and the euro
Taking stock of European financial supervision: Supervisory convergence and the single rulebook
Online
The Commission has launched a consultation that is open for 10 weeks from 12 March to 21 May 2021. With this consultation, the Commission is seeking views on the functioning of the European supervisory authorities (ESAs), on certain aspects related to the 2019 ESAs review and more widely on supervisory convergence and the single rulebook.
This conference will be an opportunity to discuss the impact of the recent changes in the ESAs regulations and the remaining challenges in order to foster more supervisory convergence and enhance the single rulebook.
Commissioner McGuinness will open the event with a keynote speech, followed by a discussion between 5 panelists from EU institutions, finance ministries, national supervisors and a think tank. They will each bring their different experiences and points of view, which should lead to a lively and animated debate.
Tuesday 20 April
Council of the EU and European Council | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
Informal video conference of European affairs ministers
Online
EU-UK relations
European affairs ministers will assess the state of play of EU-UK relations, in light of the most recent events.
Conference on the Future of Europe
The presidency will update delegations about the preparations for the launch of the Conference and the decisions taken by the Conference's Executive Board at its first two meetings.
A digital platform will be launched on 19 April, via which citizens will be able to share their views on any topic they consider important for the future of the EU.
Annual rule of law dialogue country-specific discussion
Ministers will be invited to participate in an open exchange of comments and best practices covering specific rule-of-law developments in five member states (Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain and France).
This will be European affairs ministers' second such discussion, following the one held in November of last year, which covered developments in a first set of five member states (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark and Estonia).
The sequence of countries discussed follows protocol order, excluding, where applicable, the country holding the rotating Council presidency.
In October of last year, ministers also had a horizontal discussion on general rule-of-law developments across member states, around four pillars: justice systems, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism, and other institutional issues linked to checks and balances.
COVID-19 EU coordination
Following the video conference of the members of the European Council on 25 March, ministers will take stock of EU-level coordination of the collective response to COVID-19.
Enlargement and stabilisation and association process
The presidency will briefly present the state of play and set out its ambitions in this area for the coming months.
Wednesday 21 April
Other bodies and agencies - Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Culture, education and youth - Research and innovation
EIT Culture & Creativity webinar on new innovation opportunities
Online
The Culture and creativity section of the European institute of innovation and technology (EIT Culture & Creativity) is organising a webinar on new innovation opportunities on 21 April 2021.
This will be an occasion to:
- learn about EIT's upcoming call for proposals to boost innovation in the cultural and creative sectors and industries
- discover how organisations from business, higher education and research can be involved.
This event is organised under the auspices of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Thursday 22 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
European Parliament, Brussels
Pandemic response and Health Union: Members of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee will hold debates on the EU Health Union package and on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The former will be with Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and the latter, focusing on the global dimension of the pandemic response, with representatives of the World Health Organization (9.00 and 14.45).
Turkey: the Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on Turkey and its relations with the EU. Among the issues that should be addressed in the text are the agreement on migration, the occupation of Cyprus, illegal drilling and exploring in the Eastern Mediterranean, breaches to the rule of law, and military and political involvement in Libya, Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh (vote on Thursday and results on Friday morning).
Artificial Intelligence: the day after the new proposal on an EU law on the use of Artificial Intelligence and how to ensure that EU values and rights are respected is released, the Legal Affairs Committee will hold a first debate on the proposal with Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton (17.45).
Thursday 22 April
Other bodies and agencies | Events/Conf/Fairs | Business, taxation and competition - Justice and citizens' rights - Security and defence
CEPOL webinar on corporate economic crime
Online
The overall objective of this webinar is to raise attention on fraudulent schemes committed by directors, employees, agents or subsidiaries of companies/corporate bodies.
The webinar will demonstrate contemporary corporate crime patterns in the EU furthermore Irish police experts from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement will share their experience on effective enforcement practices. Ireland is hosting the European or global headquarters of several multinational corporations including US tech giants therefore the Irish experience is particularly relevant in this field.
Law enforcement officers specialised on economic crime, financial crime, financial intelligence, tax and other fraud schemes, as well as officials working for police, customs, judiciary and tax administrations are all welcome to join.
Thursday 22 April
Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Enlargement, external relations and trade - Security and defence
International conference on maritime security
Lisbon, Portugal
The international conference on maritime security will include 3 panels:
- international cooperation on maritime security
- the Atlantic as a case study in maritime security
- maritime security within the framework of the Strategic Compass.
This event is taking place under the auspices of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Thursday 22 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Economy and the euro - Energy, environment and climate - Research and innovation
Brainstorming seminar on circular economy: launch of bounCE4ward
Online
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is organising an online brainstorming seminar for a new project: bounCE4ward.
The COVID-19 crisis exposed the EU's vulnerability to sudden shocks in the global supply chain. This new initiative aims to investigate to what extent circular economy could provide resilience and strategic autonomy for priority supply chains, how circular the EU economy currently is for various sectors, and what actions are most urgently needed.
This webinar is particularly addressed to experts with a proven track record in circular economy at European or global level, senior researchers with a strong academic and industrial background in the field, as well as international policymakers and industrial players. It focuses on bringing in new ideas that can help shape this project, which will run for a period of 3 years, with a core team of 4 researchers.
Thursday 22 April
European Commission | Events/Conf/Fairs | Energy, environment and climate - Transport and travel
Clean aviation for a competitive green recovery in Europe: Innovative ideas take flight
Online
More than ever, clean and sustainable aviation, which is facing significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is recognised as a vital element for Europe's success in a highly competitive world.
During this digital event, participants will get a chance to learn more about Clean Sky's innovative results, hear from sector leaders working towards a competitive and green recovery for aviation, and be part of the discussion on the proposed future European partnership for clean aviation.
Speakers will include, amongst others, Adina Valean, Commissioner for transport and Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth.
Friday 23 April
Other bodies and agencies - Presidency of the Council of the EU | Events/Conf/Fairs | Business - Energy, environment and climate - International aid, development and cooperation
High-level EU-Africa green investment forum
Online
This high-level forum will bring leading government and business figures, international and development financial institutions, and academia together, and get the perspectives of both the public and private sectors on sustainable development and green investment in Africa. We will share experiences, innovative approaches and opportunities to mobilise private and public capital towards the Green Transition in Africa, as well as showcasing how green and sustainable business models are profitable, create jobs and generate wealth while contributing to achieving the world's climate objectives.
Topics covered will include:
- the role of the EU and its Member States in curbing climate change across the world, with a focus on Africa
- how international financial institutions are responding to this challenge through targeted, innovative instruments and enhanced outreach
- how private sector models are changing to become greener and more sustainable.
This is a joint event of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European Investment Bank (EIB).