EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 15-20 April 2024
This week, EU leaders meet for a Special European Council; the Commission holds the eInvoicing webinar; we have the World Circular Economy Forum 2024, the European Crime Prevention Conference, the Transport Research Arena 2024, the Just Transition Platform Conference and the European Consumer Summit 2024; and the Parliament publishes its last Eurobarometer survey before the 6-9 June elections, and holds the 2024 LUX European Audience Film Award ceremony. The week's events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings from 15 to 20 April 2024.
Monday 15 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
Committee and political groups' meetings
Brussels
Plenary preparations: political groups will prepare for the 22-25 April plenary, the last session of this legislature. MEPs will hold debates and final votes on, among other things, the right to repair, prohibiting products made with force labour, fighting violence against women, new "ecodesign" rules, combating trafficking in human beings and protecting victims, a new EU Ethics Body, economic governance, establishing the European Disability Card, and on anti-money laundering. They will hold final votes on packaging and packaging waste, working conditions for platform workers, due diligence rules for companies, ambient air quality and clean air for Europe, plants obtained with new genomic techniques, the European Health Data Space and on the Net Zero Industry Act. MEPs will also debate the 20th anniversary of the largest ever round of EU enlargement in 2004 with Council and Commission.
Monday 15 April
Other bodies and agencies | Campaign launches | Artificial intelligence
Successful and timely uptake of Artificial Intelligence in science in the EU. Release of the SAM advice.
Online only
With the characteristics of a general-purpose technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most disruptive sets of technologies at the service of research and innovation. It acts as a catalyst for scientific breakthroughs and is rapidly becoming a key instrument in the scientific process in all research areas.
On April 15, the EU Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) will release its advice on how the European Commission can accelerate the responsible take-up of AI in science in the EU. The release of the evidence review report and policy recommendations will be marked by a ceremony in the presence of EVP Vestager and Commissioner Ivanova.
Monday 15 - Tuesday 16 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Social
Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights
Brussels
This two-day conference will serve as the overarching culmination of the work of the Belgian Presidency within the EPSCO Council configuration and has as its highlight the signing of an interinstitutional declaration on the future social agenda of the European Union.
Monday 15 - Tuesday 16 April
Council of the EU | Conferences and summits | Energy
Informal meeting of energy ministers, 15-16 April 2024
Brussels
The event will bring together ministers from the 27 member states of the European Union, ministers from relevant third countries, as well as senior officials and personalities from the national and international political and academic sectors.
During the informal meeting, ministers will be invited to discuss one of the priorities of the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union: advancing sustainable energy infrastructure, and the challenges we currently face.
The informal meeting will include three plenary sessions, with a central focus on a coordinated grid planning, financing and de-risking infrastructure investments, and the scale-up and speed-up of energy infrastructure.
Monday 15 - Thursday 18 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Environment
World Circular Economy Forum 2024
Brussels
The world's leading event for circular economy thinkers, doers and leaders hits Brussels in April 2024, showcasing the most impactful circular solutions from around the world. The SQUARE is already fully booked with in-person participants, but online participation is open to everyone, free of charge.
Monday 15 - Thursday 18 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Transport policy
Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2024
Dublin, Ireland
The Transport Research Arena (TRA) is the largest Transport Research and Innovation Conference in Europe and around 4.000 participants are expected in Dublin for TRA2024, based on the high attendance at previous conferences (close to 3.000 participants attended the conference organised in Lisbon, Portugal in November 2022). TRA is organised every two years.
TRA gathers stakeholders from all transport networks (road, rail, waterborne and aviation), bringing notably research and industry communities closer to each other and providing a forum where they can exchange views and ideas with the policy makers on the challenges and opportunities the industry faces.
Tuesday 16 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
Committee and political groups' meetings
Brussels
2024 LUX European Audience Film Award: the LUX European Audience Film Award ceremony will take place in Parliament's hemicycle in Brussels. There will be a press conference with the winner immediately afterwards. Parliament and the European Film Academy award the LUX prize to help the distribution of European films with significant artistic merit that reflect cultural diversity in Europe and beyond.
Tuesday 16 - Wednesday 17 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Energy transition
Just Transition Platform Conference
Brussels and online
This event will provide a forum for sharing views and experiences on the just transition process to stakeholders from national, local and regional authorities as well as economic and social partners, the wider society and representatives from the European Commission; among them Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, and the Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Themis Christophidou.
Wednesday 17 April
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
Committee and political groups' meetings
Brussels
European elections/Spring Eurobarometer survey: Parliament will publish its last Eurobarometer survey before the 6-9 June elections, covering, among other issues, citizens' interest in and awareness of the elections as well as their likelihood to vote. The survey will also report on the image citizens have of the EU and Parliament, their priorities for the electoral campaign, and the core values they want to defend (Wednesday at 7.00).
Wednesday 17 - Thursday 18 April
European Council | Conferences and summits
Special European Council
Brussels
On the dedicated European Council page you will soon find all the information related to this meeting:
- agenda highlights (a week before the meeting date)
- main results (after the meeting)
- press material
- photos, videos and live streaming
- related documentation
Wednesday 17 April
Commission | Conferences and summits | E-invoicing
eInvoicing webinar: Exploring the future of eInvoicing
Online only
Hosted by the European Commission, the webinar aims to engage the entire eInvoicing community in a conversation about the future of eInvoicing. The webinar will be the place to discuss the recently published eInvoicing Directive Report by the European Commission and gather feedback about the future of eInvoicing.
Wednesday 17 - Thursday 18 April
Commission | Conferences and summits | Crime
European Crime Prevention Conference
Tallinn, Estonia
The European Crime Prevention Conference is a biennial conference organised by the Secretariat of the EUCPN and funded by the European Commission. The Conference offers a forum to share knowledge and experiences regarding crime prevention across the European Union. It welcomes policymakers, practitioners and academics, but maintains a consistent focus on the frontline.
Wednesday 17 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Fiscal policy | Legislation
The Head Office Taxation proposal: Helping SMEs to grow across borders
Online only
On 12 September 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Head Office Taxation System which would allow SMEs operating cross-border through permanent establishments the option to interact with only one tax administration – that of its Head Office.
Compliance with business taxation rules can be complex. If SMEs wish to operate cross-border, they become taxable in more than one Member State as soon as their activity abroad creates a permanent establishment, which requires compliance with different tax systems and rules.
If agreed by Member States, the Commission's proposal will increase tax certainty and reduce compliance costs, which will help to foster investment and cross-border expansion in the EU.
The first webinar will be on 17 April 2024 and will cover a deep-dive into the proposal, comprising a presentation of the new proposal and a Q&A session where questions of the audience will be answered. A recording of the webinar in all EU languages will be made available shortly after the event.
Thursday 18 April
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Consumer policy | Consumer protection
European Consumer Summit 2024: Shaping the future together
Brussels
The European Consumer Summit will bring together stakeholders from all EU Member States, including policymakers, national consumer enforcement authorities, academia, and representatives of civil society, such as consumer, business and youth organisations, at both EU and national level. The aim is, based on the achievements and lessons learned from the current Consumer Agenda, to discuss and provide input to Shaping the Future Consumer Policy Priorities and Actions.
Thursday 18 - Friday 19 April
Council of the EU | Informal meetings | Consumer protection
Informal meeting of consumer protection ministers
Brussels
European consumer protection ministers will meet to exchange views on the various challenges currently facing consumer policy. For this purpose, a specific programme has been designed, encompassing various topics, including:
- Introduction to the Belgian System for Providing Information on Used Vehicle Purchases
- Sustainable e-commerce
- The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Accessibility of Financial Services
- Influencer Marketing
- The effectiveness of European Consumer Protection Enforcement