EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 21-26 May 2018
This week, the foreign affairs Council discusses EU-US relations, education ministers are to adopt conclusions on a European education area and ecofin should approve measures to boost administrative cooperation in the area of VAT; the Commission presents the 2019 EU budget to MEPs; Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg appears at the European Parliament; and it's EU Green Week. 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 21 to 26 May 2018.
Monday 21 - Friday 25 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate, EU regional and urban development
EU Green Week 2018: Green cities for a greener future
Brussels
The next edition of EU Green Week will explore ways in which the EU is helping cities to become better places to live and work. Showcasing policy developments on air quality, noise, waste and water management, it will promote participatory approaches to urban development, networking schemes, and tools for sharing best practices, engaging local authorities and citizens, and encouraging them to share their vision of a sustainable future.
EU Green Week 2018 will include events across Europe, a high level conference in Brussels from 22-24 May 2018, and opening and closing events (21 and 25 May) to take place in the Member States. These high-level opening and closing events will have a particular prominence, setting the tone for the week's debates, and showcasing political conclusions at the end.
Monday 21 - Saturday 26 May
European Commission, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Consumer affairs and public health
71st World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland
The European Commission participates in the annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the supreme decision-making body for the World Health Organization (WHO).
This year's edition covers the following health topics:
- sexual and reproductive health
- interpersonal violence
- early childhood development
- maternal, infant and young child nutrition
- poliomyelitis and the Global Vaccine Action Plan
Monday 21 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, EU regional and urban development
Urban Development Network conference
Bacau, Romania
The conference will bring together Mayors from Romanian cities and other European cities, the European Commission, the managing authority for regional operational programmes (ROP), the Romanian Ministry of regional development and public administration and the Ministry of EU funds, as well as other stakeholders.
Corina Cre?u, European Commissioner for regional policy, will participate in this event.
Monday 21 May
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament Committee and Political Group Meetings
Brussels
Plenary preparations: political groups will prepare for the May Strasbourg plenary debates and votes, inter alia on protection against dumped and subsidised imports from non-EU countries, the reintegration of workers recovering from injury and illness, the functioning of the Schengen area and the impact of delocalisation on workers and regions. MEPs will also continue their discussions with EU heads of state or government on the future of Europe, this time with Luxembourg Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel. Finally, Guinea's President Alpha Condé and Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón will address the plenary.
Tuesday 22 - Wednesday 23 May
Council of the EU and European Council, European Council, Political Meetings, Culture, education and youth
Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council
Brussels
Education: 22 May
Ministers will hold a policy debate on the potential of universities for regional growth and promoting entrepreneurial and innovative skills.
Education ministers are due to adopt conclusions on moving towards a vision of a European education area.
Minister will also adopt recommendations on:
- lifelong learning
- promoting common values, inclusive education and the European dimension of teaching
Youth: 22 May
After a working lunch on "Restructuring of structured dialogue" the Council will have the opportunity to discuss the future priorities for EU youth policy.
It will also adopt conclusions on the role of young people in:
- building a secure, cohesive and harmonious society
- addressing demographic challenges within the EU
Culture: 23 May
The Council will have a policy debate on a long-term vision for the contribution of culture to the EU after 2020.
Ministers are also due to adopt conclusions on the need of bringing cultural heritage to the fore across policies in the EU.
Sport: 23 May
The working lunch will focus on sport, with ministers debating the topic "The future of club and national team competition" in the presence of EUFA president Mr Ceferin.
The Council will adopt conclusions on promoting the common values of the EU through sport, and hold a policy debate on the commercialisation of elite sports and the sustainability of the European model of sport.
Tuesday 22 May
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament Committee Meetings
Brussels
Parliament's Conference of Presidents (President and political group leaders) will meet Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg at 17.45 to discuss the use of personal data of millions of Facebook EU users. After the meeting, EP President Antonio Tajani will brief media on the discussions. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enters into force on Friday 25 May.
Tuesday 22 - Thursday 24 May
European Commission, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate
9th clean energy ministerial meeting and 3rd mission innovation ministerial meeting
Oeserund region, Denmark
Two high-level energy ministerial meetings, the 9th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM9) and the 3rd Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-3), will be co-hosted by Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the European Commission and the Nordic Council of Ministers in the cities of Copenhagen and Malmö respectively.
CEM9 brings together 24 countries as well as the EU and focuses on the promotion of policies and programmes that advance clean energy technologies, share lessons learned and best practices, and encourage the transition to a global clean energy economy.
MI-3 is a global initiative, with 22 participating countries in addition to the European Commission (on behalf of the EU), focused on accelerating clean energy innovation and boosting public research and development spending in the field of clean energy.
The meetings will take place during Nordic Clean Energy Week, which offers a platform for representatives of international organisations, the energy industry, and NGOs to discuss the future of sustainable energy.
Tuesday 22 May
Council of the EU and European Council, European Council, Political Meetings, Enlargement, external relations and trade, International aid, development and cooperation
Foreign Affairs Council (Development)
Brussels
EU trust fund for Africa
The Council will hold an exchange of views on the EU emergency trust fund for Africa (EUTF).
The fund helps address current crises in three geographic areas - the Sahel and Lake Chad, the Horn of Africa and North of Africa. It is financed by both the EU and individual member states. EUTF's resources had reached €3.3 billion at the end of 2017.
Post-Cotonou framework
Development ministers will also take stock of the process leading up to a Council decision authorising negotiations on the future partnership between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
The existing agreement, known as the Cotonou framework, is due to expire in 2020.
External financing instruments
Ministers will touch upon the foreign aid budget for the 2021-2027 period, on the basis of the European Commission proposals for the future multiannual financial framework (MFF) presented on 2 May.
Gender and development
Over lunch, ministers will exchange views on how to increase the outreach of initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and women's and girls' rights in the framework of development cooperation with third countries.
The Council will be chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.
Tuesday 22 May
Council of the EU and European Council, European Council, Political Meetings, Enlargement, external relations and trade, International aid, development and cooperation
Foreign Affairs Council (Trade)
Brussels
Australia and New Zealand
The Council is expected to adopt a decision recommending the opening of negotiations on free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, as well as the respective negotiating mandates for the European Commission.
Trade agreements with both countries would primarily aim at further reducing existing barriers to trade, removing custom duties on goods and giving better access for services and public procurement in Australia and New Zealand.
New architecture of trade agreements
Ministers are also due to adopt conclusions on the new architecture and methodology for the negotiation of EU trade agreements.
The conclusions tackle in particular the issue of splitting trade provisions related to investment and other areas into separate agreements.
Multilateral trading system
The Council will discuss the current challenges facing the multilateral trading system, taking stock of the outcome of the 11th WTO ministerial conference organised in Buenos Aires in December 2017.
Japan and Singapore
Trade ministers will hold an exchange of views on the trade agreements with Japan and Singapore.
The European Commission presented the outcome of negotiations for the two trade agreements in April 2018, in view of their signature and conclusion.
EU-US relations
Over lunch, ministers will also discuss recent developments in EU-US trade relations.
This is in light of the imminent expiry - on 1 June - of the exemptions granted to the EU by the US administration regarding the new tariffs it seeks to impose on steel and aluminium.
Wednesday 23 May
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament Committee Meetings
Brussels
2019 European elections - One Year To Go: a special press event with EP President Antonio Tajani will take place on Wednesday at 10:30. Mr Tajani will mark the start of the 365-day countdown to the next European elections, taking place 23-26 May 2019, and comment on the latest Eurobarometer opinion polls to be released the same day.
Eurobarometer 2018: the results of a Eurobarometer public opinion survey, measuring citizens' support for the European Union and particularly the European Parliament, will be disclosed on Wednesday. The poll also covers, inter alia, electoral campaign topics, and views on voting and new and emerging political parties.
2019 EU budget: Budgets Commissioner Günther Oettinger will present the draft annual EU budget for 2019 to the Budgets Committee. MEPs' priorities,set out in March, are growth, innovation, competitiveness, security, fighting climate change, the transition to renewable energy and migration.
Wednesday 23 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Enlargement, external relations and trade, Research and innovation
Smart specialisation in EU and Latin America
Barcelona, Spain
This Joint Research Centre (JRC) session, included in the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress 2018, will present research work emerging from the implementation of smart specialisation in the EU, its adaptation in Latin America as well as opportunities for cooperation and challenges in both sides.
Thursday 24 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, EU regional and urban development
Conference on good governance for cohesion policy
Brussels
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) is organising this conference. Its aim is to bring together top decision-makers and experts from Member States and EU institutions to debate and reflect upon achievements and future challenges of boosting administrative capacity in the field of management and investment of European Structural and Investment Funds, as well as to identify ways and tools for further strengthening the link between quality of institutions and sound and effective investments for the future cohesion policy beyond 2020.
The conference will be opened by Corina Cretu, Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria. The agenda will also include a keynote speech from the Deputy Secretary-General of OECD Mari Kiviniemi and the participation of many other high-level representatives of institutions from EU, national and regional level.
Thursday 24 May
Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate
2018 Energy Infrastructure Forum
Copenhagen, Denmark
The Energy Infrastructure Forum is a platform for exchange of views between policymakers and stakeholders. An open environment allows the Commission to hear stakeholders' concerns about practical challenges that result from ambitious EU policy goals and to learn from their expertise. It is aimed at facilitating stakeholders' participation in the policy-shaping process and making sure that legislation is goal-oriented, operational and comprehensive.
Thursday 24 May
European Aviation Safety Agency, Other bodies and agencies, Events/Conf/Fairs, Employment and social rights, Transport and travel
Workshop on flight time limitations and fatigue risk management for commercial air transport operators
Cologne, Germany
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is organising a workshop on Flight Time Limitations (FTL) and Fatigue Risk Management (FRM). The workshop will be dedicated to FTL and rest requirements for commercial air transport (CAT) operations with aeroplanes under Regulation 965/2012, and the associated acceptable means of compliance and guidance material.
The aim is to hold an interactive workshop attended by representatives from aeroplane operators and National Aviation Authorities (NAAs). The workshop will give the opportunity to exchange views with industry and NAA representatives across Europe on topics that have been raised by industry and authorities requiring clarification or in need of a common understanding of the principles applied to FTL/FRM. The aim is also to have industry and NAAs presenting practical examples of FTL implementation. This will be an opportunity to raise any questions regarding the European FTL rule, while sharing best practices.
Thursday 24 May
Council of the EU and European Council, European Council, Political Meetings, Economy and the euro
Eurogroup
Brussels
Thursday 24 May
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament Committee Meetings
Brussels
Road charging in the EU: updated EU-wide principles for road charging, aiming to boost cleaner road transport and ensure fair treatment of road users, will be up for a vote in the Transport Committee. They include a proposal to progressively introduce only distance-based tolls, instead of time-based ones. These rules will apply when an EU country already has, or decides to introduce, charges for road transport.
Thursday 24 May
European Commission, Events/Conf/Fairs, Energy, environment and climate, EU regional and urban development, Transport and travel
3rd Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region (EUSAIR)
Catania, Italy
The 3rd Forum of the EU macro-regional Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region (EUSAIR) will take place in Catania on 24-25 May 2018, under the slogan 'Our region, our future'.
The forum is organised by Italy in close cooperation with the European Commission and with the support of the EUSAIR Facility Point. This annual event will allow stakeholders to take stock of EUSAIR progress and achievements, and share concrete ideas on the future prospects of the strategy.
The special focus of this year' forum will be on connectivity, covering the transport and energy networks in the Adriatic and Ionian region. Funding mechanisms for the EUSAIR projects will also feature prominently in the programme.
Friday 25 May
Council of the EU and European Council, European Council, Political Meetings, Economy and the euro
Economic and Financial Affairs Council
Brussels
Ministers will be called on to agree measures aimed at reducing risk in the banking industry, strengthening rules on capital requirements and on the recovery and resolution of banks in difficulty.
They will also assess 'in-depth reviews' of macroeconomic imbalances, and discuss projections for age-related expenditure in the member states.
The Council is expected to approve measures to boost administrative cooperation in the area of VAT. It may be called on to agree on two other VAT proposals: reduced rates for e-publications and an optional reversal of liability to prevent fraud.
Ministers are expected to make adjustments to the EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions in taxation matters, and to approve a standard provision on taxation to be included in agreements with third countries.
The Council is also expected to adopt directives making permanent the minimum standard rate of VAT currently in force, and boosting transparency as regards tax intermediaries.