EU Agenda: Week Ahead - 15-19 April 2019
This week, agriculture ministers debate the future of the CAP, deforestation and renewable energy; MEPs vote on the 'InvestEU' programme, terrorist content online, safer roads, new forms of work, consumer protection and the European Border and Coast Guard; and it's Easter. 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 15-19 April 2019.
Monday 15 April
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament plenary session
Strasbourg, France
Monday 15 - Tuesday 16 April
Council of the EU and European Council, Political Meetings, Food, farming and fisheries
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Luxembourg
Future of the CAP post 2020
The Council will discuss the post 2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform package.
Ministers will exchange views on the green architecture:
- a regulation on the CAP strategic plans
EU-Africa
The Council will exchange views on the final report of the Task Force Rural Africa. The task force was set up in April 2018 to provide recommendations on how to strengthen the African rural sector and how to enhance the role of the EU in creating jobs and fostering economic development.
Any other business
Ministers will be informed about the following items:
- deforestation and forest degradation
- renewable energy directive post 2020
- research and agriculture
Tuesday 16 - Wednesday 17 April
European Economic and Social Committee, Events/Conf/Fairs, Employment and social rights, Enlargement, external relations and trade
7th Western Balkans civil society forum
Tirana, Albania
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organises the 7th Western Balkans civil society forum.
The main topics on the agenda will be the role of civil society organisations in promoting regional cooperation (trade and investment, connectivity, and people-to-people relations), the state of social dialogue, as well as enabling civic space in the Western Balkans.
It will bring together approximately 100 participants, including a broad range of civil society representatives from the EU and the Western Balkans, as well as representatives of EU institutions, international organisations, and governments of the region.
EESC President Luca Jahier, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, and Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, have been invited to take part in this major event.
Tuesday 16 April
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament plenary session
Strasbourg, France
Safer roads: MEPs will vote on a new law making safety features such as intelligent speed assistance, an advanced emergency-braking system, driver distraction warnings or emergency lane-keeping compulsory in new vehicles as from May 2022. A press conference is scheduled for 16.00.
Protecting whistle-blowers: rules laying down new, EU-wide standards to better protect whistle-blowers by creating safe channels for reporting on breaches of EU law and by establishing safeguards against retaliation will be put to the vote on Tuesday, followed by a press conference at 15.00.
New forms of work: MEPs are set to endorse minimum rights for workers with on-demand, voucher-based or platform jobs, such as Uber or Deliveroo, in a vote on Tuesday.
Greta Thunberg/Climate change: MEPs will discuss ways to fight climate change with activist Greta Thunberg in a meeting of the Environment Committee open to all members.
Tuesday 16 April
Presidency of the Council of the EU, Events/Conf/Fairs, Enlargement, external relations and trade
International conference on the 2030 Agenda: Partnerships for sustainable development
Bucharest, Romania
Coordinators of the implementation process of the 2030 Agenda, will meet to discuss partnerships for sustainable development. Participants from the EU, EU countries, Eastern Partnership countries, Western Balkans countries, and Central Asia countries, as well as civil society representatives, will take part in this conference.
Wednesday 17 April
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament plenary session
Strasbourg, France
European Border and Coast Guard: Parliament will vote on new measures to strengthen the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, including a 10 000-strong standing corps that will support EU countries on the ground in border control. A press conference is scheduled for 16.30 ahead of the vote.
Consumer protection: Parliament will vote on updates to EU consumer protection rules, to tackle misleading rankings in online marketplaces and dual quality of products.
Terrorist content online: Internet companies will get one hour to remove terrorist content online after receiving an order, but they will not have to filter all the content they upload, according to draft rules to be put to the vote on Wednesday.
Brexit: MEPs will discuss the flexible extension until 31 October 2019 of the UK's EU membership with Council and Commission on Wednesday.
Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Karinš /Future of Europe: Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Karinš will debate with MEPs his vision of the future of the EU to ensure it delivers on citizens' expectations. A press conference by EP President Tajani and Prime Minister Karinš is scheduled for 12.30. (Wednesday)
Thursday 18 April
European Parliament, Political Meetings, Institutional affairs
European Parliament plenary session
Strasbourg, France
'InvestEU' programme: MEPs are set to approve a provisional and partial deal with EU ministers on the 'InvestEU' initiative aiming to generate almost €700 billion in investments in order to boost jobs and growth.