Summary

Following the Council’s vote on Friday, September 30, to ratify the Paris Agreement through a fast-track mechanism, Parliament will vote on the ratification on Tuesday, October 4. The EU has taken longer than the United States and China to ratify the agreement, and faced pressure to hit an October 7 deadline set by the Slovakian presidency. The Paris Agreement is popular in the Parliament, and it is unlikely to be opposed. While various Member States including Slovakia and France have already ratified the deal at national level, they have not offered formal notification to the UN, preferring to allow the EU to ratify as a bloc.

Parliament will prepare for the upcoming European Council summit of EU heads of state scheduled for October 20-21, on Wednesday, October 5. MEPs will discuss trade negotiations, migration policy and future EU-Russia relations with representatives from the Council and Commission.

New EU rules to prevent trade in goods and services that may contribute to torture or execution in third countries will be debated and put to a vote on Tuesday, October 4. Parliament has focused on inserting an additional ban on the marketing and transit of such goods. 

Following several media reports concerning the business ties of past and present Commissioners, MEPs will discuss, on Tuesday, October 4, what role they can play in preventing such conflicts of interest.

Parliament will consider two issues concerning southern Europe’s ongoing economic crisis this week. On Monday, October 3, the Regional Development (REGI) and Economic Affairs (ECON) committees will hold a joint debate on the possible suspension of structural funds for Spain and Portugal following the two countries entering into the excessive deficit procedure. Following the discussion, the committees will then draw up a recommendation to the Commission. The Parliament is typically rather gentle in dealing with the effect of the economic crisis on Member States; however, it was also instrumental in drafting the new economic deficit procedure, which requires reverse majority voting to overturn, that may trigger this suspension of funds. In plenary, on Tuesday, October 4, a debate will be held with Commissioner Pierre Moscovici concerning the state of Greece’s economic adjustment program, its impact on the country, and the prospects for future negotiations between Greece and its creditors.

Parliament will debate the ‘Calais jungle’ on Tuesday, October 4. The Calais jungle is the name given to an informal settlement of over seven thousand migrants in Calais, France, who camp there hoping to make the crossing to the U.K. At present the French police this border on their side of the English Channel under the Sangatte Protocol (for trains using the Channel Tunnel) and the Treaty of Le Touquet (for ferries) between the British and French governments. However, since the UK referendum to leave the EU, an increasing number of French politicians, including presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy, have suggested revoking these agreements and removing the UK border controls currently undertaken in France. Francois Hollande has announced his intention to close the camp, sparking concern amongst activists who are concerned of what the consequences will be for the migrants.

Meetings and Agenda

Monday October 3, 2016

Plenary:

Debates (17:00 – 21:00)

• The future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020

  • Report Author: Norbert Neuser

  • COMMITTEE: DEVE

• Global goals and EU commitments on nutrition and food security in the world

• Short presentations: Human rights and migration in third countries

  • Report Author: Marie-Christine Vergiat

  • COMMITTEE: AFET

• Short presentations: Corporate liability for serious human rights abuses in third countries

  • Report Author: Ignazio Corrao

  • COMMITTEE: AFET

• Short presentations: How to make fisheries controls in Europe uniform

  • Report Author: Isabelle Thomas (Reference:A8-0234/2016)

  • COMMITTEE: PECH

Committee on Regional Development and Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs: (18:00 – 20:30)

• Hearing with the European Commission on the suspension of ESI Funds, as part of the Structured Dialogue foreseen by Regulation (EU) Nº1303/2013 (Common Provisions Regulation – CPR), article 23, paragraph 15

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety: (19:00 – 20:15)

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize Bt11 seeds – Debate and vote

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize 1507 seeds – Debate and vote

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize seeds – Debate and vote

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of genetically modified maize  products – Debate and vote

• Objection pursuant to Rule 106: Placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified cotton  – Debate and vote

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs:  (19:30 – 21:30)

• EU/China Agreement: short-stay visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports (NLE), rapporteur Bodil VALERO (Greens/EFA, SE) – vote on draft recommendation (consent)

• Fight against corruption and follow-up of the CRIM resolution (INI), rapporteur Laura FERRARA (EFDD, IT) – vote on draft report

• Establishment of an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (INL), rapporteur Sophia in ‘t VELD (ALDE, NL) – vote on draft report

Tuesday, September 30

Plenary:

Debates (09:00 – 11:50)

• Possibly: Votes on requests for urgent procedure (Rule 154)

• Legal aid for suspects and accused persons in criminal proceedings and for requested persons in European arrest warrant proceedings

  • Report Author: Dennis de Jong

  • COMMITTEE: LIBE

• Trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other treatment or punishment

  • Report Author: Marietje Schaake

  • COMMITTEE: INTA

Votes (12:00 – 14:00)

• Request for the defense of the immunity of Jane Collins

  • Author: Tadeusz Zwiefka

  • COMMITTEE: JURI

• Draft amending budget No 3/2016: Security of the Institutions

  • Authors: José Manuel Fernandes ,  Gérard Deprez

  • COMMITTEE: BUDG

• Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund

  • Author: Petri Sarvamaa

  • COMMITTEE: BUDG

• Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2016/002 SE/Ericsson

  • Author: Esteban González Pons

  • COMMITTEE: BUDG

• Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece following the earthquake that affected the Ionian Islands in November 2015

  • Author: Georgios Kyrtsos

  • COMMITTEE: BUDG

• Europol-China Agreement on Strategic Cooperation

  • Author: Claude Moraes

  • COMMITTEE: LIBE

Texts on which debate is closed (15:00 – 21:00)

• Macroeconomic situation in Greece, structural reforms and their impact, as well as prospects for future negotiations within the Programme

  • European Public Prosecutor’s office and Eurojust

• Avoiding conflicts of interest of past and present Commissioners – the role of the EP

Wednesday, October 5

Plenary:

Key Debate (09:00 – 11:50)

• Preparation of the European Council meeting of 20 and 21 October 2016

Votes (12:00 – 14:00):

• Accession of Peru to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Author: Angel Dzhambazki

  • COMMITTEE: JURI

• Accession of Kazakhstan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Author: Angel Dzhambazki

  • COMMITTEE: JURI

• Accession of Korea to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

  • Author: Angel Dzhambazki

  • COMMITTEE: JURI

• Need for a European reindustrialization policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and Alstom cases

Debates (15:00 – 21:00):

• Situation in Syria

• Colombian peace process

• 2016 UN Climate change Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco (COP22)

• Inter-Institutional Agreement on Transparency Register

• Implementation of the Food Contact Materials Regulation

  • Report Author: Christel Schaldemose

  • COMMITTEE: ENVI

Thursday, October 6

Plenary:

Debates (09:00 – 11:50)

• 2014 Annual report on monitoring the application of Union law

  • Report Author: Heidi Hautala (Reference:A8-0262/2016)

  • COMMITTEE: JURI

• Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135)

Votes (12:00 – 14:00)

• Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135)

Debates  (15:00 – 17:00):

• Sustainable finance

• Effect of the situation in Calais on the transport sector