The Week Ahead 15–18 April 2019
The European Parliament holds the last plenary session in Strasbourg before the 23–26 May European elections so all remaining legislation proposals must be discussed, debated and voted. Among other topics, MEPs will vote on protection of whistleblowers, social benefits for mobile workers as well as measures to boost workers’ rights, transparency of online platforms and search engines, an update of EU consumer rights, life-saving technologies for new cars, CO2 reduction targets for trucks, new rules for short-stay visas as well as the EU Border and Coast Guards.
MONDAY
The Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive will be debated in Plenary with MEP Caroline Nagtegaal as shadow rapporteur.
MEP Wolf Klinz is rapporteur on the cross-border distribution of collective investment undertakings directive and he’ll present the report at the hemicycle.
TUESDAY
The Plenary will debate and on more transparent and predictable working conditions, a report by MEP Enrique Calvet and on the same day, MEPs will vote on establishing a European Labour Authority to supervise and mediate in terms of employment with the Member States, with MEP Marian Harkin as shadow rapporteur.
MEPs will have a final vote on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles as regards general safety with 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.
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.
The Horizon Europe research and innovation framework programme will be at the centre of discussion at the hemicycle with MEP Lieve Wierinck as shadow rapporteur.
MEPs will discuss ways to fight climate change with activist Greta Thunberg in a meeting of the Environment Committee open to all members.
WEDNESDAY
MEPs will hold the last debate on the Future of Europe with Latvia’s Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.
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.
The Parliament will vote on MEP Angelika Mlinar’s report on Digital Single Market, where we will discuss to keep the proposed budget of 9.2 billion euros, the investments for Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and the Hubs network that will enable SMEs, researches, public administrations to have access to the advance technologies.
For the transport sector, MEPs will vote on the Connecting Europe Facility, with Pavel Telička as co-rapporteur and MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy will present his Programme for the Environment and Climate Action.
THURSDAY
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.
A final vote on the European Maritime Single Window, with MEP Gesine Meissner as shadow rapporteur, will take place in the hemicycle along with disclosures relating to sustainable investments and risks.
Source: EP
