Raw nerves over Polish verdict in EU This WEEK
Rule-of-law conflict in Europe is getting worse, but top EU officials also go to Kyiv for a summit, while MEPs hold talks on spiralling energy prices.
News in Brief
- Poland legalises refugee pushbacks
- Report: China's Xi to snub UK climate summit
- Norway killings 'appeared to be' Islamist 'terrorism'
- Le Pen vows to 'dismantle' wind-power plants
- Slovenia PM tweets antisemitic conspiracy theory
- Italy sentences ship captain for Libya pushback
- Polish PM and von der Leyen to clash in Brussels next week
- MEPs call for improved roaming rules
Feature
Italy on edge as neo-fascists stir violence
Neo-fascist groups are planning new protests in Rome after last weekend's riots, in a heady climate in which the pandemic and immigration have fuelled extremist feeling.
Interview
Giant of 20th century European design recognised by EU
Andre Ricard is the man behind many of the most iconic European designs of the 20th century - from ashtrays to perfume bottles, municipal litter bins to the Olympic torch.
EU struggles how to deal with Western Balkans This WEEK
EU leaders will meet in Slovenia, while MEPs gather in Strasbourg, as the EU struggles with how to deal with the Western Balkans, and what to do about the pandemic recovery plans of Hungary and Poland.
German coalition calculus dominates This WEEK
EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to the Western Balkans - ahead of an EU summit with the six countries which are hoping to join the bloc.
UN annual meeting plus Poland in focus This WEEK
The Polish Constitutional Tribunal is holding a hearing on the issue of whether EU law has primacy in the country. It is not clear whether the tribunal will deliver a ruling.
Mammoth green package out This WEEK
Aside from the green package, Poland will also be the centre of attention. Two decisions by the controversial Constitutional Tribunal could affect the country's EU future. Belarus' border with Lithuania will also be in the spotlight.
Slovenia's Janša in MEPs' crosshairs This WEEK
The European Parliament will debate in Strasbourg the breaches of EU law and of the rights of LGBTIQ people in Hungary, and adopt resolutions on the issues.
Slovenia takes the EU steering wheel This WEEK
While Slovenian prime minister Janey Janša will not have an impact on the day-to-day operations on the presidency, the platform it gives to the increasingly bellicose PM has been a cause for concern.
EU leaders discuss Turkey, Russia, migration This WEEK
EU foreign affairs ministers will try to sort out a new round of sanctions on Belarus, and EU affairs ministers will hold intergovernmental conferences with two candidate countries, Serbia and Montenegro.
Biden in Brussels, recovery package underway This WEEK
The EU Commission is expected to approve the first recovery plans submitted by national capitals on how they will use funds available from the EU's €800bn recovery fund. Spain, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Luxembourg seem to be first crossing the line.
First return to Strasbourg for EU Parliament This WEEK
There will be still a very limited number of people traveling to Strasbourg. Many think it is an early return: those travelling will have to respect the French curfew and will need to quarantine upon their return to Belgium.
Tax avoidance and AI in focus This WEEK
The European Parliament's special committee on artificial intelligence and the internal market committee will discuss the commission's AI proposals with vice-president Margrethe Vestager.
Summit on climate and Russia This WEEK
Italian prime minister Mario Draghi said he would raise the issue of the onward redistribution of migrants landing on the southern shores of Europe at the summit.
Israel-Palestine and travel certificates in focus This WEEK
Negotiators from the European Parliament, the council of member states, and the EU Commission will push for an agreement this week on the Covid-19 travel certificate so that safe travel can pick up during the summer.
Vaccine fairness plus Russia on table This WEEK
Attention will return to vaccines, after US president Joe Biden put the EU in a tight spot when he backed waiving the Covid-19 vaccine patent.
Social affairs and India in focus This WEEK
EU leaders will focus on a social summit in Porto this weekend, where they will hold a video conference with Indian PM Narendra Modi.
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Brexit is back, and vaccine certificates in focus This WEEK
EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel will give their versions of events that took place at their visit to Ankara earlier this month, in a plenary debate at the European Parliament.
Online 'Future EU Conference' and AI strategy This WEEK
As tensions heat up at the border of Ukraine and Russia, EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the Russian military build-up and will talk with their Ukrainian colleague, Dmytro Kuleba.
Travel certificates back on the agenda This WEEK
On Thursday, MEPs in the Democracy, Rule of Law, and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group meeting will hear from Polish judges, prosecutors, and government representatives on the situation of the judiciary in Poland.
Turkey on EU leaders' plate This WEEK
Ahead of the EU summit, on Monday foreign affairs ministers are set to approve a new package of sanctions on individuals in several countries, including China and Russia, over human rights abuses.
EU plan for vaccine 'certificates' This WEEK
MEPs in the environment committee will also hold a discussion on Covid-19 variants - and the vaccines' efficacy against them.
EU 'Future' Conference plus Covid recovery talks This WEEK
MEPs will give the green light for a more united EU health policy, a new investment plan, and debate the Covid recovery fund, which is yet to be unleashed. Lawmakers will also debate media freedom in Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia.
Women fighting Covid-19 in focus This WEEK
To help bridge the stubborn gender pay gap, the EU Commission will present pay transparency measures so that differences in wages and salaries do not remain hidden from employees.
EU summit on vaccine problems This WEEK
EU foreign affairs ministers will meet in Brussels and are expected to agree to visa-bans and asset-freezes on Russian officials involved in the jailing of opposition figurehead Alexei Navalny.
Recovery goals and Visegrad in focus This WEEK
Outside of Brussels, Visegrad prime ministers will come together to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the central European cooperation within the V4 group. European Council president Charles Michel will join them.
Von der Leyen to defend EU vaccine policy This WEEK
After the damaging performance by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Moscow last week, MEPs will grill the EU foreign affairs chief on his visit to the Russian capital following the jailing of opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
Vaccine row and Borrell's Moscow trip This WEEK
The EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell will travel to Moscow on Friday, raising eyebrows because leading opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, is in prison. Borrell argues this is the reason why talking is necessary.
Vaccine delay and Russia sanctions debates This WEEK
The director of the European Medicine Agency, Emer Cooke will be quizzed by MEPs in the parliament on vaccine authorisation on Tuesday. EMA is expected to give the green light to the third vaccine at the end of the week.
EU leaders seek to speed up vaccinations This WEEK
EU leaders talk vaccines, while the Portugues EU presidency introduces itself to MEPs. Joe Biden will be inaugurated as president of the United States, and the EU hopes this will mark a new beginning for EU-US relations.
Vaccines in focus in the EU This WEEK
The European Parliament's environment committee will hear from the person who negotiated the vaccine contracts, commission director-general of health and food safety, Sandra Gallina.
Brexit and digital services overhaul This WEEK
On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on the seven-year EU budget file as a whole, and also on the rule-of-law conditionality.
Brexit, Budget, Turkey on summit agenda this WEEK
Any post-Brexit deal achieved needs to be ratified by the European Parliament before the end of December (and then by national parliaments), while some member states want to see the agreement translated before they can agree to it.
