Wednesday
27th Sep 2023
An EU-China high-level economic is scheduled on Monday amid renewed tensions. Later this week, EU home affairs ministers will discuss the EU-Tunisia deal and the state of play of the EU pact on asylum and migration.
A blocking minority of member states is posing tricky questions on whether the EU can reach a deal on an overhaul of the bloc's asylum and migration laws.
International media must make clear that these are not fair, democratic elections. The flawed race should be the story at least as much as the race itself.
MEPs at the Strasbourg plenary are expected to discuss Russia, Iran, Hungary, and vote on common chargers for consumer devices.
Italians cast their ballot yesterday on Sunday and chose a rightwing majority parliament, which is expected to have a turbulent relationship with Brussels.
The far-right Brothers of Italy, which dominates the conservative alliance, is set to be the largest single party, and has widened its lead over the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
While the heads of EU institutions are in New York for the UN high level meeting, Spain's EU presidency will try to convince ministers to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages.
The EU's political season is back in full swing after the summer break, with the EU Commission president's State of the Union address on Wednesday. Meanwhile, exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will also address the European Parliament.
The European Parliament's committee on constitutional affairs will vote on a 14-point anti-corruption reform, after the Qatargate allegations. Meanwhile, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will participate in the first Africa Climate Summit.
Slowdown as the European institutions prepare to go into summer recess.
The EU-CELAC summit will take place in Brussels this week, after after eight years of hiatus. But disagreements over the condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine have complicated the finalisation of the joint agreement.
Nato leaders will gather in Vilnius this week to discuss Ukraine's membership bid. Meanwhile, MEPs in Strasbourg will decide on the future of the nature restoration law, which is facing strong opposition from conservative lawmakers.
Spanish diplomats want to push through the EU's drawn-out legislative cycle any laws or drafts currently still stuck, as it is the last full six-month presidency before the EU machinery goes into hibernation for the 2024 European elections.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Sunday said the turmoil caused by the unprecedented challenge to Russian president Vladimir Putin by Wagner mercenaries may not be over yet and could take weeks or months to play out.
Budget commissioner to propose new EU revenue streams, as diplomats seek accord on next round of Russia sanctions ahed of summit.
On Wednesday (14 June), MEPs are expected to quiz top officials from the EU Commission and the Council and lay out their own demands on what should be discussed with leaders.
Home affairs ministers will work on trying to clinch a common position among EU governments on the migration management system regulation and the asylum procedure regulation, two key parts of the bloc's asylum reform.
Moldova's president Maia Sandu recently said that the EU should let Moldova into the bloc "as soon as possible" to better protect the country against rising Russian threats.
The parliament's constitutional affairs committee is set to vote on a draft proposal on the number of seats in the European Parliament, and their distribution among EU countries, ahead of the 2024 elections.
The G7 aims to send a signal to China by announcing a joint effort to counter "economic coercion," with the EU hoping to avoid becoming a "vassal" in a US-China clash, as French president Emmanuel Macron said recently.
Russian president Vladimir Putin will cheer on a mini war-parade in Moscow on Tuesday, as German chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks of peace in Europe in Strasbourg.
EU budget commissioner Johannes Hahn is set to travel to Budapest on Tuesday (2 May) as negotiations to unlock billions of EU funds, held up because of concerns over judicial independence, made some progress last week.
During the week, the European Parliament special committee on foreign interference is set to adopt its proposals to fight foreign actors, particularly Russia and China, using information manipulation — which is likely to increase as the 2024 European elections approach.
The EU Commission plans to come out with common rules for transferring criminal proceedings to another member state, and its reponse to the Save the Bees! initiative.
Finnish voters head to the polls, while Hungary's parliament is expected to vote on Finland's Nato membership — finally.
Competitiveness is expected be on the top of the agenda of EU leaders after the EU Commission last week rolled out a series of proposals to boost the bloc's capacity in green tech.
Economic ministers set to talk about the reform of the economic governance and even agree on conclusions. The EU Commission is also expected to come with several proposals on supporting the greening of the economy.
Meanwhile, in Brussels and Berlin talks are expected to intensify after Germany threw a spanner in the works last week on a bill to ban the sale of new combustion-engine cars and vans in the EU from 2035.
We might see the end of the post-Brexit trade discussions if Rishi Sunak pushes ahead with the deal on Northern Ireland, and we are expected to see Hungary's parliament debating Finland and Sweden joining Nato this week.
EU foreign affairs ministers will on Monday have an informal exchange with Ukraine's foreign affairs minister Dmytro Kuleba. They will also talk to Moldova's deputy PM, whose country has also accused Russia of meddling in its affairs.
EU governments aim to negotiate a final deal on new Russia sanctions by the end of next week, in time for the anniversary of Russia's invasion.
MEPs are expected to present their migration and asylum priorities on Wednesday (1 February), before EU leaders will focus on the issue at the 9-10 February special European Council.
On Monday, Brussels will see EU foreign affairs ministers focusing on a 10th sanctions package against Russia, a special tribunal, and preparing the EU-Ukraine summit on 3 February in Kyiv.
