Saturday
14th May 2022
The EU Commission is expected to put forward the RePowerEU plan, which aims to help the diversification of fossil fuel imports in the bloc, as the EU aims to get rid of its dependence on Russian energy supplies.
Valdimir Putin's equivalent to Nato — the Collective Security Treaty Organization of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Belarus — is convening in Moscow next week to give cover that Russia is not alone in its war against Ukraine.
The EU Commission is expected to put forward the RePowerEU plan, which aims to help the diversification of fossil fuel imports in the bloc, as the EU aims to get rid of its dependence on Russian energy supplies.
The EU Commission is set to come with proposals against lawsuits launched in an effort to silence journalists, civil society or putting pressure on publications.
French voters have narrowed the presidential race to the final two contenders over the weekend — while in the EU, discussions over Ukraine, energy, possible food shortages and Hungary top the agenda.
After elections in Hungary and Serbia this weekend, the focus of attention in the EU again will be on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and how it impacts gas supplies to the EU and the European economy.
As EU ambassadors discuss the sixth round of sanctions against Russia in Brussels, senior EU officials are presenting the plan of citizens for the future of the EU in Strasbourg.
More sanctions against Russia, energy imports, and the economic fallout of the war in Europe will be in focus this week, as Italian prime minister Mario Draghi will address MEPs in Strasbourg.
The war on Ukraine will dominate the European Parliament's plenary meeting in Strasbourg too. Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas will discuss Europe's new security reality with MEPs.
The EU has been busy drawing up a list of sanctions against Moscow in retaliation for any aggression. But the threshold for their imposition still needs to be determined.
EU leaders will meet their African counterparts at the sixth AU-EU summit and the European Court of Justice will decide on a key rule-of-law tool.
Poland's president Andzej Duda will be in Brussels in an apparent attempt to end the EU-Warsaw rule-of-law row. The commission will meanwhile put ramping up European microchip production on the agenda.
MEPs in the foreign interference committee will have a discussion with the 2021 Nobel peace prize laureate, Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa, and MEPs will discuss the Pegasus spyware targeting journalists.
Throughout the week, MEPs will vote on the chairs and vice-chairs of the 20 standing committees and three sub-committees for the next two-and-a-half years, the remainder of the current legislative term.
The lead candidate is the centre-right European People's Party's (EPP) Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola, who has been outspoke against corruption and rule-of-law issues - but some MEPs are concerned over her anti-abortion voting record.
The Nato-Russia council will take place in Brussels on Wednesday, as western and Russian officials begin a series of meetings this week in an effort to de-escalate tensions over Ukraine's eastern border - where Russia has amassed troops.
Energy has emerged as a key dividing issue between EU countries, with leaders failing to agree on a common statement on the rise of energy prices (and how to tackle them) last week at their summit in Brussels.
The EU-27 plus Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine will also adopt a statement raising alarm on "continuous destabilisation" in Ukraine.
The EU Commission is expected to present a revision of the Schengen border code, plus a proposal on the rights of so-called platform workers.
As the fourth wave hits the EU, an increasing number of member states are taking measures to curb the number of infections, and hospitalisations.
The debate over a successor for David Sassoli, the centre-left Italian president of the European Parliament will heat up, and Belarusian democratic opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will address the plenary.
Facebook whistleblower is expected to meet with MEPs and representatives of the French senate this week. Meanwhile, eyes turn again to the Glasgow UN climate summit as pressure is mounting for negotiators to finish the 2015 Paris Agreement rulebook.
In the meantime, the dispute between Warsaw and the EU insitutions is escalating, with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen last week offering a way out of the conundrum.
In the European Parliament, the home affairs committee will start to work on new migration laws: providing the legal framework for the new migration policy in the EU.
Vaccine roll-outs, energy prices, migration and an upcoming climate summit will top the agenda at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, while MEPs in Strasbourg tackle rule of law.
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.
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.
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.
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.
MEPs expect the EU Commission president to also address issues such as the economy, climate change, digital transformation, the EU's role in the world, migration policy, and the Conference on the Future of Europe.
One of the topics for the keynote speech will certainly be the Covid-19 recovery fund - with Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Spain, and Portugal having already received their pre-financing.
EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will continue to travel to member states to "personally hand over the assessment" of the EU executive on national Covid-19 recovery plans.
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.
