This WEEK in the European Union

MEPs are likely to focus on how EU institutions, such as the European Commission and the European Court of Justice, can be drawn into this new format.

A round-up of the Polish EU presidency, which ends on 31 December, is scheduled for the next day in Strasbourg, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Parliament chief Jerzy Buzek, whose mandate also ends this month, is holding his valedictory speech on Thursday, one day after awarding five Arab Spring activists the parliament's "freedom of thought" Sakharov prize.

Crime victims who are granted protection from their aggressors in one EU country will receive similar protection if they move to another, under new rules to be voted by the parliament on Tuesday. Victims would be protected from crimes including gender violence, harassment, abduction, stalking and attempted murder. Member states will have three years to introduce the rules in national law.

A 'single permit' for migrants from non-EU countries working and residing in the EU legally may also come into force after the parliament's vote on Tuesday. It remains to be seen how this will work in practice, as member states will have the right to decide whether and how many workers to admit each year.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will be attending a full sitting of the chamber to discuss the Russian demonstrations following parliamentary elections earlier this month and the worsening situation in Syria.

Meanwhile, in Brussels, a series of ministers meetings will be held throughout the week. On Monday, transport ministers are to agree on establishing a "single European railway area", further liberalising and simplifying rules for the railway sector.

They are also discussing rules for lorry drivers covering driving time and rest periods and will have another go at the reform of the pan-European transport network.

Interior ministers, meeting on Tuesday are expected to agree on a legal text reforming the evaluation and monitoring mechanisms of the border-free Schengen area, as well as on defining the cases when states are allowed to re-introduce 'temporary' border checks.

They are also expected to decide whether to approve an agreement on air passenger data transfers with the US, already signed by the European Commission. Similar agreements have been approved with Canada and Australia, but the US deal is more controversial, as its data storage periods are longer and the scope of the crimes targeted broader than terrorism.

Justice ministers, meeting the next day, will try to agree on a law establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime and on a European investigation order on criminal matters. The goal of this controversial project is to allow prosecutors in one member state to carry out investigative measures at the request of prosecutors in another member state, for instance interviewing witnesses, searches and seizures, wire-tapping and monitoring of bank accounts. A similar scheme, just for extradition - the European arrest warrant - has seen a series of abuses and errors putting innocent people in jail.

Telecommunication ministers meeting on Tuesday are to discuss roaming costs and how to modernise the mandate of the information security agency (Enisa). Conclusions are also expected on the concept of a 'open internet' and 'net neutrality' in Europe, meaning that internet providers should not give preference to some packets of information travelling over their wires in return for premium charges.

EU trade ministers travelling to Geneva on Wednesday for the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference will hold a brief meeting ahead of the WTO gathering, focusing on opening bilateral negotiations with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia for establishing a "deep and comprehensive" free trade area with these countries. Similar talks have already been launched with eastern neighbours Ukraine and Georgia.

Back in Brussels, fisheries ministers on Thursday will try to come to an agreement on fishing quotas for 2012 in the Atlantic, the North Sea and the Black Sea.

EU affairs ministers on Friday will look at reforms of the bloc's cohesion policy from 2013 on to make funding less bureaucratic and stimulate greener projects in EU's poorer regions.