Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Agenda

Brexit votes set for This WEEK

Brexit is set to dominate this week as the British parliament debates proposals to break the on-going negotiation deadlock with embattled prime minister Theresa May.

The Tuesday (29 January) debate will explore proposals to possibly delay the UK's exit day beyond the 29 March deadline or even hold a second referendum.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The plans are part of intense in-fighting among British MPs over the direction of May's deal with the European Union, some of whom want to wrestle away the prime minister's power in the talks.

It also comes amid further questions on ways to avoid a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the event of a no-deal scenario.

The British back-and-forth will be closely watched by an increasingly frustrated European Union.

Mini-plenary

Meanwhile, MEPs at the European Parliament will be holding a mini-plenary session in Brussels with the future of Europe and rule of law in Hungary as among some of the scheduled debates.

It is also set to hold a secret ballot on transparency on Thursday (31 January).

The secrecy bid was earlier proposed by the centre-right EPP in a move that has generated backlash from Transparency International, an NGO.

The vote is part of larger report on internal rules that includes, among other things, new ideas on the formation of European political groups.

The votes are preceded by a debate on the future of Europe with Juha Sipila, Finland's prime minister, and Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission.

Roma integration, gender balance, and the fight against fraud are also on order when the mini-session kicks off on Wednesday (30 January).

Ministers across Europe will also be in Brussels on Monday (28 January) to discuss reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy.

Aachen treaty and Brexit endgame This WEEK

Germany and France are set to reinforce their alliance as the engine-house of European integration, while Britain continues to struggle to leave the EU.

Environment, Ukraine imports, fish and Easter this WEEK

This week, expect no more than talks on environment, agriculture and fisheries, including discussions between the Polish and Ukrainian governments over angry protests by Polish farmers objecting to cheap grain imports from Ukraine.

EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK

This week, EU leaders come together in Brussels for their usual two-day summit to discuss defence, enlargement, migration and foreign affairs. EU ministers for foreign affairs and EU affairs will meet earlier in the week to prepare the European Council.

EU summit prep work and von der Leyen's Egypt visit This WEEK

MEPs will hold a debate with EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen about the next European Council on Tuesday. Later this week, on Sunday, von der Leyen will be in Egypt for talks regarding a potential 'cash-for-migrant-control' deal.

Podcast

Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza

This week's Euroscopic explores the consequences of Moscow's terror attack, the convergence of public safety and border/migration policy in an EU election year, and the United Nations Security resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Latest News

  1. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  2. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  3. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult
  4. EU unveils plan to create a European cross-border degree
  5. How migrants risk becoming drug addicts along Balkan route
  6. 2024: A Space Odyssey — why the galaxy needs regulating
  7. Syrian mayor in Germany speaks out against AfD
  8. Asian workers pay price for EU ship recycling

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us