Thursday

1st Jun 2023

Agenda

Lagarde and Brexit centre stage This WEEK

  • MEPs will hear from the French politician on Wednesday (Photo: Consillium)

Brussels politics will come back to life next week as eurocrats and diplomats return from holidays.

They will kick off a very heavy autumn agenda in the EU with a looming Brexit and a new European Commission coming in.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

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

... or subscribe as a group

The European Parliament will start its work by finalising the composition of committees, with the election of the remaining vice-chairs in the civil liberties and constitutional affairs committees.

Christine Lagarde, the EU leaders' candidate to run the European Central Bank (ECB), will appear before the parliament's economic committee on Wednesday (4 September).

Her hearing will be followed by a vote on her appointment later that day.

On Thursday (5 September), the parliament's civil liberties committee will hold a discussion with commission vice-president Frans Timmermans on strengthening the rule of law in the EU.

Timmermans, who will remain vice-president in the next commission, is unlikely to hold onto the rule of law portfolio, however.

London will also see another week of drama in the Brexit saga.

The British parliament will hold its last debates before their work will be suspended ahead of the Queen's speech on 14 October.

If opposition and rebel MPs want to mount an effort to oust premier Boris Johnson through a no-confidence vote, or to force his hand to ask for an extension of the Brexit deadline from EU leaders, they will have to do so this coming week.

The UK's Brexit top man David Frost will also travel to Brussels this week for more talks, although the UK has so far not presented concrete alternatives to the so-called backstop - an arrangement to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

The Brexit working groups, with diplomats from the EU-27 member states, will also meet to discuss the latest developments and review the bloc's preparedness for a no-deal Brexit.

Lagarde set to lead ECB

The Frankfurt-based European Central Bank is set to get its first female leadership after the EU leaders in Brussels nominated Christine Legarde, who is current managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

Timmermans: von der Leyen will be tough on rule of law

The Dutch rule of law top man said the new commission would be just as tough on the issue as the current one, but would not say whether he wants to hold onto the portfolio in the next executive.

Russia sanctions and EU elections on top This WEEK

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.

ECB: eurozone home prices could see 'disorderly' fall

The European Central Bank in its Financial Stability Review warned EU home prices could see a 'disorderly' fall as high mortgage rates are making houses unaffordable for households and unattractive for investors.

Latest News

  1. Europe's TV union wooing Lavrov for splashy interview
  2. ECB: eurozone home prices could see 'disorderly' fall
  3. Adapting to Southern Europe's 'new normal' — from droughts to floods
  4. Want to stop forced migration from West Africa? Start by banning bottom trawling
  5. Germany unsure if Orbán fit to be 'EU president'
  6. EU Parliament chief given report on MEP abuse 30 weeks before sanction
  7. EU clashes over protection of workers exposed to asbestos
  8. EU to blacklist nine Russians over jailing of dissident

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us