Agenda
Budget and Brexit near finishing line This WEEK
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EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said there are still too many difficulties remaining to have an EU-UK agreement on future relations (Photo: Council of the European Union)
By Eszter Zalan
A new round of budget talks will kick off this week on Monday (9 November) - with increasing pressure on MEPs and member states amid the second wave of corona infections in Europe to strike a deal on the €1.8 trillion long-term EU budget and coronavirus recovery package.
Adding to the pressure, in separate talks, MEPs and the German EU presidency (representing the member states) last week reached a deal on the key political issue of linking the EU budget to the respect of rule of law.
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Brexit talks will also head into crucial territory, as the year-end deadline of reaching an agreement between the EU and the UK on their future relations approaches fast.
But the prospect of such an agreement still seems distant.
"At this stage, there are still too many difficulties remaining on important topics," EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said last Wednesday before he briefed the ambassadors of the 27 member states on the talks.
Key differences remain in fisheries, fair competition and dispute settlement.
A deal will also have to be ratified before the end of the year by the European Parliament.
Tackling Covid
MEPs in the parliament's economic and budgets committees will on Monday vote on the 'Recovery and Resilience Facility', which is the main pot of money in the recovery package.
MEPs on Tuesday (10 November) will discuss with national parliamentarians the commission's first annual rule of law report and the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on EU values.
At next week's plenary meeting, MEPs will also debate on Wednesday (11 November) the outcome of the US elections.
On Thursday (12 November), MEPs will debate the transparency regarding the purchase and the access to future Covid-19 vaccinations.
The same day, MEPs will discuss, and later vote, on a resolution looking at the impact of the pandemic on democracy, fundamental rights, and rule of law.
On Wednesday, lawmakers will discuss how to stop impunity for crimes committed against journalists.
Fighting terrorism and safeguarding the right to freedom of expression and education will also be debated on Wednesday.
On Monday, the women's rights committee will vote on a report on the impact of Covid-19 on women, men, and vulnerable groups.
New world
On Monday, EU foreign affairs and trade ministers will discuss, online, trade relations with the US in light of the recent elections, and debate trade relations with China.
On Friday, home affairs ministers will look at how to further strengthen the EU's efforts to fight terrorism in light of recent terrorist attacks in France and Austria.
The ministers will also continue negotiations on the commission's new migration and asylum pact.
