Agenda
Energy and gender in EU focus This WEEK
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The rising energy prices also stoked tension over the EU plans to fight climate change (Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.org)
By Eszter Zalan
EU energy ministers will meet for an extraordinary gathering on Tuesday (26 October) to discuss the issue of escalating energy prices across Europe.
They are expected to discussion the EU Commission's suggestions on how to tackle the rising prices at national and EU level.
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Ministers are also planned to discuss what further measures at EU and member states can take, including the use of EU financial tools.
The meeting comes after EU leaders discussed the issue last week in Brussels at their summit, where they struggled to agree a common response to soaring prices.
Poland, the Czech Republic and Spain have asked the commission to look into limiting financial speculators' participation in the carbon market, which they say said has helped push CO2 prices to record highs.
The rising energy prices also stoked tensions over the EU's plans to fight climate change.
MEP business
In the European Parliament, the home affairs committee will start to work on Tuesday on new migration laws: providing the legal framework for the new migration policy in the EU.
On the same day, the culture committee will decide on its position on the recent dispute between the European Football Association and some major football clubs willing to create a European Super League.
On Tuesday, MEPs in the trade committee will quiz commission vice-presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager on the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC), following its inaugural meeting in Pittsburgh at the end of September.
On the same day, the education committee will hear from another commission vice-president, Vera Jourova, on the state of media freedom in the EU.
Also on Tuesday, MEPs in the budget committee will listen to president of the European Court of Auditors, Klaus-Heiner Lehne, who will present its annual report.
Budget commissioner Johannes Hahn will also participate in the debate at the committee.
On Wednesday (27 October), MEPs on the budget and environment committee will debate setting up the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), which is intended to react more quickly to any future health crisis in a coordinated manner.
All next week, the European Parliament will hold a European Gender Equality week, with different committees organising debates around gender issues specific to their field.
On Thursday (28 October), MEPs on the womens' rights and gender equality committee will hear from the director of European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Carlien Scheele, who will present the Gender Equality Index 2021.
