Friday

29th Sep 2023

Agenda

Rule of law and Spanish EU presidency This WEEK

  • Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez will kick off its presidency by travelling to Kyiv this Saturday (Photo: European Union)
Listen to article

Attention this week will turn to Madrid, as most of the 'Brussels Bubble' will show up in the Spanish capital for the start of the country's EU presidency.

The rotating EU council presidency will be taken over by a government already in campaign mode, however, as elections in Spain will take place on 23 July.

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

What is making things even more difficult is that the Spanish presidency will be the last full six-month presidency before European Parliament elections on 6-9 June next year.

It means it will be mainly up to Spanish diplomats in the fall to push through the EU's slow-moving legislative cycle any legislation or drafts that still might be stuck there before the EU machinery goes into hibernation.

Back in Brussels, the EU Commission this week is expected to publish its annual rule-of-law report, screening member states and focusing on justice systems, corruption, media pluralism and checks and balances.

On Thursday (6 July), the civil liberties committee is expected to adopt its decision on the EU-wide criminal offences and penalties for violating and circumventing EU sanctions in member states, for instance for failing to freeze funds or not enforcing a travel ban.

Proposed penalties include prison sentences for individuals and fines for companies, according to the plans.

On the same day, MEPs in the civil liberties committee are set to debate last month's migrant boat shipwreck off the coast of Greece with commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas and home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson and Frontex's executive director Hans Leijtens.

Still on Thursday, the environment and economic committee is expected to quiz commissioner Mairead McGuinness over the executive's proposal for a new set of EU taxonomy criteria for economic activities, making a substantial contribution to one or more of the EU's non-climate environmental objectives.

The parliament and the council of member states have four months to decide if they want to veto the commission's proposal.

Earlier in the week on Monday and Tuesday (3 and 4 July), MEPs and UK lawmakers will meet in Brussels for the third EU-United Kingdom parliamentary partnership assembly.

Lawmakers are expected to discuss how the Brexit divorce arrangements are working, common efforts to support Ukraine, and cooperation on trade and industrial policy.

Spain's PM Sánchez travels to Kyiv to begin EU presidency

Spain will assume the six-month rotating presidency of the EU Council from Sweden this weekend — with PM Pedro Sanchez immediately travelling to Kyiv to express its support for Ukraine. But a July election in Spain may complicate matters.

Analysis

When the EU found the political will to act on rule of law

In 2012, it was against Orbán's Hungary that the EU first proposed to suspend cohesion funds under strengthened budgetary rules, after Budapest failed to step up efforts to end the country's excessive government deficit. Then Orbán toed the line.

China trade tension and migration deal This WEEK

An EU-China high-level economic is scheduled on Monday amid renewed tensions. Later this week, EU home affairs ministers will discuss the EU-Tunisia deal and the state of play of the EU pact on asylum and migration.

Spain's EU-language bid and UN summit This WEEK

While the heads of EU institutions are in New York for the UN high level meeting, Spain's EU presidency will try to convince ministers to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages.

Opinion

Time for a reset: EU regional funding needs overhauling

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, president of the European Committee of the Regions, is advocating a revamp of the EU's regional policy so that it better supports all regions in addressing major challenges such as the green and digital transitions.

Latest News

  1. Added-value for Russia diamond ban, as G7 and EU prepare sanctions
  2. EU states to agree on asylum crisis bill, say EU officials
  3. Poland's culture of fear after three years of abortion 'ban'
  4. Time for a reset: EU regional funding needs overhauling
  5. Germany tightens police checks on Czech and Polish border
  6. EU Ombudsman warns of 'new normal' of crisis decision-making
  7. How do you make embarrassing EU documents 'disappear'?
  8. Resurgent Fico hopes for Slovak comeback at Saturday's election

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us