The European Commission is expected to unveil its new 'Competitiveness Compass’ on Wednesday (29 January).
The plan, which aims to cut red tape, simplify regulations and increase flexibility, was postponed after EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen fell ill over the Christmas holidays.
The Competitiveness Compass will be “the north star of the new commission, and drive our work for the next five years,” von der Leyen told MEPs last week, pointing to “a new era of harsh geo-strategic competition”.
On Thursday (30 January), the commission will launch a strategic dialogue on the future of the European automotive industry — a key pillar of the economy which has been facing challenges due to high energy prices, green transition and competition from China.
The dialogue will consist of different meetings with EU commissioners, representatives from the vehicle industry, social partners and other actors. These discussions are expected to feed the EU industrial action plan for the automotive sector led by EU commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
The European car industry employs over 13 million people and contributes about seven percent to the EU's GDP.
Also on Wednesday, the EU Commission is expected to announce a new partnership with Jordan — building on the controversial cash-for-migrants deals the EU recently reached with Tunisia and Egypt.
As Hungary pursues its goal to restart the transit of gas from Russia to Europe, intense discussions during the foreign affairs meeting on Monday (27 January) could determine the future of EU sanctions against Russia.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has been blocking the renewal of sanctions against Russia, which expire on Friday (31 January), arguing that they have “destroyed the competitiveness of the European economy”.
Hungary has not yet decided whether to support or not the rollover of sanctions. But EU officials expect to reach unanimity on Monday to extend the sanctions against Russia.
If Budapest does finally decide to block the sanctions, the EU has prepared contingency measures to safeguard them. One such measure includes involving the Belgian king to block the transfer of assets from the country.
It is estimated that Euroclear, a securities depository based in Brussels, holds €190bn of Russian state assets, whose profits would help repay the €50bn loan packaged agreed by the G7.
The ministers will also discuss the next round of sanctions against Russia, transatlantic relations with the new US administration, the Gaza-Israel situation, Lebanon, and the easing of sanctions against Syria to support the country's economic recovery. Georgia and Moldova will also be part of the agenda.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas is expected to host a dinner to discuss the EU’s reaction to the fraudulent elections in Belarus. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is expected to attend.
“As the Belarusian regime gears up for Lukashenko's re-appointment event this weekend, Europe must be outspoken about the dictatorship in its neighbourhood,” said Lithuanian foreign affairs minister Kęstutis Budrys.
“Europe cannot look away& ignore the growing danger on its doorstep,” he added.
Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz — a topic marred by the Polish government’s pledge not to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he decided to attend the event. EU Parliament president Roberta Metsola is expected to attend.
“It would be a grave mistake for the Polish EU presidency to welcome Netanyahu to an official Holocaust memorial ceremony,” Josep Borrell, former EU foreign affairs chief, told The Intercept. “This would make a mockery of the EU’s strong commitment to the International Criminal Court".
Also on Monday, the UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk will address MEPs in the human rights and foreign affairs committee.
The new parliament’s defence committee will have its constitutive session on the same day, where MEPs will hear from the Polish defence minister Paweł Zalewski about his country’s priorities for the EU Council presidency. They will have an exchange of views with a Nato official on hybrid threats and Baltic security on Tuesday.
The committee for the internal market will have an exchange of views on the Digital Markets Act on Monday and the Digital Service Act on Tuesday. MEPs in the women’s rights committee will discuss social media and its impact on young girls’ mental health on Tuesday.
Also, on Tuesday, EU equality commissioner Hadja Lahbib, EU social rights commissioner Roxana Mînzatu and economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will address MEPs in different committees.
Syria, Palestine, Ukraine, Mozambique, and attacks on LGTBQI people will be part of the agenda of the human rights committee on the same day.
EU budget commissioner Piotr Serafin, trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and justice commissioner Michael McGrath will address lawmakers on Wednesday.
Still on Monday, EU agriculture ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss trade and unfair trading practices in the agricultural sector.
On Tuesday, ministers for European affairs will hold a debate about the European Commission’s rule of law report, focusing on Hungary, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.
Meanwhile, EU home affairs and justice ministers will meet for an informal meeting in Warsaw on Thursday and Friday.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.