Newsletter for plenary session 12-15 January 2015 (Strasbourg)

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Strasbourg – LOW N-1/201
Monday, 12 January  - 16.30-17.00

Newsletter
Final draft agenda
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Highlights include:

MEPs to discuss EU investment plan kick-off with Donald Tusk

Parliament will hold its first debate with newly-elected European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday. Mr Tusk will present the results of the December 2014 European Council, which backed plans to mobilize €315 billion for growth and jobs. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is expected to attend the debate.

Latvia takes over EU Presidency from Italy

The Prime Minister of Latvia, Laimdota Straujuma, will debate the incoming Latvian EU presidency's priorities with MEPs at 9h on Wednesday morning (14 January). The House will review the outgoing presidency with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday morning.

Commemorating 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz

The liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration and extermination camp in January 1945 will be commemorated in a statement by President Martin Schulz on Tuesday morning.

MEPs to wind up debate on Commission’s 2015 work programme

MEPs will state their views on the European Commission’s 2015 work programme in a resolution to be voted on Thursday (15 January).

Vote on GMO opt-out for EU member states

New legislation to allow EU member states to restrict or ban the cultivation of crops containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on their own territory, even if this is allowed at EU level, will be put to a vote on Tuesday. The plans, informally agreed by Parliament and Council in December, were originally tabled in 2010 but were then deadlocked for four years due to disagreement between pro and anti-GMO member states.

Press and media crackdown in Turkey

Parliament votes on Thursday on a resolution on freedom of the press and media in Turkey following the arrests of journalists at the end of last year. In their debate in December, MEPs unanimously condemned the breaches of freedom of expression and said the attacks on the rule of law and fundamental rights must be tackled.

Human smuggling incidents in the Mediterranean

MEPs will debate the recent smuggling of migrants in cargo ships from Turkey to Italy and other incidents in the Mediterranean with Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos on Tuesday afternoon. The European Parliament called on EU member states to take action against human trafficking and smuggling, both into and across the EU, in a resolution voted on 17 December.

MEPs to review security and defence policy options with Mogherini

Parliament holds its annual debate on the main lines of the EU's foreign, security and defence policies with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday afternoon. This is the first strategic review since last year's political and security upheavals on the Union's eastern border.

Other topics include:

Secret service surveillance of lawyers in the EU
Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen: debate and vote
Launch of the European Year for Development 2015
Debate on boardroom gender balance
Human rights and democracy resolutions in Russia, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan

Watch the plenary live via EP Live /  EbS+ and EuroparlTV

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