European Parliament: The week ahead – 1-7 December 2014

Committee meetings, Brussels

EU budget. Parliament’s budget negotiators try again next week to reach an agreement with the Council on a budget for 2015 as well as on the payment of the most urgent pending bills for 2014. The Commission presents its new budget proposal on 28 November. Talks are set to start on Tuesday (2 December).

Moscovici/Economic dialogue. For the first time in his new mandate, Commissioner Pierre Moscovici will discuss the Commission position on national budget reforms and economic policies with the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. The committee will then debate the Annual Growth Survey and the Alert Mechanism with Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis and Marianne Thijssen too. (Tuesday)

TTIP. Two committees will debate the transatlantic trade agreement, which is currently being negotiated. The Employment Committee will discuss its employment and social aspects with Commission chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero, whilst Commissioner Malmström will brief the Trade Committee on her plan, recently agreed with her US counterpart Michael Froman, for a "fresh start to the TTIP negotiations". (Tuesday and Wednesday)

Migration. Solidarity and fair sharing of responsibilities among member states, search and rescue duties, safe and legal routes for asylum seekers into the EU and co-operation with third countries are among the issues likely to be addressed in a resolution to be voted in the Civil Liberties Committee and tabled for the December plenary. (Wednesday)

Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Russian businessman and Amnesty International prisoner of conscience Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was released from jail in December 2013, will join the Foreign Affairs Committee for a debate on human rights situation in Russia. (Tuesday)

ACP/EU. The 28th plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together 78 MEPs and 78 MPs from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, takes place in Strasbourg. The Assembly will debate and vote, inter alia, on the Ebola outbreak and the expansion of terrorism in Africa. (Monday to Wednesday)

Conference of Presidents. President Martin Schulz and leaders of the political groups will visit Latvia before it takes over the 6-month Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January 2015. In Riga they will have a joint meeting with the Cabinet of Ministers and meet the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš and members of the Saeima, the national Parliament. (Wednesday to Thursday)

President's diary. President Martin Schulz will meet Afghanistan’s President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Tammam Saeb Salam (both followed by press points) and President of the European Council Donald Tusk on Tuesday. On Wednesday he will meet Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Finland’s Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, (the latter followed by a press point). On Thursday, Mr Schulz will meet Latvia's Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma (followed by a press conference). Finally, the President will meet Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Friday.

Press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing on week's activities at 11.00 on Monday. (EP Press conference room, Brussels.

Schedule by day        Schedule by event

Share this article: