Coming up in Strasbourg: Sakharov Prize 2021, digital platforms and youth

Parliament will award the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, discuss the pandemic situation and gender equality in the EU in the December plenary (13-17 December), EU affairs.

Sakharov Prize 2021

On Wednesday (15 December), Parliament will award the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the imprisoned Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny. The prize will be received by his daughter Daria.

Digital Markets Act (DMA)

MEPs are expected to approve their position on the Digital Markets Act on Wednesday, which will become the Parliament’s mandate for negotiations with EU governments due to start under the French presidency in the first half of 2022. The act aims to set new requirements on big online platforms and put an end to unfair practices.

Gender Equality and gender-based cyber violence

Today (13 December), MEPs will debate two reports addressing gender equality and gender-based violence. The first report proposes measures for combatting increased gender-based harassment in cyberspace. The second report calls on member states to remove existing inequalities between men and women in the EU and make sure women are treated equally. MEPs will vote on both reports on Wednesday.

COVID-19

On Wednesday morning, in view of the upcoming EU Summit on 16-17 December, MEPs will debate the coordination of measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and the spread of new virus variants in Europe.

Later on Wednesday, MEPs, the Commission and the Council, will discuss the implementation of national recovery plans, which are a key part of the EU response to the pandemic.

European Year of Youth

MEPs will vote on Tuesday (14 DEcember) to mark 2022 as the European Year of Youth. This initiative takes into account the difficult situation of young people during the pandemic, which affects their education, employment, social life, mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more: Parliament’s youth ideas platform.

Discrimination of EU companies on foreign procurement markets

The proposed International Procurement Instrument (IPI) introduces measures to limit the access of non-EU companies’ to the open EU public procurement market if their governments do not offer similar access to public tenders for EU companies. MEPs will vote on their position on Tuesday, which will form Parliament’s mandate for further negotiations.

Russia, Ukraine and the dissolution of the Soviet Union

MEPs will debate the Russian military build-up along the Ukrainian border with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday afternoon and will vote on a resolution on Thursday.

The 30th anniversary of the dissolution of the Soviet Union will be marked with statements from President Sassoli and political groups on Monday afternoon.

Also on the agenda

• Address by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo
• Situation at the EU-Belarus border
• EU aid for Croatia after earthquakes, and for dismissed workers in Spain and Italy
• Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Rule of law and media freedom in Slovenia
• Possible EU ban on the use of wild animals by circuses
• Threats to fundamental rights in Poland

Follow the plenary session 

• Plenary session 
• Weekly agenda 
• Agenda highlights 
• Audiovisual materials 
• Follow what MEPs are saying on Newshub

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