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European Parliament: The week ahead #EPplenary

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MEPs go back to Strasbourg for their first plenary session following the summer break will feature the high-level ‘vision’ of the European Union, through President Juncker’s ‘State of the Union’ address as well as a wide range of topical issues from Dieselgate follow-up to EU-Turkey relations.

State of the Union. MEPs will discuss ways to shape the EU’s future in a debate with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who will deliver his 2017 SOTEU speech at 9.00 on Wednesday. In a three-hour debate, group leaders will outline their political priorities and quiz Mr Juncker on ways to create jobs, especially for young people, spur economic recovery, set a social agenda, tackle migration and protect EU citizens against external and internal threats.

EU-Turkey relations. MEPs will discuss latest developments in Turkey and future EU-Turkey relations with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. They are likely to reiterate their July call for the EU to suspend accession talks. (Debate Tuesday, vote in October)

North Korea. The consequences of recent missile and nuclear tests by North Korea, which are causing growing international tensions, will be debated with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Tuesday.

Free WIFI4EU. An EU scheme that will allow more than 5,000 free wireless internet connections to be set up in public areas across the EU will be debated and put to a vote on Tuesday. The EU will create a single EU-wide authentication system for EU citizens to access these hotspots.

Securing gas supply. Member states facing a gas supply crisis will be able to count on help from neighbouring countries under new solidarity rules to be debated on Tuesday morning and put to Parliament’s final vote on the same day at noon.

Access to products and services. Elderly citizens and people with disabilities will have easier access to key products and services such as phones, ATMs and ticketing and check-in machines, under draft EU rules to be debated on Wednesday and put to the vote on Thursday.

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Climate protection through forestry. Plans to boost forests’ absorption of CO2 and cut greenhouse gas emissions, as a way to tackle climate change, will be put to a vote on Wednesday.

Egg scandal. Following recent contamination of eggs with the insecticide Fipronil, MEPs will quiz the Commission and the Council on measures taken so far to ensure food safety. They will also discuss how to improve the functioning of the EU’s rapid alert system for food and feed and restore consumer trust. (Debate Tuesday)

Arms control. EU member states must ensure that their arms export control decisions are consistent and comply with EU law, MEPs say in a draft resolution. If necessary, an EU supervisory body should be set up, they add, to close current loopholes. (Debate Tuesday, vote Wednesday)

Special committee on counter-terrorism. Parliament will decide on a list of candidate MEPs to form the 30-strong special committee on counter-terrorism (TERR) on Tuesday. Its first meeting is scheduled for Thursday.

President's diary. EP President Antonio Tajani will open Parliament’s plenary session on Monday at 17.00 and address the full house on Tuesday at 12.30. In the evening, President Tajani will answer citizens’ questions in a facebook video live chat on the State of the Union, starting at 18.30. The President will chair the State of the Union debate on Wednesday morning.

Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing at 16.30 on Monday. (EP Press conference room, Strasbourg)

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