Strengthening Europe’s external borders and making migration policy more effective
On Thursday, MEPs in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will vote on two important instruments that are part of the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). ECR MEP Georgiana Teodorescu is shadow rapporteur for the instrument establishing support for the Schengen area, for European integrated border management and for the common policy on visas. For the ECR Group, this instrument must help protect the EU’s internal market and movement of people and goods by protecting the external border and maintain a well-functioning Schengen area. ECR MEP Nicolas Bay is shadow rapporteur for the instrument establishing the Union support for asylum, migration and integration. For the ECR Group, this instrument must reinforce the parts of the EU’s asylum and migration policy that have long been ignored, namely swift procedures, external processing where possible and quick returns where necessary.
Vote: Thursday @ 9.30
Where: ANTALL 6Q2
Making Europe’s space industry more competitive with simpler EU rules
Research and Energy (ITRE) will vote on the EU Space Act, with ECR Rapporteur Elena Donazzan seeking to establish a simpler and more competitive framework for Europe’s growing space industry. The proposal aims to replace fragmented national rules with a common framework for space activities, covering safety, resilience and sustainability. Donazzan’s report significantly streamlines the Commission’s original proposal, simplifying authorisation procedures and reducing administrative burdens, particularly for SMEs, start-ups and smaller operators. It also introduces mutual recognition of national authorisations and removes unnecessary environmental reporting requirements. For the ECR Group, the Space Act must help European companies innovate, attract investment and compete internationally, particularly with the United States and China, while ensuring that safety and sustainability requirements remain proportionate and practical. Following the committee vote, Donazzan will present the outcome at a press conference.
Vote: Thursday @ 10:00
Where: SPAAK 3C050
Press conference: Thursday @ 11:00
Where: Anna Politkovskaya Press Room, European Parliament
Watch the press conference live
Supporting European culture and media while ensuring accountability for EU funding
On Thursday, the Committees on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Culture and Education (CULT) will vote on their position on AgoraEU, the proposed EU programme for culture, media, journalism, civil society and fundamental rights for 2028-2034. ECR Shadow Rapporteurs Alessandro Ciriani (LIBE) and Ivaylo Valchev (CULT) support strengthening Europe’s cultural and creative sectors, protecting the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry and supporting independent producers. The Group also backs measures to combat violence against women and children. However, EU taxpayers’ money must be used to deliver tangible results for citizens, not to finance political advocacy or lobbying activities by organisations directed at the very EU institutions allocating those funds. Public funding must be transparent and accountable, with a clear distinction between supporting civil society and financing political campaigning. EU funding mechanisms should not become a means of bypassing democratically elected national governments or imposing an additional layer of bureaucracy on schools, municipalities and cultural operators seeking financial support.
When: Thursday @ 9:00
Where: ANTALL 6Q2
ECR MEPs to attend COP31 climate summit in Türkiye
Next week, ECR MEPs Anna Zalewska and Michele Picaro will take part in the European Parliament’s delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye. From 16 to 20 November, MEPs will meet with government representatives, international organisations and other stakeholders to discuss global climate policy and progress in the implementation of international commitments. For the ECR Group, climate action must remain realistic and economically sustainable, safeguarding European competitiveness, ensuring affordable energy and while taking into account the different circumstances and energy mixes of Member States.
When: Monday– Friday
Where: Antalya, Türkiye
Remembering victims of accidents at work
On Monday, the EU Council is expected to approve a draft Joint Declaration establishing a European Day in Remembrance of the Victims of Accidents at Work, to be observed annually on 8 August from 2027. The initiative follows a resolution adopted by the European Parliament calling for greater awareness of workplace safety risks and stronger accident prevention policies across the European Union. The resolution included a proposal to establish a European Day of Remembrance for victims of workplace accidents on 8 August. The date holds particular symbolic significance for the ECR Group, as it marks the anniversary of the Bois du Cazier mining disaster in Marcinelle, Belgium, where 262 miners from several European countries, including Italy, Belgium, Poland, France, Germany and Greece, lost their lives in 1956. The tragedy was not merely a major industrial accident; it also marked a turning point in collective awareness of the need to strengthen workplace safety standards and cooperation between states to protect workers. The memory of Marcinelle therefore belongs not only to one Member State but forms an integral part of Europe’s shared social history. It stands as a reminder that labour mobility must go hand in hand with a shared responsibility to guarantee safe and dignified working conditions.
When: Monday
Red Wednesday
On Wednesday, the Intergroup on the Freedom of Religion, Belief and Conscience, co-chaired by ECR MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen and EPP MEP Miriam Lexmann, will host a conference to mark Red Wednesday. An initiative by Aid to the Church in Need. Every year churches or other landmarks are illuminated in red symbolising the blood of people suffering for their beliefs. Speakers at the conference are Samson Shukardin, bishop of Hyderabad in Pakistan and president of the Catholics Bishops Conference, Anastasia Hartman of Open Doors, Marcela Szymanski of Aid to the Church in Need, Jabez Musa, a Nigerian human rights defender and lawyer and Emmanuele di Leo of Steadfast- Ditelo sui Tetti. The conference is co-hosted by aforementioned chairs, together with ECR MEP Stephen Bartulica, ECR MEP Paolo Inselvini, EPP MEP Ivo Davor STIER, EPP MEP Matej Tonin and EPP MEP Isabel Benjumea. On Monday evening, 23 November, the European Parliament building in Strasbourg will be illuminated in red to mark the occasion. MEPs will gather in front of the building at 20:00. Link to the event website here.
Conference:
When: Wednesday 18 November @ 18:00
Where: SPAAK 1A2, European Parliament, Brussels
Illumination of the European Parliament:
When: Monday 20 November @ 20:00
Where: In front of the EP, Strasbourg.
Romania’s anti-communist resistance
On Thursday, ECR MEP Șerban Dimitrie Sturdza will host an event highlighting the courage and sacrifices of those who took part in Romania’s anti-communist resistance. By bringing together historical perspectives and testimonies, the event will explore the different forms of resistance to Romania’s communist dictatorship, from armed resistance in the mountains and resistance within political prisons to the defence of religious freedom and dissent through literature and culture. Understanding the experiences of those who lived under and resisted communist rule offers valuable insights into the challenges Europe is facing today. Link to the event website here.
When: Thursday @ 14:00 –16:00
Where: SPAAK 1A2
The Congress Radom of the Future
The Congress Radom of the Future will take place on Saturday, 21 November 2026, in Radom, Poland. The event is organised by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group in the European Parliament, in cooperation with the Polish Delegation of Law and Justice (PiS) to the ECR Group. The Congress will be hosted by Beata Szydło, Head of the Polish Delegation of Law and Justice (PiS) to the ECR Group and former Prime Minister of Poland, and Adam Bielan, MEP and President of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party. The event will focus on the future of Radom and the wider region in the context of European regional policy, economic development, new technologies and the challenges facing the European Union. Discussions will explore how European policies and investment can contribute to regional growth, strengthen economic potential and create new opportunities for local communities. More information is available here.
When: Saturday @ 10:00
Where: Radom, Poland
