14 December 2015
14th - 17th 2015. EU summit. Energy Union. Sakharov Prize. EU-China relations. COP21. Economic and Monetary Union.
EU summit
MEPs will debate this week’s EU summit, with Syed Kamall setting out his priorities for the summit on terrorism, migration, the single market, the single currency and the UK’s requests for reform.
Syed Kamall will be available Thursday from 14.00-16.00 at the Council for comment – contact James Holtum on +32 473 861762
Syed Kamall press conference: Tuesday @ 11.30 – also carried on the EP website
Plenary debate: Wednesday from 09.00
Energy Union
The parliament is expected to adopt the report of former ECR MEP Marek Grobarczyk, who recently left the parliament to become a Polish Minister. The report will be steered through its final phase by ECR Czech MEP Evžen Tošenovský. The report says that the Energy Union should be based on a completion of the common energy market with free market mechanisms supporting solidarity towards member states suffering from dominance of one energy supplier. It underlines that part of the EU’s energy strategy shall be to fully tap all available Europe’s energy resources which contribute to the ultimate goal of Europe’s low-carbon future. ECR MEPs are concerned about amendments asking for increases in the EU’s 2030 energy efficiency and renewable targets and to make them legally binding at national levels (or even at the EU level in case! of energy efficiency).
Press officer to contact: Jan Křelina on +32 493 214346
Vote: Tuesday @ 12.30
Sakharov Prize
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi – co-nominated by the ECR for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought – will be awarded his prize. The blogger sadly remains in a Saudi prison and will be prevented from collecting the prize himself. His wife will take part in the ECR Group meeting on Tuesday evening. The full ECR reaction to the victory can be read at:
http://goo.gl/RLU4SN.
Press officer to contact: Yannick Vanderveeren on +32 473 806446
Award: Wednesday @ 12.00
EU-China relations
To mark the 40th anniversary of formal EU-China relations, ECR MEP Bas Belder has drafted a report for the parliament on the growing links between the two sides, looking at five areas: the EU-China Strategic Partnership and Cooperation, the internal situation, external relations, human rights, and Cross-Straight relations.
Mr Belder has drafted previous reports on EU-China relations and in the latest edition he is critical of Beijing’s human rights record, whilst also seeking a constructive dialogue to further reforms and to recognise China’s important role in the region and the world, as well as its interest in strategic infrastructure investments in Europe.
Press officer to contact: James Holtum on +32 473 861762
Vote: Wednesday @ 12.30
COP21
The parliament will debate the COP21 talks outcome. ECR MEP Ian Duncan was present at the talks and blogged regularly at: http://www.ianduncan.org.uk/blog.
He and ECR environment spokesman Julie Girling will speak in the debate.
Press officer to contact: Alasdair Rendall +32 475 780819
EP debate: Tuesday afternoon
Economic and Monetary Union
In the presence of the head of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, MEPs will discuss the future makeup of the EU’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), and vote on a resolution. The resolution focuses on a perceived lack of parliamentary oversight in EU Commission proposals on the future of EMU. ECR economics spokesman Kay Swinburne is not opposed to increasing democratic oversight but does not see the need for the parliament to have oversight of national budgets, which should be overseen by national parliaments.
Press officer to contact: James Holtum on +32 473 861762
Vote: Tuesday