Next week our MEPs will be in Strasbourg, voting on important reforms to EU copyright law and whether we should end bi-annual clock changes in Europe. There will also be a debate following this week's European Council and votes to endorse agreements to cut single use plastics, reform the electricity market, introduce new rules for crowdfunding and to improve the interoperability of criminal records databases. Read on for more details.

Reforms to copyright law go before Parliament

The agreement reached between negotiators from the parliament and council on reforms to EU copyright law will be put to the vote on Tuesday. Included under the draft deal will be changes to the way that artists are remunerated for their content by online platforms such as Youtube.

Debate: Tuesday @ 9:00, vote @ 12:30

Contact: Robert Taylor, robert.taylor.@ep.europa.eu,

+32 498 984 760

Discontinuing seasonal changes of time

Proposals from the European Commission to end bi-annual clock changes and force Member States to move either to all-year winter or summer time will be debated and voted in Strasbourg. The existing EU Directive coordinates the bi-annual clock change, ensuring that each EU country changes its clocks forwards and backwards each year at the same time.

Debate: Monday @ 17:00, vote: Tuesday @ 12:30

Contact: Gareth Goldsmith,

gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu,

+32 476 668 050

European Council

MEPs will debate the outcome of this week’s European Council meeting. While Brexit is expected to feature prominently, the Council is also set to endorse conclusions on climate change, the EU’s industrial base, the forthcoming China summit and ways to tackle propaganda and disinformation from third countries.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

Contact: Jan Krelina,

jan.krelina@ep.europa.eu,

+32 493 214 346

Reforming the EU electricity market

On Tuesday MEPs will vote on new rules to establish a more competitive, consumer-centred, and open EU electricity market. New provisions to help switching between energy suppliers and provide for smart meters to be rolled, while there will also be new requirements to help boost cross-border electricity trading.

Debate: Monday @ 17:00, vote: Tuesday @ 12:30

Contact: Gareth Goldsmith,

gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu,

+32 476 668 050

Cutting single use plastics

New rules to reduce the amount of harmful plastic litter in Europe’s rivers and seas are set to be adopted this week. Under the agreement reached, there will be a strong focus on cutting single use plastics, by banning products where alternatives exist, such as straws, cutlery and cotton buds.

Debate: Wednesday @ 15:00, vote @ 17:00

Contact: Yannick Vanderveeren,

yannick.vanderveeren@ep.europa.eu,

+32 473 806 446

Fighting cross border crime and terrorism

MEPs are set to vote on legislation to improve the interoperability of law enforcement databases which will help in the fight against cross-border crime and terrorism. The new rules will create a ‘one-stop-shop’ where border guards or police officers can verify documents across several databases and will allow for biometric matching as well as providing multiple identity detecting capabilities.

Debate: Wednesday @ 18:00; vote: Thursday @ 12:00

Contact: Gareth Goldsmith,

gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu,

+32 476 668 050

Transforming the EU crowdfunding sector

An agreement on the first EU-wide regulation of the crowdfunding sector will be endorsed by MEPs on Wednesday. ECR MEP Ashley Fox has steered proposals through the parliament that will introduce common regulations and standards that crowdfunding service providers (CSPs) can opt into as at present separate national rules have limited cross-border activity.

Vote: Wednesday @ 17:00

Contact: Robert Taylor,

robert.taylor@ep.europa.eu,

+32 498 984 760