This week in the European Parliament: Western Balkans Summit and Montenegro progress report; Hearing at the ECJ: Legality of ECB bond purchases; A European plastics strategy; ECR Facebook live: Future of the Euro; 2018 NATO summit; Dual quality of products.

Western Balkans Summit and Montenegro progress report

The Western Balkans Summit will take place on Monday and Tuesday in London. It brings together the leaders from the Western Balkans and EU Member States from the region, such as Croatia and also the likes of France, Germany and Italy. On Tuesday, ECR foreign affairs spokesman Charles Tannock will present his draft report on Montenegro which recognises progress in the country but highlights the need for further reforms in areas such as the judiciary and media freedom. In May, ECR Group MEPs published their priorities and recommendations on what more needs to be done to advance cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans.

Tannock report presented: Tuesday from 14:30, AFET Committee Contact: Robert Taylor, robert.taylor@ep.europa.eu, +32 498 98 47 60

Hearing at the ECJ: Legality of ECB bond purchases

A case brought by ECR German MEPs on the legality of government bonds purchases worth billions of Euros by the European Central Bank will be heard for the first time at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on Tuesday. Following the hearing, the plaintiffs Bernd Lucke MEP, Hans-Olaf Henkel MEP, Joachim Starbatty MEP, Bernd Koelmel MEP and Ulrike Trebesius MEP, will hold a press conference to discuss the proceedings. Prof. Dr. Hans-Detlef Horn, attorney of record, will also be in attendance.

When: Tuesday @ 13:30 / 14:00, depending on proceedings Where: The Sofitel Luxembourg Europe Hotel, 4 rue du fort Niedergrunewald, L-2226 Luxembourg (opposite ECJ). Contact: Michael Strauss, michael.strauss@ep.europa.eu, +32 470 882 348

A European plastics strategy

On Tuesday morning the environment committee will adopt a report by ECR Flemish MEP Mark Demesmaeker on the EU’s Plastics Strategy. The report highlights that the way plastics are produced and used is both unaffordable and unsustainable and that while they’re developed to last forever, they are routinely designed to be disposed of after use. In order to reduce plastic use the report stresses that the EU strategy must help us to manage plastics in a sustainable and responsible way, across the entire value chain.

When: Tuesday @ 10:30 Contact: Gareth Goldsmith, gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu, +32 476 668 050

ECR Facebook live: Future of the Euro

On Tuesday from 16:20 the ECR Group will host a Facebook live panel discussion on the future of Euro. ECR MEPs Peter Van Dalen, Roberts Zile and Kay Swinburne will be participating in the discussions on what does, or doesn’t, need to be reformed within the Eurozone.

Where: https://www.facebook.com/ECRgroupEU/ Contact: Gareth Goldsmith, gareth.goldsmith@ep.europa.eu, +32 476 668 050

2018 NATO summit

Taking place on Wednesday and Thursday this week, the summit will cover evolving threats such as terrorism and cyber-attacks and takes place in the new NATO headquarters in Brussels. ECR MEP Anna Fotyga, who chairs the parliament’s security and defence subcommittee, will be following the summit and also hosts a hearing on “Nuclear Deterrence” that takes place at 11:30 in the EP on Wednesday.

Contact: Kasia Ochman, katarzyna.ochman@ep.europa.eu, +32 470 955 928

Dual quality of products

Fish fingers, soft drinks and coffee are amongst the items that have the same packaging but contain different ingredients in individual countries across the EU. Often lower quality versions of well-known brands are sold in Central and Eastern European markets. The ECR Group believes this misleads consumers and shadow rapporteur Richard Sulik MEP is helping draw up measures in the Internal Market Committee to tackle the issue.

Internal Market Committee vote: Thursday

Press officer to contact: Robert Taylor, robert.taylor@ep.europa.eu, +32 498 984760

For a list of all ECR Press Officers go to (scroll down): http://ecrgroup.eu/contacts/

The ECR was created to take the EU in a new direction, according to the principles of our founding Prague Declaration. It is the third largest group in the European Parliament with 73 MEPs from 19 EU states.

For more information on the ECR, watch our promotional video at http://youtu.be/F5syQt1JuQI or visit our website: www.ecrgroup.eu