Press briefing with ECR Co-Chairmen Nicola Procaccini and Patryk Jaki; Commission Work Programme 2025: No time to lose to make the EU competitive again; Top-down approach will continue to hinder Europe’s competitiveness; EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement: ECR Group’s Position; Three Years of War: The EU must stay the course on Ukraine; Support EU regions bordering Russia! Defending EU sovereignty; One year after the murder of Alexei Navalny; Debate on organised crime in Sweden: Stepping up the fight against gang violence; Debate on missing persons in conflicts; Event: Opening ceremony of the exhibition - Foibe, Tragedy and Exodus.

Press briefing with ECR Co-Chairmen Nicola Procaccini and Patryk Jaki

The ECR Group will hold a press briefing with Co-Chairmen Nicola Procaccini (IT) and Patryk Jaki (PL) on Tuesday at 10:10 am in the Daphne Caruana Galizia press room in Strasbourg. The briefing will provide an opportunity to discuss the key priorities and positions of the ECR Group. You can watch the livestream via this link.

When: Tuesday @ 10:10

Where: Daphne Caruana Galizia press room, Strasbourg, N -1/201

Journalists can join via interactio: https://ep.interactio.eu/s871-h7gf-91mi

Commission Work Programme 2025: No time to lose to make the EU competitive again

On Tuesday, the Commission will present its Work Programme 2025, outlining its policy agenda for the coming year. The ECR Group will be scrutinising the proposals to ensure that they focus on real priorities rather than more centralised EU overreach. As the EU faces economic stagnation, high energy prices and security threats, the Commission must stop pushing through over-regulation and ideological Green Deal policies that damage competitiveness and jobs. The ECR Group wants to see a sharp shift towards economic growth, energy independence and real solutions to Europe’s migration crisis. The Commission should focus on delivering practical results and not waste another year on expensive, unrealistic climate targets and politically driven projects.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

Top-down approach will continue to hinder Europe’s competitiveness

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will debate the European Commission’s recently published Competitive Compass. The ECR Group supports the overarching goals of fostering innovation, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring security. However, achieving these objectives requires a fundamental rethink of the EU’s regulatory and economic approach. Europe’s innovation gap is caused by overregulation, high taxation, and barriers to investment. To reverse this trend, the EU must adopt a market-driven approach that reduces administrative burdens on businesses and provides greater flexibility for start-ups. Decarbonisation must be balanced with economic competitiveness. The ECR Group opposes ideological approaches that undermine European industry and drive up costs for consumers. Similarly, strengthening Europe’s security and economic resilience is essential. This requires diversifying trade partners, investing in domestic energy production, and reducing reliance on strategic rivals. The ECR Group remains highly concerned that the strategy proposed by the Commission continues to rely on top-down regulations that hinder, rather than help, European businesses and our societies as a whole. A more profound, if not radical approach is needed to ensure Europe’s long-term success on the global stage. The ECR Group asks for nothing less than a cultural change in this regard.

Debate: Wednesday @ 13:00

EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement: ECR Group’s Position

On Thursday morning, MEPs will debate the status of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. For the ECR Group, strengthening strategic ties with Latin America is essential in an increasingly unstable world. Europe and Latin America share deep historical, cultural, and economic links, and the EU must pursue trade agreements that create business opportunities while securing vital raw materials and energy supplies. However, the current deal lacks key elements for approval. While we support free trade, we cannot ignore the concerns of the agricultural sector, which has been burdened by poor EU decisions since 2019. European farmers are being asked to compete with producers who do not meet the same standards, leading to unfair competition and higher costs. We urge further negotiations to secure a fair deal that strengthens ties with South America while protecting European agriculture.

Debate: Thursday @ 10:30

Three Years of War: The EU must stay the course on Ukraine

On Tuesday, the European Parliament will debate the EU’s continued support for Ukraine as Russia’s war of aggression enters its third year. The ECR Group remains firm: Ukraine’s sovereignty is non-negotiable, and the EU must not weaken its commitment at this critical moment. Since the invasion in February 2022, over 12,300 civilians have been killed almost 30,000 have been injured, and millions have been displaced. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its missile and drone strikes, targeting Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kyiv, causing further casualties and infrastructure damage. Attacks on energy facilities have left thousands without electricity in freezing winter conditions, a deliberate tactic to break Ukrainian resilience. While financial and military assistance have played a crucial role, the EU must now focus on delivering aid more efficiently, enforcing tougher sanctions, and countering Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics, including propaganda and cyber threats. The ECR Group calls for efficient military and financial aid, tougher sanctions enforcement on Russia, and stronger EU support for Ukraine’s defense industry.

Debate: Tuesday @ 9:00

Support EU regions bordering Russia!

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will debate the need for more targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The socio-economic and security challenges facing these eastern border regions have worsened since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2014, leading to economic decline, the dangers of armed migration and increased security threats. One example is Eastern Finland, which has suffered severe damage to its trade, transport and tourism sectors. The ECR Group, which initiated this debate, is calling for a stronger and more decisive EU response, including urgent measures to counter the hybrid threats posed by Russia and Belarus, and the fast-tracking of targeted EU assistance to help these regions respond effectively to the ongoing crisis.

Debate: Wednesday @ 15:00

Defending EU sovereignty

On Thursday, the European Parliament will debate the growing threats to EU sovereignty posed by strategic dependencies in communications infrastructure. The EU’s over-reliance on technology from third countries, particularly China and other authoritarian regimes, poses a direct risk to the Union’s security and resilience. From 5G networks to undersea cables, Europe remains vulnerable to foreign interference and espionage. The EU must prioritise technological sovereignty and ensure that key digital and communications infrastructures are European-led, independent and protected from geopolitical risks. The ECR Group believes that stronger safeguards against foreign influence, less reliance on non-EU technology providers and more investment in European innovation are needed to secure the EU’s strategic autonomy.

Debate: Thursday @ 9:00

One year after the murder of Alexei Navalny

On Wednesday morning, the leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups will make statements on the state of the democratic opposition in Russia, one year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. The shocking death of Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, is a stark reminder of the brutal repression the Kremlin continues to inflict on those who dare to challenge the totalitarian regime. Over the past year, Vladimir Putin has even intensified his crackdown on political dissent, imprisoning opposition figures, silencing independent media and stifling all forms of democratic expression. The ECR Group has consistently condemned Putin’s regime and the systematic brutal suppression of any dissent inside Russia, as well as the continued targeting of his opponents who have managed to flee the country. As the war in Ukraine rages on, the European Union must take decisive action, including tougher sanctions, increased support for Russian dissidents in exile and greater efforts to counter Kremlin propaganda.

Debate: Wednesday @ 11:00

Debate on organised crime in Sweden: Stepping up the fight against gang violence

On Monday evening, MEPs will debate the alarming escalation of gang violence in Sweden and the wider challenge of organised crime in the country. The rise in shootings, bombings, murders and all kinds of violent attacks, many linked to migrant gangs, underlines the urgent need for a stronger response. Sweden has seen over 30 bombings in the recent past, the murder of an islam critic is also very concerning. Organised crime knows no borders - weak migration policies, inadequate judicial cooperation and insufficient law enforcement tools have allowed criminal networks to expand. The ECR Group believes that Europe must step up its efforts by improving cross-border police cooperation, strengthening the judicial framework and ensuring that migration policies do not inadvertently fuel criminal networks. Security and the rule of law are fundamental to a free and democratic society. Politicians must make the fight against state failure and organised crime an absolute priority in order to protect citizens and uphold these principles.

Debate: Monday @ 18:00

Debate on missing persons in conflicts

On Monday evening, the European Parliament will hold a debate on the need for the European Union to step up efforts in addressing the humanitarian crisis of persons missing in wars and conflicts. This debate comes at the initiative of the ECR Group, which has consistently advocated for a stronger EU role in tackling this pressing issue. With thousands of individuals unaccounted for in conflict zones worldwide but also in European regions such as Ukraine and Cyprus, the humanitarian and legal challenges remain immense. The ECR Group is pushing for concrete measures to improve coordination, support affected families, and strengthen international efforts to locate missing persons.

Debate: Monday @ 21:00

Event: Opening ceremony of the exhibition - Foibe, Tragedy and Exodus.

On Monday, ECR MEP Stefano Cavedagna (IT) will inaugurate the exhibition “Foibe, Tragedy and Exodus”, dedicated to the victims of the Foibe massacres and the exiles from Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia. Despite the approval of Law 92/2004, which established 10 February as the Giorno del Ricordo (Day of Remembrance) in Italy, awareness of this tragedy remains limited. This exhibition will shed light on one of the most painful and often overlooked chapters of European history. The inauguration will take place on Monday, 10 February, at 18:00 and the exhibition will remain open until 13 February at the Emilio Colombo Gallery, European Parliament, Strasbourg (WEISS 1st floor). This exhibition is a significant commemoration, helping to preserve the memory of the victims and exiles of the Foibe massacres. Link to the event website here.

When: Inauguration, Monday @ 18:00

Exhibition open until 13 February

Where: Emilio Colombo Gallery, European Parliament, Strasbourg (WEISS 1st floor).