The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will make housing even less affordable; Files on Fit for 55 not fit for adoption; EU Data Act; 23-24 March EU Summit; Joint debate on Brexit; The challenges facing the Republic of Moldova; Planned law on foreign influence in Georgia; Free Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski; The poisoning of hundreds of school girls in Iran; Event: Investigating Human Rights in North Korea; Exhibition: “We are with you! Ми з Вами! Polish aid for Ukraine”.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will make housing even less affordable

On Monday afternoon, the Strasbourg plenary will start with a debate on the highly controversial Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which requires all new buildings to be zero-emissions by 2028. Existing residential buildings will have to be at least class E by 2030 and class D by 2033. For non-residential and public buildings, the same levels must be achieved by 2027 and 2030 respectively. The ECR Group supports the EPBD in principle, as energy efficiency improvements are necessary and can have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the climate and citizens, especially in the current context of inflation, economic crises, energy price volatility and general instability. In theory, the savings from efficiency improvements can be a real change for the better for millions of people. However, these improvements come at too great a cost, as renovations, especially deep renovations, are expensive and often require large up-front investments, and no EU funds are created by this Directive. The balance between ambitions and obligations must therefore be very sensitive, and obligations must be accompanied by incentives and realistic expectations. In the opinion of the ECR Group, the text introduces new obligations and raises the ambition to a level that is unachievable and very costly for both Member States and customers. The extraordinarily high ambitions also ignore differences in the economic situations of Member States and in the characteristics of their building stock. While some Member States may be able to cope with the new obligations, others will find them economically unfeasible and downright impossible. The proposal also contains too many elements and additions that are not relevant to the Directive and go beyond the original scope of energy savings, which will turn out to be costly add-ons for consumers if implemented. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday.

Debate: Monday @ 17:00
Vote: Tuesday @ 12:00

Files on Fit for 55 not fit for adoption

On Monday, MEPs will also jointly debate files that are part of the ‘Fit for 55 in 2030’ package, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The Effort Sharing Regulation is a policy framework that increases binding national greenhouse gas targets for each of the European Union’s 27 Member States, from a 30 per cent to a 40 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 (compared to a 2005 baseline). While supporting the objective in principle, the ECR Group believes that the new rules are ill-timed in light of current crises. A key problem is that there is a sharp increase in ambition, affecting some Member States more than others – particularly those in Central Eastern Europe, whose energy mix still relies on fossil fuels and which have lower capacities to massively invest in the deployment of renewable energy sources at large scale. Moreover, these Member States are more affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine than others, as they host more refugees from Ukraine.

The revision of the Regulation on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) aims to increase the EU’s carbon sinks target for these sectors to 310 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which would bring the EU’s greenhouse gas reduction to 57 per cent in 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The ECR Group’s main concern is that farmers will be obliged to sequester CO₂, which will compete with food and feed production and forest productivity. Furthermore, forests are a national competence, which calls into question the principle of subsidiarity. The ECR Group believes that decisions should be taken at the lowest appropriate level. Moreover, the targets are not always fair. For example, Sweden is now required to significantly increase its LULUCF removals by 2030 to a level almost three times higher than that of Finland.

Joint Debate: Monday @ 19:00
Votes: Tuesday @ 12:00

EU Data Act

On Tuesday, the European Parliament will debate and vote on the important ‘Data Act’, the main aim of which is to put users back in control of the data they generate with their connected products (IoT devices). The regulation also aims to ensure fairness and control in the digital environment, stimulate a competitive data market, promote data-driven innovation and make data more accessible and reusable. The ECR Group advocated a cautious approach: We believe that the data economy should flourish. If the European Union fails to do this, other markets (such as China and the US) will take the lead and Europe will fall behind. The Data Act also limits the power of certain large companies by specifying the conditions under which data can be shared at the user’s request. However, while the ECR Group has played an important role in ensuring that only non-personal data can be collected, the Group would prefer to see the whole of Chapter V excluded from the Data Act and has tabled amendments to this effect. First, the ECR Group believes that it should be primarily for Member States to collect data on their citizens and businesses, not for EU institutions and bodies to do so. Furthermore, we would prefer to see specific legislation dealing with this issue, if at all necessary. We would rather see the Data Act as a piece of legislation that primarily puts users back in control of the data they generate with their connected products.

Debate: Tuesday @ 9:00
Vote: Tuesday @ 12:00

23-24 March EU Summit

In the presence of Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, MEPs will discuss their priorities for the EU summit on 23-24 March on Wednesday morning. For the ECR Group, it is clear that Member States must support Ukraine with all necessary means to ensure that Ukraine wins the war started by Russia. This means that the EU must step up its efforts in all areas of military and civilian support. On economic relations with the US, we have always stressed the need to pull out all the stops to avoiding a trade war and subsidy race. This would be extremely damaging for both sides, probably more so for the EU because of its greater dependence on world trade. On energy, the ECR Group has always argued that Europe’s energy security must be guaranteed, especially in the current context of climate change and the need to reduce emissions.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

Joint debate on Brexit

On Tuesday evening, MEPs will take stock of the implementation of rules governing EU-UK relations after 2020, including the recent Windsor framework. The ECR Group welcomes the new agreement and calls on the institutions to focus their joint efforts on building a positive relationship with the UK. The ECR Group would like to see the UK associated with the Horizon Europe programme as soon as possible. We also want to deepen our relationship in other areas such as energy, migration, financial services, foreign affairs and security. In the same spirit, the European Conservatives and Reformists support the Commission’s request for urgency on the accompanying legislative package. The vote on the Parliament’s implementation report will take place on Wednesday.

Debate: Tuesday @ 21:00
Vote: Wednesday @ 12:00

The challenges facing the Republic of Moldova

On Tuesday afternoon, the European Parliament will debate the current situation in Moldova with Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and prepare a resolution on the matter. Moldovan President Maia Sandu made a statement on 13 February in which she announced that Russia was planning to overthrow the Moldovan government and subjugate the whole country in order to prevent it from joining the European Union. Moldova is currently the target of hybrid aggression, with protests taking place in Chisinau. Recently revealed plans for a coup are directly inspired by Russia. Moldova can count on the full support of democratic states in every necessary dimension. At the moment, there is a pro-European, democratically elected government that wants to cooperate with the West, even in the context of the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine. This is important because Moldova is another country that could become Russia’s target for such activities. “I am sure that Moldova, under the leadership of President Maia Sandu, will overcome these threats and challenges and remain firmly on the Euro-Atlantic track. We must support Moldova”, said MEP Anna Fotyga, ECR Foreign Affairs Coordinator. The resolution will be voted on at a future part-session.

Debate: Tuesday @ 15:00
Vote: future part-session

Planned law on foreign influence in Georgia

On Tuesday afternoon, MEPs and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell will also discuss the planned adoption of a law on foreign influence in Georgia. In the opinion of the ECR Group, the idea of a “foreign agents law” and the violence that has followed the procedure are a dangerous game. Faced with common threats and war on our doorstep, the collective West must remain united. The direction in which the Georgian authorities have decided to take the country raises legitimate concerns for the Georgian people and European society. On Thursday 9 March, however, it was reported that the Georgian authorities had withdrawn the idea under discussion.

Debate: Tuesday @ 15:00

Free Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will vote on a resolution which calls on the Belarusian authorities to free journalist Andrzej Poczobut and Nobel Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski from detention. The ECR Group is one of the strongest supporters of the Belarusian opposition and warned long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine that Belarusian dictator Lukashenka was a stooge of Putin. During the plenary debate on the matter, which took place during the February session at the request of the ECR Group, ECR Foreign Affairs Coordinator Anna Fotyga reminded the house that: “You can’t negotiate with Lukashenka, as he serves the interest of the Kremlin, not the Belarusian people.” The ECR Group stands united in support of freedom for Poczobut, Bialiatski and all Belarusian people.

When: Wednesday @ 12:00

The poisoning of hundreds of school girls in Iran

On Wednesday evening, MEPs will debate the current situation in Iran, after more than 1,000 Iranian girls in schools have reportedly suffered from poisoning since November. The ECR Group has, over recent months, repeatedly expressed its solidarity with the Iranian people protesting for a free and democratic country and against the compulsory veiling of women, and has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested and for the Iranian regime to stop executing protesters. The European Parliament must take this opportunity to reiterate its support for freedom and democracy in Iran and to strongly condemn the recent poisoning of the women, call for an international investigation and for those responsible to be held to account. The resolution on the file will be voted on during the Thursday voting session.

Debate: Wednesday @ 20:00
Vote: Thursday @ 12:00

Event: Investigating Human Rights in North Korea

On Tuesday, ECR MEP Michiel Hoogeveen and EPP MEP Lukas Mandl, together with the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), will host an event highlighting the crimes against humanity perpetrated in the detention facilities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Guests from HRNK will discuss their ongoing investigation into the detention facilities, using a methodology combining satellite imagery, witness testimony, and open-source research. Three North Korean defectors, who will discuss their experiences of their time spent in North Korea’s detention system, will also join the organisers. The event will be live-streamed on the ECR Group’s YouTube channel.

When: Tuesday @ 13:30 - 15:00
Where: WEISS S2.2
A live video link can be found here

Exhibition: “We are with you! Ми з Вами! Polish aid for Ukraine”

On Tuesday, ECR MEP Beata Mazurek, together with Ryszard Terlecki, the Deputy Marshal of the Sejm will open a photo exhibition titled ‘We are with you! Ми з Вами! Polish aid for Ukraine’. The exhibition consists of forty-two panels presenting photographs showing the efforts of the authorities of the Republic of Poland, as well as its ordinary citizens, to help Ukrainian men, women and children fleeing Russia’s brutal aggression. The title of the exhibition, “We are with you! ми з Вaми!”, is a slogan that quickly became a symbol of solidarity between Polish citizens and the people of Ukraine, appearing on posters in the windows of homes throughout Poland. The exhibition will be presented in three languages: Polish, English and Ukrainian.

Opening of the exhibition: Tuesday @ 13:00
Where: Louise Weiss building, Floor 0, Flower Carpet Area