The ECR Group in the European Parliament challenges the EU institutions’ Conference on the Future of Europe with its own livetour: Europe’s Future. A new hope.; Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December 2020; Award of the Sakharov Prize for the democratic opposition in Belarus; A new strategy for European SMEs; EU Security Union Strategy.

The ECR Group in the European Parliament challenges the EU institutions’ Conference on the Future of Europe with its own livetour: Europe’s Future. A new hope.

Today, 11 December, the ECR Group in the European Parliament will launch its own European Tour on the future of the European Union. The tour will start with its first broadcast, live from the Warsaw Royal Castle. The programme “European Union 2.0. A programme for reform” will include introductions by both our Group Co-Chairmen Ryszard Legutko and Raffaele Fitto, a discussion with invited academics led by Professor Krasnodebski and a debate about alternative views on Europe’s future with ECR leaders of delegations. The event will be broadcast live in English, Polish, Italian, Spanish and Bulgarian language and cover themes such as European values and the significance of the treaties.

Live Broadcast: Friday, 11 December @ 17:00 - 19:35

#ResetEU https://ecrthefuture.eu

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December 2020

On Wednesday morning, the European Parliament will debate on the Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December. For the ECR Group, important items to discuss are the need to respect the EU treaties, the future EU-UK relationship, the fight against terrorism and the coordinated COVID-19 vaccination.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

Award of the Sakharov Prize for the democratic opposition in Belarus

On Wednesday, the European Parliament is going to award the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the democratic opposition in Belarus. Ahead of the ceremony, MEPs will meet Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and other members of the opposition to self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Human Rights. The democratic opposition in Belarus has been the joint candidate of the EPP, S&D, Renew and ECR Group. “The Belarusian people won this year’s Sakharov prize. I am convinced without hesitation that they deserve it. We members of the European Parliament simply fulfil our obligation to stand by those who fight for freedom,” highlighted Anna Fotyga, MEP and Foreign Affairs Committee Coordinator of the ECR Group.

Joint AFET & DROI meeting: Monday @ 19:30

Plenary: Wednesday @ 12:00

A new strategy for European SMEs

On Monday afternoon, MEPs will debate an own initiative report on a New Strategy for European SME’s, followed by votes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises have proven to be particularly vulnerable to the economic shock that followed the pandemic. Their importance to the EU economy requires an adequate response. The ECR Group will emphasize the need for reducing the administrative burden for SMEs by setting binding deregulation targets, and to improve their access to finance. Furthermore, ECR will call for a mandatory assessment of the costs and benefits of new legislative proposals on SMEs. A competitive business environment for SMEs without unnecessary regulatory burdens is a key priority for the ECR Group.

Debate: Monday @ 17:00

Vote: Tuesday @ 11:30 and Wednesday @ 12:45

EU Security Union Strategy

On Wednesday, MEPs will debate a resolution on the EU Security Union strategy, followed by a vote in the evening. The strategy announces action on a wide range of policies against human trafficking, radicalisation, drugs, migrant smuggling, cyber threats and online child abuse. It also calls for a stronger mandate for Europol. For the ECR Group it is important that the EU does not replace or duplicate Member States capacities, but instead complements and coordinates. The ECR also stresses that, following the terrorist attacks in France and Austria, the EU must make it very clear that it defends freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

Debate: Wednesday @ 15:00

Vote: Wednesday @ 20:00