×

×
=

News

News

Week Ahead 21 - 25 October

Russia to pay price for aggression; EU Budget 2025: Aid for farmers, better disaster preparedness, enhanced border protection; Acting to stop illegal immigration; How can Europe's steel industry remain competitive?; Unburden EU industry; An increasingly aggressive Peoples Republic of China; Iran world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism; Situation in Azerbaijan, violations of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia; 2024 Sakharov Prize winner.

Russia to pay price for aggression

On Tuesday morning, MEPs in Strasbourg will discuss a report on establishing a loan cooperation mechanism for Ukraine of up to €45 billion and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance of up to €35 billion. The financial assistance is intended to help the country cope with the effects of the ongoing war and move closer to joining the European Union. The package notably leverages extraordinary profits from immobilised Russian assets and won’t cost the European Taxpayer any additional money. “For the first time, Russia is paying the price for its own aggression. This decisive action holds Russia accountable and shows our unwavering, unequivocal stand with Ukraine in its hour of need”, said ECR Shadow Rapporteur Rihards Kols after the report was adopted in the Committee on International Trade. The vast majority of the political groups also supported adopting the report without amendments so that it can come into force this year. The adoption in plenary is scheduled for Wednesday.

Debate: Tuesday @ 9:00

Vote: Wednesday @ 12:00


EU Budget 2025: Aid for farmers, better disaster preparedness, enhanced border protection

On Tuesday, MEPs will debate the EU budget for 2025. A total of 1261 amendments have been tabled by parliamentary committees, political groups and individual MEPs. For the ECR Group, it’s important that European taxpayers’ money is used efficiently. A priority is to support investment in agriculture, in particular funding for new and young farmers, as well as small and medium-sized farmers, in order to ensure the sustainability of the sector and generational change. Furthermore, the ECR Group supports the strengthening of the Union’s civil protection mechanisms to improve prevention, preparedness and response to disasters such as the recent floods in Eastern and Central Europe. It is also important to strengthen the protection of the EU’s external borders, in particular the EU’s external borders with Russia and the frontline countries.

The vote will take place on Wednesday.

Debate: Tuesday @ 13:00 (or after the votes starting at 12:00)

Vote: Wednesday @ 12:00

Acting to stop illegal immigration

In a key debate on Wednesday morning, the European Parliament will discuss how to deal with the continuing flow of illegal immigrants into the Union and how to facilitate their return. The ECR wants to reduce illegal immigration to zero. The Group has always stressed that we need to make our borders more secure and that we need a proactive external policy strategy aimed at tackling the root causes of migration. This includes diplomatic efforts, development assistance and partnerships with countries of origin and transit to effectively manage migration flows. Externalisation of asylum claims will be a key strategy to manage migration effectively. The ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable and controlled migration system, consistent with national security and humanitarian obligations. More resources should be allocated to the maintenance and improvement of existing border barriers and the construction of new ones. Greater emphasis should be placed on bilateral agreements with third countries to facilitate the return of irregular migrants. A robust return policy is essential for the integrity of our migration system, as only by demonstrating that irregular entry into the EU will not lead to permanent settlement can safer and legal channels of migration be encouraged. It is also crucial that we address the weaponisation of refugees, as is happening from Belarus and Russia.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

How can Europe’s steel industry remain competitive?

In another key debate on Wednesday morning, MEPs will discuss how to tackle the steel crisis and maintain steel production capacity and quality jobs in the European steel industry. The European steel industry and manufacturing sector are currently at existential risk - and the risk of deindustrialisation in Europe has never been more evident. Steel is one of the energy-intensive industries that, as highlighted in the Draghi report, has experienced declining competitiveness in recent years in terms of production losses and increased dependence on imports. The ECR calls for urgent action to address the main causes of this situation: high energy costs, carbon pricing, lack of a level playing field with global competitors, and increasing regulatory pressure to decarbonise. For the ECR Group, it is all about making Europe more business-friendly again and making a 180-degree turn in economic governance. More courage for free enterprise, less bureaucracy and paternalism and, above all, making the Union more attractive for investment. Under no circumstances should Brussels start subsidising industry on a permanent basis or introduce semi-governmental control. To keep the steel mills in business and to become innovative again, everything depends on competitiveness, which starts with affordable energy prices and extends to a good supply of raw materials, the availability of skilled labour and investment. A swift and radical action in EU industrial, energy and trade policies as the last chance to revive the European steel industry.

Debate: Wednesday @ 10:30

Unburden EU industry

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the urgency of addressing excessive EU bureaucracy, a long-standing problem that has hindered competitiveness and innovation in Europe compared to other regions like the US and China. The ECR Group has always advocated for a simpler EU, that does not punish but promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, and production. Consensus in the EU has now—but not without delay—acknowledged that the long-standing cliché that the EU is a posterchild for bureaucracy does, in fact, have some truth to it. Mario Draghi’s recent report on European competitiveness has highlighted how restrictive regulations and administrative burdens, especially over the past five years, have weighed down European industries and slowed growth. This report has triggered a long-awaited reflection on EU bureaucracy and the policies of the Green Deal that have worsened these issues. The ECR Group emphasises that true competitiveness can only be achieved by promoting a more active and open single market. This requires axing bureaucracy instead of imposing centralised governance, new taxes, or more and more complicated rules and regulations.

Debate: Wednesday @ 14:00

An increasingly aggressive Peoples Republic of China

On Tuesday, the European Parliament will discuss China’s growing military provocations near Taiwan, with a resolution vote planned for Thursday. The debate is sparked by China’s aggressive actions, including large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan, as well as its ongoing efforts to distort historical UN documents, particularly UNGA Resolution 2758. The resolution, adopted on 25 October 1971, stipulates that the representatives of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are the only legitimate representatives of China in the UN, replacing the Republic of China (Taiwan). However, Beijing has continuously misinterpreted this resolution to assert its ‘One China Principle’ and claims Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory. While UNGA Resolution 2758 does not address Taiwan’s sovereignty, Beijing uses it to justify its position, altering historical records and documents to support its claim. The PRC’s military actions, particularly across the Taiwan Strait, further threaten regional peace and stability. The ECR Group, a co-initiator of this resolution, has always been a strong advocate for Taiwan, denouncing its exclusion from the UN and other international organisations, as it undermines critical global cooperation. The ECR also condemns China’s increasingly aggressive stance in the Taiwan Strait.

Debate: Tuesday @ 19:00

Vote: Thursday @ 12:00

Iran world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism

On Tuesday evening, the European Parliament will address the issue of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, which remains a threat to global and European security. The ECR recognises that Iran remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. The fact that it continues to use its network inside Europe to conduct a range of terrorist activities and assassinations against Iranian dissidents and European officials, all the while abusing its diplomatic privileges, is proof of this. The ECR Group urges the EU to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. With Iran’s continued transfer of missiles and drones to Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Council’s recent decision to adopt restrictive measures against individuals and entities is also welcome..

Debate: Tuesday @ 21:00

Situation in Azerbaijan, violations of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia

On Tuesday afternoon, MEPs will debate the situation in Azerbaijan, where the government’s actions and increasing repression of civil liberties have led to a worrying decline in democracy. The early parliamentary elections on 1 September revealed a lack of genuine political competition and a restrictive political environment that hinders genuine pluralism, as noted by the OSCE Election Observation Mission. The human rights situation is deteriorating, marked by attacks on journalists and civil society, while the Azerbaijani government is moving further away from democratic values and international commitments. The European Parliament has previously adopted resolutions on these issues, in particular on Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the continuing threats against Armenia. For the ECR, it is important that the government of Azerbaijan takes decisive action to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and urges concrete structural reforms, particularly in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku in November this year. The ECR Group reiterates its commitment to the stability and prosperity of the Caucasus region, fully supporting the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The vote will be held on Thursday.

Debate: Tuesday @ 17:00

Vote: Thursday @ 12:00

2024 Sakharov Prize winner

On Thursday, the Parliament’s Conference of Presidents will select the winner of the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola set to announce the decision in the hemicycle. On 17 October, the Foreign Affairs and Development committees shortlisted three finalists, including President-elect Edmundo González and María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela’s democratic opposition, who are jointly nominated by the ECR and EPP groups. The Sakharov Prize ceremony is to be held on Wednesday 18 December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

When: Thursday @ 12:00

  • SHARE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • X