Migration as a political weapon against the EU, Streamlining legitimate arrivals and departures at external borders, Paws and proportionality – protecting pets without overreach, No taxation powers for the EU, Combating female genital mutilation (FGM) in the European Union, Protect kids from online radicalisation, Elevating the voices of Russia’s democratic opposition.

Migration as a political weapon against the EU

Control over migration and the movement of people across border is
increasingly used as a political and diplomatic weapon against the European
Union and is also part of a broader scope of hybrid threats. On Monday, the
Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield will conduct an exchange of
views on the use of migration by foreign state actors as an instrument of foreign
interference and manipulation of information. For the ECR Group, this
represents a serious threat to internal security and cohesion in the European
Union and needs to be tackled as a priority on multiple fronts.

Monday 2 June

15.00-16.30 SPINELLI 1 G 3

Streamlining
legitimate arrivals and departures at external borders

The
Entry-Exit System (EES) will be an automated IT system for registering
travellers from third countries, both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt
travellers, each time they cross an EU external border. The recent
inter-institutional agreement on the EES marks an important step towards making
the EU’s external borders more secure and ensuring that legitimate travellers
don’t face unnecessary hurdles. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and
Home Affairs will vote on this agreement on Wednesday. The ECR coordinator on
the committee and rapporteur on the file, Assita Kanko MEP, has led efforts to
secure a more realistic launch timetable that will the system to be put in place
as soon as possible. The ECR Group calls on all Member States to finish their
preparations and issue declarations of readiness, so that the roll-out can
begin in earnest.

Wednesday
4 June

11.30–11.45
SPAAK 3 C 50

Paws and proportionality – protecting pets without overreach

The market for trade in cats and dogs in the European Union is
worth €1.3 billion annually, but for the first time the EU is moving towards
adoption of legislation that specifically protects the welfare of these pets.
On Tuesday, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development will vote on a
report by the Chair, ECR MEP Veronika Vrecionová. The proposed legislation
introduces essential regulations for breeders, with the goal of eliminating
illegal trade and addressing the suffering caused by so-called puppy and kitten
mills. Tackling illicit trade in pets is a key priority of the report, as is,
inter alia, the gradual phasing out of the breeding of dogs and cats with
extreme conformational traits that pose welfare risks. The rapporteur has taken
steps to ensure proportionality in the draft legislation by limiting its scope
so that ordinary pet owners who do not place animals on the market for sale are
not burdened by unnecessary red tape.

Tuesday 3 June

15.00-18.30 ANTALL 6 Q 2

No taxation powers for the EU

Taxation is, and must remain, a national prerogative in the eyes
of the ECR Group, despite consistent efforts over the years by federalists to
push for tax-raising powers for Brussels. The ECR supports Member States’
exclusivity when it comes to taxation and welcomes a competitive, dynamic
financial sector that drives innovation and growth. On Tuesday, the
Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) will hold a workshop on the taxation of the
EU’s financial sector, while the question of new ‘own resources’ - shorthand
for granting the EU more power to raise budget funds independently of Member
States - will come under the microscope in a hearing in the Committee on
Budgets (BUDG) on Wednesday.

FISC: Tuesday 3 June

15.00-16.00 SPINELLI 3 E 2

BUDG: Wednesday 4 June

09.00-12.00 SPINELLI 3 G 3

Combating female genital mutilation (FGM) in the European Union

The devastating and lifelong mental and physical harm caused by
female genital mutilation is the focus of a hearing in the Committee on Civil
Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on Wednesday. The session will hear from
activists and experts working to eradicate this horrific crime and raise
awareness in communities most affected by it. Female genital mutilation is one
of the most barbaric practices still taking place today – and it continues to
occur even within Europe. The ECR Group advocates a policy of zero tolerance
towards FGM and remains firmly committed to eradicating it. The ECR Group’s
efforts are led by LIBE coordinator, Assita Kanko MEP.

Wednesday 4 June

11.45-13.00 SPAAK 3 C 50

Protect kids from online radicalisation

The alarming rise in children being radicalised online needs to be
tackled urgently and in an integrated manner - that’s the message the ECR Group
will share at a hearing of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home
Affairs on Wednesday. The ECR considers the fight against radicalisation,
especially online, a top priority in its broader security agenda, emphasising
the need to protect minors from exploitation and strengthen efforts in the
fight against terrorism. MEPs will hear from experts on the growing problem of
radicalisation online, with a focus on the recruitment of children for
organised crime and terrorism. These serious threats to the cohesion of our
societies need to be treated with the full force of the law, and our group
demands that authorities use all available tools to protect our most vulnerable
citizens.

Wednesday 4 June

09.30-11.30 SPAAK 3 C 50

Elevating the voices of Russia’s democratic opposition

The ECR Group is strongly supportive of Russian opposition forces
and looks to amplify their call for democratic change in Russia, despite the
evident challenges and repression they face. On Thursday, the Committee on
Foreign Affairs will hold an exchange of views with three representatives of
the Russian democratic opposition—Yulia Navalnya, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya
Yashin—about the EU’s support for their broader movement’s activities in the
new geopolitical context. The hearing will be held jointly with the
Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary
Cooperation Committee.

Thursday 5 June

09.00-10.00 ANTALL 4 Q 2