European Council conclusions - a call for real clarity and transatlantic responsibility; Holding Russia accountable for war crimes; Giving businesses more time to breathe; ECR Group critical of UN-led Cyprus talks; Defending Religious Freedom in the DRC; Securing the Future of European Steel; ECR criticises unbalanced resolution on energy-intensive industries; Event: Combating Human Trafficking; ECR slams postponement of automotive industry vote; Press briefing with ECR Co-Chairmen Nicola Procaccini and Patryk Jaki; The ECR’s vision on EU agricultural policy - press conference with AGRI Coordinator Carlo Fidanza and AGRI Deputy Coordinator Bert-Jan Ruissen

European Council conclusions - a call for real clarity and transatlantic responsibility

On Tuesday morning, MEPs will debate the conclusions of the European Council of 20–21 June, in the presence of Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The focus will be on EU security and defence. For the ECR Group, the Council’s conclusions are a welcome step back to reality. But Europe’s approach must go further. Security is not just about weapons. It also means investing in strategic infrastructure, raw materials, communication systems and innovation. The ECR Group warns against framing European defence as a reaction to U.S. politics. Defence is a matter of national dignity and transatlantic solidarity. It cannot be separated from our historic alliance with the United States and NATO. Europe’s credibility, however, is being undermined by contradictions in its energy policy. Moral posturing rings hollow while the EU continues to import Russian gas – indirectly financing missiles that fall on Ukrainian cities. A credible European defence cannot exist without the United States and NATO. The ECR Group will continue to push for a clear-eyed, principled approach to security – one that defends Europe without weakening our key alliances.

Debate: Tuesday @ 9:00

Holding Russia accountable for war crimes

On Tuesday morning, the European Parliament will hold a debate on Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. At the initiative of the ECR Group, particular attention will be paid to the war crimes committed by Russian forces - crimes that have shocked the conscience of the international community. The full-scale invasion has brought with it a litany of atrocities: indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, destruction of civilian infrastructure, detention of prisoners of war as criminals, torture, mass executions and the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The unlawful deportation of over 20,000 Ukrainian children to Russia and the occupied territories is one of the most appalling of these crimes. Arrest warrants have already been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Vladimir Putin and other senior officials. While welcoming Ukraine’s ratification of the Rome Statute, the ECR Group strongly opposes any attempt, including by international partners, to undermine the work and independence of the Court. The ECR Group remains steadfast in its demand for justice. There can be no lasting peace without full accountability for crimes committed. We reiterate our support for the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression and hold the Russian and Belarusian leaders to account.

Debate: Tuesday @ 10:30

Giving businesses more time to breathe

On Tuesday, the European Parliament will vote on an urgent procedure to pave the way for a postponement of onerous reporting requirements for businesses introduced as part of the Green Deal agenda. The aim of this ‘stop the clock’ initiative is to give European companies more time to comply with burdensome rules forcing companies to report a wide range of data - environmental, social and governance - all in the name of so-called sustainable development goals. The ECR Group supports the idea of sustainability, but it should be done in a measured and pragmatic way and not further harm our businesses. The Conservatives and Reformists will therefore support the fast-track work on the directive. Given that the obligations imposed by the directives place a heavy burden on European producers, by reducing their competitiveness and production capacity, it is necessary not only to postpone the deadlines for these requirements, but also to start work on liberalisation and deregulation in this area.

Vote: Tuesday @ 12:00

ECR Group critical of UN-led Cyprus talks

On Wednesday, political groups will make statements on the state of play of UN-led efforts to restart negotiations on the Cyprus issue. The ECR Group has been critical of the approach taken in these talks. The five-party conference in Geneva was a mistake based on the wrong premises. The model being pursued does not pave the way for the reunification of Cyprus. Instead, it risks entrenching the current division and effectively legitimising occupation. For the ECR Group, a lasting solution must be based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Debate: Wednesday @ 11:50

Defending Religious Freedom in the DRC

At the initiative of the ECR Group, the European Parliament will debate the targeted attacks of Christians in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday evening, followed by a vote on a resolution on Thursday. The DRC has long been plagued by instability and armed conflict, but in recent years Christian communities in regions such as North and South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika have come under increasing attack. Militants, including the Ugandan-based Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), have carried out brutal attacks on civilians, clergy, churches and Christian schools - acts often driven by religious hatred and a wider strategy of intimidation and terror. These attacks have forced thousands of Christians to flee their homes, swelling the ranks of the internally displaced and deepening the humanitarian crisis. The ECR calls on the EU to support a comprehensive response and international cooperation, combining tougher action against perpetrators with the protection of Christian communities, local peace-building efforts and support for the Congolese authorities to ensure that religious communities can practise their faith in safety.

Debate: Tuesday @ 21:00

Vote: Thursday @ 12:00

Securing the Future of European Steel

On Wednesday morning, the European Parliament will debate the new European Steel and Metals Action Plan – a key file for the future of one of Europe’s most strategic industrial sectors. For the ECR Group, it is essential to strengthen the principle of technological neutrality, ensuring that innovation can thrive across all sustainable solutions. However, true competitiveness in the steel sector will not return without structural reforms of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and a better designed Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Finally, without a short-term solution to reduce electricity prices, Europe risks pushing its steel and metals industry into long-term decline on the global stage.

Debate: Wednesday @ 9:00

ECR criticises unbalanced resolution on energy-intensive industries

In Wednesday’s key debate on a resolution on Europe’s energy-intensive industries (EIIs), the ECR Group will express its disappointment with the draft text and try to improve it with amendments. The resolution was intended to highlight the serious challenges facing sectors such as steel, cement and chemicals - including high energy costs, decarbonisation pressures and continued policy and market uncertainty. However, the adopted text fails to provide realistic solutions to support competitiveness and industrial sustainability. The ECR calls for key improvements. First, the planned phase-out of free allowances under the Emissions Trading System (ETS) should be halted until the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is fully effective and watertight. Second, the ETS itself must be revised to address its structural flaws, including its limited impact on the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries - as noted in the Draghi report. Finally, the ECR warns against unrealistic expectations, such as the call to phase out natural gas “as soon as possible” without considering the cost and feasibility of current alternatives. The ECR’s amendments aim to restore balance, economic realism and industrial responsibility to the resolution. The resolution will be voted on Wednesday too.

Debate: Wednesday @ 10:00

Vote: Wednesday @ 12:00

Event: Combating Human Trafficking

On Monday evening, ECR MEPs will host a public event focused on cross-border cooperation and external border control in the fight against human trafficking. Promoted by ECR MEP Carlo Fidanza the event will open with remarks by Alessandro Ciriani MEP, Vice-Coordinator of the ECR Group in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). Participants will examine EU migration policy, recent progress on transborder cooperation in tackling trafficking networks, and the need to reinforce the EU’s external borders and engagement with third countries. Link to the event website here.

When: Monday @ 18:00

Where: WEISS N3.2, European Parliament, Strasbourg

ECR slams postponement of automotive industry vote

The ECR Group has strongly criticised the decision by the Conference of Presidents to remove the scheduled vote on the automotive industry resolution from next week’s plenary agenda. The resolution, proposed by ECR MEPs Ondřej Krutílek, Carlo Fidanza and Alexandr Vondra, was intended to give the European Parliament a clear political stance on the future of EU car policy. It has now been repeatedly delayed by the EPP and left-wing political groups. The ECR calls for a longer CO₂ averaging period of at least five years, an earlier and evidence-based review of the current regulation, the lifting of the 2035 ban on internal combustion engines, a similar approach for heavy duty vehicles and stronger support for technology neutrality - including sustainable biofuels.

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 11:00 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. The livestream can be followed by clicking on this link. Interpretation is provided in English, Italian, Polish, French, Spanish and German.

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

When: Tuesday @ 11:00

Journalists can join via interactio: https://ep.interactio.eu/yf7z-hlge-a9kk

The ECR’s vision on EU agricultural policy - press conference with AGRI Coordinator Carlo Fidanza and AGRI Deputy Coordinator Bert-Jan Ruissen

On Wednesday at 10:00, the ECR Coordinator in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), Carlo Fidanza, and Deputy Coordinator Bert-Jan Ruissen will hold a press conference to present the ECR’s vision for EU agricultural policy. Interpretation will be provided in English and Italian.

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

When: Wednesday @ 10:00

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