This week’s key events presented by policy reporters Paula Soler and Marta Iraola Iribarren
Key diary dates
- Monday 8 July: European Court of Auditors report on EU cohesion spending.
- Wednesday 10 July: High-Level Ministerial Conference on Organ Donation and Transplantation in Budapest, held under auspices of Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the EU.
- Thursday 11 July: European Commission to publish State of the Energy Union report.
In spotlight
While all eyes will be on the European Parliament‘s first plenary session in Strasbourg next week (16-19 July), Brussels is where the action is this week.
The EU institutions will be turned into a battlefield for far-right forces with the parties formerly in the Identity & Democracy (ID) group and Hungarian premier Viktor Orban’s new Patriots parties trying to muster strength.
Mark today as a key date to see what the Parliament will finally look like, as the ID parties and the Patriots are expected to hold constitutive meetings.
On Thursday, leaders of all political groups will discuss the parliament’s code of conduct that will potentially change the way interinstitutional negotiations with the Council and Commission operate.
Some more key decisions for the next five years will be negotiated – and perhaps even agreed – this week during a discussion on what the next parliamentary committees will look like. Will we see a separate health committee? And what about the security and defence subcommittee? Will it be empowered to address the needs of the EU defence industry?
Nominated Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will also join this entertaining week in the Parliament. The German will meet leaders from the S&D, ECR and liberal groups to hear their priorities for the next mandate – and potentially earn their trust to be officially reappointed for a second mandate.
While the socialists will make demands of von der Leyen on fair taxation, a permanent instrument for the EU’s investment capacity and a socially just transition, the liberals will call for further institutional reforms, strengthening the rule of law and the bloc’s defence capacity and competitiveness, according to their draft plans.
Policy newsmakers
(One) Health Committe
European People’s Party MEP Peter Liese advocates the creation of a new health committee in the European Parliament, separate from the current ENVI, which deals with environment and public health. While praised by some who feel the ENVI committee has too much on its plate in its current form, the idea is resisted by proponents of a One Health approach, which Tilly Metz has promoted during her term in office.