Ryanair, cybercrime, and an EU Summit join the hot topics of the year (Brexit, Prosecutor, and Turkey) in the schedule MEPs are to have in Strasbourg this week. What a wonderful world this would be if problems could be solved just with a week for debate.
Plenary
Brexit. After May’s Florence speech and the fourth round of formal talks, MEPs will evaluate progress in the Brexit talks with Commission President Juncker and EU chief negotiator Barnier in the morning session. At noon, they will vote on a resolution outlining their recommendations for the 20 October EU27 summit in Brussels. (Tuesday)
EU summit. MEPs will discuss migration and how implementation of a common asylum system with EC First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. Common defence plans and the digital agenda will also be discussed ahead of the European summit to be held on 19 and 20 October in Brussels. (Wednesday)
European Prosecutor Office. This Office is set to fight both fraud and EU-funding misuse, in a step meant to step up judicial cooperation between 20 member states. It is expected that MEPs give assent to this move. (Debate Wednesday, vote Thursday)
Cybercrime. Following a spike in cybercrime across the EU and the lack of common preemptive counter-measures intended to protect a number of Union’s targets ranging from citizens suffering online sexual abuse to critical infrastructure, the European Parliament will debate the topic in the plenary and vote a series of recommendations. (Debate Monday, vote Tuesday)
Flight cancellations (Ryanair). The news concerning massive cancellations by Ryanair have become widespread, for good reasons. It is affecting a number of citizens of the Union, so the plenary will discuss with the European Council and the European Commission the enforcement of passenger rights in case of this or another airline makes massive cancellations. (Debate Tuesday)
Turkey. Worries that the Turkish government is using international arrest warrants to track activists or political opponents overseas have grown among MEPs. The plenary, the Commission, and the Council will address the cases of two journalists and writers bearing EU and Turkish nationalities who have been held back by Spanish law enforcement authorities. (Wednesday evening)
Committees
Telecom package. EU telecom rules reform is up for a vote in the Industry Committee. The measure aims to boost connectivity across the EU and to make 5G a reality for all EU citizens. Very remarkably, MEPs may amend the proposal to call for the abolition of additional fees for intra-Union phone calls and introduce a system to alert citizens in case of emergencies, furthering cohesive efforts put in practice this summer. (Monday)
Sakharov prize. The six nominees for the 2017 Sakharov Prize will be presented by the parliamentary groups in a joint meeting of EP Committees on Foreign Affairs, Development and Human Rights. The 29th Sakharov Prize will be awarded during the plenary session on 13 December. (Monday)
President’s diary. Tuesday: Antonio Tajani will chair the Brexit debate and hold a press conference with Parliament’s Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt in the follow-up. Wednesday: Tajani will chair the EU summit discussionsin the morning; he will meet the speaker of the Australian House of Representatives in the afternoon.
Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing at 16.30 on Monday. (EP Press conference room, Strasbourg)
