The Week ahead

For the EPP Group, a strong social market economy is one of the key answers to our current challenges. "When it comes to finding solutions to the cost of living crisis and adapting our businesses to modern ways of working, we depend as much on a strong social agenda as we do on a competitive economy. As the EPP Group, we are pushing for this balance, as it distinguishes Europe on the global market. Everyone benefits from a strong social agenda," says Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, and Dennis Radtke MEP, the EPP Group spokesman in the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. On Wednesday afternoon, the EPP Group conference 'Social Market Economy that Cares' will bring together the EPP Group Members and stakeholders to set out their priorities for EU social policy ahead of the European elections. Participants will include European Commission Vice-Presidents Margaritis Schinas and Dubravka Šuica, as well as other high-level experts. The full programme and the registration link can be found here. Journalists are invited to attend. 

The EPP Group wants the EU to develop a strategy towards Russia that not only takes account of today's reality, but also offers the prospect of renewed cooperation with a democratic Russia in the future. On Thursday, Members of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs will vote on a strategy for the EU's policy towards Russia, authored by Andrius Kubilius MEP. “The outcome of the war in Ukraine will determine the future of Europe, but also of Russia. Ukraine's victory will help the country to defeat Putin's regime. We believe that Russia can eventually become a democracy and that the EU must be prepared for this new reality and has to contribute to this transition,” Kubilius stresses.

Following the EPP Cohesion Monitoring Missions to Croatia, Slovenia and Portugal, the next mission will be to Tenerife and Gran Canaria in Spain on 22-23 February. “Cohesion funds play an instrumental role in helping European regions build a brighter future for themselves. With €630 million, the Canary Islands have been able to build important facilities that help our development as and host one of the most important centres for space research in Europe. Overall, cohesion funds are a great way to promote European integration by fostering economic development, especially in areas such as outermost regions, which face particular challenges due to their location," says Gabriel Mato MEP and host of the EPP Mission to Spain. More information available here.

The current farmers' protests across Europe reflect the urgent need to address farmers' concerns at European, national and local level. The EPP Group defends a European Farmers' Deal that offers a high degree of investment security and brings calm back to the farming sector. The EPP4Farmers event in Izegem, Belgium on 22 February, will bring together EPP members, farmers and representatives of agricultural associations to find together solutions that support sustainable agriculture and protect our food production.