The Week ahead

The EPP Group has consistently called for reform of the EU's Single Market to boost its efficiency and competitiveness. Without a fully integrated Single Market, Europe will never reach its full potential on the global stage. On Wednesday, the European Commission will present a set of measures aimed at enhancing the functioning of the Single Market and reducing barriers for businesses. “The Single Market is Europe’s greatest economic and political achievement. To secure Europe’s competitiveness, we must now move quickly from words to action. In the current tense economic and geopolitical context, Europe's best asset is its Single Market”, says Andreas Schwab MEP, EPP Group spokesman for the internal market and consumer protection.

Europe's southern border is facing a critical situation, with Melilla - an autonomous Spanish city on the North African coast - being one of the main entry points for illegal immigration facilitated by criminal networks. On Thursday, 22 May, representatives of the EPP Group will travel to Melilla on a fact-finding mission. “The goal is to meet with local representatives and security forces to assess the current situation and inspect border protection measures on site,” says Tomas Tobé MEP, Vice-President of the EPP Group, who leads the mission. “This mission is essential for Members of Parliament to witness firsthand the urgent need to reinforce the resources available to Spain’s security forces to safeguard the border and, ultimately, Europe’s security,” says Javier Zarzalejos MEP, Chair of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee. The delegation will also include Dolors Montserrat MEP, Vice-President of the EPP Group, Lena Düpont MEP, the Group’s Spokeswoman on Civil Liberties, and members of the Spanish delegation of the EPP Group.

On Thursday, the European Parliament will vote on plans to simplify the EU's climate carbon border tax. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) aims to prevent carbon leakage by imposing a price on carbon emissions from imports of materials, such as cement, iron, steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. The EPP Group wants to make CBAM more feasible to implement. "From the beginning, the EPP Group called for a mechanism that would protect European producers, without being too burdensome for other companies. The plan to exempt over 90% of businesses, while still covering 99% of emissions within the system, is a welcome step in the right direction," says the Group's lead negotiator Adam Jarubas MEP.

The EPP Group is doubling down on its mission to slash red tape and make life easier for Europe’s small and mid-sized businesses. This Wednesday, the European Commission is set to unveil its fourth  “Omnibus” simplification package - a key step toward scrapping outdated paper-based requirements for mid-cap companies. "This is about acting fast to empower the backbone of Europe's economy," says Tomas Tobé MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair and Spokesman for the Omnibus simplification package. "We expect real progress in cutting unnecessary rules and paperwork. Our focus is clear: set the right conditions for jobs, growth and innovation," Tobé emphasises. Dolors Montserrat MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair for Economy and Environment, agrees: "Life for small companies needs to be made easier. We need a clear definition of small mid-cap to ease their reporting and monitoring obligations. The Commission's initiative comes at just the right time."

On Thursday, the European Parliament is expected to approve new legislation raising tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods and fertilisers. Aimed at cutting EU reliance on products that contribute indirectly to funding the war in Ukraine, the legislative proposal includes safeguards to protect farmers, such as monitoring fertiliser prices and allowing temporary tariff relief from alternative suppliers if needed. “The decision to gradually raise customs duties on products from Russia and Belarus is a necessary step to stop Russia from using the EU market to fund its war against Ukraine. But frankly, it should have come much sooner,” says lead negotiator Inese Vaidere MEP.