The Week ahead

The EPP Group wants the EU to develop a comprehensive strategy towards Russia that not only takes account of today's reality but also offers future prospects for renewed cooperation with a democratic Russia. On Wednesday, members of the 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,” stresses Kubilius.

The EPP Group wants to make agricultural plants more sustainable and resilient to climate change. On Wednesday, members of the Parliament's Environment Committee will vote on the new rules regarding genome editing. “If we want to make agriculture more sustainable, more resistant to pests and extreme weather conditions, if we want to produce more food in Europe and increase food security, then we need new genomic techniques. You cannot just impose more and more restrictions on farmers, you must also allow for innovation," says Jessica Pölfjard MEP, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on the law.

With the new EU law on data transparency in online holiday rental platforms, the EPP Group aims to finally ensure fair competition in the EU rental sector. On Tuesday, the Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will endorse the agreement between the European Parliament and the Council. "We are finally filling a gap for authorities, providers and consumers. For the first time, we are creating a truly level playing field in the European rental sector between commercial and non-commercial online rentals," says Barbara Thaler MEP, who negotiated the law on behalf of the EPP Group.

The EPP Group wants to highlight the local impact of the EU's regional development policies in Portugal and discuss challenges of implementation and the future of the cohesion policy programmes. The EPP Cohesion Monitoring Group will send its Cohesion Mission to Braga, Portugal on 25-26 January. “Portugal will receive a total of €23.5 billion from the Cohesion Policy for the period 2021-2027. In order to implement this successfully, it is necessary to involve territories and municipalities. We must strengthen cohesion and our competitiveness. In Braga, we will hear directly from the entities implementing the funds and visit projects financed by the EU," says José Manuel Fernandes MEP. “Braga’s success in leveraging these funds for projects such as emission-free public transport, social housing, and strengthening infrastructure exemplifies how such investment can lead to tangible improvements in quality of life and environmental health," adds Carlos Coelho MEP.