The Week ahead

On Wednesday morning, the key debate in the European Parliament's plenary will focus on the enormous difficulties which certain recent law proposals are creating for Europe's farmers. Farmers are the enablers of the green transition and of food security in Europe. The EPP Group calls on the European Commission to listen and respect farmers when shaping EU policies. "The law proposals on the cutting of plant protection products and on nature restoration can be poisonous for our farming, weaken our food security and increase food prices", recalls Herbert Dorfmann MEP, the EPP Group Spokesman in the Parliament's Agriculture Committee.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will speak in the European Parliament on Europe Day, 9 May. It will be a good occasion to measure the impact of the so-called 'Zeitenwende' which he declared as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "The question for leaders in Europe today is if they are living up to the historical moment we are facing. If we want to defend our European way of life, we need more unity in dealing with China and more ambition when it comes to our foreign policy and European defence", says EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber MEP.

The EPP Group wants to criminalise cyberbullying across the EU and has requested a plenary debate to highlight this serious issue. "Cyberbullying kills. It is violence perpetrated online. What is illegal offline, must be illegal online", said Jeroen Lenaers MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on Civil Liberties. "Tragically, there have been many cases of suicide as a result of cyber violence. We need comprehensive EU-wide legislation to deal with it effectively", said Frances Fitzgerald MEP, EPP Group Spokeswoman on Women's Rights. Watch 'Coco's' story here.

Don't fear Artificial Intelligence, but regulate risks. Harness the opportunities and boost innovation. This is the stance the EPP Group will take when the joint Committees on Civil Liberties (LIBE) and on Consumer Protection (IMCO) vote on Thursday on the planned EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) - the first law on AI by a major regulator anywhere. "The boundaries of AI technology are being pushed almost daily, with new developments, breakthroughs and concerns being raised. We must have guardrails in place to ensure that new powerful AI systems, such as ChatGPT, are developed and deployed responsibly", says Deidre Clune MEP, who negotiated the law on behalf of the EPP Group in the IMCO Committee. “What worries me, is an existing fear-driven approach to AI that completely stifles the opportunities of new technologies. I want this law to also strengthen Europe as an industry location for new technologies”, says Axel Voss, who negotiated the law on behalf of the EPP Group in the LIBE Committee.

The EPP Group wants more detailed information on how the EU Member States use the funds which they received from the so-called Resilience and Recovery Facility (RRF). On Wednesday, MEPs will decide whether to approve how the EU Budget was used in 2021. For the first time, the so-called discharge procedure includes the scrutiny of the €723.8 billion Recovery Fund. “Following the EPP Group's repeated demands, the European Commission eventually published a methodology on partial payments and created an interactive map with information on selected projects. But we lack clear information on how much money has reached the real economy. We know what the Commission has paid to the Member States, but the Member States are not sharing complete information on how much they have paid out to companies and citizens in specific projects”, says Monika Hohlmeier MEP, Chair of Parliament’s Budgetary Control Committee and negotiator of the Commission's budgetary discharge. Parliament will also decide on whether to grant discharge for more than 50 other EU bodies.

Serbia must align with EU foreign policy and sanctions against Russia if Belgrade wants to advance towards the EU, the EPP Group insists. On Tuesday, the European Parliament will vote on the Report assessing Serbia’s progress in 2022 towards EU membership. The continuation of necessary reforms together with a normalisation of relations with Kosovo would be major steps forward for Serbia’s EU membership. “We also welcome the conduct of the 2022 elections, especially the return of the opposition to the Serbian National Assembly.  But we also note some persistent shortcomings when it comes to a free and fair electoral process in Serbia”, says Vladimír Bilčík MEP, European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Serbia.

The EPP Group supports the initiative to increase the ammunition production capacity of the European defence industry (the ‘ASAP package’), to be presented on Monday in the plenary of the European Parliament. However, the EPP Group criticises that the proposed €500 million is taken only from existing EU financial programmes. "This initiative needs to be a first step in addressing the historic and structural shortage of ammunition in Europe.  We would have hoped for higher ambitions when it comes to mobilising fresh money instead of just taking the money from existing EU programmes", said Christian Ehler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee. Michael Gahler MEP, who leads the EPP Group in the Foreign Affairs Committee added: "It cannot be right that this package of measures comes at the expense of already underfunded instruments such as the European Defence Fund or the envisaged instrument to promote joint procurement.”

The EPP Group believes that the European Commission’s Action Plan for the Protection of Marine Environments is discriminatory, disproportionate, unjustified and not based on the best available science. On Thursday, Parliament’s plenary will hold a joint debate on oceans, biodiversity and fisheries. “The Commission is imposing drastic measures through the back door. The socio-economic effects for the EU fleet, coastal communities and consumers would be devastating. The plan would also lead to increased imports from third countries. We demand that the Commission conducts a full socio-economic impact of the measures. We are for the environment but also for the survival of the fishing industry”, said Gabriel Mato MEP, the EPP Group Spokesman in the Fisheries Committee.

The EPP Group is urging the European Commission to bring forward an ambitious second proposal for new own resources for the EU Budget. The urgency of the situation is highlighted in a European Parliament Report set for plenary vote next week. "Without new own resources, vital EU funding programmes will have to be slashed by over €15 billion per year or else Member State contributions will have to be increased", warned EPP Group Spokesman on Budgets, José Manuel Fernandes MEP.

Surveillance of political opponents, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders is illegal and against fundamental EU values. On Monday 8 May, the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware will vote on its final Report and recommendations. The EPP Group stresses the need to support those who have been illegally targeted with spyware. "This should include access to effective legal remedy based on standards defined by the European Court of Human Rights. We also need a new European entity that provides technical and legal support to persons illegally targeted. Spyware must not be used as a political weapon against democratic institutions, politicians or journalists”, says Vladimír Bilčík, who negotiated the Report on behalf of the EPP Group.

The EPP Group wants a labour market that is fit for the green and digital economy. Europe is currently experiencing a labour shortage. It will need around 45 million skilled workers by 2030. On Tuesday afternoon, the plenary of the European Parliament will celebrate the official start of the European Year of Skills. "Our goal this year is to match Europeans' aspirations with the job market's needs. Because having a skilled workforce is a key driver of growth and will boost innovation across Europe. Preparing for tomorrow's job requirements requires continuous upskilling, not only for young people but for everyone", says Loucas Fourlas MEP, the negotiator of Parliament’s Report on the European Year of Skills.