The Week ahead

The EPP Group candidates for the Sakharov Prize are Jini Mahsa Amini and the women of Iran. On Thursday, the Parliament’s joint Committees on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights and Development will vote on the shortlist of three nominations for the Sakharov Prize. “Mahsa Amini’s example continues to challenge us, in Europe and beyond to dare to tell the truth and stand up for what is right, which is why I nominated her for this year's Sakharov Prize”, said David Lega MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on Iran. Amini was brutally murdered by the Iranian regime a year ago when she dared not to wear her headscarf 'properly'.

The EPP Group wants to improve the current law proposal on pesticide reduction, so that it doesn't jeopardise European food production during the war in Ukraine. On Monday, Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development will vote on its opinion on the law. "It is vital that our farmers get a transition period long enough to adapt. We also want flexibility to respect national differences to determine sensitive areas. We want to be able to continue with normal farming practices", underlined Franc Bogovič MEP, the EPP Group's Spokesman on pesticides in the Agriculture Committee.

The EPP Group wants everyone to drive cleaner cars, but cautions us to remain realistic. Parliament‘s Environment Committee will vote on Thursday on the so-called 'Euro 7' Regulation, new rules on how to scrap non-CO2-related emissions from cars. "The new rules must not drive up the cost of cars. We must protect the already cash-strapped citizens. We must remain realistic. One cannot demand large investments from car-producers in new technologies if, like the internal combustion engine, they have recently been banned", said Jens Gieseke MEP, the EPP Group's negotiator on the file.

Europe should develop more European green technology, European biotechnology and European digital infrastructure. For that purpose, the EPP Group wants to increase the €10 billion proposal for a so-called 'Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)' by a further €3bn to make it more effective. Parliament's joint Budgets and Industry Committees will vote on their position on the fund to boost innovation on Monday. “STEP is a starting point to properly support technologies made in Europe. We need to ensure strategic technologies can access better funding”, urge the EPP Group’s Christian Ehler MEP and José Manuel Fernandes MEP, who negotiated the setting-up of the platform on behalf of the Parliament.

The EPP Group will strongly oppose cutbacks proposed by Member States to the EU's budget for 2024, ahead of a key vote by the Parliament's Budgets Committee on Monday. "Citizens expect an EU budget for 2024 that delivers on the Union's priorities. The Budgets Committee will support increases to budgetary lines that need to be reinforced: research, health, farmers, Erasmus+ scholarships, EU Neighbourhood, border security and migration. We are correcting the mistakes, the cuts in funding, made by the Member States, which contradict EU commitments", said Siegfried Mureşan MEP, the Parliament's lead negotiator for the 2024 budget.