The Week ahead

The EPP Group calls for stronger EU action to protect children and young people online through tougher laws, real accountability, and zero tolerance for cyberbullying and abuse. On Wednesday, on the EPP Group's initiative, the European Parliament will debate and vote on a resolution calling for stronger EU action. "Online harassment ruins lives and must be treated as a criminal offence across the Union. The EPP Group is committed to a simple principle: what is illegal offline must also be illegal online," says Tomas Tobé MEP, the EPP Group spokesman on this initiative. See also the EPP Group’s campaign video for stronger rules against cyberbullying.

The EPP Group calls for a 10% increase in the EU’s long-term budget (MFF). On Tuesday, the European Parliament plenary will vote on the next EU budget framework. "We want to make the next MFF fit for current circumstances. In today’s geopolitical climate, marked by Russia’s war in Ukraine and escalating tensions with Iran, hesitation is not an option. Europe cannot afford to be weak or fall behind economically," says Siegfried Mureșan MEP, Parliament's co-negotiator for the 2028-2034 EU budget and vice-president of the EPP Group. The EPP Group wants to ensure that traditional priorities such as agriculture and cohesion remain sufficiently funded alongside new ambitions.

The EPP Group calls for Russia to be held accountable and to pay for all damage caused by its war in Ukraine. For this reason, it is seeking the European Parliament’s consent for the EU to join the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, to be established by the Council of Europe in May. The new independent international body will review and decide on claims for compensation covering damage, loss or injury caused by Russia in or against Ukraine. "The European Parliament has, on numerous occasions, called for Russia and its proxies to be held accountable for the crimes committed against Ukraine. Ukraine has the right to full compensation. It is of utmost importance that the European Union is among the nine founding members of the new mechanism that will deal with war reparations," stresses Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group vice-chair for Foreign Affairs.

EPP Group chairman Manfred Weber MEP will hold a press conference on the topics of Parliament’s plenary on Tuesday at 8.30 am at the Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (WEISS N -1/201) and via Interactio, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The EPP Group calls for a reliable jet fuel supply across the EU and stronger coordination to protect connectivity and competitiveness amid the Middle East crisis. On Wednesday, the European Parliament will debate the situation in the Middle East and its impact on energy prices, global shipping and transport. "Air transport is global and essential for Europe’s connectivity and competitiveness. Isolated national solutions will not get us anywhere. At the same time, we must continue to decarbonise the transport sector as a whole. This requires a technology-neutral approach: a smart mix of electrification and increased use of sustainably produced fuels," says Jens Gieseke MEP, EPP Group spokesman on transport. He also calls for stable supply chains, stronger domestic energy production, lower energy prices, and reduced regulatory hurdles.

The EPP Group wants to ensure equal protection for women across the EU through clear EU-wide rules on rape, based on freely given and revocable consent. The European Parliament will debate the issue on Monday and vote on a report on Tuesday, calling on the European Commission to propose legislation establishing a common standard across all Member States. "The absence of resistance can never be interpreted as consent," said Verena Mertens MEP, the EPP negotiator for the report in the Civil Liberties Committee. "We need this to achieve a legally sound common framework, so that crimes are prosecuted and perpetrators are held accountable," she added. "It is time for EU-wide rules based on consent. This is an important additional step in combating sexual violence against women," said Arba Kokalari MEP, the EPP negotiator in the Women’s Rights Committee.