The Week ahead

The European Parliament will hold its final vote on Tuesday on new rules that strengthen air passenger rights and provide better protection against cancellations and delays. "After 13 years of deadlock and months of intensive negotiations, we are one vote away from securing a major victory for passengers. Too many families have had to pay extra simply to sit together, while too many travellers have been left without answers or assistance after lengthy delays. That is why this reform matters. From the outset, we were determined to strengthen passenger rights, never weaken them, and we have delivered on that commitment. Airlines will now be held to a higher standard, ensuring better protection for every European traveller. This is a victory we can all be proud of," says Andrey Novakov MEP, Parliament’s lead negotiator on air passenger rights.

The EPP Group wants the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and reinforce support for Ukraine. "The summit is set to mark another important step in strengthening the transatlantic bond, maintaining steadfast support for Ukraine and reviewing NATO's capability targets. It should deliver a united allied response to the common security challenges we face," says Nicolás Pascual de la Parte MEP, EPP Group spokesman in the Security and Defence Committee.

Next Tuesday, the European Parliament will debate urgent measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU’s automotive sector. For the EPP Group, which has long criticised legislative decisions such as the planned ban on combustion engines, this debate is of vital importance. "The EPP Group has been sounding the alarm for a long time. The bad news from Europe's car manufacturers and suppliers keeps coming. Factories are closing, quality jobs are disappearing, and production is moving elsewhere. Europe needs a competitive automotive industry. It is an indispensable pillar of employment, innovation and prosperity. We will do everything in our power to create a legislative framework that allows the sector to thrive again, and we call on all responsible political forces to join us in restoring Europe's automotive industry to global leadership," says Jens Gieseke MEP, EPP Group spokesman on Transport.

The EPP Group welcomes the opening of the first accession clusters with Ukraine and Moldova and calls on Member States to open the remaining clusters without delay. This objective will guide EPP Group MEPs during Tuesday's debate and Wednesday's vote on Parliament's report assessing Ukraine's progress towards European integration. "Ukraine is irrevocably on the path to the European Union, a union built on the rule of law, freedom and a shared democratic future. Russia's war of aggression has only strengthened Ukraine's determination to pursue that path. Ukraine's accession will strengthen Europe's security by ending the grey zone that emboldened Russia and by reinforcing our collective ability to deter future aggression. We will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine every step of the way," says Michael Gahler MEP, who authored the report.

The EPP Group sees EU enlargement as a strategic response to today's geopolitical challenges. This objective will guide EPP Group MEPs during Parliament's vote next week on the progress report on Serbia. The report underlines that Serbia's path to EU membership is increasingly at risk due to limited reforms, insufficient alignment with the EU's foreign policy, and closer ties with Russia and China. "EU enlargement is a merit-based process, and Serbia's progress will depend on delivering tangible reforms and demonstrating a genuine commitment to European values. This requires concrete progress in strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions, media freedom and fundamental rights, as well as fostering good neighbourly relations and full alignment with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy. These are not merely accession criteria; they are reforms that will strengthen Serbia's democracy and improve the lives of its citizens," says Ivo Davor Stier MEP, the EPP Group's lead MEP on Serbia.

The EPP Group wants immediate relief for European farmers facing soaring fertiliser costs. This objective will guide EPP Group MEPs when Parliament votes on measures to address the crisis on Tuesday. "The people who feed our continent are being asked to bear the cost of a crisis they did not create. Global disruptions, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have driven fertiliser prices sharply higher, putting farm incomes, competitiveness and Europe's food security at risk. We must increase and accelerate advance payments while also implementing a long-term strategy to reduce Europe's dependence on third countries. Farmers cannot afford to wait," says Herbert Dorfmann MEP, EPP Group spokesman on agriculture and rural development.