The Week ahead

The EPP Group wants the EU summit on Thursday and Friday to deliver progress on Ukraine, enlargement, and the EU’s next long-term budget. Competitiveness and global economic challenges will also feature prominently in the discussions. "We are determined to move the enlargement policy forward. What is at stake is Europe's security, stability and long-term prosperity," said Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group vice-chair. "The MFF negotiations should not focus on how much the EU budget costs, but on how much a weaker EU budget would cost Europe," added Siegfried Mureșan MEP, Parliament's co-negotiator for the 2028–2034 EU budget and vice-chair of the EPP Group.

The EPP Group is delivering on its commitment to restore control of migration through more effective returns of migrants with no legal right to stay in the EU. Next week's European Parliament vote on the Return Regulation will complete the Migration Pact. "For too long, return decisions have gone unenforced. With the Return Regulation, we are making returns work and restoring control of migration," said François-Xavier Bellamy MEP, EPP Group vice-chair and negotiator on the file.

The EPP Group sees EU enlargement as a strategic investment in a stronger, more secure and more influential Europe. The formal opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, after a long and unnecessary delay, marks a major step towards their future membership of the European Union. "The opening of the first cluster of chapters is a significant milestone on the path to full EU membership. Ukraine and Moldova are moving closer to their rightful place in our Union of free and democratic states. Welcome where you belong," stressed Michael Gahler MEP, the EPP Group's lead MEP on Ukraine. The EPP Group also reaffirms its strong support for the European aspirations of the Western Balkans. "If Europe is to grow stronger, it should also grow larger - both geographically and politically. At the same time, EU membership cannot be taken for granted," said Ondřej Kolář MEP, the EPP Group's lead on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The European Parliament will hold its final vote on the EU-US Framework Agreement on tariffs on Tuesday following a debate in the plenary on Monday. The EPP Group supports the agreement, known as the 'Turnberry deal', as the best way to reduce transatlantic trade tensions and provide greater certainty for European businesses and workers. "This agreement provides businesses with the certainty they need to invest, grow and create jobs. The focus must now be on deepening transatlantic cooperation and ensuring that its benefits are felt by workers, businesses and communities across our economies," said Željana Zovko MEP, the EPP Group member responsible for US trade relations. "The Turnberry deal remains the most viable option on the table and the best available outcome for EU businesses," Jörgen Warborn MEP, the EPP Group spokesman on international trade, added.

The EPP Group celebrates the visit of Sakharov Prize laureate Andrzej Poczobut to the European Parliament as a powerful moment for all those who have fought for years to secure his release from Lukashenko’s prisons. Poczobut will address Parliament on Wednesday at noon. "Just six months ago, this moment seemed unimaginable. After years of efforts to secure his release from Belarusian prisons, where he spent around 10 years, Andrzej Poczobut will address Members of the European Parliament in plenary. In December 2025, his daughter accepted the Sakharov Prize on his behalf. His visit is a testament to the triumph of freedom of speech and freedom of thought. Poczobut has become a symbol of resilience and courage for all those in Europe and beyond who defend press freedom, freedom of conscience and the right to freely express their political views," said Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group vice-chair.

At the initiative of the EPP Group, the European Parliament will debate on Wednesday morning how to better protect children’s safety and mental health from the risks posed by social media. "Trustworthy, privacy-preserving age-verification mechanisms are essential to protect children from age-inappropriate content, including online gambling and pornography. But technology alone is not enough. Achieving meaningful results requires a comprehensive approach, with all stakeholders playing their part, from online platforms and enforcement authorities to educators, parents and guardians," said Dóra Dávid MEP, member of the Internal Market Committee. "Too many minors are exposed to harmful content, addictive platform designs and cyberbullying every day. Social media companies must take greater responsibility and ensure that age limits are effectively enforced. Our children deserve a digital environment that is safe by design, not harmful by default,” added Lena Düpont, MEP, EPP Group spokeswoman for home affairs.

The EPP Group has consistently pushed for simpler AI rules to unlock Europe’s potential in artificial intelligence while maintaining strong safeguards. By simplifying and postponing the EU’s new AI rules, companies will have more time to prepare and face fewer overlapping obligations. On Tuesday, the European Parliament votes on the agreement reached on 7 May between the European Parliament and Member States. "The AI Omnibus shows that politics can move just as fast as technology. It makes the rules more workable in practice, cuts red tape and simplifies compliance for startups and scale-ups," said Arba Kokalari MEP, who negotiated the law on behalf of Parliament's Committee on Internal Market. "By banning so-called 'nudifier' apps, we prevent serious societal harms. In doing so, we have been careful not to regulate the technology itself, but rather its harmful applications," emphasised Axel Voss MEP, the EPP Group’s negotiator in the Civil Liberties Committee.