The Week ahead

Join us for the kick-off conference of our event series on ‘Jobs Jobs Jobs for a stronger recovery’ on Wednesday. Providing new jobs for European citizens who were laid off during the crisis and helping European companies to recover from the economic turmoil is our top priority for Europe's post-Corona recovery. We will discuss how to avoid a lost generation of young Europeans and how to build a better future for them with affected citizens, business representatives, economic experts and top-level political leaders. The event will feature Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The speakers will also include Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Merck's future CEO Belén Garijo, Piaggio's CEO Roberto Colaninno, AudEERING's CEO Dagmar Schuller and CNN news anchor Richard Quest.

On Tuesday morning, the European Court of Justice will issue a judgment on a case that once again raises questions over judicial independence in Poland. The case relates to the nomination of judges to the Polish Supreme Court and recent changes to the right to appeal such decisions. The court has been asked to decide if those changes are unlawful or breach the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The EPP Group underlines its serious concern about the deterioration of the rule of law in Poland, amid continuous attacks on judges and prosecutors and an intentional weakening of the independence of the justice system by the Law and Justice (PiS)-led government. We insist that the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and the respect of civic freedoms are fundamental to every democratic country.

On Monday, Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs will debate the past months' serious migration crisis ongoing on the Canary Islands, in Spain, and in the Western Mediterranean. Last year, the number of migrants arriving on the Canary Islands increased nearly ten-fold to around 23,000. The responsible Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, will come to the committee to respond to questions from MEPs. The EPP Group calls on the Spanish Government and authorities to answer serious concerns regarding the situation on the Canary Islands.

How to make all young people benefit from the best education and training and to find employment across Europe? How to make the European Education Area a reality? This is the question EPP Group Members in the Education and Culture Committee will aim to answer in a public discussion online with Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and guests from academia, youth and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Tuesday at 14.00 hrs. The European Education Area is an opportunity for more quality and truly European-wide studies and training but concrete measures, tools and commitments from Member States and their monitoring are needed to achieve the set goals, argues Michaela Šojdrová MEP, EPP Group Spokeswoman for Education. To follow the exchange of views, register at epp-cult@europarl.europa.eu.

Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia have accomplished important reforms in different areas, but there is still work to be done. This is the big picture in the annual European Commission reports on both countries that will be put to vote in the Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday. While we see a clear advance in their European path in comparison to last year, the two countries still have outstanding issues with fighting corruption and organised crime, as well as with the judicial system.

All EU citizens deserve full social and economic inclusion and to live free from discrimination. On Wednesday, the European Commission is set to announce the Strategy for Disability Rights for 2021-2030.  In these times of crisis, it is particularly essential for the EPP Group to guarantee that all basic human rights of people with disabilities are ensured and that we protect our most vulnerable fellow citizens.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the ugly truth - 70% of the global health and social workforce are women, often paid the minimum salary. To help vulnerable workers, particularly women, to bridge the gender pay gap, the European Commission will present pay transparency measures on Wednesday.

On Monday, EU High Representative Josep Borrell will be in Parliament's Committee on Foreign Interference to discuss the EU's strategy to battle foreign interference. On Thursday, Members in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will hold an economic dialogue on fiscal policy response to COVID-19 with the European Commission Vice-President for An Economy that Works for People, Valdis Dombrovskis, and the European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni. On the same day, the Commission's Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, will visit the Industry, Research and Energy Committee to debate the Digital Services Act, whereas the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, will attend the Employment Committee to discuss the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Tuesday @ 10.00 hrs: Sandra Kalniete MEP, Rapporteur, on 'Foreign interference in EU democratic processes: lessons from the committee's work so far'