The Week ahead

The EPP Group wants the European Green Deal to be both 'green' and a 'deal'. On Monday, the European Parliament’s plenary will debate a series of law proposals from the European Green Deal aimed at bringing Europe to zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. The plenary will decide on new rules for industry emissions (IED), charging and refuelling infrastructure (AFIR), sustainable maritime fuels (FuelEU Maritime), and energy efficiency (EED). Over the past years, the EPP Group has voted in favour of more than 30 Green Deal laws, and steered negotiations for some of the most central and major parts of Europe’s green transition, such as the review of the CO2 Emissions Trading System, the Social Climate Fund or the Renewables Directive. This week, when deciding on the Industry Emissions Directive, the EPP Group wants to protect family farms. Family farms that breed cows must not be listed as big industrial polluters.

Ahead of the crucial vote on the heavily-disputed Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament on Wednesday, the EPP Group remains confident that the plenary will reject the flawed bill. Three parliamentary committees, the Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries Committees have already done so. "For the EPP Group, no other outcome other than a rejection of the law is acceptable. We want to protect nature, but this law is badly drafted and ill conceived", says Christine Schneider MEP, the EPP Group's Chief Negotiator on the subject. The EPP Group urges the European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans to withdraw the law and present a revised and forward-looking proposal which can get broad support in the European Parliament and from all stakeholders.

"NATO has finally returned to its roots, to what it was created for - the defence of the European continent. Ukraine is defending democratic values through its courage and struggle. Ukraine is a de facto NATO member, defending the alliance against Russian aggression on the front lines. Now only formalities remain. Sooner or later they will be agreed upon. We, the members of NATO and the EU, need Ukraine just as much as Ukraine needs us. We are much stronger together", says Rasa Juknevičienė MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair for Foreign Affairs, ahead of the NATO Leaders' Summit in Vilnius on Tuesday and Wednesday. Read the EPP Group's Position Paper on Ukraine's NATO perspective here. 

Men, women and children are still losing their lives in the Mediterranean. Fathers, mothers and children are drowning in the cold water after being pushed onto crappy boats by unscrupulous criminals. “Saving lives at sea is our legal and humanitarian obligation”, says Lena Düpont MEP, EPP Group Vice-Coordinator on the Civil Liberties and Home Affairs Committee, ahead of the plenary debate on the need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean, on Wednesday in Strasbourg. ”We must finally move away from ad hoc solutions when it comes to responsibility and solidarity among Member States. We need a permanent procedure for search and rescue based on international and European law. The new pact on migration deters people from risking the dangerous and deadly crossings. Safe and legal pathways for those in need of international protection are the best ways of avoiding the loss of lives”, added Düpont.

The EPP Group is the oldest political Group in the European Parliament. Since June 1953, the EPP has fought for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Europe. This week in Strasbourg, the EPP Group is proud to celebrate its anniversary. "Our 70-year anniversary is a moment of pride and a great occasion to reflect on our achievements with EPP leaders of past and present. Seventy years of leadership, seventy years of European integration, at the service of the people of Europe", says Manfred Weber MEP, President of the EPP Party and Chairman of the EPP Group.

Elections are the foundation of the democratic system, and the legislative changes introduced by the Polish PiS-led government aim at preventing free elections in Poland. MEPs will vote on a Resolution on Tuesday condemning the so-called Lex Tusk and the degradation of the rule of law in Poland. The European Parliament takes a clear stance against breaches of the rule of law. “Whatever smokescreen is being put up in Warsaw, the law is signed and enforced. And if we don’t act strongly enough, if we don’t act quickly enough, the damage will be done and it will be too late to repair”, says Jeroen Lenaers MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee.

The EPP Group has been pushing for hard penalties against abuses of the legal systems through lawsuits which intend to intimidate journalists and activists (so-called SLAPPs). With a debate on Monday and the adoption of the Parliament's position on Tuesday, the draft law sets minimum standards for protection of those engaged in public participation against manifestly unfounded and abusive court proceedings, including through the possibility for Member States to impose penalties on those who abuse the judicial system to their own advantage. “This law stands for zero tolerance on silencing people from speaking out on issues of public interest. For us, this is also Daphne’s Law, in memory of the brave Maltese journalist who was murdered because of her investigations”, says Magdalena Adamowicz MEP who negotiated the law on behalf of the EPP Group.

Make Europe an attractive hub for chip investment, a centre of excellence and innovation, address potential future supply challenges and have greater support for SMEs, while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy. This is what the EPP Group fought for in the European Chips Act. The European Parliament will confirm the EU Chips Act on Tuesday. The law was very much shaped by Eva Maydell MEP, who served as the EPP Group's Chief Negotiator. "Microchips are integral to our geopolitical agenda of greater resilience. Through the changes we made to the draft law, we can be more optimistic of securing both future chips supplies, and supporting a more innovative and growing chips sector right across Europe”, says Maydell.

The EPP Group wants the EU to become more self-sufficient in health matters, such as producing medicines. On Wednesday, Parliament will vote on the final Report on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 100-page result of the work of the Special Committee recommends, among others, diversifying global supply chains, ensuring better coordination of national health strategies and increasing transparency of the procurement of vaccines. “If a pandemic strikes again, we must be prepared to help the most vulnerable, promote measures to ensure that the economy and employment are not damaged and avoid infringing the civil rights of Europeans”, says Dolors Montserrat MEP, author of the final Report.

The EPP Group wants Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area. On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on a Resolution on accession to Schengen. "Bulgaria and Romania have proven to be more than ready to fully join Schengen, having dealt with the migration crises, pandemic restrictions and the arrival of millions of war refugees in an exemplary way under immense pressure. We call on the EU Member States to finally grant Bulgaria and Romania the access to Schengen that they deserve. The years of waiting must come to an end", urged Paulo Rangel MEP, the EPP Group Vice-Chair for Legal and Home Affairs, and responsible for the functioning of the Schengen area in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee.

99% of all European companies are Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). They are the backbone of our economy. The EPP Group has long advocated to make all European policies more SME-friendly. On Wednesday, the European Parliament will vote on a Resolution on the SME friendliness of European policies. Ivan Štefanec MEP and Jens Gieseke MEP negotiated the Resolution for the EPP Group. "Creating a balanced regulatory framework which ensures the competitiveness of European SMEs means taking care of 100 million of jobs and half of our domestic production", says Štefanec. "It is long overdue that a central contact person for SME topics in the European Commission is created. One that wields real power", added Gieseke, who is also the Chairman of the EPP Group's SME Circle.