The Week ahead

On Wednesday, MEPs will debate the state of play of the Brexit negotiations. The EPP Group's principles are clear: we will protect our interests, our citizens and our values. While we are getting ready for the worst-case scenario of a no-deal Brexit, we remain ready and united to find solutions together with the UK. EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber will take the floor during the debate.

Cancer is the first killer in most EU countries. Almost one in two people will struggle with this disease in their lifetime. Currently, fifty percent of patients die of cancer. The EPP Group thinks these numbers are alarming. We want to shift the trend. MEPs will debate ways how to best fight cancer in the EU next Wednesday afternoon. EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber will take the floor on behalf of the Group.

MEPs will vote on Thursday on a Resolution on foreign electoral interference and disinformation. The EPP Group recognises that this represents a new form of hybrid warfare that the EU needs to fight against and we want to ensure that the EU dedicates sufficient resources for this. MEPs will debate the issue on Tuesday.

Pro-democracy protests have rocked Hong Kong for months with clashes between police and activists becoming increasingly violent. On Monday, the European Parliament will debate the situation in the former British colony with the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini. The EPP Group calls on the Chinese authorities to respect human rights and to engage in more dialogue. In July, Parliament adopted a Resolution, supported by the EPP Group, which, among other things, expressed concern for the deterioration of human rights and Chinese interference in Hong Kong’s internal affairs.

The EPP Group is highly concerned about the increasing number of forest fires in the Amazon area. Deforestation, attributed to them, can significantly affect the global climate. The EPP Group insists problems with the rain forest in the Amazon region can only be resolved by international climate agreements or modern trade agreements. MEPs will debate the subject on Tuesday.

The EPP Group will support the appointment of Christine Lagarde as the new President of the European Central Bank during the plenary vote on Tuesday. Markus Ferber MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokesman on Economic and Monetary Affairs, stated: “Ms Lagarde must make it very clear that it is not the ECB’s job to boost the economy, but to safeguard the value of the Euro and keep prices stable - nothing else.” Ferber expects Lagarde to stop the “ultra-easy monetary policy of the past years”. “The Eurozone must come off steroids. Ms Lagarde must explain how she wants Europe to get away from cheap money”, Ferber explained. “Mario Draghi’s policy disguised many structural economic problems in some parts of Europe. It is better to solve problems than disguise them”, said Ferber, criticising the current President of the European Central Bank.

"The European Parliament's priorities are the fight against climate change, enhancing research and innovation capacities for green technologies, digitalisation programmes, combating youth unemployment throughout Europe, and strengthening development aid. We want to negotiate a reasonable and future-oriented budget together with the Council", stated Monika Hohlmeier MEP, the European Parliament's General Rapporteur of the EU's 2020 budget. "Therefore, it is essential that the Council acknowledges the priorities of the Finnish Presidency and the Parliament, which are overlapping in many areas. This would make next year's budget the powerful tool it needs to be." The Council will present its position on next year’s EU budget next Wednesday. The European Parliament will adopt its position at the October II plenary session in Strasbourg.

On Wednesday, Members will debate the importance of European remembrance for the future of Europe. The debate, initiated by Andrius Kubilius MEP, symbolically marks the 80th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocols which paved the way to the start of WWII with all its tragic consequences for the European continent. The EPP Group believes that this debate is needed in today’s context when distortion of historic facts plays a significant part in the information war waged against Europe to divide it.

Tuesday @ 11.10  EPP Group plenary briefing - Manfred Weber, Chairman