The Week ahead

"We must be fair with those in need of protection, firm with those who are not eligible and harsh with traffickers exploiting the vulnerable", said EPP Group Spokeswoman Roberta Metsola MEP, ahead of the presentation of the comprehensive reform of Europe's rules on asylum and migration due on Wednesday 23 September. Read more on the EPP Group Position Paper on Migration Policy.

On Monday, Parliament will be honoured to welcome Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, founder of the Belarusian Coordination Council and main opponent of Alexander Lukashenko during the elections of 9 August, to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee meeting. MEPs will debate the latest developments in Belarus and possible European reactions with her. The EPP Group urges the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs who meet in Brussels on Monday to finalise, without any delay, the list of the EU sanctions against individuals responsible for the falsification of the elections and the repression in Belarus, including Lukashenko, whom we do not recognise as re-elected President and who must be held accountable.  

On Thursday and Friday, the leaders of the EU Member States will meet for a special summit in Brussels to debate the situation of the internal market as well as relations with Turkey and China. "We want to maintain the good relations with Turkey but for this to happen, Turkey must immediately stop the repeated violations of Greek and Cypriot airspace and territorial waters, and respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all of its neighbours", says Kris Peeters MEP, the EPP Group Spokesman on Turkey. For China, Radosław Sikorski MEP recalls that "EU policy should be based on three principles: cooperate where possible, compete where needed, confront where necessary."

On Tuesday, the Civil Liberties Committee will vote on the establishment of an EU mechanism to guarantee respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The EPP Group firmly supports the establishment of such a mechanism, consisting of an Annual Monitoring Cycle on Union values, covering all aspects of Article 2 of the European Treaty, and applying equally, objectively and fairly to all Member States. For the EPP Group, the rule of law is non-negotiable in the European Union. We remain seriously concerned regarding the developments concerning rule of law in several EU Member States.

While nearly 200 million Europeans will suffer from cancer in their lifetime, the EPP Group wants the European Union to make the fight against cancer a top priority. This is why, under the EPP Group's leadership, the European Parliament set up a Special Committee to Beat Cancer. The Special Committee will meet for the first time on Wednesday and will elect its Chair.

On Tuesday, Parliament's Environment and Industry Committees will discuss ways how to secure access to COVID-19 vaccines for EU citizens. For the EPP Group, it is essential that once developed, politicians must make sure that not only all Europeans, but also everyone in the world gets the vaccine based on medical criteria and as quickly as possible. Vaccines must be available for all, not just for one country.

Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee will debate the state of EU-China relations on Monday with Ming Zhang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the EU, and Gunnar Wiegand, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the EEAS. "We expect China to deliver on its own commitments. Selective application of the international rules-based order is unacceptable. We expect non-discrimination and openness from Beijing as well as its readiness to accept responsibility and accountability, which comes with its enhanced role on the global stage", recalls Radosław Sikorski MEP, author of the EPP Group’s strategy towards China.

The Civil Liberties Committee will vote on a Report setting out how Parliament wants to address fundamental rights questions connected to the planned Digital Services Act (DSA). The European Commission will propose the DSA later this year. The EPP Group highlights the need to update current liability rules for service providers and address technological developments and new challenges. To effectively remove illegal content, proportionate obligations should be imposed on service providers and allow for an effective follow up by law enforcement and the judiciary. To ensure full respect for fundamental rights, notably the freedom of expression, the procedures should be transparent and provide for the right to appeal against content takedowns and access to effective judicial redress.