The Week Ahead 5 - 11 October 2009
Plenary session and committee meetings - Brussels
Plenary session. The agenda for Wednesday and Thursday’s plenary session in Brussels includes a debate on the results of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty with Council President-in-Office and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Commission President José Manuel Barroso. MEPs will also debate refunds for passengers when airlines go bust and freedom of information in Italy. There will also be a vote on the setting up of a Special Committee on the financial and economic crisis and on a resolution on the outcome of the G20 summit in Pittsburgh.
EP/Czech Republic. President Buzek will make a working visit to the Czech Republic (Friday).
Sakharov Prize shortlist. The Foreign Affairs and Development Committees will decide on the shortlist for the 2009 European Parliament prize for freedom of thought (Tuesday).
Afghanistan/Pakistan. Ettore Francesco Sequi, the EU’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will brief the Foreign Affairs Committee on the latest developments in the region (Tuesday).
Home affairs/Stockholm Programme. The Legal Affairs, Constitutional Affairs and Civil Liberties Committees hold a joint meeting to begin consideration of the EU’s new draft programme in the field of freedom, security and justice (Thursday).
EU Budget 2010. The Budgets Committee will complete its marathon vote for the first reading of the EU budget for 2010 (Monday-Thursday). The Committee’s chair, Alain Lamassoure, will hold a press conference on Thursday.
Regional affairs. The Regional Development Committee is organising a series of joint events with the EU Committee of the Regions as part of the annual European Week of Regions and Cities – the week begins with a debate featuring Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson and Commission President José Manuel Barroso (Monday). EP President Jerzy Buzek will also address participants (Wednesday).
President’s activities. Mr Buzek’s diary also includes meetings with the Vice-President of Colombia, Francisco Santos, and the Speaker of the Swiss National Council, Chiara Simoneschi-Cortesi (both Thursday).