Article
Monday to Friday online @ the EP
Institutions - 09-06-2008 - 14:15
Passing storm or future omen?
The 7 political groups will spend this week debating and defining their policies ahead of next week's plenary session from 16-19 June in Strasbourg. This is crucial as legislation on the return of illegal migrants and liberalisation of Europe's energy market are amongst the issues on the agenda. This week here on the parliament's website we will be following the major events from the European Parliament in Brussels as well as a look ahead at some of the issues that will be making the news.
MEPs are in the process of considering legislation related to climate change and this week 500 people from civil society will meet in parliament to discuss the issue. Hosted by EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering, it is one of a series of "Agora" meetings where civil society, MEPs and experts in the field meet to discuss policy options. Taking place on Thursday and Friday - 12-13 June - a full round up of the event will be available here online on Friday.
"Ethical globalisation"
The start of the week sees former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson in parliament. She will be speaking to MEPs on the Human Rights sub-Committee. Ms Robinson is in Brussels to promote her "ethical globalisation" initiative. Here on the website you can read a full round up of what she said. Monday also sees a public hearing held by the Agriculture on the latest "health check" for the Common Agricultural Policy.
On Thursday parliament will host a conference to mark International Day of African Youth. Nigerian human rights lawyer and winner of the 2005 Sakharov prize Hauwa Ibrahim will attend the conference. The day after the conference we will run an interview with her asking about how she views the situation of African youth.
Energy package and a report on bloggers
This week online there is also more news about 2 big legislative "packages" - Energy and Telecoms - that are working their way through the parliament. With both likely to have significant public impact we look at the issues involved on Tuesday and Wednesday. The week also features a story looking ahead to the 2009 budget.
Finally, if you are a blogger then a Wednesday story we are planning to run may be of interest to you. Estonian MEP Marianne Mikko has written a report on possible rules and rights for those who are bloggers. We ask her what she proposes and give you the reader the chance to respond - all here on the EP website this week.
REF.: 20080605STO30951