Highlights

The Committee on Development and experts will discuss in a public hearing how to create sustainable and decent employment opportunities in Africa for its increasingly young population on 21 March. African youth aged 15-24 constitute around two thirds of the continent's population. Currently, over 80% of jobs in Sub Saharan Africa are in family agriculture or in small household enterprises with extremely low incomes and precarious conditions.

The Committee on Development will receive Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on 21 March. Members will discuss the impact of shifting geopolitical circumstances on UNDP's work and, more generally, doing development work in complex settings such as crises or working in countries with de facto authorities.

The Committee on Budgetary Control will vote on the reports and amendments concerning the 2021 Discharge to the European Commission, European Development Fund, and Agencies on 22 March. Novelties this year are the first discharge for the European Public Prosecutors Office and the European Labour Authority and the inclusion of the Recovery and Resilience Facility in the Commission discharge.

The Committee on Budgetary Control will hold a hearing and vote on the nomination of Mr Martin Klus as the Slovakian Member of the European Court of Auditors, on 22 March. The Members will ask questions and evaluate the nominee’s credentials, in particular in view of the requirements laid down in Article 286(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Committee will give a recommendation to the Plenary for the appointment of the candidate.

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs will hold a public exchange of views with José Manuel Campa, Chair of the European Banking Authority (EBA), and with Andrea Enria, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB on the implications of the failure of Silicon Valley Bank for financial stability in Europe, on 21 March. Mr Campa and Mr Enria will be invited to present their views on the effects and lessons to be drawn, followed by an exchange of views with the Members.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will hold a hearing on “Working conditions of firefighters” on 22 March. The World Health Organisation recently re-classified firefighters as a profession that is vulnerable to carcinogenics. This hearing will inform the Committee’s work in various areas, and in particular the ongoing revision of the Asbestos at Work Directive. The hearing will help look into appropriate solutions for protecting workers in this sector.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will hold a structured dialogue with Commissioner Dalli on 22 March. The main focus of the discussion will be on the implementation of the Disability Rights Strategy 2021 – 2030, with particular attention given to ongoing efforts regarding the Employment package and the Disability Card.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will have an exchange of views with Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, on 22 March. Ms Ferreira will present the communication on 'Harnessing Talents in Europe's Regions', a key deliverable of the European Year of Skills. It aims to promote reskilling and upskilling and to ensure that nobody is left behind in the twin, green and digital, transitions and the economic recovery, including through a new ‘Talent Booster Mechanism'.

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will consider the reports on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe as well as the report on water quality on 22-23 March. Members will also vote on opinions on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work and on the labelling of organic pet food. The Commission will present its proposal amending the regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.