Highlights

The Committees on Foreign Affairs and on International Trade will vote on their joint recommendation on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, on 15 April. The European Parliament will then vote on this recommendation during a forthcoming plenary sitting. The Agreement defines the framework for the EU’s future cooperation with the UK after Brexit. It has been applied provisionally since the beginning of this year, but Parliament's consent is required for its official entry into force.

The International Trade Committee will discuss the first draft of its own-initiative report on trade related aspects and implications of COVID-19, on 15 April. This report is part of the Committee’s reflection process on the role of trade as a tool for a sustainable recovery and for achieving open strategic autonomy (Trade Policy Review). This debate follows a public hearing on the same subject, which took place in March.

The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will discuss and vote on a new procedure to facilitate and accelerate the EU-wide approval of vaccines adapted to COVID-19 variants, on 15 and 16 April. The motion for a resolution on encouraging the sustainable use of soil will also be voted. The Committee will also hold its annual debate with the European Food Safety Authority, more specifically with the Authority’s Executive Director, Bernhard Url.

The Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection will hold a Structured Dialogue with Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, on 15 April. The debate is set to focus on the implementation of the Commission Work Programme 2021, the general state of play of legislation in the Commissioner’s field of competence, and the follow-up to the commitments made during his hearing of 2019.

The Committee on Transport and Tourism will go over the discuss the progress and challenges in the implementation of the TEN-T core network with the European Coordinators in charge of the Baltic-Adriatic corridor, the North Sea-Mediterranean corridor and the Motorways the Sea, on 15 April. A Structured Dialogue with Transport Commissioner Vălean will be held on the same day, to go over the state of play in the field of transport policy and the Commission’s upcoming initiatives.

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development will hold a public hearing on the European Citizens’ Initiative “End the Cage Age’, in association with the Committee on Petitions, on 15 April. The initiative calls on the European Commission to propose legislation banning the use of cages for farmed animals. Following its registration in September 2018, the initiative was submitted to the Commission after having gathered the support of almost 1.4 million signatories.

A public hearing with experts on the future of democracy in the digital age and on striking the right regulatory balances in our increasingly tech-driven societies will be held on 15 April. The debates will focus on the challenges that the EU is facing in its current trajectory towards the 2030 Digital Decade. These include the impact of AI on electoral processes and its effect on the notions of active citizenship, political participation, and policy-making.

The Special Committee on Beating Cancer will hold a hearing on 15 April to look into the possibilities for the EU to further promote and facilitate cooperation and the sharing of knowledge, expertise and data on cancer research and care. This could be done through the European Reference Networks and cancer registries, and by improving the cross-border healthcare directive.

The Fact Sheets on the EU provide an overview of European integration and of Parliament's contribution to that process. They present a brief overview of the EU's institutions and policies, and of Parliament's role in their development. Available in 24 languages, they cover five main areas: how the EU works; economy, science and quality of life; cohesion, growth and jobs; fundamental rights, security and justice; and the EU's external relations. The online version is updated regularly.