The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs will hold a Monetary Dialogue with the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, on 28 September. The issues that are expected to be discussed include: accountability mechanisms of major central banks and possible avenues to improve the ECB's accountability, and; experience and future perspectives with respect to the ECB's asset purchase programmes.

The Budgets Committee will take stock of the progress in the negotiations with the German Presidency on the Multiannual Financial Framework and Own Resources, on 28 September. Parliament’s objective is to reach an agreement by the end of October, notably on the MFF programmes, additional new Own Resources, the role of the budgetary authority in borrowing and lending operations, and horizontal issues such as climate, biodiversity and gender mainstreaming.

The Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection will vote on its draft report on a Digital Services Act aiming to improve the functioning of the Single Market, on 28 September. The report calls on the Commission to put forward a proposal for a Digital Services Act, which follows a set of recommendations on transparency and consumer protection, artificial intelligence, and the need to tackle the spread of illegal content online, amongst other things.

The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will go over the 2030 Climate Target Plan with Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, on 28 September. The Committee will also vote on its legislative own-initiative report, which calls on the Commission to present a proposal on establishing an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation.

The Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Development, and the Subcommittee on Human Rights will look into the list of this year’s nominees for the Sakharov Prize Award, on 28 September. Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize on a yearly basis to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Development Committee will also hold a meeting with the German Presidency of the Council of the EU to discuss its priorities in development cooperation.

The Subcommittee on Security and Defence will discuss the current challenges and upcoming landmark decisions to be taken in relation to the EU’s engagement in the Common Security and Defence Policy, with Ambassador Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS for CSDP and Crisis Response. The debate will be held on 28 September and is expected to focus in particular on the future Strategic Compass, which should ensure coherence and cost-efficiency in the field of security for EU citizens.

The Budgetary Control Committee will go over its opinion on establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility, which aims to address the shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the EU, on 28 September. The Committee will also will discuss the follow-up to the 2018 discharge to the European Parliament in respect of its implementation of the general budget of the European Union, with EP Secretary-General Klaus Welle.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed a serious challenge to the work of Parliament, several measures were quickly adopted in order to ensure the continuation of the legislative and democratic life of the EU, while focusing on its response to the COVID-19 crisis. This Thematic Digest contains an overview of the principal debates held by Parliament’s committees and delegations, and of the decisions made as a result of their work, following the COVID-19 outbreak.