Punti saljenti 

Future of Europe/Giuseppe Conte. Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will debate the future of Europe with MEPs on Tuesday afternoon. This will be the seventeenth in a series of future of Europe debates between EU heads of state or government and MEPs.

Foreign direct investments. Parliament will vote on setting up the first EU-level tool to screen foreign direct investment on grounds of security to protect strategic sectors such as water, transport, or communications, and technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and robotics. A press conference is scheduled at 15.30 on Wednesday. (Thursday)

Civil protection. An upgrade of the EU’s civil defence mechanism, tested to its limits in 2017 and 2018 by forest fires, storms and floods, will be put to a vote on Tuesday. The new law will help member states to respond faster and more effectively to natural and man-made disasters, by sharing civil protection assets more efficiently. (Tuesday)

Investing in EU regions. Parliament will vote on EU 2021-2027 funding rules to keep investing in all regions to boost economic and social cohesion. They are likely to oppose cuts to finances dedicated to regions and approve new goals such as support to innovation, digitisation, energy transition, education and access to healthcare. A press conference is scheduled at 15.00. (Wednesday)

EU-Singapore trade agreement. MEPs will decide whether to approve the free trade and investment protection agreements between the EU and Singapore, which will remove virtually all tariffs between the two parties within five years and allow for free trade in services, protect unique European products, and open up the Singaporean procurement market to EU companies. A press conference is scheduled at 14.30. (Wednesday)

EU cross-border payments outside Eurozone. Parliament will vote on a new law putting an end to the discrimination that payment service users in the EU outside the Eurozone face. Banks would need to charge equally for cross-border payments in euro and domestic payments and make currency conversion costs more transparent. (Thursday)

Transport conditions for animals. Following reports about the ill-treatment of transported animals, MEPs will look into ways to improve their welfare and are set to call on EU member states to better enforce existing EU rules protecting transported animals, apply tough penalties for offenders and improve transport conditions. (Thursday)

President’s Diary.EP President Antonio Tajani will inaugurate the EP’s Radio Studio on Monday afternoon and unveil a commemorative plaque for Antonio Megalizzi and Bartosz Orent-Niedzielski, two journalists killed during the Strasbourg attacks in December. On Tuesday afternoon, he will have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte and on Wednesday afternoon he will open the 6th Summit of Speakers of Euro-Mediterranean Parliaments.

100 days to European elections. The EP’s Press service will organise a briefing for journalists to mark 100 days before the new European Parliament will be elected, which will focus on upcoming key dates, lead candidate debates, media tools and practical details on facilities available on Election Day itself as well as in the run-up. (Wednesday)

Pre-session press briefing. The EP Press Service will hold a press briefing at 16:30 on Monday in the Daphne Caruana Galizia Press conference room, Strasbourg.

EP Press service contact