EP Today 

COVID-19 certificate

Parliament, Council and Commission negotiators will resume talks - aimed at hammering out a deal this week- on the proposal for an EU certificate to show a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has a negative test result or has recovered from the virus. The system should be in place before the summer tourist season and only until the end of the pandemic.

Polona TEDESKO
(+32) 470 88 42 82
EP_Justice

National recovery plans: role of the EP and its right to information

At 9.00, MEPs will debate whether the EP is properly informed about the national recovery and resilience plans submitted to the Commission. The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the biggest building block of the Next Generation EU package designed to tackle the effects of the pandemic, with a total budget of € 672.5 billion. Plenary will vote on a resolution on Wednesday, with results announced on Thursday.

Dorota KOLINSKA
(+32) 498 98 32 80
EP_Economics

Situation in Turkey and progress towards EU accession

Plenary will look into the latest developments in Turkey and the state of EU-Turkey relations. In a debate starting around 16.00 MEPs are expected to voice their concern about Ankara’s gradual distancing from European values and standards, its illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, and its involvement in Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan. In a separate debate, Parliament will assess the situation in Montenegro and its accession progress. MEPs will vote on the two reports on Wednesday.

Snjezana KOBESCAK SMODIS
(+32) 470 96 08 19
EP_ForeignAff

Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps

In the evening, MEPs will debate the budget and objectives of the new Erasmus+, the flagship EU programme focused on education, training, youth and sport. They will also assess EU support for the cultural and creative sectors for the coming years (through the Creative Europe programme), and the new European Solidarity Corps. The approval of Erasmus+ and the Solidarity Corps is expected to be announced at the end of their respective debate, while Creative Europe will be put to the vote on Wednesday.

Agnese KRIVADE

(+32) 470 89 01 46

EP_Culture

In brief

EU strategy towards Israel-Palestine. MEPs will present their views regarding the escalation of violence in the region, in a debate starting around 17.00.

New EU industrial strategy. Parliament will assess the latest Commission proposals to boost economic recovery by strengthening Europe’s industrial base in a debate from around 10.00.

Business taxation. During an afternoon debate, plenary will assess the Commission’s new tax plans for businesses, set to be unveiled earlier that day. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the urgent need to update global tax regulation, while in Europe things are finally moving again regarding corporate tax transparency.

Deaths in the Mediterranean/Search and rescue at sea. MEPs will discuss with Council and Commission how to halt the increasing death toll in the Mediterranean.

Votes

There will be two voting sessions, from 13.00 to 14.15 (with results announced at 19.00) and from 20.00 to 21.15 (results announced on Wednesday at 9.00).

In the first voting session, MEPs will vote on, among other topics:

• the Just Transition Fund for 2021-2027,
• European Solidarity Fund aid to 17 EU member states and 3 candidate countries confronted with the COVID-19 emergency, and to Greece and France following natural disasters, as well as a proposal to review the Fund,
• European Globalisation Adjustment Fund aid to Estonia, and
• amendments to reports on energy transition and hydrogen, illegal streaming of sports events, and impact of climate change on developing countries.

In the second voting session, plenary will hold votes on:

• how to stop illegal streaming of sports events,
• the impact of climate change on developing countries’ population, and
• amendments on the annual reports on Turkey and Montenegro, human rights protection and the EU external migration policy, and the effects of climate change on human rights and the role of environmental rights defenders.