Getting back from the Christmas holidays, the brand new Belgian EU Council presidency will host its first casual council this week, and the European Parliament’s committees will resume their work in Brussels.
This week, consideration will stay on ongoing rigidity within the Pink Sea, the place the EU is contemplating launching a brand new mission, after a number of assaults on cargo ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Israel’s conflict in Gaza can also be anticipated to be on the agenda, following the go to of EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell to Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
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EU Fee president Ursula von der Leyen will meet on Monday (8 January) with fellow German economic system and local weather minister Robert Habeck. Habeck can also be anticipated to satisfy with EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders later that day.
One month after resuming her job, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager is predicted to journey to the US to satisfy with representatives of Apple, Google’s Alphabet, semiconductor firm Broadcom, and Nvidia on Thursday (11 January) and Friday (12 January). Discussions will give attention to new European digital regulation and competitors coverage.
On Wednesday (10 January), EU Fee vice-president Margaritis Schinas is predicted to unveil a communication in regards to the 2022 European Yr of Youth, reflecting on the achievements and a roadmap for upcoming initiatives and programmes.
EU Inexperienced Deal commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is predicted to attend an occasion about sustainable agriculture and younger farmers in Lennik, Belgium, on Tuesday (9 January).
And von der Leyen will finish the week chairing the school of commissioners seminar in Jodoigne, Belgium, on Friday.
In Namur, Belgium, EU employment and social affairs ministers will collect for a casual assembly from Wednesday to Friday.
In the meantime, MEPs will put together for the following plenary session later this month and resume their committee actions with conferences scheduled for Thursday.
EU economic system commissioner Paolo Gentiloni and EU commerce commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis may have an alternate of views with MEP within the parliament’s committee on financial affairs in regards to the fiscal a part of the 2024 European semester.
On the identical day, MEPs from the setting committee will debate tips on how to forestall plastic pellet losses, to scale back microplastic air pollution — a subject not too long ago lined by EUobserver in a two-part investigation.
Likewise, MEPs within the transport committee will focus on a report on the accounting of greenhouse fuel emissions from transport.
The EU parliament’s committee of employment and social affairs will undertake its place on the European incapacity card.
Additionally on Thursday, Flemish first minister Jan Jambon and Belgian youth minister Benjamin Dalle will transient MEPs within the cultural committee in regards to the priorities of the Belgian EU presidency.