European Parliament Plenary Session – April II 2024
European Parliamentary Research Service
Facts. Analysis. Insight. Foresight. We (EPRS) are the in-house research service of the European Parliament.
Written by Clare Ferguson.
Members sit down to a packed agenda for Parliament’s last plenary session before the European elections, with many legislative files reaching their conclusion. Parliament is scheduled to debate the conclusions of the recent European Council meeting on Tuesday morning. Members will debate Iran’s attack on Israel in a key debate on Wednesday. Parliament also marks the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement in a formal sitting on Wednesday morning. An important vote is also expected on Thursday on simplifying common agricultural policy rules, following farmers’ protests.
To support Ukraine’s economy and avert an international food crisis, autonomous trade measures liberalising Ukrainian exports to the EU were introduced following Russia’s 2022 invasion. On Tuesday afternoon, Members are scheduled to consider a provisional agreement endorsed by the Committee on International Trade (INTA) to extend these trade measures for a further year, and introduce a ‘reinforced safeguard mechanism’ to limit imports of sensitive products, to protect EU farmers.
Also partly responding to farmers’ demands, Members are due to consider two reports from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), in a debate set for Tuesday evening. The proposed revision addresses a dozen laws on seeds and other plant and forest reproductive material created to regulate marketing of seeds, young plants and other types of reproductive material. The committee proposes exemptions for materials sold in specific cases, such as small quantities of plant materials exchanged by farmers, and that new sustainability tests are only mandatory for agricultural crops. The committee also wants the Commission to provide technical assistance for forest reproductive contingency plans.
Protecting our environment
Members are due to consider several proposals during this session that seek to protect the environment. Revising EU rules on packaging and packaging waste returns to the plenary agenda on Wednesday, when Members are set to consider a provisional agreement endorsed by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). As per Parliament’s demands, the agreed text bans per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in food packaging, and sets new rules on bio-based feedstock in plastic packaging. If agreed, the new law could mean all packaging sold in the EU from 2030 is recyclable, and some packaging formats, such as single-use plastic packaging for condiments, would be forbidden. Take-away outlets would have to provide a way for customers to use their own containers, and EU countries should set up deposit return systems for drinks containers.
Plastic pellet losses are the third largest source of unintentional microplastic releases in the EU environment. Once dispersed, they are extremely difficult to remove – and no EU-level law covers this issue. Members are therefore scheduled to debate an ENVI committee report on a proposal aimed at preventing plastic pellet losses on Monday afternoon. The ENVI report seeks to widen the definition of pellets, as well as to include their transport in the scope of the proposal. The committee would like to see more complete risk assessments from economic operators, who would be required to use specific labels for better management of the pellets.
The proposal to better promote the repair of goods also returns to Parliament on Monday afternoon, when Members are expected to consider a political agreement on the file. The agreed text would ensure all EU countries introduce at least one measure promoting repair, that manufacturers ensure spare parts and tools are available (and do not hamper the repair of goods). Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) negotiators have ensured an extension of legal guarantees on repaired products of one year.
Protecting EU borders
Following the adoption of the immigration package during the last plenary session, Members are due to consider revising another tool used to improve border controls, combat illegal immigration and for other law-enforcement purposes, advanced passenger information (API), in a debate scheduled for Wednesday evening. If agreed, the provisional agreement reached between Parliament and Council would result in parallel new rules on the use of API for border management and for law enforcement, that will boost fundamental rights safeguards and data security, and strengthen supervision of the collection and transfer of passenger information.
Recent migration, security, and public health challenges led many EU countries within the Schengen area to reintroduce internal border checks. In response, the European Commission has proposed to revise the Schengen Borders Code, which lays down the rules for such temporary derogations. Earlier on Wednesday, Members are set to vote on a provisional agreement reached (after the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) rejected the Commission’s proposal on the instrumentalisation of migrants) by the co-legislators. The agreed text tightens the rules on temporary reintroduction of internal border controls and introduces bilateral voluntary cooperation on non-EU nationals found in border areas, which could apply to minors, but should not apply to asylum-seekers.
Protecting people
Several of Parliament’s key demands were retained in the compromise agreed on new laws to combat violence against women and domestic violence, despite the removal of the criminalisation of rape (on grounds of national competence). These include criminalisation of forced marriage and cyber-flashing; additional aggravating circumstances; and a five-year review of the legislation’s impact. If agreed, minimum EU standards will apply for criminalising severe violence and for enhancing prevention, access to justice and protection of victims. Members are scheduled to debate the compromise text negotiated by Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the LIBE committee, on Tuesday afternoon.
Often involving violence, trafficking in human beings is a persistent crime that affects mostly women, with an estimated 7?000 victims per year in the EU – although the true figures are probably much higher. To step up EU action on combating this crime, Members are expected to debate a draft agreement on revising the Human Trafficking Directive on Monday afternoon. Endorsed by the LIBE and FEMM committees, the agreement supports Parliament’s inclusion of surrogacy, as well as the criminalisation of knowingly using services of a human-trafficking victim in the revised law.
An estimated 27.6?million people, including 3.3?million children, suffer under forced labour worldwide. To tackle the issue, Members are due to consider a draft agreement introducing new legislation to ban products produced under forced labour from the EU market, also on Monday afternoon. Endorsed by the Committees on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and on International Trade (INTA), the text tasks the Commission with EU-wide bans, withdrawal or disposal of such products. Parliament has ensured they are then donated, recycled or destroyed.
The EU is determined to resolve the employment issues created by digital platforms’ use of ‘gig’ work – for taxi or food-delivery services, for example. To this end, Members are set to vote on an agreement on a new law to improve platform working conditions on Wednesday afternoon. The outcome of difficult negotiations, and less stringent than the initial proposal, if agreed the legislation will set minimum working conditions for people who work through digital labour platforms, and introduce the first-ever EU rules on algorithmic management in the workplace.
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Parliament has long supported facilitating access to education, employment, healthcare and culture for the millions of people in the EU with a form of disability. On Tuesday afternoon, Members are scheduled to consider a text agreed between the co-legislators on a proposal to create an EU-wide European disability card and European parking card. Endorsed by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), the resulting law should mean disabled people’s rights to participate fully in daily life are equally recognised throughout the EU (including for non-EU residents).
To solve conflicts of competence between national courts when it comes to which court should try a criminal case in the EU, the co-legislators have agreed a draft law to regulate the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters. Members are set to consider the text endorsed by the LIBE committee, on Tuesday afternoon. The draft text largely maintains the original Commission proposal, with the addition of Parliament’s position on legal persons as victims, and proportionality as a criterion in transfer requests.
For its own part, Parliament proposed to set up a body to oversee ethical standards back in 2021. Subsequent negotiations between eight EU institutions and bodies led to a draft agreement on creating an interinstitutional body for ethical standards. Members are expected to debate the draft agreement in plenary on Thursday morning. The body should strengthen EU institutions’ ethics, integrity and transparency, by ensuring they have equivalent rules and an ethics culture, and raising awareness.
Reinforcing economic governance
To ensure prosperity and improve the balance between debt sustainability and sustainable and inclusive growth throughout the EU, the Council and Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a far-reaching new economic governance framework to update the stability and growth pact. A debate on the package of economic files is expected on Tuesday morning. These would introduce nationally set medium-term fiscal plans and a reference trajectory for countries in debt. The plans would be based on net spending, and backed by a debt sustainability analysis that includes safeguards on debt sustainability and deficit resilience. As the first national plans will be based on 2023 figures, it is likely that a number of EU countries will come under the excessive deficit procedure.
To prevent EU banks from failing, holding sufficient prudential capital (‘own funds’) is essential. The Commission is therefore proposing to strengthen the prudential framework within the banking union through a pair of interconnected proposals, supported by Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON). Members are therefore due to consider a political agreement reached on the amendments to the Capital Requirements Directive and Regulation on Wednesday afternoon, which largely retains the Commission’s proposal and most of the committee’s amendments. To align with the Basel Agreement and harmonise banking supervision, a new ‘output floor’ should ensure firms do not go below a certain level of risk-weighted asset. Banks will also have to take environment, social and governance risks into account when assessing collateral. As banks become exposed to crypto-assets, their disclosure will become mandatory under the new rules.
Also on Wednesday afternoon, Members are scheduled to debate a package of three draft agreements on tackling money-laundering and terrorist financing, strengthening the current rules and establishing an EU Anti-Money-Laundering Authority (AMLA) to ensure they are implemented correctly. Parliament insisted that AMLA mediate in disagreements between national supervisors and between Financial Intelligence Units. It also ensured that reporting of non-implementation or sanctions evasion and money-laundering risks are now included in the single rulebook. If agreed, a €10?000 EU-wide limit will apply for cash payments. Parliament also amended the proposal to extend the legitimate interest category to journalists and civil society organisations.
Turning to its own finances, the recent revision of the EU’s 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework to address EU priorities means amending the EU’s budget for this year. Draft amending budget No?1 (DAB1/2024) specifically raises the 2024 budget for security and defence, the neighbourhood and the world heading, and for the new Ukraine Reserve. Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) recommends approval of the Council position, which Members are set to consider on Thursday afternoon. The revision is also expected to considerably strengthen support for the Western Balkans under the current budget.
Members are earlier expected to debate a text agreed following the conclusion of interinstitutional negotiations on a new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, on Tuesday afternoon. To help advance their internal reforms, the €6?billion fund should provide Western Balkan countries with certain benefits of EU membership before they join the EU. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and BUDG committee nevertheless demand clear progress indicators, more safeguards and greater focus on rule of law and conditionality, and recommend stronger parliamentary oversight and transparency.
Strengthening industry
Members are due to vote on the draft agreement on a proposal to reduce the cost of deploying gigabit electronic communications networks on Tuesday afternoon. The new gigabit infrastructure act, agreed between the co-legislators and endorsed by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), would allow tacit approval for permit-granting, the introduction of an optional fibre-ready label for buildings and an end to fees for intra-EU calls by 2029.
On Thursday morning, Members are scheduled to return to the proposed net zero industry act and a text agreed between the co-legislators in February. The proposal seeks to expand EU capacity to manufacture the clean energy technologies it needs to achieve its climate targets. Parliament’s ITRE committee negotiators ensured the agreement includes Parliament’s demand that EU countries can designate specific ‘net-zero acceleration valleys’ and take measures to increase their attractiveness.
Parliament is set to debate another agreement with the Council, negotiated by the ITRE committee, on a proposed cyber solidarity act on Wednesday afternoon. Aiming for stronger solidarity in the EU in detecting and responding to cyber-threats, if agreed, the new regulation would provide for a pan-European cybersecurity alert system, as well as emergency and incidence review mechanisms. Parliament has ensured new workforce skills are included in the objectives; a greater role and resources for the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA); and that funding for Digital Europe programme objectives, such as digital skills and artificial intelligence, are not diverted.
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