Plenary round-up – April II 2024

Written by Clare Ferguson and Katarzyna Sochacka.

In the final plenary session of this term, over 80 files were adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure. The April II 2024 session also saw a formal sitting marking the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement. Leaders of all 10 accession states from that time were invited to speak before the Parliament, and discuss with young people from those countries born 20 years ago. Members debated the conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda 2024-2029, the La Hulpe declaration on the future of social Europe, ‘Forging a sustainable future together: economic, social and territorial challenges for a competitive, cohesive and inclusive Europe’, and recent attempts to deny dictatorships and the risk of Europe returning to totalitarianism. On external relations, Members tackled the EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip, Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response, the use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction, attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society, the EU-Egypt strategic and comprehensive partnership, the situation in Haiti, and pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews.

Protecting our environment

Packaging and packaging waste

Members adopted a provisional agreement on packaging and packaging waste endorsed by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). The agreed text bans per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in food packaging, and sets new rules on bio-based feedstock in plastic packaging. All packaging sold in the EU from 2030 will be recyclable, and some packaging formats, such as single-use plastic packaging for condiments, forbidden. Take-away outlets will have to enable customers to use their own containers, and EU countries should set up deposit return systems for drinks containers.

Plastic pellet losses

Plastic pellet losses are the third largest source of unintentional microplastic releases in the EU environment. Once dispersed, they are extremely difficult to remove. Members adopted at first reading an ENVI committee report on a proposal aimed at preventing plastic pellet losses. The ENVI report seeks to widen the definition of pellets, as well as to include their transport in the scope of the proposal.

Repair of goods

Members adopted a political agreement on the repair of goods, which ensures 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). The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) negotiators have ensured an extension of legal guarantees on repaired products of one year.

Seeds and other plants and forest reproductive material

Members adopted at first reading two reports from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). The proposal would revise 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.

Protecting people

Combating violence against women and domestic violence

Several of Parliament’s key demands were retained in the compromise 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. Members adopted the compromise text negotiated by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).

Human trafficking directive

To step up EU action on combating trafficking in human beings, Members adopted the agreed text revising the Human Trafficking Directive. 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.

Prohibiting products made with forced labour

Members adopted a draft agreement on new legislation to ban products produced under forced labour from the EU market. Endorsed by the IMCO committee and the Committee 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.

European disability card and European parking card

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. Members adopted two agreed texts on proposals 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 means disabled people’s rights to participate fully in daily life are equally recognised throughout the EU (including for non-EU residents).

Improving platform working conditions

Members adopted a provisional agreement on a new law to improve platform working conditions. The outcome of difficult negotiations, and less stringent than the initial proposal, the legislation sets minimum working conditions for people who work through digital labour platforms, and introduces the first-ever EU rules on algorithmic management in the workplace.

Transfer of proceedings in criminal matters

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 to regulate the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters. Members adopted the text endorsed by the LIBE committee, with the addition of Parliament’s position on legal persons as victims, and proportionality as a criterion in transfer requests.

Protecting Europe’s economic system

Economic governance framework

Members debated and adopted the provisional agreement on a far-reaching new economic governance framework to update the stability and growth pact. 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 including safeguards on debt sustainability and deficit resilience.

Banking union

Members adopted a political agreement on amendments to the Capital Requirements Directive and Regulation, which largely retains the Commission’s proposals on banking union. 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.

Money laundering and terrorist financing

Members adopted 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.

Net zero industry act

Members debated and adopted the net zero industry act agreed between the co-legislators. It seeks to expand EU capacity to manufacture the clean energy technologies needed to achieve EU climate targets. Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) 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.

Gigabit infrastructure act

Members adopted the provisional agreement on a proposal to reduce the cost of deploying gigabit electronic communications networks. The new gigabit infrastructure act, endorsed by the ITRE committee, allows 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.

Cyber solidarity act

Parliament adopted the provisional agreement, negotiated by the ITRE committee, on a cyber solidarity act. Aiming for stronger solidarity in detecting and responding to cyber-threats, the new regulation will provide for a pan-European cybersecurity alert system, as well as emergency and incidence review mechanisms.

Protecting Europe

Advanced passenger information

Members debated and adopted two reports on advanced passenger information (API). The provisional agreement reached between Parliament and Council results 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.

Schengen Borders Code

Members adopted a provisional agreement endorsed by the LIBE committee on the Schengen Borders Code. 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.

Trade measures applicable to Ukrainian products

To support Ukraine’s economy and avert a food crisis, autonomous trade measures liberalising Ukrainian exports to the EU were introduced following Russia’s 2022 invasion. Members adopted the provisional agreement, endorsed by the INTA committee, 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.

Draft amending budget No 1/2024

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. Members approved Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) recommendation to approve the Council position. The revision is also expected to considerably strengthen support for the Western Balkans under the current budget.

Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans

Members adopted the provisional agreement on a new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. 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. The 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.

Simplification of certain CAP rules

Members adopted by urgent procedure the proposal on simplifying common agricultural policy rules. The proposal is part of the Commission’s response to widespread protests by farmers, who oppose the CAP’s administrative burden and environmental requirements.

Interinstitutional body for ethical standards

Parliament proposed to set up a body to oversee ethical standards back in 2021. Based on a proposal from the Commission, negotiations between eight EU institutions and bodies led to a draft agreement on creating an interinstitutional body for ethical standards. Members approved the draft agreement on behalf of Parliament. The body should strengthen EU institutions’ ethics, integrity and transparency, by ensuring they have equivalent rules and an ethics culture, and raising awareness.

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘Plenary round-up – April II 2024‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.