The priorities of the running Czech EU Presidency, the results of the recent EU Summit, facilitating export of Ukrainian agricultural products, and the cost of living increase, amid rising energy prices and inflation, are among the issues which the European Parliament plenary will discuss during its session taking place on July 4-7, in Strasbourg.
Moreover, Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will address MEPs on the current challenges and future of the EU, while MEPs are set to condemn overturning of abortion rights in the United States.
On Wednesday at 9.00 local time, MEPs will discuss with the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala the programme of Czechia’s six month-long Council presidency, which started on July 1st.
The motto of the Czech Presidency is “Europe as a Task: Rethink, Rebuild, Repower”, recalling a speech made by the first Czech President Václav Havel. The motto underlines the need “to re-evaluate current approaches and premises” in light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Czech Presidency’s key priorities are the management of the refugee crisis and Ukraine’s post-war recovery, energy security, defence capabilities and cyberspace security, the European economy’s strategic resilience and the resilience of democratic institutions.
On Wednesday morning, MEPs will debate the results of the 23-24 June EU summit with European Council President Charles Michel and Commission Vice-President, Maroš Šefcovic.
Heads of state or government granted EU candidate status to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova. They also stated that Georgia should become an EU candidate, once it has addressed the priorities specified in the Commission’s opinion on Georgia’s membership application. In addition, EU leaders discussed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, the EU’s relations with its European partners and economic issues. Ahead of the European Council, EU leaders also met with their Western Balkan counterparts.
In a resolution adopted on 23 June right before the start of the Summit, Parliament demanded that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova be granted EU candidate status “without delay” and that the same must be done for Georgia “once its government has delivered” on the priorities indicated by the European Commission.
The Prime Minister Greece will address MEPs on the current challenges and future of the EU on Tuesday at 10.30.
Mitsotakis’ plenary address will be followed by a round of interventions by political group leaders. This will be the fifth “This is Europe” debate to take place at the European Parliament, previous iterations featuring Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in March, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in May, and Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic in the first and second June plenary sessions respectively.
On Tuesday, MEPs will quiz the Commission and the Council on the best use of EU funds to help citizens cope with the rising cost of living.
The debate comes amid strong inflation, rising interest rates and rocketing energy prices, triggered by the post-COVID-19 recovery and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, MEPs will discuss with Council and Commission how to improve the export of agricultural products from Ukraine to prevent a global food crisis. MEPs are expected to call for new EU initiatives to address transport and logistics costs preventing the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, especially of wheat, to the global market.
MEPs will also debate on Tuesday, and vote on Wednesday, on a draft report on addressing food security in developing countries. They are expected to highlight the crucial role both Ukraine and Russia play in the global food system, which will be hugely affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The invasion will further exacerbate the situation of food insecurity in many countries, which had already worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
Moreover, the Parliament is expected to reiterate its call for safe access to abortion, and condemnation of backsliding in women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in the US.
Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs are set to reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care in a debate on Monday afternoon, and a resolution on Thursday.
To help the EU reach its climate neutral goal by 2050, aviation should gradually switch to sustainable fuel, such as synthetic fuel, used cooking oil or even hydrogen.
On Thursday, MEPs will debate and vote on their negotiating position on the new ReFuelEU aviation rules. The new rules aim to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels by aircraft operators and EU airports, to cut emissions from aviation and help Europe become climate neutral by 2050.
The Parliament is expected to demand more ambitious targets compared to the Commission. In particular, they focus on the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels that should be made available at EU airports: 37% by 2040 and 85% by 2050 (the Commission proposed 32 and 63%, respectively). The draft parliament text also calls for a Sustainable Aviation Fund to accelerate the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and support investment in sustainable aviation fuels, innovative aircraft propulsion technologies, and research for new engines.
Civil aviation accounts for 13,4% of total CO2 emissions from EU transport. The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package”, the EU’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, in line with the European Climate Law.
Source: Cyprus News Agency