Quote of the week by Kati Piri, S&D vice-president for migration

“We are glad to see proposals for a new Pact on Migration and Asylum finally on the table. We will look carefully at the Commission’s proposals but we have been clear about what this new Pact has to do: uphold the individual right to asylum in the EU and have a mandatory mechanism in place to distribute refugees fairly with all member states taking responsibility” 

S&D MEPs told the Commission that the new Pact must really deliver solidarityHowever, it needs some work and we will fight to protect individual right to asylum, to support first entry countries with a relocation mechanism and strengthen fundamental rights. Watch S&D President Iratxe García’s reaction.

 

THIS WEEK 

This week, Parliament’s new committees held meetings to elect chairs and vice chairs. For the next 5 years, S&D MEP Paul Tang will chair the subcommittee on tax matters. For the S&D Group, the aim of the subcommittee is simple: tax justice. Here’s why. Meanwhile, S&D MEP Raphaël Glucksmann will chair the special committee on foreign interference. Watch why the S&D Group led the fight to set up the committee to tackle persistent attacks on European democracy.

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WHAT'S COMING UP

Next week, EU leaders will meet on 1-2 October for the postponed Special European Council to discuss the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey. The situation in Belarus and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny will also be on the agenda, alongside the single market, industrial policy and digital transformation. Ahead of the summit, S&D Group president, Iratxe García, will take part in the PES leaders meeting on Thursday 1 October.

On Friday 2 October, Commissioners-designate Mairead McGuinness and Executive VP Vladis Dombrovksis will be quizzed by MEPs on their hearings in the European Parliament. Commissioner-designate McGuinness will be heard by the economic and monetary affairs committee, while VP Dombrovskis will face the international trade committee, as well as the committees on foreign affairs, on economic and monetary affairs, on development and on budgets. The final vote in the European Parliament plenary is scheduled for 7 October.

On Monday 28 September, there will be important votes on the Digital Services Act in the internal market and consumer protection (IMCO) and the legal affairs committee (JURI). As the digital world rapidly evolves, S&D rapporteurs, Alex Agius Saliba MEP in IMCO and Tiemo Wölken MEP in JURI, are driving the demands to the Commission on how digital services, including online platforms, should be regulated to guarantee more transparency, more rights and greater consumer protection.

The legal affairs committee will also start voting on Monday on a report drafted by S&D MEP Ibán García del Blanco to set legal and ethical principles for the development of artificial intelligence.

The environment committee will also meet on Monday 28 September to discuss how to step up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition with Executive VP Frans Timmermans. MEPs will also vote on a legislative report drafted by S&D MEP Delara Burkhardt to create an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven deforestation.

On Wednesday (30 September), the European Commission will present a new annual report on the Rule of Law. The German presidency is also expected to come forward with a common position on a new rule of law ‘mechanism’ to protect EU funds. The S&D Group supports any tools that will help overcome the existing blocks that currently allow breaches of the Rule of Law to go unpunished.

Next week, EU and UK negotiators will meet in Brussels for another round of formal negotiations in a bid to find an agreement on the future partnership.

The S&D Group will also be preparing for the first of October’s two plenary sessions set to take place from Monday 5 - Thursday 8 October.

S&D-Pressekontakt(e)