Quote of the week from by S&D MEP Roberto Gualtieri on Brexit
“It's the second time in less than two months that Theresa May’s Brexit strategy fails. After the government was defeated by a historic margin in January, we urged May to work with Labour and other political parties to form a stable majority. Instead, she attempted to appease the Tory Brexiters, a strategy that backfired spectacularly tonight. This is the end of the road. May has no option now but to work seriously with Labour for a closer EU-UK relationship or she must let the British people decide by calling new elections or a referendum”
Upcoming activities:
This is not going to be a usual week for us. In addition to the legislative work and the preparation for the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg, we’ll be launching the European Week of Democracy. With events happening in the European Parliament, in Brussels and simultaneously all over Europe, we plan to raise awareness on the importance of having everyone’s voice heard in the upcoming European elections.
The European Week of Democracy will start with the School of Democracy, from the 20-22 March. We’ve invited all the participants of our traditional School to join us for debates and workshops in the European Parliament in Brussels.
On Thursday, March 21, under the umbrella of our TOGETHER initiative we will organise a Go Local event in Brussels, where we invite our Members to join an open and frank discussion with all those interested.
Our European Week of Democracy will continue on Friday 22 March with a Progressive Society #EuropeTogether debate entitled Shaping our Society. Time for Another Future. Prominent speakers include former Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, and several of our Members.
The Week will end with the March for Europe on 24 March in Brussels. Starting in Place Poelaert at 13.30, the march will have its finishing point in Place Luxembourg, where we’re giving the stage to members of the civil society, artists, students and activists who will tell us why Europe is important to them.
On the legislative work of the week, on Tuesday, S&D MEP Guillaume Balas will finalise with the Council the negotiations on the EU Social Security Coordination, a crucial file in times of increased labour mobility.
On Thursday, the civil liberties committee will vote on an EU law aiming at blocking terrorist content on-line.
The Group will also prepare the next plenary session. They will finalise the preparation of the TAX3 Final Report on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance. Our vice-president and co-negotiator, Jeppe Kofod, will lead the debate.
Among other important topics to be discussed and voted in the next plenary, copyright, single use of plastics, the internal market for electricity, seasonal time change, the regulation and financing of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus and the Cohesion Fund are the dossiers to be highlighted.
Our Group will keep on monitoring possible new developments on Brexit during the whole week and we expect to comment on the outcome of the EU Summit.
Last but not least, a new ACP-EU JPA plenary session will take place from 16-20 March in Bucharest. Our Group will be represented by an 11-strong delegation and will focus, among others, on the S&D-organised and hosted Women's Forum.
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