Quote of the week by Group President Iratxe García:
“The agricultural sector needs the European Union, as much as the Union needs sustainable agriculture. Overcoming the agricultural crisis must be accomplished with the help of the EU and not with indiscriminate attacks on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) – as has occurred, irresponsibly, with some governments, such those of Hungary and France.
Let us not forget that the last reform of the CAP was approved by all national governments, of all political colours, including the Hungarian government led by Orbán, who is now riding tractors in an exercise in populism.”
Upcoming events
On 19-20 February, members of our Bureau and Heads of Delegation will be on mission to Bucharest, Romania. During the two-day visit, they will hold working meetings with PSD (Partidul Social Democrat) Ministers and the President of the Chamber of Deputies.
On Tuesday morning at 11:00, our delegation will join the outreach event ‘Living better with Europe’, hosted by PSD, with the participation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, at the Palace of the Parliament.
A press point will be set up on Tuesday at 12:00, 20 February, at the Palace of the Parliament, with Group President Iratxe García and Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
Press contact: Victoria Martin de la Torre, President spokesperson – victoria.martindelatorre@ep.europa.eu
Upcoming activities
On Monday and Tuesday, parliamentarians from the EU, candidate and observer countries will gather in Brussels in the framework of the European Parliamentary Week 2024 to discuss economic, budgetary and social matters. The main topics will focus on strategic investments and reforms in view of enhancing the EU's growth potential and the future of the EU single market and taxation.
Next Tuesday, 13 February, the European Parliament’s committee on the internal market and consumer protection (IMCO) will vote the Safety of Toys Regulation. Toys that are placed on the EU market should not put children at risk. The regulation aims to lay down the safety requirements that toys must meet including a ban on the use of certain chemicals. The S&Ds aim to ensure that the future legislation not only protects children under 14, but also the adults that would play with them.
On Friday, 2 February, EU member states adopted the first ever legislation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the world. The AI Act will be voted on in the committee on consumer protection on Tuesday, 13 February, and by the whole European Parliament during a plenary vote in April. By putting human rights at the core of the negotiations, the S&D Group has shown that with progressive legislation, we can bring in rules to keep everyone safe online.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament’s economy committee is set to vote on the Payment Services Regulation that will bring tangible benefits to all Europeans. It will keep customers better informed, for example, about the fees that can be charged while withdrawing money from an ATM, and it will also better protect them from falling victim to fraud, for example, when making transactions online.
On the same day, the committees on the environment, public health and food safety, and internal market and consumer protection will vote on the Green Claims Directive. Consumers nowadays are bombarded with claims on the 'green' nature of products, and surveys have shown that more than half of examined environmental claims are vague, misleading or unfounded, and 40% are unsubstantiated. The goal of the directive for the S&Ds is clear: make sure that these claims are true and in the interest of the environment and consumer protection. No more greenwashing!
Also on Wednesday, the European Parliament’s committee on the environment, public health and food safety will take its position on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive, aiming to drastically reduce textile and food waste. The revision aims to further promote sustainable practices on textiles in line with the waste hierarchy such as waste prevention, re-use and recycling. It also establishes mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in member states. The other goal is to reduce food waste – a pressing issue since the EU generated 58.5 million tonnes of food waste in 2020, causing high levels of CO₂ emissions in addition to resource use and pollution.
On Thursday, the committees on women’s rights and civil liberties are set to vote on the agreement reached (last Tuesday) with the member states on the first ever EU law to combat violence against women. Although not as ambitious as we had wished, the S&Ds will vote in favour as the new directive will provide concrete progress for victims of gender-based violence, including in the online sphere.
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