Quote of the week by Birgit Sippel on the EU Migration Pact:
“The EPP is at real risk of losing control of its policies and is running blind into an alliance with the far right. By constantly pandering to far-right fearmongering over migration, Manfred Weber is playing a dangerous game. Weber should get himself out of the pockets of the likes of Meloni and get back to responsible solutions that have the support of a pro-European majority.”
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Upcoming events
This Wednesday, 26 April, we are glad to welcome national Parliamentary Group leaders and their deputies for a full day of discussions with our President and our Bureau and Heads of Delegation. On the agenda: working closely together to tackle the challenges our Union and ordinary citizens face while we enter the final crucial year of the legislative mandate, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and our Progressive answers to the high inflation and soaring energy prices (check out our Bring the Bills Down campaign). President Iratxe García will welcome comrades from across the EU, together with vice-presidents Pedro Marques and Biljana Borzan.
Between 2 - 5 May, our Group will be on a mission to Krakow, to restate our commitment to the Polish people, and to defend the rule of law and women’s rights – which go hand in hand and have been under growing attack by the far right in the country. We will also discuss our progressive solutions to current EU challenges, including the social and economic damage caused by the war brought about by Putin.
We will be holding two essential debates. On Wednesday, we will discuss Fighting the backlash against women’s rights: a progressive response to the crisis – joined by Polish activists and our MEPs. On Thursday, the debate will focus on Challenges for the EU. It will be live-streamed and followed by a press conference at 12:00pm. Details on the two Group discussions will follow in due course.
On the same evening, president Iratxe García will join Robert Biedroń and Maciej Gdula for an event on Securing A Progressive Future for A New Generation and a debate with young Polish activists. More details here.
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Upcoming activities
On Tuesday, 25 April, the committee on women’s rights and gender equality will hold a public hearing on The backlash against women’s rights.
The discussion will examine the causes and solutions to the current situation, within and beyond the European Union. Members will hear from experts and civil society activists at the frontline of the backlash, such as Justyna Wydrzyńska, the first woman convicted in Europe for having helped another woman have an abortion.
The EU has made great strides towards making companies do business responsibly after S&D MEP Lara Wolters successfully negotiated the European Parliament’s position on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. On Tuesday, 25 April, the legal affairs committee will vote to make it a legal obligation for companies to have a due diligence policy in place. Under these rules, companies need to take action to prevent and stop the harmful impact of their business practices on human rights and the environment in the value chain, both in the EU and beyond, or face sanctions for failing to act. This is a huge step forward in protecting people and the planet.
On Wednesday, the special committee on disinformation and foreign interference (INGE2) will vote on its second report to expose the malicious practices by the foreign actors and hostile third states, exploiting the vulnerabilities of our open societies and harming our democracies. For the record, this extremely important committee was set up in 2020 on our initiative. It is now imperative to draw on lessons stemming from the current security situation in Europe, implement INGE recommendations and safeguard the upcoming elections.
Finally! After multiple delays, the Commission is expected to put forward its pharmaceutical package this Wednesday, 26 April. With the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, this revision of the EU pharma legislation is crucial for ensuring that all EU citizens have access to safe, efficient, and quality medicines. We hope that the proposal will present options to stimulate research and development for much-needed novel antibiotics to counter the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, we look to this revision to enhance the security of supply, reduce regulatory burden, and address the necessary transparency and independence requirements of all parties.
On Wednesday, the employment committee will vote on the asbestos legislation. Our Group has long been insisting that no time should be wasted, and no effort spared, to limit workers’ exposure to this highly dangerous substance – the main cause of work-related cancers in Europe. We have been calling for a rigorous revision of the asbestos legislation to guarantee proper protection against work-related cancers, which requires stricter exposure limits.
Furthermore, the employment committee will vote on the resolution on the roadmap for a social Europe. The purpose is to take stock of the implementation of our social goals, set at the Porto summit two years ago.
Our report on the EU textile strategy will be voted on in the committee on environment, public health, and food safety this Thursday, 27 April. We aim to promote sustainable and circular practices in the textile industry, reduce its environmental impact, and improve working conditions, especially including gender impact and exploitative social conditions. Our report highlights concrete measures including eco-design, reducing hazardous chemicals, textile recycling, and improving working conditions.
Save the tuna! On Thursday, the fisheries committee is set to confirm the agreement reached in negotiations on the safety of tuna fish. Thanks to highly restrictive rules, with many reductions of Total Allowable Catches (TACs), limitations on fishing periods and other management and Control rules, it has been possible in recent years to recover the numbers of the bluefin tuna species in eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. The new rules focus on the sustainable fishing of the species, without endangering the environment nor the social and economic sustainability of the activity. The Multiannual Management Plan will also enable the Union fishing fleets to be on a level playing field with all international fleets operating in the same areas of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.
On Thursday and Friday, Udo Bullmann, S&D member and chair of the subcommittee for human rights, will lead a delegation of DROI Members, together with the S&D DROI coordinator and rapporteur for the next annual human rights report, Nacho Sánchez Amor, to the UNHRC in Geneva. This mission is part of an annual exercise based on the DROI annual report on human rights and democracy in the world. This includes its recommendations on the EU multilateral engagement on a series of country situations and thematic, as well as other relevant, DROI reports. It will be a good opportunity for the S&D delegation to underline the need for a global alliance for human rights – in times when their universality is under attack.
The DROI delegation will meet with, among others, High Commissioner on Human Rights, Volker Türk, and the President of Human Rights Council, Ambassador Václav Bálek.
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