Quote of the week by President Iratxe García
"We are going to Málaga to start working on our Manifesto for the next European elections. Over the last four years, the Social Democratic family has played a crucial role in advancing a progressive agenda for the European Union, including the Green Deal for a sustainable and fair transition, the strengthening of social and labour rights, as well as gender equality and protecting the rule of law. At a time when populist and far-right parties threaten to weaken democracy and the future of our European project, it is important to share our vision with citizens, because they expect a lot from our Union. Spain is a very good example of how progressive policies based on solidarity bring benefits both at the national and the European level."
Events
Today, we are focusing on climate emergency. On the fringe of the 2023 PES Congress in Spain, we will tackle climate change in a discussion with decision makers. Vice-president Mohammed Chahim will open the debate with Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the Spanish Government and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, Inter-institutional Relations and Foresight and Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.
Tomorrow, our Bureau members will hold a meeting on the Gender-Based Violence Directive, together with PES Women and representatives of member parties. Our Group is pushing for a European definition of rape based on the lack of consent, as laid out in the Istanbul Convention and should also be included in the new gender-based violence directive. S&D Vice-President for gender equality Heléne Fritzon and S&D negotiator for the gender-based violence directive Evin Incir will be joined by PES Women President Zita Gurmai, a GREVIO representative, and other speakers.
The debate about EU Treaty change is back. The EU faces a radical new context: war on the continent, climate emergency, the rising cost of living, democracy under threat and enlargement in preparation. The need for stronger capacity to act is clear and the current Lisbon Treaty has its limits. Together with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), and our MEP Gaby Bischoff, we are organising a symposium on “EU Treaties – Why they need targeted changes” on 16 November in the European Parliament.
For more information and to find out how to register, click here.
Upcoming activities
On Tuesday, 14 November, we will join the next round of negotiations with the Council – the so-called trilogue – on the first-ever EU law to combat violence against women and domestic violence. Unfortunately, national governments have so far failed to include the crime of non-consensual sex as rape in the Council’s position. For us, all non-consensual sex must be classified as rape. The new EU directive must make it clear that rape will not be tolerated, and no one will go unpunished anywhere in the EU. MEPs Evin Incir, the EP’s co-rapporteur in the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE), and Pina Picierno, shadow rapporteur for the women’s rights and gender equality committee (FEMM), will be there to defend our position.
On Wednesday, 15 November, the LIBE committee will vote on new rules to combat child sexual abuse online. Earlier this month, political groups reached a compromise that would set up a legal framework to remove and stop the spread of child sexual abuse material online, while safeguarding fundamental rights and keeping end-to-end encryption of communications protected. MEP Paul Tang represented the S&D Group in the negotiations and has urged the Council and Commission to follow the Parliament’s example and reach an agreement to make the online world safer for children. Following the vote, the plenary is expected to endorse the committee’s position before inter-institutional negotiations begin.
On Thursday, 16 November, our MEP Isabel García Muñoz, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator for the Weights and Dimensions directive revision, will present her draft report in the transport committee. The overall aim of the revision is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and to create a level playing field across the Union. This requires updated rules on the maximum weights and dimensions allowed for heavy-duty road vehicles to encourage the use of zero-emission lorries, which are heavier. It also requires the support of more intermodal transport where road freight is combined with rail and shipping. The report puts forward another key green incentive: requiring that – as of 2032 – all cross-border traffic of 44-tonne lorries will have to be zero-emission, and megatrucks will have to reach zero-emission by 2040.
Don’t forget to stay updated on all our initiatives and reactions on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, Mastodon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and TikTok!
