European Parliament plenary session – October II 2024
European Parliamentary Research Service
Facts. Analysis. Insight. Foresight. We (EPRS) are the in-house research service of the European Parliament.
Written by Clare Ferguson with Gemma Patterson.
During the second October plenary session, Members will be taking a close look at the state of the EU single market, with former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta due to address Parliament to present his recent report. Members are also expected to take part in key debates on migration and on the steel crisis, and there will be votes on support for Ukraine and on the EU budget.
As Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues, so does Parliament’s staunch support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy. The EU is now set to provide a new €35 billion macro-financial assistance package for Ukraine as part of €45 billion in G7 loan support. In line with Parliament’s position on speedy implementation of macro-financial assistance under the new Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, the Committee on International Trade adopted a budgetary assessment, recommending Parliament approve the proposal, but regretting the lack of clarity on the EU budget’s liability. Members are expected to hold a debate on adoption of the proposal on Tuesday morning. The Commission is also due to make a statement clarifying Parliament’s information and scrutiny rights.
Parliament is set to vote on a number of budgetary files on Tuesday. The first returns to the Members’ agenda following Parliament’s postponed decision on granting discharge for the 2022 European Council and Council budget in April. Although Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) has re-examined the situation, it remains critical of the Council’s lack of transparency. The committee also suggests that the 6‑monthly Council presidencies should avoid corporate sponsorship. Parliament has refused discharge for the two institutions every financial year since 2009. Members are also expected to vote on Draft Amending Budget No 2/2024, which would enter the €632.6 million 2023 budget surplus as revenue in the 2024 budget. This would lead to a corresponding reduction in Member States’ gross national income contributions. Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) notes the surplus is considerably lower than in 2022, thanks to improved budgetary forecasting and management. Later, Members are also due to debate proposed BUDG amendments largely reversing the Council’s position on the draft budget for 2025. Instead, the committee proposes to increase investment that improves people’s lives, and boosts competitiveness and sustainability. If agreed, the amendments would set 2025 commitments at almost €201 billion and payments at €153.5 billion. The vote on the file will set Parliament’s position for the forthcoming interinstitutional negotiations.
Boosting EU competitiveness is a top EU priority – and reskilling and upskilling the EU labour force is a vital element. Members are therefore due to debate ways to close the skills gap, following a Commission statement on Thursday morning. The recent Draghi report also underlined weak educational performance, a shrinking active labour population, limited adult learning, low labour mobility and poor working conditions as factors contributing to the EU lagging behind, noting that skills shortages are a pressing issue for 54 % of EU businesses. Under the EU Treaties, EU countries must reflect EU employment guidelines in their employment policies and reform programmes. Parliament is consulted on the annual employment guidelines prepared by the Council, and Members are set to consider a report from Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL) on Tuesday afternoon, before adopting its opinion on the draft. The EMPL committee proposes to approve the draft employment guidelines, but recommends a greater focus on social rights, minimum wages and the right to disconnect.
For many citizens, their closest contact with the EU is via cohesion policy measures in their city or region. In a debate set for Wednesday afternoon, Members are set to respond to a European Commission statement on the important role of EU cities and regions for green, social and prosperous development. Parliament has previously insisted that cohesion policy remain the main investment instrument for reducing disparity, ensuring economic, social and territorial cohesion.
With around 75 % of hazardous products for sale on the single market coming from outside the EU, stronger consumer protection is needed to ensure the goods we buy are safe. Parliament has previously called for greater scrutiny of online marketplaces and better information for consumers about the hazards of non-compliant, and often cheaper, products. On Monday evening, Parliament is due to debate a statement from the Commission on boosting measures to counter unfair competition and ensure product safety, particularly that of products imported from outside the EU, and especially those for sale on online marketplaces.
To make flights more efficient and environmentally friendly, the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement in March on implementing the Single European Sky, following lengthy negotiations. The objective is to frame performance plans with binding targets and incentives, and set up a Performance Review Body to ensure their implementation. The proposed revision of the rules also stipulates that the Commission carry out a study to help define how charges levied on airspace could encourage more environmentally friendly flights. The Council adopted the agreed text in September, and Parliament is due to vote on its adoption on Monday evening.
During the question time session scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, a Commissioner will respond to Members’ questions regarding EU policy on animal health. Members are likely to be particularly interested in proposals to prevent and prepare for possible future agricultural sanitary crises, which have multiplied in recent years. Parliament has previously called for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to analyse how social, economic, climatic and environmental risk factors drive disease transmission.