Brussels Agenda

EP priorities (full text below):
- European Protection Order (women's rights committee vote, Mon.)
- Trafficking in human beings (women's rights committee vote, Mon.; justice council, Thurs.-Fri.)
- European Citizens' Initiative (constitutional affairs committee vote, Tues.)
- Serbia's EU accession progress (foreign affairs committee vote, Weds.)
- Reforming export credit agencies (trade committee vote, Weds.)

Other priorities:
- UN climate summit in Cancun (UNFCCC COP16, 29 Nov. - 10 Dec.)

Greens/EFA events:
- World AIDS Day (press conference, Tues.)
- Nuclear waste management in the EU (hearing and study presentation, Weds.)
- Commercial opportunities in Cyprus post-solution (seminar, Weds)
- Zero carbon by 2030 (hearing, Thurs.)

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European Protection Order
Women's rights committee legislative vote - Mon. 29 Nov.

This proposal aims to ensure that the protection provided in one EU member state, especially to female victims of violence, is guaranteed in any other member state to which the person moves. Violence against women continues to be a major problem across Europe and the Greens believe that victims should enjoy the same level of protection throughout the EU. Introducing a European Protection Order will help ensure this and the Greens hope a strong positive vote in the EP will convince recalcitrant member states in Council.

Trafficking in human beings
Women's rights committee legislative vote - Mon. 29 Nov.; Justice and home affairs council - Thurs.-Fri.

MEPs will vote on a proposal to strengthen EU rules on the trafficking in human beings. The proposal aims to strengthen victims' rights in criminal proceedings and provide for better victim support, as well as doing more on the prevention side. It also aims to strengthen the prosecution of perpetrators of trafficking crimes across the EU by establishing common definitions of trafficking crime and appropriate penalties, as well as providing for cross-border prosecutions. An agreement has been reached with Council, which should ensure the legislation is adopted this year. Justice ministers will also discuss the compromise in their council meeting.

European Citizens' Initiative
Constitutional affairs committee legislative vote - Tues. 30 Nov. - incl. Häfner (Greens/EFA)

The Greens have long championed the need for a European Citizens Initiative (ECI), as means of strengthening the democratic rights of citizens and giving them a greater say in and over EU affairs. With the ECI officially set out as an instrument under the Lisbon Treaty, there is a pressing need to activate this crucial democratic provision in a clear, simple and user-friendly way. MEPs will vote on a legislative report aimed at enacting the citizens' initiative.

* Press conference with co-draftspersons (including Gerald Häfner, Greens/EFA) - Tues. 12.30 - EP press room, PHS 0A50 *

Reforming export credit agencies
Trade committee legislative vote Weds. 1 Dec. - Report Jadot (Greens/EFA)

MEPs will vote on a proposal to revise EU rules on Export Credit Agencies. While ECAs are an important instrument to support trade and investments of European companies, there are very real concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding their activities, which facilitates bribery and corruption. Concerns have been heightened by growing defaults. The Greens want stronger EU reporting requirements, as well as mandatory minimum standards for the calculation of social or environmental risk factors in credit or guarantee costs.

Serbia's EU accession progress
Foreign affairs committee vote Weds. 1 Dec.

Serbia last month progressed towards the next step of its EU accession process after the Council called on the Commission to assess its membership application, while the Commission also recently presented its assessment on progress in Serbia. MEPs will vote on the EP opinion on Serbia's progress on Wednesday. The Greens welcomed the decision by the Council but stressed the need to maintain the pressure on Serbia to arrest key war criminals wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). (see press releases on the council decision and commission report)

UN climate summit in Cancun
UNFCCC COP16, 29 Nov. - 10 Dec.

After being sidelined at last year's UN climate talks in Copenhagen, the EU must try and regain its credibility at this year's summit in Cancun. Climate aid for developing countries will be a crucial issue in Cancun and the Greens want the EU to live up to its promises to provide new, additional fast-start climate aid amidst concerns the EU is falling short. Unequivocally signaling its openness to continuing with the Kyoto Protocol would also be a crucial step for the EU to take to rebuild relations with developing countries. The Greens also believe the EU should agree to the long overdue strengthening of its 2020 emissions reduction target (from 20% to 30%). (all the news and opinions from the UN climate summit at: www.stopclimatechange.net)

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World AIDS Day
Tues. 30 Nov. 13.00 - Press confernce, EP press room, PHS 0A50

Ahead of World AIDS Day (1 December), Greens/EFA MEPs Eva Joly - chair of the EP development committee - and Heidi Hautala - chair of the EP human rights sub-committee - will host a press conference.

Nuclear waste management in the EU
Weds. 1 Dec. 12.30-14.45 - Greens/EFA hearing, European Parliament, Room ASP 5E1

The European Commission recently proposed revising EU rules on nuclear waste management. Against this background, the Greens have commissioned a study to give an overview of the nuclear waste management situation throughout the EU, as well as assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches to nuclear waste management across Europe. This hearing will present the study's main findings. (More info: rebecca.harms@europarl.europa.eu)

Commercial opportunities in Cyprus post-solution
Weds. 1 Dec. 18.45-20.30 - Seminar, European Parliament, Room ASP 3G3

Seminar jointly hosted by the Greens/EFA and ALDE groups on "The day after: Commercial opportunities following a solution to the Cyprus problem".

Zero carbon by 2030
Thurs. 2 Dec. 11.00-13.00 - Hearing, European Parliament, Room ASP 8F388

This hearing is a stop on a wider European road show and will present a range of zero carbon and sustainable energy scenarios to researchers, policy makers and NGOs. The aim is to spur discussion and debate on how greenhouse-gas emissions could be eliminated completely from a long-industrialised society. More information at: http://www.inforse.org/europe/tour_2010.htm