What's coming up in Parliament

Priorities

• Panama Papers: parliament to set out strong agenda for tackling tax scandals
• Transport: we need a real European Strategy for low emission transport
• Bialowieza forest: Commission vs Poland
• Fishing: new legislation to regulate EU vessels outside EU waters
• EU summit – progress on Brexit?
• Kebabs: Commission changes would undermine food safety

Greens/EFA events

• Press briefing with Greens/EFA co-presidents (Tuesday)

Panama Papers: opportunity for parliament to set out strong agenda for ending tax scandals
Debate on Tuesday, vote on Wednesday

MEPs will vote on the final report of the Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion (PANA). The PANA committee voted on its draft report on 18 October, setting out a strong agenda for defeating money laundering and tax dodging, including many Greens/EFA proposals. However, conservative MEPs are expected to put forward amendments designed to water down the recommendations.

Transport: we need a real European Strategy for low emission transport
Debate and vote on Thursday

As recent figures from the European Environmental Agency confirm, transport is the EU’s biggest climate problem. Transport greenhouse gas emissions in the EU have risen for the third consecutive year. Despite this, there is still a lack of political will to take action. This report from Bas Eickhout forms the European Parliament's response to the Commission's low-emission strategy. It sets out a number of concrete measures that would help to bring about urgently needed changes and deliver net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Bialowieza forest: Commission vs Poland
ECJ hearing on Tuesday

In July, the European Commission referred Poland to the European Court of Justice over the continued logging in the protected Białowieża Forest. Białowieża is the last remaining primeval forest in Europe but trees that have lived for up to half a millennium are being cut to the ground. Illegal logging by the Polish government has led to 180,000 trees being felled this year. The ECJ has ruled that Poland must stop the logging immediately but the destruction has not ceased. Polish Environment Minister Jan Szyszko is expected to attend the hearing.

Fishing: new legislation to regulate EU vessels outside EU waters
Debate on Monday, vote on Tuesday

MEPs will vote on the outcome of negotiations on this important fishing legislation. The new legislation will mean that all EU vessels fishing in external waters will have to comply with EU-wide regulations. Greens/EFA MEP Linnéa Engström was the rapporteur for the parliament. For the first time, all kinds of fishing activities by EU vessels outside Union waters will be regulated, including fishing on the high sea and in private agreements between EU ship-owners and third countries. This will do a great deal to safeguard the future of international fish stocks and communities dependent upon them globally.

EU summit: progress on Brexit?
Debate and vote on Wednesday

EU leaders will look at the state of progress in the Brexit negotiations. They will decide if there has been sufficient progress has been achieved on citizens' rights, Ireland and the UK's financial obligations. Ahead of the summit, MEPs will vote on a resolution, setting out the parliament's position.

Kebabs: Commission changes would undermine food safety
Vote on Tuesday

MEPs will vote on a Greens/EFA objection to the Commission's proposals to change the rules covering phosphates products like kebabs. Phosphate additives are already banned at EU level for use in products like doner kebabs and gyros but Member State implementation is patchy. The Commission is proposing to allow the use of phosphoric acid, phosphates and polyphosphates as food additives in kebabs. Food additives should only be authorised where their use is safe. With serious concerns about the health impacts of phosphate additives, we are acting to protect consumer health.

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Co-presidents press briefing
Tuesday 12 December – 10.30-10.50, EP press room LOW N -1/201

Press briefing with Greens/EFA co-presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts on the key issues of the session for the Greens/EFA group. Also live-streamed on our website.