Day-by-day

Monday 12 September

• EP: Plenary Session
• EP: AFET, ENVI, LIBE, AFCO, EMIS
• Informal Foreign Affairs Council
• Informal Agriculture Council
• EC: 1st Summit of the Blue Economy Business and Science Forum
• EC: Juncker meets chairs of Parliamentary Groups
• EC: Mogherini meets Kosovar Foreign Minister
• Slovak Presidency: Conference on the fostering and development of talent
• EESC: Social innovation for refugee inclusion seminar
• EESC: Study Groups
• FRA: Scientific Committee Meeting
• EDPS: European Innovation Day speech

Tuesday 13 September

• EP: Plenary Session
• Informal Agriculture Council
• EC: College Meeting in Strasbourg
• EESC: Conference on Sustainable Industry
• EESC: Study Groups
• CoR: Seminar on the new Environmental Implementation Review
• EIB: Seminar Supporting innovation in Ukraine

Wednesday 14 September

• State of the Union 2016
• EP: Plenary Session
• EP: BUDG
• EC: Cañete receives Head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran
• EESC: Study Groups
• FRA: Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting
• EIGE: Meeting on the improvement of data collection

Thursday 15 September

• EP: Plenary Session
• EP: BUDG, AFET, EMIS
• EC: Juncker meets with Tusk, Schulz and Robert Fico
• EC: Dombrovskis and Hahn visit Ukraine
• EESC: Sustainable Development Observatory Meeting
• EESC: Study Groups
• CoR: Montenegro Joint Consultative Committee
• European Ombudsman: meeting with the Latvian Ombudsman
• EIB: Seminar Supporting innovation in Georgia
• EIGE: Experts’ meeting on EIGE’s gender statistics database

Friday 16 September

• Informal meeting of the 27 heads of state or government (Bratislava Summit)
• EESC: Study Groups

Sunday 18 September

• Russian parliamentary elections

 

European Union

European Parliament

Monday 12 September

Plenary session
Debates: Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs; Cohesion Policy and Research and Innovation Strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3); European territorial cooperation – best practices and innovative measures; EU strategy for the Alpine region.
Short presentations on following reports: Towards a New Energy Market Design; EU Trust Fund for Africa: implications for development and humanitarian aid; EU relations with Tunisia in the current regional context; EU strategy on heating and cooling; Human rights and migration in third countries; Creating labour market conditions favourable for work-life balance.

Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)
Adoption of draft opinion on Measures to safeguard the security of gas supply and Establishing an information exchange mechanism with regard to intergovernmental agreements and non-binding instruments between Member States and third countries in the field of energy and repealing Decision No 994/2012/EU; Exchange of views with Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, on the most current developments in the Eastern Partnership countries (tbc).

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)
Consideration of draft opinion on Civil Law Rules on Robotics; Exchange of views with Mr Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)
Hearing of Sir Julian KING, Commissioner-Designate for Security Union

Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)
Adoption of draft report on Transparency, accountability and integrity in the EU institutions; Consideration of Interpretation of Rule 61 (Adoption of amendments to a Commission proposal), paragraph 2, of the Rules of Procedure; Consideration of draft report on General Revision of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure.

Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS)
Hearing of representatives of Robert Bosch GmbH – Dr. Michael Krüger, Senior Vice President Diesel System Engirneering and Dr. Peter Biesenbach, Head of Corporate Department External Affairs, Governmental and Political Relations

Tuesday 13 September

Plenary Session 
Debates: Outcome of the G20 Summit; Inquiry into emission measurements in the automotive sector; Recent developments in Poland and their impact on fundamental rights as laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; Debates on foreign affairs issues in the presence of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (to be decided); Presentation by the Council of its position on the draft general budget – 2017 financial year; Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the SADC EPA States.
Votes followed by explanations of votes: Statistics on natural gas and electricity prices; Trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other treatment or punishment; Statistics relating to external trade with non-member countries (delegated and implementing powers); EU-China Agreement relating to the accession of Croatia; EU-Uruguay Agreement relating to the accession of Croatia; Nomination of a Member of the Court of Auditors – Leo Brincat; Nomination of a Member of the Court of Auditors – Lazaros Stavrou Lazarou; Agreement on the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention.

Wednesday 14 September

Plenary Session
Key debate: State of the Union.
Debates: Travel document for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals; Social dumping in the EU; Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States; Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment; Application of the Postal Services Directive; Joint debate – Small and medium sized enterprises.
Votes followed by explanations of votes: Protocol to the EU-Switzerland Agreement on the free movement of persons (accession of Croatia); Asylum: provisional measures in favour of Italy and Greece.

Committee on Budgets (BUDG)
Exchange of views and presentation by Vice-President K. Georgieva of the Commission’s mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework and its proposal for a revision; Exchange of views on Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund and Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece following the earthquake that affected the Ionian Islands in November 2015; Voting on 2016 Budget: Section III – Commission and Other sections and voting on Building policy.

Thursday 15 September

Plenary Session
Debates: Application of the «Employment Equality Directive»; Activities, impact and added value of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund between 2007 and 2014; Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135); Minimum income schemes in the EU.
Votes followed by explanations of votes: Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 135).

Committee on Budgets (BUDG)
Consideration of amendments on General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2017 – all sections.

Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS)

Find an overview of committees here and plenary session agenda here.

 

Council of Ministers / Eurogroup

Monday 12 September

Informal Foreign Affairs Council on Development in Brussels
The talks will centre around development cooperation instruments addressing migratory pressures, including the forthcoming External Investment Plan; the implementation of the EU Global Strategy in the development agenda; the interlinking of security and development; and a revision of the European Consensus on Development with a focus on medium-income countries. Also expected is an exchange of views regarding a review of the EU’s relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (post-Cotonou).

Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 September

Informal Agriculture Council in Bratislava
Working session themed “Strengthening of the farmers’ position in the food supply chain”. Discussions on the Organisation of agricultural producers and vertical cooperation within the food supply chain, Market transparency and a fair distribution of profit margins in the food supply chain and Unfair trading practices.

Friday 16 September

Informal meeting of the 27 heads of state or government (‘Bratislava Summit’)
The heads of state or government of the 27 will meet in Bratislava. They will continue a political reflection to give an impulse to further reforms and to the development of the EU with 27 member states, mainly focusing on security. Brexit itself and taxation are supposedly not on the agenda.

An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here. Information on informal meetings can be found here.

 

European Commission and High Representative

Monday 12 September

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Ms Rebecca Harms and Mr Philippe Lamberts, Co-chairs of the Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance in the European Parliament and  Mr Guy Verhofstadt, Chair of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

President Jean-Claude Juncker, together with First Vice-President Timmermans, meets with Mr Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Mr Manfred Weber, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament; and with Mr Gianni Pittella, President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg.

Ms Federica Mogherini receives Mr Enver Hoxhaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo and chairs the Informal Council on Development, in Brussels.

Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 September

1st Summit of the Blue Economy Business and Science Forum
The summit will gather together over 200 Blue Economy stakeholders to discuss and propose solutions on how to boost the European competitiveness in marine and maritime technologies; how to increase cooperation between science and industrial sectors; and how to fully demonstrate the value of innovative technologies, scale them up and bring them to the market. Participants will also discuss bottlenecks hindering the commercialisation of innovative blue technologies in the EU, in particular access to finance for innovation.

Tuesday 13 September

College meeting in Strasbourg
Preparation of the State of the Union 2016

Wednesday 14 September

State of the Union 2016
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker will deliver his State of the Union address at the European Parliament. The speech will be followed by a plenary debate. The State of the Union address traditionally kick-starts the dialogue with Parliament and Council to prepare the Commission Work Programme for 2017.

Miguel Arias Cañete receives Ali Akbar Salehi, Head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran.

Thursday 15 September

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Bratislava, Slovakia: meets with Mr Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Mr Donald Tusk, President of the European Council; and with Mr Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia.

Valdis Dombrovskis and Johannes Hahn in Ukraine: Dombrovskis meets with Mr Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine; Mr Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine; and with Ms Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine. Hahn attends the 3th Yalta European Strategy Annual Meeting and visits EU – funded regional projects.

Friday 16 September

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Bratislava, Slovakia: participates in the informal meeting of the 27 Heads of State or Government

A full list with meetings of Commissioners can be found here.

 

European Economic and Social Committee

Monday 12 September

Study Groups
Mid-term evaluation of Horizon 2020
Collaborative economy

Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 September

Seminar Social innovation for refugee inclusion
This seminar opens a space for practitioners and new stakeholders to better understand where social innovation is currently at, and what it means in the context of refugee inclusion. It gives participants the possibility to look beyond the projects, and explore the conditions and the partnerships we need to undertake successful social innovation for refugee inclusion. The seminar reflects on these new dynamics in European societies through five workshops, plenary sessions, pitch presentations and match-making sessions, and is organised by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), in collaboration with the Council of Europe, the U.S. Mission to the EU and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Tuesday 13 September

Conference on Sustainable Industry in the context of the Circular Economy
The hallmark of a sustainable circular economy is a society that reduces its burden on nature by ensuring that resources remain in use for as long as possible. Once the maximum value has been extracted, resources can then be recovered and reused, remanufactured, or recycled to create new products. This conference is organized in the context of the Slovak Presidency by the Employers’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee in Kosice, Slovakia. The participants of the discussion will elaborate on how the circular economy can support sustainable growth and the role of business in the transition to a more circular economy.

Study Group
Immigration and Integration

Wednesday 14 September

Study Groups
Fact finding mission to France on EU Consumer and Marketing Law
Consumer Rights Directive (evaluation)
European Energy Community
The limits for companies’ transparency requirements
Access to anti-money-laundering information by tax authorities
Towards applying Nudge Thinking to EU Policies
Disability rights

Thursday 15 September

54th Sustainable Development Observatory Meeting
Discussion of Sustainability-proofing of EU spending; Report from the UN High Level Political Forum; Policy debate on NAT/685 Towards applying Nudge Thinking to EU Policies (Own-initiative opinion) with the participation of Thierry Libaert, Rapporteur. The Observatory will also meet Georges Dassis, EESC President.

Study Groups
Citizens’ Initiative
Marine energy: renewable energy sources to be developed
European pillar of social rights
Lives in Dignity: from Aid-dependence to Self-reliance
Parcel delivery services
The functional economy

Friday 16 September

Study Groups
Fact finding mission to Lithuania on EU Consumer and Marketing Law
Strengthening Europe’s Cyber Resilience system
Anti-Money Laundering Directive

More information about EESC events can be found here.
The agendas of the different EESC meetings can be found here.

 

Committee of the Regions

Tuesday 13 September

Seminar «The new Environmental Implementation Review (EIR): What’s in it for regions and cities?»
The seminar, co-organised by the European Commission and the CoR, will look at main common implementation challenges of environmental law and their root causes at regional and local levels, and options to improve on them. Following an introductory session on the EIR, participants will work on the implementation challenges in different breakout groups and report back to the Plenary, with reactions from the EU institutions. In May 2016, the European Commission launched the two-yearly Environmental Implementation Review (EIR), which will give the first comprehensive overview on the state of play of how key environmental policies and laws have been implemented on the ground. The European Commission recognises in its Communication on the EIR the role of local and regional authorities and seeks to closely exchange with the Committee of the Regions on the EIR.

Thursday 15 September

Montenegro Joint Consultative Committee Meeting
Exchange of views on Solid Waste Management at Local Level; exchange of views on Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

More information about Committee of the Regions events can be found here. 
The agendas of the different Committee of the Regions meetings can be found here.

 

Slovak Presidency

Monday 12 – Tuesday 13 September

Conference on the fostering and development of talent
The international conference on the fostering and development of talent is the key event in the field of education within the framework of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU. The aim of the conference is to create a platform for professional discussion focusing on current issues and problems of talent support with an emphasis on education and training, as well as spreading awareness of the need and potential for development of talent, profiling views and attitudes to the topic not only within academia, but also among wide professional public at European level.

The agenda of the Slovak Presidency can be found here.

 

European Investment Bank

Tuesday 13 September

Seminar Supporting innovation in Ukraine
The European Investment Bank Group will host an interactive seminar in Kiev, Ukraine, to present the extensive range of support available to innovative and growing businesses in Ukraine. The seminar will consist of concise product presentations and case studies, followed by a networking reception and one-to-one information desk. Both the EU and the EIB Group intend to more than double their combined support for research and innovation in Europe until 2020, making more than € 24 billion available.

Thursday 15 September

Seminar Supporting innovation in Georgia
The European Investment Bank Group will host an interactive seminar in Tbilisi, Georgia, to present the extensive range of support available to innovative and growing businesses in Georgia. The seminar will consist of concise product presentations and case studies, followed by a networking reception and one-to-one information desk. Both the EU and the EIB Group intend to more than double their combined support for research and innovation in Europe until 2020, making more than € 24 billion available.

More information about EIB events can be found here. 

 

European Ombudsman

Thursday 15 September

The European Ombudsman meets with the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia, Mr Juris Jansons. The two Ombudsperson meet to discuss current developments and common challenges both offices face.

More information about the European Ombudsman can be found here.

 

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Monday 12 September

Scientific Committee Meeting 
At this meeting, the FRA Director will update the Scientific Committee on recent developments. The SC members will discuss FRA reports and events and have an exchange on current FRA research activities. Scientific Committee members will also give presentations on the human rights responsibilities of international organisations and on asylum issues.

Wednesday 14 September – Friday 16 September

Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting
The main agenda topics include the further strategic development of the FRP and the work for the coming year, the issue of civic space for civil society, and the follow-up to FRA’s Fundamental Rights Forum. The Advisory Panel has nine members from FRP participant organisations. It supports FRA’s director in the organisation and coordination of the FRP. It helps prepare FRP meetings, consultations and other activities. The nature of the Advisory Panel is consultative.

More information about the activities of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights can be found here. 

 

European Data Protection Supervisor

Monday 12 September

European Innovation Day, Speech by Giovanni Buttarelli (via video link), Mountain View, California, USA.

More information about the activities of the European Data Protection Supervisor can be found here.

 

European Institute for Gender Equality

Wednesday 14 September

Meeting on recommendations for the improvement of data collection on rape, femicide and intimate partner violence
The meeting will bring together Member State officials, representatives of EU bodies and international organisations for roundtable discussions on recommendations for the improvement of the data collection on rape, femicide and intimate partner violence. At the meeting the proposals developed by Milieu Ltd for EIGE’s Study on terminology and indicators used in data collection on rape, femicide and intimate partner violence will be presented. Participants will be consulted and will agree on common indicators (for statistical purposes) to be used by the Member States. On the basis of agreement, recommendations for Member States and the relevant bodies of the European Commission will be developed to facilitate the harmonisation of administrative data collection on rape, femicide and intimate partner violence.

Thursday 15 September

Experts’ meeting on EIGE’s gender statistics database
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is organising a one-day experts’ meeting on gender statistics database in The meeting will focus on the following areas: Women and men in decision-making; Gender-based violence; and Glossary and thesaurus and keyword search.

More information about the activities of the European Institute for Gender Equality can be found here. 

 

Elections

Sunday 18 September

Russian parliamentary elections