Day-by-day

Monday 19 September

• EP: Green Week
• EP: Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly
• United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants
• Third Ministerial Conference of the Prague Process
• EC: Juncker meets Swiss Confederation President
• EC: Commissioners at 71st Session UN General Assembly
• EC: Katainen visits Japan and South Korea
• CoR: SEDEC Commission
• Presidency: Conference Moving EU enlargement forwards
• CoE: Commissioner for Human Rights at OSCE
• CoE: PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media

Tuesday 20 September

• EP: LIBE and BUDG delegation visits
• General Affairs Council
• Third Ministerial Conference of the Prague Process
• EC: Bieńkowska and Vestager visit the U.S.
• EESC: Bureau Meeting
• CoE: Meeting on implementation ECHR judgments

Wednesday 21 September

• EP: EMIS delegation visit
• Ministerial Conference on European Cooperation in Science and Technology
• EC: College Meeting with Digital Single Market proposals
• EESC: Plenary Session
• CoE: PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
• CoE: Venice Commission visit to FYR of Macedonia

Thursday 22 September

• EP: Schulz meets with Theresa May
• Informal Foreign Affairs Council on Trade
• EC: Conference EU trade agreements in practice
• EC: Juncker receives EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator
• EESC: Plenary Session
• CoR: CIVEX Commission
• FRA: synergy meeting Council of Europe
• CoE: PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons

Friday 23 September

• Informal Foreign Affairs Council on Trade
• EC: Juncker and Hahn receive EBRD President
• EC: Vella visits South Africa
• EC: Bulc at G7 Transport Ministers Meeting
• CoR: CIVEX Conference Promoting EU citizenship
• CoE: PACE Monitoring Committee

 

European Union

European Parliament

Monday 19 – Wednesday 21 September

LIBE delegation visit to Sweden
A Civil Liberties Committee delegation will go to Sweden to visit its border with Denmark, where regular border checks have been reintroduced since November 2015, in response to the refugee crisis. MEPs will meet authorities such as the National Police and the Migration Board, to discuss border control and the integration of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers.

Monday 19 – Thursday 22 September

LIBE delegation visit to Lebanon
A Civil Liberties Committee delegation will go to Lebanon to look into the situation of refugees and resettlement. MEPs will visit refugee camps and meet UNHCR, UNICEF, UNRWA, international NGOs and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) staff working with the refugees. They willalso meet representatives of the Lebanese Parliament.

Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly
In Montevideo, Uruguay. Plenary Session: Presentation of work on the establishment of an EU-CELAC Joint Research Area; Speech by the Director of the Division of Production, Productivity and Management at the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Speech by the President of the Latin America Follow-up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee; Debate on the report of the Committee on Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights; Debate on the report of the Committee on Social Affairs, Human Exchanges, the Environment, Education and Culture; Debate on the reports of the Committee on Economic, Financial and Commercial Affairs; Debate on the report of the Committee on Sustainable Development, the Environment, Energy Policy, Research, Innovation and Technology; Debate on the Recommendation of the Working Group on EU-LAC Migration Issues; Presentation of the results of the EuroLat-Civil Society meeting; Presentation of the results of the Euro-Latin American Women Forum. More information.

Tuesday 20 – Thursday 22 September

BUDG delegation visit to Lebanon and Jordan 
A Budgetary Control Committee delegation will go to Lebanon and Jordan to visit refugee camps and meet representatives of UNRWA to get more information on the financial aspects of the refugee situation.

Wednesday 21 – Friday 23 September

EMIS delegation visit to Luxembourg, France and Germany
The Inquiry Committee on Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) is sending a delegation to Luxembourg, France and Germany to visit testing facilities and speak with national authorities in charge of checking whether cars meet EU criteria on emissions. A delegation of the Internal Market Committee, which is working on an overhaul of car type-approval rules, will go to the UK to discuss this with testing facilities, carmakers, environmental groups and the national testing agency and type approval authority.

Thursday 22 September

Meeting Martin Schulz and Theresa May
European Parliament President Martin Schulz will meet UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan on Thursday in London. On Friday, Martin Schulz will meet Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn and deliver a speech on “The EU and Britain – parting ways but working together” at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Find an overview of meetings here.

 

Council of Ministers

Monday 19 September

United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants
During the 71st UN General Assembly, this high-level summit addresses large movements of refugees and migrants, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach. The General Assembly has called for a summit at the Heads of State and Government level to come up with a blueprint for a better international response. It is a watershed moment to strengthen governance of international migration and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants.

Monday 19 – Tuesday 20 September

Third Ministerial Conference of the Prague Process in Bratislava
The Prague Process is a targeted migration dialogue and a policy process promoting migration partnerships among the countries of the European Union, Schengen Area, Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Central Asia, Russia and Turkey. The Process originated from the “Building Migration Partnerships” project, and the Conference follows on the 1st Prague Process Ministerial Conference during the Czech Presidency, and the 2nd Ministerial Conference “Building Migration Partnerships in Action” during the Polish Presidency.

Tuesday 20 September

General Affairs Council
The Council will start the preparation of the European Council on 20-21 October 2016 by discussing an annotated draft agenda; be informed about the implementation of the June European Council conclusions; hear a presentation by the Commission of its mid-term review of the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020; and have an exchange of views on a Commission letter outlining the priorities of its work programme for 2017.

Wednesday 21 – Thursday 22 September

Ministerial Conference on European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) in Bratislava
COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe. Based on a European intergovernmental framework for cooperation in science and technology, COST has been contributing to closing the gap between science, policy makers and society throughout Europe and beyond. As a precursor of advanced multidisciplinary research, COST plays a very important role in building a European Research Area (ERA) and anticipates and complements the activities of the EU Framework Programmes.

Thursday 22 – Friday 23 September

Informal Foreign Affairs Council on Trade in Bratislava
Plenary Session on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); Plenary Sessions on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and on Modernization of EU’s TDIs (Trade Defence Instruments); Debate on the expiry of certain provisions of China’s WTO Accessions Protocol.

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

 

European Commission and High Representative

Monday 19 – Thursday 29 September

Commissioners at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly
A high-level delegation of the European Union will travel to New York next week to participate at the UN Summit on large movements of refugees and migrants on 19 September, as well as to take part in this year’s UN General Assembly from 20 to 29 September. First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will join European Council President Tusk at the UN Migration Summit and the UN General Debate. Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriauskaitis, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides will also participate in high-level meetings at the UN and in New York City throughout the week.

Monday 19 September

President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet with Swiss Confederation President Johann Schneider-Ammann in Zurich to discuss a draft resolution for the dispute following a Swiss referendum on curbing free movement in 2014.

Jyrki Katainen in Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea: meets with senior political and business leaders to take stock of progress in the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement negotiations and review the implementation of the EU- South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

Tuesday 20 September

Commissioners in the USA
Elżbieta Bieńkowska in San Francisco, U.S.: meets with Mr Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber Technologies Inc Ms Rachel Whetstone, Senior VP for Public Policy; Mr Will Marshall, Co-founder and CEO of «Planet» and Mr Tom Barton, Chief Operation Officer; Mr Brian Chesky, CEO and Founder of Air BnB. She is also delivering the closing speech for Start Up Europe Comes to Silicon Valley week (12-20 September).

Margrethe Vestager in Washington D.C., U.S.: gives a speech at the 10th Global antitrust Enforcement Symposium at the Georgetown University; meets with Ms Renata Hesse, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division; meets with Ms Elisabeth Warren, U.S. Senator for Massachusetts and with Mr Kevin Brady, Chairman of House Ways and Means.

Wednesday 21 September

College Meeting
Andrus Ansip presents the Digital Single Market Package – Copyright part 2, and the Digital Single Market – Review of the Telecoms Rules.

Thursday 22 September

Conference EU trade agreements in practice
EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström is hosting a conference on ‘EU Trade Agreements in Practice – Making Trade Work for You’ in Bratislava. Stakeholders from business, the European Parliament, trade unions and civil society will have the opportunity to have an exchange of ideas on EU trade and investment policy and what it means for growth and jobs. After an opening plenary session, four break-out sessions will offer participants the opportunity to discuss a range of key issues: Making your voice heard in the trade policy process – why it matters for your business and how to do it; Trade as a motor for job creation: the role of integrated value chains and spill-over effects; Making trade agreements work for you: seizing the opportunities; and EU trade policy and small businesses – threat or opportunity for small businesses and workers?

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Gilles de Kerchove, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.

Friday 23 September

President Jean-Claude Juncker and Johannes Hahn receive Suma Chakrabarti, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Karmenu Vella in Johannesburg, South Africa: participates in the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Ministerial Lekgotla.

Violeta Bulc in Karuizawa, Japan: participates in the G7 Transport Minister Meeting.

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

 

European Economic and Social Committee

Tuesday 20 September

EESC Bureau meeting
On the agenda: draft agenda for the September plenary session; budgetary matters; communication matters including the ‘Going Local report’ on the first half of 2016; Internal and administrative matters.

Wednesday 21 September

EESC Plenary Session

Opinions to be put straight to the vote: The Road from Paris (own-initiative opinion); Intergovernmental agreements in the energy field – revising the 2012 Decision; European Cloud Initiative – Building a competitive data and knowledge economy in Europe; Priorities for ICT Standardisation for the Digital Single Market; eGovernment Action plan 2016-2020; New measures for development-oriented governance and implementation – evaluation of the European Structural and Investment Funds and ensuing recommendations (own-initiative opinion); The rights of live-in care workers (own-initiative opinion); Entry/Exit System.
Opinions drawn up under the simplified procedure: Imports of certain products originating in the United States of America (codification); Provisions relating to financial management for certain Member States experiencing or threatened with serious difficulties with respect to their financial stability; Protection from cancer-causing chemicals.
Opinions to be discussed: Future proof regulation (exploratory opinion requested by the Slovak presidency); The position of the EESC on specific key issues of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations (own-initiative opinion); EU biodiversity policy (own-initiative opinion); Sustainable development: A mapping of the EU’s internal and external policies (exploratory opinion requested by the European Commission); The Union legal framework for customs infringements and sanctions; Public tax transparency (country-by-country reporting).

Thursday 22 September

EESC Plenary Session

Opinions to be discussed: Nuclear Illustrative Programme; Security of natural gas supply; An EU strategy for liquefied natural gas and gas storage.
Debate: on the state of the Union, with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, and statements by Markus Beyrer, director-general of BusinessEurope, Luca Visentini, general secretary of ETUC, and Conny Reuter, co-chair of the Liaison Group with European civil society organisations and networks.

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

 

Committee of the Regions

Monday 19 September

Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC)
Discussion on the Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP) 2017 Action Plan; Opinions – First discussion and adoption: The Revision of the Posting of Workers Directive, A new skills Agenda for Europe; Presentation on the second edition of the European Week of Sport (EWoS); Debate on Digital Single Market with Roberto Viola, Director General of DG CNECT; Review of the audio-visual and media services Directive.

Thursday 22 September

Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX)
CIVEX external activities in 2017; Opinions – discussions and adoptions: The REFIT Programme: the local and regional perspective, Reform of the Common European Asylum System, Legal migration, Integration of third country nationals; Opinions – Exchange of views: Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration; Follow-up of the Nicosia initiative; Strategic thematic debate on European governance; Election observation mission to Serbia.

Friday 23 September

CIVEX Conference Promoting EU citizenship: rights, values and involvement 
In Oviedo, Spain. Session 1: Enhancing awareness of Union citizenship rights; Session 2: Democratic and civic participation and EU common values – involved to make a difference.

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 19 September

Conference «Moving EU enlargement forwards: Why better communication matters»
The Policy Dialogue organized in Brussels by the Slovak Presidency and the European Policy Centre in the framework of the Dutch-Slovak-Maltese Trio Presidency will explore the following: Why continuation and completion of enlargement matters. What are the main elements of the EU’s current strategic communication on enlargement? What more can be done to raise awareness about the profile of the EU as a key actor in aspirants´ development? How can the different actors in the EU Member States, the Union and the region work out their differences of perception about enlargement and engage more constructively in the promotion of the process?

The agenda of the Slovak Presidency can be found here.

 

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Monday 19 September

Conference «Moving EU enlargement forwards: Why better communication matters»
The Policy Dialogue organized in Brussels by the Slovak Presidency and the European Policy Centre in the framework of the Dutch-Slovak-Maltese Trio Presidency will explore the following: Why continuation and completion of enlargement matters. What are the main elements of the EU’s current strategic communication on enlargement? What more can be done to raise awareness about the profile of the EU as a key actor in aspirants´ development? How can the different actors in the EU Member States, the Union and the region work out their differences of perception about enlargement and engage more constructively in the promotion of the process?

Information on upcoming FRA events can be found here. 

 

Council of Europe

Monday 19 September

Commissioner for Human Rights at OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) of OSCE participating States is Europe’s largest annual human rights and democracy conference. It is organized every year by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) as a platform for 57 OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, OSCE structures, civil society, international organizations and other relevant actors to take stock of the implementation of the OSCE human dimension commitments, discuss associated challenges, share good practices and make recommendations for further improvement.

Monday 19 – Tuesday 20 September

PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
Attacks against journalists and media freedom in Europe; The use of media for political purposes and war propaganda; New methods of political influence over independent journalism; Parliamentary scrutiny over corruption: parliamentary co-operation with investigative media; Youth against corruption; Technological convergence, artificial intelligence and human rights; Online media and journalism: challenges and accountability; organization of committee work.

Tuesday 20 September

Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies on Human Rights: Supervision of execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
In accordance with Article 46 of the Convention as amended by Protocol No. 11, the Committee of Ministers supervises the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee of Ministers’ essential function is to ensure that member states comply with the judgments and certain decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

Wednesday 21 September

PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Human rights and ethical issues related to surrogacy; The need for fiscal and social justice, and public trust in our democratic, financial and tax system; Female genital mutilation in Europe; Developments in the social functioning of trade unions / An urgent call for increased solidarity: the right to work, the right to strike; Ensuring access to healthcare for all children in Europe; Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and its implications for social rights, public health and sustainable development; The employment rights of female workers from Eastern Europe; organization of committee work.

Wednesday 21 – Thursday 22 September

Country visit on a forthcoming opinion to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
A delegation of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR – two organisations preparing a joint opinion on the Election Code amended in November 2015 – will meet representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Central Election Commission, the major political parties, the State Audit Office, the public broadcaster and the civil society.

Thursday 22 September

PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons 
In Paris, France. Harmonising the protection of unaccompanied minors in Europe; The impact of European population dynamics on migration policies; The humanitarian crisis in Gaza; Migration as an opportunity for European development; Humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Ukraine; Follow-up to Resolution 2088 (2016) on “The Mediterranean Sea: a front door to irregular migration”; Parliamentary Campaign to end immigration detention of children; organization of committee work.

PACE Sub-Committee on Co-operation with non-European countries of origin and transit
In Paris, France. Future activities of the Sub-committee: Meeting of the Sub-Committee in the framework of the Lisbon Forum organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe on refugees and migrants (Lisbon, 24 and 25 November 2016).

Thursday 22 – Friday 23 September

PACE Monitoring Committee
In Tirana, Albania. Draft periodic review reports of countries not under the monitoring procedure stricto sensu or engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue; Consideration of an information note by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit to Baku; Post-monitoring dialogue with “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”; Post-monitoring dialogue with Turkey; Consideration of an information note by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol; Creating a Europe without dividing lines; Joint hearing with the Albanian Parliament on Interreligious Dialogue and Tolerance.

Find the PACE diary here; information on Venice Commission events here; and the Commissioner for Human Rights calendar here.