Day-by-day

Monday 22 February

• EP: CONT, ECON, ITRE, IMCO, AGRI, AFCO, AFCO/LIBE, PETI
• EC: Behavioural Insights Applied to Policy: European report 2016 launch event
• EESC: Study Groups
• EC: 12th Round of TTIP Negotiations
• CoE: GRECO will publish its report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
• EC: Avramopoulos participates in Europol-Interpol Forum on migrant smuggling
• EC: Bulc in London for the Western Balkans Investment Summit
• EC: Malmstrröm in Vienna, Austria

Tuesday 23 February

• EP: AFET, BUDG, CONT, ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE, IMCO, AGRI, AFCO, PETI
• EP: Interparliamentary Committee Meeting EU Global Strategy and EU-NATO Relations
• Presidency: International conference on enforcement in a Europe without borders
• EESC: Study Groups
• EC: Citizens’ Energy Forum
• ECHR: 14 judgments

Wednesday 24 February

• EP: Plenary Session
• EC: Behavioural Insights Applied to Policy: European report 2016 launch event
• EESC: Study Groups
• Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council
• Presidency: EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Senior Officials Meeting
• EC: Mimica in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
• EC: Juncker meets Mr. Alain Juppé
• CoR: Commission for ENVE
• CoE: Congress fact-finding mission to Albania

Thursday 25 February

• EMI: Balkan Civil Society Conference
• EP: Plenary Session
• EESC: Study Groups
• Justice and Home Affairs Council
• G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and Deputies
• EC: Mogherini travels to South Africa
• CoE: Congress fact finding mission to Albania
• CoR: Commission for SEDEC
• FRA: Netherlands delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
• CoE: Inter-Mechanism meeting on human rights defenders
• EC: Stylianides in Vienna for OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

Friday 26 February

• EMI: Balkan Civil Society Conference
• EESC: Study Groups
• Irish Elections
• CoE: Congress fact finding mission to Albania
• EC: Juncker in Italy
• EC: Moedas participates in the European Investment Bank Conference
• CoE: Inter-Mechanism meeting on human rights defenders

 

European Movement International

Thursday 25 – Friday 26 February

Civil Society and Beyond: A Joint Dialogue on the European Path
The European Movement International and European Movement in Serbia, in partnership with TACSO and the Serbian European Integration Office, are jointly organising the next Balkan civil society conference, “Civil Society and Beyond: A Joint Dialogue on the European Path”.

The conference, which will bring together around 150 participants from civil society, European institutions and national authorities from the region, focuses on three themes:

• Dialogue between civil society and public authorities in the accession process (including mechanisms for participation such as Convent and SECO);
• Regional cooperation between civil society;
• Civic dialogue between EU and (potential) candidate countries.

Find more information here.

 

European Union

European Parliament

Monday 22 February
Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT)
Discharge 2014: EU general budget – Council and European Council, European External Action Service, Court of Justice, European Court of Auditors, European Economic and Social Committee, Committee of the Regions, European Ombudsman, European Data Protection Supervisor; Discharge 2014: Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union agencies for the financial year 2014: performance, financial management and control – all agencies; ECA Special Report N°22/2015 (2014 Discharge) on «EU supervision of Credit Rating Agencies – well established but not yet fully effective»; Discharge 2014: Joint Undertakings.

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)
Consideration of draft reports: Access to Finance for SMEs and increasing the diversity of SME funding in a Capital Markets Union; Common system of value added tax, with regard to the duration of the obligation to respect a minimum standard rate; Exemptions for commodity dealers.

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
Consideration of draft reports: Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers, Towards a New Energy Market Design; Structured Dialogue European Parliament – European Commission and Presentation of the Gas Package with Miguel Arias Cañete; Study on ‘Open Innovation, including 3D printing’, Presentation by Christine Hamza and Dieter Rehfeld, METIS.

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
Consideration of draft report Recommendation for a Council decision concerning the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Convention of 18 December 1997, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty of the European Union, on mutual assistance and cooperation between customs administrations; consideration of amendments on Non-Tariff Barriers in the Single Market; consideration of draft reports Customs infringements and sanctions, The Single Market Strategy; consideration of draft opinion Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers.

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI)
Exchange of views Franz Fischler (Chair of the Steering Committee for the EU Scientific Programme for Expo 2015) and David Wilkinson (Commissioner General for the participation of the European Commission to EXPO 2015) on the «Achievements of the Expo 2015 in the context of challenges ahead for European and world agriculture»; Presentation by the Rapporteur on the state of play of the on-going trilogue negotiations on Organic production and labelling of organic products.

Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)
Consideration of amendments Interinstitutional agreement on Better Law-making; consideration of working document Establishment of an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

AFCO / LIBE
Joint Hearing on Respect for Democracy, Fundamental rights and the Rule of law: the role of the judiciary – Presentation by experts, Exchange of views.

Committee on Petitions (PETI)
Petitions for discussion in committee on the basis of the Commission’s written reply or other documents received on health and environment; consideration of draft opinions Opinion on Cross-Border recognition of adoptions, Opinion on Monitoring the application of Union Law-2014 Annual report, Opinion on the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Tuesday 23 February
Interparliamentary Committee Meeting EU Global Strategy and EU-NATO Relations ahead of the Warsaw Summit
Exchange of views with VP/HR Federica Mogherini on the conflicts in the MENA region and the refugee crisis; Exchange of views with Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament; Exchange of views with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, on NATO priorities for 2016 and the July 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw;Exchange of views with the UN Secretary General Special Representative for Libya, Martin Kobler (with AFET, SEDE, Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly).

Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)
Votes on: 2015 Report on Montenegro, 2015 Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Implementation and review of the EU-Central Asia Strategy; Debriefing on the AFET Committee mission to Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Qatar; Debriefing on the visits of the Delegations for relations with Palestine to Ramallah & Gaza and countries of South Asia to Bangladesh; consideration of amendments: A new forward-looking and innovative future strategy on trade and investment.

Committee on Budgets (BUDG)
Exchange of views in the presence of Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament responsible for the budget and the Secretary General on Estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2017 – Section I – European Parliament.

Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT)
Votes: European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual Report 2014, Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty;  ECA Special Report N°20/2015 (2014 Discharge) on «The cost-effectiveness of EU Rural Development support for non-productive investments in agriculture»; draft opinion on Fight against corruption and follow up of the CRIM resolution; 2014 Discharges: Presentation of the Council recommendations by Jeroen Dijsselbloem and Kristalina Georgieva; Discharge 2014: EU general budget – European Commission; Discharge 2014: European Commission ECA Special Reports; Discharge 2014: EU general budget – 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th EDFs.

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)
Appointment of a new Executive Director of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA): Hearing with Fausto Parente, selected candidate for the position; draft report on International Accounting Standards (IAS) Evaluation and on Activities of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) and the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB); votes on Appointment of a new Executive Director of EIOPA and Discharges 2014; first exchanges of views on: the European Deposit Insurance Scheme, Amending Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments as regards certain dates, Amending Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 on markets in financial instruments, Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 on market abuse and Regulation (EU) No 909/2014 on improving securities settlement in the EU and on central securities depositories as regards certain dates.

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)
Exchange of views with Pavel Trantina, President of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship of the EESC; consideration of draft opinion An EU strategy for the Alpine region; exchange of view with stakeholders on How best to harness the job creation potential of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)?; Presentation of the European Court of Auditors special report on Youth Action Teams; votes on the Adoption of draft opinion in letter form EGF/2015/009 SE/Volvo Trucks, and oral question on What is Social Triple A?; Exchanges of views with the Directors of the European Training Foundation, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training.

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)
Report back on ongoing interinstitutional negotiations: Medical Devices and In-vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices; Exchange of views with Ms Andrea AMMON, acting Director of ECDC; consideration of draft Implementation report on the Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU); adoption of questions for oral answer: Mandatory indication of the country of origin or place of provenance for certain foods, Zika virus outbreak; consideration of motion for a resolution Mandatory indication of the country of origin or place of provenance for certain foods; Exchange of views with Commission representatives on cross-border healthcare; consideration of motion for a resolution Zika virus outbreak; exchange of views with the Commission on the Commission Report on the progress in establishing marine protected areas.
·
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
Draft reports, opinions and motions for resolutions: Energy efficiency labelling, C ompetitiveness of the European Rail Supply Industry, A new forward-looking and innovative future strategy on trade and investment, Space capabilities for European security and defence; Exchange of views with Tibor Navracsics; Public Hearing on ‘Energy costs and EU industry competitiveness’.

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
Exchange of views on Control of the acquisition and possession of weapons; Presentation of the Study: Social Economy; Presentation of an initial analysis on «the impact of changes to border control within Schengen on the single market for goods and services»; Exchange of views with Pierre Moscovici; Public hearing on the Single Market Strategy; consideration of draft opinion A new forward-looking and innovative future strategy on trade and investment.

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI)
Votes on: Animal Health, Manufacture, placing on the market and use of medicated feed and repealing Council Directive 90/167/EEC, Cohesion policy in mountainous regions of the EU; Exchange of views with with the European Commission (DG AGRI) concerning the alignment and simplification of secondary legislation for fruit and vegetables and wine; Hearing on «Tools to Reduce Price Volatility in Agricultural Markets».

Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)
Adoption of draft report: Interinstitutional agreement on Better Law-making, Discharge 2014: EU general budget – Council and European Council; Exchange of views on Transparency, accountability and integrity in the EU institutions; consideration of amendments Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty; exchange of views on The renegotiation of the United Kingdom constitutional relationship with the European Union; consideration of amendments on the Annual report 2014 on subsidiarity and proportionality.

Committee on Petitions (PETI)
Public Hearing «Taking Citizens’ concerns seriously: broadening the scope of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights (Article 51)?»; Chair’s announcements concerning Coordinators’ decisions on petitions concerning fundamental rights, health and environment; reports on fact-finding visits to Spain and the UK; Petitions which it is proposed to close in the light of the Commission’s written reply or other documents received.

Wednesday 24 February
Political Group Meetings

Brussels Plenary
Debates:
Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 and 19 February 2016: European Council and Commission statements.
Joint debate – European Semester 2016: European Semester for economic policy coordination: Annual Growth Survey 2016 (ECON); European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the Annual Growth Survey 2016 (EMPL); Single Market governance within the European Semester 2016 (IMCO); Commission statement on the Commission decision adopted on the European Semester package, including country reports.
European network of Employment Services, workers’ access to mobility services and the further integration of labour markets (EMPL).
Joint debate – EU-Tunisia trade relations: Introduction of emergency autonomous trade measures for Tunisia (INTA); Commission statement on the Opening of negotiations for an EU-Tunisia Free Trade Agreement.
Council and Commission statements on the Preparation for the UN General Assembly special session on drugs.

Thursday 25 February
Brussels Plenary
Debates: Activities of the European Ombudsman in 2014 (PETI), in the presence of Emily O’Reilly, European Ombudsman; Tobacco agreement (PMI agreement): oral questions by Greens/EFA, EPP, EFDD, S&D, ALDE, ECR and GUE/NGL.
Votes followed by explanations of votes: Accession of Austria and Malta to the Hague Convention on the Service abroad of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters (JURI); EC-San Marino Agreement providing for measures on taxation of savings income in the form of interest payments (ECON); Accession of Croatia to the Conventions on the protection of the EC financial interests (LIBE); European network of Employment Services, workers’ access to mobility services and the further integration of labour markets (EMPL); Introduction of emergency autonomous trade measures for Tunisia (INTA); Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: application EGF/2015/007 BE/Hainaut-Namur Glass (BUDG); European Semester for economic policy coordination: Annual Growth Survey 2016 (ECON); European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the Annual Growth Survey 2016 (EMPL); Single Market governance within the European Semester 2016 (IMCO); Opening of negotiations for an EU-Tunisia Free Trade Agreement; Activities of the European Ombudsman in 2014 (PETI); European Central Bank annual report for 2014 (ECON); Opening of FTA negotiations with Australia and New Zealand; Introduction of compatible systems for the registration of pet animals across Member States; Humanitarian situation in Yemen.

Find the full plenary agenda here. Find an overview of committees here. 

 

Council of Ministers

Wednesday 24 February
Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council
The Council is expected to adopt a resolution on promoting socio-economic development and inclusiveness through education. This text is the contribution of education and training to the European Semester 2016. It focuses on: ensuring effective investment in education; responding to skill gaps and anticipating skills requirements; addressing education for citizenship and social inclusion. Ministers will discuss how to better connect education, the labour market and society, focusing on issues related to development of skills. The outcome of this debate will provide input to the Commission’s forthcoming communication on a new skills agenda for Europe. This communication will seek to reduce the current skills gap and boost employability and mobility. Education ministers will also have an exchange of views on how to promote citizenship and fundamental values through education. This debate is a follow up to the Paris declaration, made in February 2015 in the wake of terrorist attacks in France and Denmark. It will focus on citizenship education, empowering teachers and media literacy.

Thursday 25 February
Justice and Home Affairs Council
Following the European Council of 18-19 February, ministers will discuss the implementation of existing measures on migration and may also consider possible future action. The Council will aim to reach a general approach on the proposed regulation to reinforce checks against relevant databases at external borders. This regulation to amend the Schengen borders code, was presented by the European Commission in December 2015. It seeks to improve security inside the EU by making the checks on EU citizens against all relevant databases (which are already possible) mandatory. Ministers will also discuss the proposal for a European border and coast guard, presented by the Commission in December 2015. The proposed agency, bringing together resources from Frontex and EU member states, would monitor migratory flows, identify weak spots and respond in situations where an EU external border is at risk. The Council will hold an exchange of views on the possible application of article 26 of the Schengen borders code and related issues.

Thursday 25 – Friday 26 February
G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and Deputies in Shanghai, China.

An overview of planned Council meetings can be found here.

 

European Commission and High Representative

Monday 22 February
Behavioural Insights Applied to Policy: European report 2016 launch event   
The purpose of the event is to launch the Behavioural Insights Applied to Policy: European Report 2016 and to share knowledge on how behavioural insights are being applied to diverse policy fields, promote links among the different actors, and inspire new applications of behavioural insights to policy. Commissioner Tibor Navracsics will make the opening speech, and Prof. Brigitte Madrian (Harvard Kennedy School) will present the added value of linking academic research to policy-making. The event will gather policy-makers from the European institutions, national governments, NGOs, businesses, think tanks and researchers. It is open to the media.

Ms Violeta Bulc in London for the Western Balkans Investment Summit.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is hosting the Western Balkans Investment Summit, which will be attended by all prime ministers from the region, government ministers, political decision-makers and leading entrepreneurs. The aim of the event is to highlight potential investment and business opportunities in the region and promote the inflow of foreign direct investment and cross-border projects. After the first session, three panels will provide an opportunity to discuss regional projects and opportunities for investment in energy and transport as well as the privatisation agenda in the Western Balkans.

Ms Cecilia Malmström in Vienna, Austria: participates in a public debate with Presidents of the Chamber of Labour and Trade Unions and NGOs; meets with Mr Reinhold Mitterlehner, Vice-Chancellor andFederal Minister of Science, Research and Economy; meets with members and party leaders of the Austrian Parliament; meets with Ms Doris Bures, President of the National Council of Austria.

Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos in The Hague, The Netherlands: participates in the Europol-Interpol Operational Forum on countering Migrant Smuggling Network; launches the European Migrant Smuggling Centre at Europol.

Monday 22 – 26 February
TTIP Twelfth Round of Negotiations
Negotiators will meet in Brussels to discuss all three main parts of the agreement, namely market access, regulatory cooperation, and rules.

Tuesday 23 February
Ms Cecilia Malmström meets with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Parliamentary Committee, in Brussels.

Mr Christos Stylianides receives Mr Robert Glasser, Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), and takes part in the 3rd National Humanitarian Conference, in Paris.

Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska hosts a meeting of the High-level Group of Personalities on defence research and receives the final report of the Group on its recommendations for research related to Common Security and Defence Policy.

Tuesday 23 – 24 February 
Citizens’ Energy Forum
The European Commission established the Citizens’ Energy Forum in 2007. The forum meets on an annual basis in London and is organised with the support of Ofgem, the UK regulatory authority. The aim of the forum is to create competitive, energy-efficient and fair retail markets for consumers. Several working groups have been established to focus on issues raised in the forum, covering topics such as vulnerable consumers, price transparency, and consumers as energy market agents.

Wednesday 24 February
Mr Neven Mimica is in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, for the Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference, organised by the ICGLR (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region), the United Nations, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) (24-25/02).

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux.

Thursday 25 February
European social innovation competition 2016: launch event
The 2016 competition will focus on social innovation for refugees and migrants and will be officially launched in Amsterdam on 25 February 2016. This event is organised in partnership with the City of Amsterdam. During this day, you can expect: an address from Kajsa Ollongren, Vice Mayor of Amsterdam; a presentation of the 2016 competition by the European Commission; the opportunity to join like-minded participants to discuss pan-European social innovation; insights into the social innovation landscape of Amsterdam and the Netherlands; a thought-provoking debate with cross-sector experts on issues surrounding the refugee crisis and migrant integration in Europe; smaller group workshops investigating opportunities for socially innovative responses to the refugee crisis and migrant integration.

Ms Federica Mogherini travels to South Africa (25-26/02).

Mr Christos Stylianides is in Vienna for the Winter meeting of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly (25-27/02). On 26/02: participates in the Joint Session of the three General Committees / Special Debate on Migrant and refugee crisis; meets with Mr Ilkka Kanerva, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Friday 26 February

President Jean-Claude Juncker is in Italy: meets with Mr Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy; meets with Mr Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of Italy; meets with Mr Pietro Grasso, President of the Italian Senate; participates in a meeting with Mr Pietro Grasso, President of the Italian Senate, the Presidents of the Committees of the Senate, and the Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies; meets with Mr Giorgio Napolitano, former President of Italy.

Mr Carlos Moedas participates in the European Investment Bank Conference on the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), together with Mr Román Escolano, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank; meets with Mr Pedro Marques, Portuguese Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, in Lisbon

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

 

European Economic and Social Committee

Monday 22 February
Study Group on Post-Cotonou Partnership Agreement
Keynote Speakers: Jude Kirton-Darling, MEP and member of the Committee on International Trade; Representative from ACP Secretariat (TBC); Kristin De Peyron, head of the Pan-African Affairs Division, European External Action Service; Vincent Grimaud, head of General coordination and interinstitutional relations unit, DG DEVCO, European Commission; Professor Mirjam van Reisen, Founding Director, Europe External Programme for Africa, Europe External Policy Advisors; Karine Sohet, Senior Policy Officer, Act Alliance (CONCORD Cotonou Working Group); Presentation of the preliminary draft opinion on the Future of the EU’s relations with the ACP Group of countries and a successor to the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (Green Paper).

Study Group on Retail financial services and insurance
Discussion of the working document on the Green Paper on retail financial services – Better products, more choice, and greater opportunities for consumers and businesses
COM(2015) 630 final.

Labour Market Observatory
Integrating refugees into the labour market: turning the crisis into an opportunity

Tuesday 23 February
Section for External Relations
Presentation of the draft opinion (ECO/392) on the Euro area external representation; General debate on the EESC priorities in the external relations area, as a contribution to the Work Programme of the European Commission in 2017; Presentation of work programmes of REX standing bodies for the 2015-2018 term of office: ACP Follow-up Committee, by Mr Yves Somville and Advisory Group with Central America, by Mr Soares.

Euromed follow up Committee
Presentation by a representative of DG Trade on the current situation of the free trade agreements in the region; 3.    Programme of the Euromed Follow-up Committee’s activities for the first semester; Discussion of the strategy of the Euromed Follow-up Committee’s; Presentation by Mr Adamczyk, rapporteur of the opinion on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy; and Discussion on the information report on promoting legal migration.

Study Group on A European Sustainable Development Civil Society Forum
Presentation of the working document on the A European Sustainable Development Civil Society Forum; Presentation of experiences with national Sustainability Councils as a mechanism for civil society involvement; Presentation of experiences with the European Migration Forum by Irini Pari, EESC representative in the bureau of the EMF.

Study Group on the Prospectus Directive
Discussion of the preliminary draft opinion on the Prospectus Directive.

Wednesday 24 February
Eastern neighbours Follow-up Committee
Debriefing on the informal consultative meeting of the EU-Georgia Civil Society Platform to be established, held on 26 January 2016 in Tbilisi, Georgia; Debriefing on the 2nd meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform, held in Brussels on 11 February 2016; Debriefing from the EEAS Stratcom East Task Force on their work countering the Russian disinformation; State of play in EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Belarus relations.

Study Group on New measures for development-oriented governance and implementation – recommendations for the mid-term evaluation of the European Structural and Investment Funds
Discussion of the working document on New measures for development-oriented governance and implementation – recommendations for the mid-term evaluation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.

Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship
Adoption of the SOC/528 opinion on European agenda on security; Presentations of the annual work programmes of Cedefop by James Calleja and Eurofound by Juan Menéndez-Valdés.

Western Balkans Follow-up Committee
Discussion on the next meeting of the Western Balkans Follow-up Committee, to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in conjunction with the civil society hearing: Presentation of the date of the meeting and possible discussion topics, by Mr Cedrone; Statement by the representative from DG NEAR’s Bosnia and Herzegovina unit (tbc); Statements by representatives from the Regional Cooperation Council (tbc) and the LMO (tbc).

Thursday 25 February
Single Market Observatory meeting
Presentation of the ongoing opinion on «Upgrading the Single market» (INT/773); Information on the studies and information reports on: «The workings of the Services Directive in the meat processing sector» (INT/756) and «Transposition practices» (INT/788) following the EESC Bureau decision of 19.01.2016; Intervention by a Commission representative (tbc); debate.

Study Group on Immigration and Integration
Debate on the fact-finding missions to 11 Member States + Turkey – main conclusions and recommendations; Input to the SOC/532 opinion on Integration of refugees in the EU; 3.    Information on the European Migration Forum – general presentation of the Forum and discussion on the subject of its 2nd meeting on 6-7 April on long-term approach to migration and integration.

Consultative Commission on Industrial Change
Participation of Mr Oettinger Guenther, Member of the European Commission, responsible for Digital Economy and Society; Statement by the CCMI president on CCMI’s work programme for 2016
Friday 26 February; Presentation of the EESC President’s work programme and priorities by the EESC Vice-President, Mr Lobo Xavier Gonçalo (tbc); Ratification of the composition of the new study groups.

Friday 26 February
Study Group on the Control of the acquisition and possession of weapons
Discussion of the preliminary draft opinion on the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons.

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

 

Committee of the Regions

Wednesday 24 February
Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE)
ENVE Thematic Planning: From COP21 to COP22 with Elina Bardram, Head of Unit for International and Inter-institutional Relations, Directorate-General on Climate Action, European Commission; Opinions – First discussion and adoption on Delivering a new deal for energy consumers, EU environment law: improving reporting and compliance; Cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments; Opinions – Exchange of views on Legislative proposals amending the waste directives.

Thursday 25 February
Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC)
SEDEC Work programme 2016; Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP) Work Programme 2016; Opinions on Modernisation of the EU copyright rules and the EU response to the demographic challenge; Presentation of the cross-border project on “Location guide Großregion-Grande Région” and presentation of «The Pole Image» project; «Science meets Regions», debate with the European Commission Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) Director General (tbc); Presentation of the «Report on the Perspectives for Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3)».

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.

 

Dutch Presidency

Monday 22 – Tuesday 23 February
Thematic Conference on Product Improvement
On 22-23 February the Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare end Sports, Edith Schippers, will host, in close collaboration with the Dutch Minister for Agriculture Martijn van Dam, a high-level, multi-stakeholder conference on food product composition across the EU (by reducing salt, saturated fats and calories in food products). During this conference, public and private partners will have an interactive discussion on how to combine efforts to take food product improvement to the next level in a more harmonized way, both from a public health as well as from an internal market perspective. The goal of the conference is to ensure that all the parties attending acknowledge the importance of an EU-wide approach, and that a large number of member states and companies commit to a ‘Roadmap for Action’ to gradually make the supply of products healthier.

Tuesday 23 February
International conference on enforcement in a Europe without borders
The conference will provide a platform for exploring with partners from other countries the importance of good legislation and good enforcement for economic and social life. The key question is how international collaboration can help us face the new enforcement challenges more efficiently. we will separate into four workshops on: Online commerce;  Opportunities for more international collaboration; The impact of the quality of European legislation on enforcement; Good market enforcement.

Wednesday 24 February

EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Senior Officials Meeting
Regular meeting held every six months for senior US and EU officials (the latter represented by the country currently holding the Presidency and the next to hold the Presidency) on mutual cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs. A range of current issues will be discussed, in preparation for the ministerial meeting that will take place later during the Dutch Presidency.

The agenda of the Dutch Presidency can be found here.

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Thursday 25 February
FRA to host Netherlands delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
The aim of the meeting is to discuss the fundamental rights challenges in the context of the refugee policy crisis and integration policies.

Information on upcoming FRA events can be found here. 

 

Council of Europe

 Monday 22 February
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) will publish its report on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Wednesday 24 – Friday 26 February 19, 2016
Congress Fact-finding Mission to Albania

Thursday 25 February 
Tunisia – Institution of the Administrative Mediator
Tunis – Evaluation in cooperation with the AMO of the legislation on the Administrative Ombudsman of Tunisia vis-a-vis the «Paris Principles» and other European and international standards as well as the evaluation of the organisational structure of the institution (internal procedures, management, public relations, training needs).

This event is held within the framework of the Joint EU/Council of Europe South Programme “Towards a Strengthened Democratic Governance in the Southern Mediterranean”, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Thursday 25 – Friday 26 February
Commissioner for Human Rights: Inter-Mechanisms Meeting on human rights defenders

Find an overview of Council of Europe events here.

 

ECHR

Tuesday 22 February
The European Court of Human Rights will notify in writing 14 judgments.

The European Court of Human Rights will be delivering a Grand Chamber judgment concerning Moldova and Russia.

Information on forthcoming judgments can be found here, the calendar of hearings can be foundhere.

 

Elections

Friday 26 February

Irish general election