Plenary round-up – November II 2023

Written by Clare Ferguson and Katarzyna Sochacka.

During the November II plenary session, Members held a debate with the Council and European Commission on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need for the release of hostages and for an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire, and on the prospects for peace and security in the Middle East. Further debates took place on the continued threat to the rule of law, the independence of justice and the non-fulfilment of conditionalities for EU funding in Hungary, and the threat to the rule of law resulting from the governmental agreement in Spain. Members also debated the Commission’s lack of legislative follow-up to the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA).

The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Nikolay Denkov led this month’s ‘This is Europe’ debate. William Ruto, President of Kenya, addressed the Parliament in a formal sitting. And in the question time session, Commissioner Thierry Breton answered Members’ questions regarding the state of implementation of the EU’s commitment to provide 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine up to March 2024.

2024 budgetary procedure

Members debated and adopted the 2024 EU budget. The negotiations took place against a backdrop of increased spending pressure on the EU’s long-term finances, due to ongoing global challenges. Nevertheless the agreed 2024 EU budget includes €189.4 billion in commitment appropriations and €142.6 billion in payments, including for special instruments such as the proposed Ukraine facility.

Improving Europe’s environment

Parliament adopted a resolution calling for major emitters to make a fair contribution to the loss and damage fund, and underlining the need to support the global energy transition. The debate came ahead of this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, (COP28), starting on 30 November.

Members debated a report from the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on the right to repair – common EU rules to strengthen the repair market. The proposal aims to reduce inconvenience for consumers and provide financial incentives to encourage companies and consumers to repair broken products. The adopted report recommends extending the legal guarantee period for repaired products by one year, among other things, and sets Parliament’s position for interinstitutional negotiations.

The EU is seeking to strengthen its manufacturing capacity for ‘net-zero’ technologies, by at least 40 % of the EU’s annual deployment needs by 2030. Members debated a report from the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee, which proposes to widen the scope of the proposed net-zero industry act to cover additional components, materials and machinery and sets new manufacturing capacity benchmarks. Parliament can now begin trilogue negotiations with the Council.

Members debated a Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) report on the proposed EU carbon removals certification framework to ensure credible governance of trusted EU-certified carbon removals. The ENVI report proposes better definition of the different types of removal – carbon farming, permanent carbon storage, and long-lasting carbon storage in products or materials. It now sets Parliament’s position on the file for interinstitutional negotiations.

Aiming to ensure cleaner air, Members debated an ENVI committee report that sets Parliament’s stance for interinstitutional negotiations on CO₂ emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed revision brings more vehicles into the scope of the current rules and set a 90 % lower average CO₂ emissions target for new vehicles by 2040. New urban buses would have to be zero-emission from 2030.

Packaging waste continues to increase in the EU. An ENVI committee report on reducing packaging waste seeks to strengthen proposals to revise the current EU law. The committee calls to forbid the use of certain potentially harmful substances in food packaging, as well as lightweight plastic carrier bags. Removing the Commission’s proposed targets for take-away food and drink, the report suggests companies should offer the possibility to use reusable packaging at no greater cost, and provide a system for consumers to bring their own container, at a lower price. The vote sets Parliament’s mandate for trilogue negotiations.

Digitalisation of judicial cooperation

Members adopted agreed texts on proposals to update EU legislation to facilitate cross-border judicial cooperation through increased use of digitalisation. Parliament’s Committees on Legal Affairs (JURI) and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) negotiated the compromise on the proposal, under which the rules on digital communication, in both criminal and civil cases, would become mandatory for cross-border court-to-court communication.

Sustainable use of plant protection products

While pesticides are necessary to protect crops, they can also have harmful impacts on the environment and human health. The Commission proposed to reduce their overall use and risk by 50 %, through binding national targets. No majority could be reached on the ENVI committee report that supported this target, but raised the reduction goal for particularly hazardous pesticides to 65 %. Parliament voted not to refer the report on plant protection products back to the committee, thus the proposal has been rejected.

Amendment of the Treaties

Geopolitical challenges and the prospect of further enlargement have led to calls for measures to make the EU more nimble, democratic and accountable. Members debated and adopted a report by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) setting out proposals for amendment of the EU Treaties. Among many other proposals, the report proposes changes to the majority required to decide EU laws, and a new method to choose the President of the Commission. The report now constitutes Parliament’s position for the resumption of interinstitutional discussions on whether and how to proceed with a revision of the Treaties.

EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement

Members followed the Committee on International Trade (INTA) recommendation and gave consent to the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiated with New Zealand. Covering protection of certain EU foodstuff geographical indications, removal of New Zealand tariffs on EU imports, facilitation of cross-border data flows and commitments to International Labour Organization standards and Paris Agreement goals, the EU–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement should lead to an increase in bilateral trade of up to 30 %.

VAT – Rules for the digital age

Parliament adopted a Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) report on the proposed directive on value added tax (VAT) in the digital age. Aimed at fighting VAT fraud, and modernising the rules, the ECON report seeks to further cut compliance costs for business, and ensure strict data protection.

Situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors

The cultural and creative sectors employ around 7.7 million people in the EU. However, they often lack financial and employment security. Parliament adopted a legislative-initiative report from its Committees on Culture and Education (CULT) and on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), calling on the Commission to propose legislation to improve employment conditions in the sector. Enforceable rules should align national approaches on aspects such as definitions of cultural and artistic activity and social security.

Opening of trilogue negotiations

Members approved several decisions to enter into interinstitutional negotiations: on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment and equal opportunities, from the Committees on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, and Employment and Social Affairs (FEMM/EMPL) after a vote; and, without votes, on the minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities, from the ECON committee; on Union rules on the protection of personal data, and on combating child sexual abuse online, from the LIBE committee; and on ship-source pollution from the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN).

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘Plenary round-up – November II 2023‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.