Written by Clare Ferguson with Gemma Patterson.
Members gather in Strasbourg for the first plenary session of October with a varied agenda ahead of them. Topics range from moves that could shape the world more widely in the future, to issues that have an immediate effect on citizens’ lives, such as housing or border controls. Dealing with natural disasters, such as catastrophic wildfires, is one such issue. Prevented from attending September’s plenary session due to flooding, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expected to present the country’s Council Presidency programme to Members on Wednesday. On Tuesday morning, representatives of the Council and European Commission are due to make statements on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 17‑18 October 2024.
Recent catastrophic flooding in central and eastern Europe underlines the increasing number and severity of climate-related natural disasters worldwide. It also highlights the need for a collective response to help countries cope with the damage they leave behind. The EU provides such assistance through the EU Solidarity Fund. On Monday evening, Members are set to discuss a budgetary proposal to mobilise over €1 billion in EUSF funding, to help cover the costs of dealing with flooding in 2023, in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France. Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) proposes to approve the decision, but warns that the EUSF budget will need reinforcement.
Controls on EU internal borders is detrimental to the Schengen area and the freedom of movement of goods as well as people, with potentially significant economic, social and political costs. Despite that, eight EU Member States had reinstated border controls as of September 2024. Parliament has frequently criticised these actions, and insists that maximum time limits are set for when such controls should be lifted. On Monday evening, Members are expected to debate the recent reintroduction of internal border controls in a number of EU countries.
A historically strong industrial sector, the EU automotive industry now needs to act quickly to counter competition from outside Europe and modernise its business model. The threat of plant closures and loss of European jobs is growing ever stronger. The industry is looking to the EU to act to level the playing-field against fierce non-EU competition, to provide funding for innovation and to help secure access to critical resources. Following a Commission statement on Tuesday afternoon, Members are due to debate the current crisis in the EU automotive industry.
Affordable housing has also become a major issue in many EU countries. Although housing policy is a Member State responsibility, Parliament has already called on the Commission and EU governments to increase investment in sustainable, adequate and affordable housing. Following a Commission statement on affordable housing on Wednesday (and in advance of the hearing of the Commissioner-designate for the newly proposed portfolio dealing with energy and housing), Members are expected to debate the way forward to increasing both public and private sector supply of decent housing for Europeans.
A Parliament delegation of Members attended the UN Summit of the Future, and welcomed the adoption of the Pact for the Future, as a major achievement for rules-based multilateralism. High Representative/Vice President of the Commission, Josep Borrell is expected to report to Members on the summit’s outcome on Tuesday afternoon.
Finally, observers are reporting a marked rise in antisemitism, particularly since the Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. An increase in anti-Christian incidents is also documented. Following a Commission statement on the rise of religious intolerance in Europe on Thursday, Members are set to debate an issue that is causing increasing concern worldwide. For its part, the European Parliament has had an active Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance since 2014.
- Outlook for the European Council meeting of 17‑18 October 2024
- EUSF mobilisation for 2023 flooding in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France
- Reintroduction of internal border controls and impact on Schengen area
- The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry
- Affordable housing in the EU
- Outcome of the UN Summit for the Future
- Priority dossiers under the Hungarian EU Council Presidency
- The rise of religious intolerance in Europe
Comments are closed for this post.