Question time with the Commission on single market
Parliament to assess European Council conclusions
The outcome of the 23 October summit of EU heads of state and government will be debated in Parliament on Thursday, with Council and Commission presidents Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso.
EU budget 2012
Parliament debates and votes its stance on next year’s EU budget on Wednesday. The outcome will be the starting point for Parliament’s 2012 budget negotiations with the Council (EU finance ministers) during a 21-day conciliation period.
New rules to crack down on child abusers and web pornography
Child abusers and viewers of child sex images on the web would face tough penalties and porn web pages would have to be deleted across the EU, under new rules to be voted on Thursday. The draft directive agreed by Parliament and Council also aims to step up prevention and help for victims.
Sakharov Prize 2011 winner to be chosen
The winner of this year’s Sakharov Prize, Parliament’s award for the freedom of thought, will be chosen by President Jerzy Buzek and political group leaders on Thursday.
Using the single market better to exit the crisis
On Tuesday, MEPs will quiz Commissioners Barnier, Dalli and Kroes on the spring 2011 Single Market Act and how to reap the full benefits of the EU single market. Making full use of the single market could potentially produce growth of about 4% of EU GDP over the next 10 years and so help Member States to exit the current economic crisis.
Easier access to public procurement for small and medium-sized firms
EU rules should be simplified to make it easier for small and medium-sized firms to bid for public contracts, say MEPs in a draft resolution to be voted on Tuesday.
Blocking mafia access to public funds
The EU needs stricter rules to prevent mafia-style organisations from getting access to public funds, says a draft resolution to be voted on Tuesday. MEPs also call for new laws to prevent firms linked to organised crime from bidding for public procurement contracts. Parliament should set up a special committee to investigate infiltration of the public sector and legal economy by criminal organisations, they add.
Asylum: levelling up the rights of people in need of protection in EU countries
Third country nationals who are at risk of serious harm in their home countries, such as torture or execution, but who do not qualify as refugees, would nonetheless get the same rights as refugees to work, vocational training, education, health care and accommodation in the EU, under revised asylum rules to be voted on Thursday.
Opening up EU labour markets to Bulgarian and Romanian citizens
A draft resolution calling on EU Member States to allow Bulgarians and Romanians onto the EU labour market by the end of 2011 will be put to a vote on Tuesday.
Other items on the agenda:
Ombudsman’s work under the spotlight
Global economic governance in need of an overhaul
MEPs to call for more support for single mothers
EP set to approve Police College and Medicines Agency budget management for 2009
Air passenger data transfers to Australia
Human rights and democracy resolutions
