The penultimate week of April will foresee the plenary session of the Parliament in Strasbourg. Various Fit for 55-related legislative proposals will be discussed and voted on, including for example the revision of the Emission Trading System (ETS). As well, at the meeting of the College of Commissioners scheduled for Tuesday, the Cyber Package is expected to be presented. Finally, in Stockholm, Environment Ministers will gather for an informal meeting.
DIGITAL
Monday 17 April 2023. A brief presentation will be made in the plenary session of the Parliament on the report on the eGovernment proposal for accelerating digital public services to support the functioning of the single market signed by Croatian Tomislav Sokol (EPP). Voting on the dossier will take place on the following days.
Tuesday 18 April 2023. The College of Commissioners is expected to present the Cyber Package that includes the Cyber Solidarity Act and the Cybersecurity Skills Academy. As anticipated by Commissioner Breton, the text of the Solidarity Act suggests creating a network of Security Operations Centres (SOCs) in Europe, which will use artificial intelligence technologies to monitor the network and detect any weak signs of cyber-attacks. On the same day, the Working Party on Telecommunications and the Information Society will address the Gigabit Infrastructure Act with particular reference to Articles 5 and 6.
Thursday 20 April 2023. At the centre of the Research Working Party’s agenda will be the proposal on the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chair’s text that will be reviewed.
ENERGY
Monday 17 April 2023. A joint debate centred around the Fit for 55 package to combat climate change will be held in Parliament in the plenary session. The following proposals will be discussed: the revision of the Emission Trading System (ETS) and legislation on monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport by the German Peter Liese (EPP); the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) with a report by Dutch Mohammed Chahim (S&D); the Climate Social Fund by the Maltese David Casa (EPP) and the Dutch Esther de Lange (EPP); and the revision of the ETS for aviation by the Croatian Sunčana Glavak (EPP). Voting is scheduled for the following three days.
Tuesday 18 April 2023. The Energy Working Party will work on the Electricity Market Design dossier specifically on demand-side provisions and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Contracts for Difference (CfDs).
Wednesday 19 April 2023. The Parliament will vote on methods and procedures for the provision of ETS-based own resources, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and reallocated profits, as well as measures to meet cash needs, the rapporteurs being the Portuguese José Manuel Fernandes (EPP) and the French Valérie Hayer (Renew).
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
Tuesday 18 April and Wednesday 19 April 2023. An informal meeting of Environment Ministers will be held in Stockholm. The meeting will begin on April 18 with three working sessions for ministers and business representatives. On April 19, the meeting will continue with a study tour that will include test drives of heavy electric and other electric vehicles, followed by a working lunch on achieving a circular economy for plastics.
