The first week of December in Brussels will be marked by major political initiatives: the European Commission will present several proposals, among which the Environmental Omnibus and the Economic Security Package stand out. The European Parliament — through the ITRE and SANT committees — will address key issues for energy policy and the regulation of medicinal products. Finally, the EPSCO Council will be called upon to approve its position on the proposed regulation on the Critical Medicines Act, a decisive measure to strengthen the EU’s sovereignty in the pharmaceutical sector.
DIGITAL
Wednesday, 3 December. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) will hold a structured dialogue with Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, dedicated to the new Digital Package presented by the European Commission on 19 November.
SUSTAINABILITY
Wednesday, 3 December. Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera and Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis will present the proposal for the Environmental Omnibus. The package aims to simplify administrative burdens by bringing together various measures of EU environmental legislation to identify those that can be streamlined without compromising the EU’s environmental objectives or the protection of health.
On the same day, ITRE will vote on the legislative opinion and amendments related to the European Commission’s proposal to address the negative effects on trade arising from global overcapacity in the Union’s steel market.
Also in ITRE, rapporteurs Inese Vaidere (EPP) and Ville Niinistö (GREENS) will present an update on the negotiations on the proposal to phase out imports of Russian natural gas and to monitor energy dependencies.
In the same committee, there will also be an exchange of views with the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) on the annual programming and the market monitoring report.
HEALTH
Monday, 1 December. In the Committee on Public Health (SANT), the results of the European Parliament’s public consultation on rare diseases will be presented, followed by an exchange of views on the topic.
Tuesday, 2 December. The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council will meet in its Health configuration and will be called on to vote on the position on the proposed regulation on the Critical Medicines Act. This measure introduces strategic projects for critical medicines through facilitated financing and accelerated procedures, and strengthens public and joint procurement to improve the resilience of supply chains.
On the same day, the SANT committee will hold electronic votes on the dossier concerning biotechnology and life sciences applied to public health, under the responsibility of rapporteur Margarita de la Pisa Carrión (PfE).
Later the same day, the committee will examine the dossier on the Union Code on Medicinal Products for Human Use, presented by Dolors Montserrat (EPP), together with an update on negotiations on the new Union procedure for the authorisation and monitoring of medicinal products, on which Tiemo Wölken (S&D) will provide a report.
OTHER EVENTS
Monday, 1 December. The Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) will discuss EU military support to Ukraine, following an informal exchange of views with Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, and Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General, also addressing European defence readiness.
Wednesday, 3 December. Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, will present the European Economic Security Package. The package consists of the European Economic Security Doctrine and the ResourceEU Plan, measures aimed at reducing the EU’s strategic dependencies on critical raw materials and strengthening Europe’s economic and industrial security.
On the same day, Vice-President Virkkunen will present the EU Drugs Strategy and European Action Plan against Drug Trafficking.
Finally, Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, will outline the EU Agenda for Cities, while Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Work and Preparedness Ana Minzatu will present the Quality Jobs Roadmap.
