After the summer break, the EU institutional agenda is fully back in motion. This week, activity in the European Parliament will focus mainly on committee work, with key items in ITRE and IMCO on innovation, digital networks, the Digital Omnibus and medical devices. On the European Commission side, several initiatives are expected, including the European Innovation Act, the Affordable Housing Act, the Public Procurement Act and the package for the outermost regions. The Council will also meet in Dublin for the informal meeting of Agriculture ministers.
DIGITAL
Wednesday 9 September. The European Commission is expected to present the European Innovation Act, under the responsibility of Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné. The initiative is expected to help strengthen Europe’s innovation ecosystem and turn the EU’s technological capabilities into industrial leadership.
Thursday 10 September. In the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), MEPs will hold an exchange of views with Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva on “Transforming European innovation into industrial leadership”. In the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), Andreas Schwab (EPP–Germany), Chair of the Digital Markets Act implementation working group, will report back to the committee on the state of play of DMA implementation. Also in IMCO, work will continue on the Digital Networks Act, which aims to update the EU framework on connectivity, electronic communications and radio spectrum, with Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew–France) as rapporteur for the opinion and Michał Kobosko (Renew–Poland) leading the file in ITRE. IMCO will also discuss the Digital Omnibus, aimed at simplifying the EU digital legislative framework through amendments to several acts, including the GDPR, ePrivacy, Data Act, NIS2 and CER. The rapporteur for the opinion is Alex Agius Saliba (S&D–Malta), while the file is led jointly by ITRE and LIBE with Aura Salla (EPP–Finland) and Marina Kaljurand (S&D–Estonia) as rapporteurs.
SUSTAINABILITY
Monday 7 – Tuesday 8 September (Dublin). The informal meeting of EU Agriculture ministers will take place, chaired by Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon. The meeting will bring together ministers, European Commission representatives and senior officials to discuss the future of European agriculture, with a specific focus on the role of livestock. The exchange will address how livestock and food production can remain sustainable, competitive and resilient, while supporting food security, generational renewal and rural communities.
HEALTH
Thursday 10 September. In IMCO, MEPs will discuss the file on simplifying and reducing regulatory burdens for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The proposal amends Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and 2017/746, as well as provisions related to the role of the European Medicines Agency and the link with EU artificial intelligence legislation. The rapporteur for the opinion is Maria Guzenina (S&D–Finland), while the file is led by the Committee on Public Health (SANT), with Oliver Schenk (EPP–Germany) as rapporteur.
OTHER EVENTS
Wednesday 9 September. The European Commission is expected to present the Affordable Housing Act, under the responsibility of Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera Rodríguez. The initiative is expected to address housing affordability amid growing pressure on housing costs in several Member States. On the same day, the Commission is also expected to present the Public Procurement Act, under the responsibility of EVP Stéphane Séjourné, with the aim of updating the EU public procurement framework and strengthening its contribution to competitiveness and industrial policy objectives. The package for the outermost regions is also expected, under the responsibility of Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto, with the aim of strengthening support for the EU’s outermost regions, taking into account their specific geographical, economic and social characteristics.
