Following up on the meeting on 22 May between Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Parliament’s political leadership, MEPs will on Monday hold another public hearing to look into how to ensure data protection and prevent the illegal use of data.
On the same day, the civil liberties committee will vote on whether to propose to EU ministers to activate the Article 7 mechanism against Hungary due to a risk of a serious breach of EU values. Article 7 of the EU Treaty outlines a procedure to enforce EU values. It can go as far as imposing sanctions, including the loss of voting rights. It has never been used.
The civil libertiess committee will also ask on Monday for further clarifications on the application of the facilitation directive. The directive foresees sanctions for those assisting people with irregular entry or irregular residence in the EU. The committee wants to ensure that acts of humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers and migrants are not criminalised.
The challenges for European heritage will be debated in a conference titled “Cultural heritage in Europe: linking past and future”. The conference takes place on Tuesday at 14.00-19.00 CET from and will be opened by Parliament President Antonio Tajani and Tibor Navracsics, the European commissioner for education, culture, youth and port. Watch the conference live online here.
A regular meeting between the EU institutions and European churches, religious associations and non-confessional organisations continues Tuesday under the patronage of First Vice-President Mairead McGuinness. This time, the inter-religious dialogue will focus on the role of churches and religions in implementing the European Social Pillar. Follow it live online here Tuesday at 15.00-18.00 CET.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the EU-Eastern Neighbourhood Parliamentary Assembly (Euronest PA) will meet in Brussels to discuss among other things regional security, foreign direct investment and fighting corruption with the Eastern partners Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Tajani, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and MEP Rebecca Harms, the Euronest co-president, will deliver the opening speeches.
On Thursday Tajani will address the European Council where EU leaders discuss migration, security and defence, as well as Brexit and economic and financial affairs. The Parliament President will hold a press conference at about 16.00 CET.
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