Support for the economy
The economy has slowed down sharply due to the coronavirus outbreak and the EU is looking into ways to get it going again. The European Commission is expected to come up with a new proposal for a bigger EU budget for 2021-2027 to support the recovery. MEPs will discuss the issue with the Commission and the Council on Wednesday and will vote on a resolution later in the week.
Finding an agreement on a multibillion-euro financial plan takes time and it is becoming more and more likely that there will be a delay before the start of the implementation of the 2021-2027 budget. MEPs will vote on a resolution on Wednesday calling on the Commission to present a contingency budget proposal by 15 June to avoid disruption for farmers, companies and organisations counting on EU funds.
Tyre labelling
Parliament will vote on new tyre labelling rules on Wednesday that will ensure consumers have the necessary information to choose fuel-efficient tyres when purchasing.
Contact tracing apps
Mobile apps could be a powerful ally in the fight against Covid-19 as they can help track people who have been in contact with an infected person. However, MEPs want to make sure they are in line with data protection rules. A plenary debate on the issue will be held on Thursday.
Hungary
The coronavirus crisis has led to new concerns about the rule of law in Hungary as the government in Budapest now has the power to rule by decree for an indefinite period of time. MEPs will discuss the situation with the Council and the Commission on Wednesday.
Water reuse
On Wednesday Parliament will vote on rules to promote the reuse of water in agricultural irrigation to help alleviate stress on water supplies.
EU budget
MEPs will vote on Wednesday on whether to approve the implementation of the EU's 2018 budget by the different institutions and agencies, in what is known as the discharge procedure.
Committees
Parliamentary committees will also meet this week to discuss a range of issues from the EU’s plans to build a circular economy based on the re-use and recycling of products and biodiversity to sustainable mobility and ethical issues around articial intelligence.
Ref.: 20200506STO78506
