The Commissioner presents the new Gender Equality Strategy and progress on the Disability Rights Strategy, EU disability and parking cards and care initiatives, followed by an initial Q&A where MEPs press for stronger ambition on UN CRPD implementation, funding for independent living, and defence of the Pay Transparency Directive against political pushback and perceived ideological or bureaucratic excesses.
Chair opens the extraordinary Budgets Committee meeting, confirms adoption of the agenda in the absence of objections, notes interpretation arrangements, and deems the minutes of the 8 April meeting approved.
MEPs and the Commission examine OLAF and EPPO findings, RRF controls and rule‑of‑law conditionality to protect the EU budget, then turn to financial literacy and regulation of ‘finfluencers’ with proposals for lifelong education, clearer disclosures and safeguards against hidden advertising, conflicts of interest and online scams.
The Chair formally opens the extraordinary EMPL meeting, adopts the agenda and minutes, explains practical arrangements, and sets out the mandate and expectations for the structured dialogue with the Commissioner on gender equality and disability policies, including key files such as pay transparency, care, and disability strategies.
MEPs from EPP, S&D, Patriots/ID, Renew and Greens question the Commission on financing of European political foundations, ECI effectiveness, unfinished special procedures, the stalled treaty reform initiative, subsidiarity and Mercosur, deregulation and QMV, delayed enlargement reforms and passerelles, as well as models and timing for Ukraine’s accession and defence integration, with Šefčovič detailing ongoing evaluations, legal and political constraints, and planned pre‑enlargement review packages.
MEPs from across groups question the Commissioner on the environmental omnibus, the status and scope of the Circular Economy Act, EUDR simplification and IT readiness, Urban Wastewater EPR and pharma costs, transparency and drivers of the EUDR delay, textile circularity and industrial strategy, perceived weakening of the Water Framework Directive around mining, and the impact of recycling quotas and regulatory costs on circular economy markets and SMEs.
Commissioner Roswall introduces the structured dialogue, outlining the geopolitical and industrial context before detailing the simplification agenda, environmental omnibus, water resilience strategy and Water Framework Directive review, PFAS and REACH enforcement focus, and implementation of nature directives and the Nature Restoration Regulation.
The Chair opens the structured dialogue with Commissioner Šefčovič under the EP–Commission Framework Agreement, posing questions on revising the Better Law-Making agreement, RPS alignment, the right of inquiry and pre‑enlargement reforms, followed by the Commissioner’s comprehensive presentation of the revised framework agreement, treatment of Article 225 resolutions, inquiry right, inter‑institutional ethics body, RPS alignment strategy and forthcoming enlargement-related policy reviews.
The chair opens the extraordinary ENVI meeting, sets out agenda and legislative context, then the committee proceeds to vote on amendments and the final ENVI opinion on the Critical Raw Materials Act.
The Vice-Chair opens the extraordinary AFCO meeting, adopts the agenda and minutes, then proceeds to the targeted reform of the European Electoral Act to allow proxy voting for MEPs in late pregnancy and early motherhood, including the explanation of the special Article 223(1) TFEU procedure and formal electronic vote resulting in adoption of the AFCO recommendation for plenary.
Co‑rapporteurs, the Commission and political groups clash over establishing an EU‑wide ‘only yes means yes’ standard under Article 83 TFEU, exposing divisions on EU competence, harmonised consent‑based definitions, feminism, migration, racism and victims’ rights while proponents urge binding legislation across all Member States.
Parliament debates control of the EIB Group’s 2024 activities, with scrutiny of green‑project risks, conditionality, transparency, defence financing, external lending and SME access, as the EIB, Commission and political groups set out competing views on risk‑taking, accountability and EU added value ahead of the vote.
The President opens the sitting, adopts minutes, announces new Members and pending procedures, settles the draft agenda and handles points of order, as MEPs raise urgent concerns on Iran, hate speech, workers’ rights, hostages, access to Commission documents and Hungary’s elections.
Chair Bosse formally closes the agenda item, confirms the absence of other business, and announces the date of the next SANT committee meeting on 6 May.
The Chair and several MEPs question experts on leading member states, needed EU instruments, organizing independent patient groups and balancing clinical views with those of patients and families in R&I and care pathways.
The Chair and experts present the patient‑centred health R&I study, define the concept and its principles, review current EU‑level instruments, and detail member state case studies plus recommendations for embedding patient‑centredness through governance tools, standards, funding and capacity‑building.
The rapporteur presents the draft opinion on psychosocial risks at work, shadows call for an EU directive and address AI‑driven workloads and permanent availability, and additional members and the rapporteur discuss vulnerable workers, recruitment practices, and the need for a balanced but effective EU approach ahead of the amendment deadline.
The committee examines the draft opinion on the National and Regional Partnership Fund, with rapporteur Negrescu and shadows arguing for a dedicated health chapter and a 4% health investment target, members debating fund efficiency and impacts on farmers, and the Commission outlining the merged plans’ design and health dimension before the rapporteur’s closing and amendment deadline announcement.
Chair Bosse opens the SANT meeting, adopts the agenda and minutes, and leads the presentation and full vote on the opinion addressing gender inequalities in health, including compromises, amendments and final roll‑call adoption.
The Chair closes the structured dialogue with Commissioner Kubilius, notes there is no further business, announces the dates of the next ITRE meetings in Brussels in May, and formally adjourns the session.
MEPs raise security of jet fuel supply, scaling of sustainable aviation fuels and the need for or limits to subsidies for profitable defense firms, followed by the Commissioner’s replies on zero‑emission aviation fuels, coordination with other DGs and NATO, energy package timing, and the focus of EU funding on de‑risking investments and ramping up ammunition and defense production capacity rather than direct corporate subsidies.
After the formal end of the structured dialogue, MEPs confront Commissioner Kos over alleged links to the former Yugoslav secret police, debating her impartiality on Serbia, archive opening as possible conditionality and the balance between transparency and presumption of innocence. A Cypriot MEP then challenges the Commission on its stance toward Turkish military threats and Turkey’s EU perspective, leading Kos to clarify that member states decide on candidacies, to frame Turkey mainly as a trade/connectivity partner, and to reiterate her condemnation of threats against any EU member state and her prior vetting.
MEPs raise concerns about fair geographical distribution of defence investments, the state of the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity under the Strategic Compass, ethical and parliamentary oversight risks from AGILE’s rapid four‑month defence cycle, and specific needs of eastern border states including missile defence; Kubilius cites SME participation data, situates Rapid Deployment Capacity in the context of reduced US presence and NATO 3.0, reiterates legal and ethical funding limits, and highlights tailored support concepts for eastern flank member states.
MEPs ask how AGILE will work with Ukrainian defence innovators and foster a market‑driven new‑space economy, how to involve industry in shaping the Space Act and where to prioritise launcher support, and how to secure geospatial and cloud‑based data for military mobility; Kubilius responds on AGILE and Brave Tech EU’s links to Ukraine, the need for micro and reusable launchers and structured industry dialogue around USPA, and endorses sovereign European cloud and data‑hosting for sensitive military uses.
The rapporteur and political groups present and broadly support the Eurojust–Lebanon cooperation agreement on terrorism and serious crime, underlining data‑protection safeguards, Lebanon’s context and the strategic value of Eurojust’s third‑country network, before the Chair ends the public session and moves in camera.
MEPs and Commissioner Kos discuss enlargement as a core security investment, the need for an enlargement summit and renewed high‑level political commitment, before moving to detailed questions on Serbia, Bosnia and wider Western Balkans dynamics, foreign influence and Turkey–Cyprus tensions. Kos provides indicative timelines for several candidate countries, explains Growth Plan implementation and financial implications of accessions, and calls for reforms in Serbia, resolution of bilateral disputes and changes to unanimity rules in enlargement and CFSP.
Political group coordinators question the Commissioner on supply‑chain mapping, joint procurement and the defence procurement directive; the design, safeguards and EU‑only focus of AGILE and its link to EDF and the European Competitiveness Fund; and the role of energy security, the Middle Corridor and renewables, while the Left raises price inflation, corruption risks and audit controls for large defence firms, prompting detailed replies on regulatory incentives, eligibility rules, audit mechanisms and industry performance.
EC press point and signing ceremony by European Commissioner Ekaterina ZAHARIEVA and Australian Minister of Industry and Innovation Tim AYRES on Australia’s association to Horizon Europe
Committee on Budgetary Control Ordinary meeting CONT Committee meeting
Upcoming
Committee on European Democracy Shield (special committee) (EUDS)
Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield Ordinary meeting
Upcoming
Committee on Housing Crisis (special committee) (HOUS)
Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union Ordinary meeting
Upcoming
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)
7th Inter-Parliamentary Committee Meeting On Evaluation Of The European Union Agency For Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) Activities
Upcoming
Committee on European Democracy Shield (special committee) (EUDS)
Issues raised by bot farming and social media anonymity in elections
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