Next, the European newsletter Today that every Sunday morning tells you what will happen in the European week to come, edited by Alfonso Bianchi (for comments, suggestions or criticisms write to [email protected]).
At the top of the agenda
Leader in retreat – Like a football club, EU leaders will go to retreat to refine team work. On Monday 3 February, the first of the new meetings wanted by the European Prime Minister Antonio Costa will be held at the Palazzo D’Egmont in Brussels. It is an innovation introduced by the Portuguese socialist, unofficial meetings that are designed to allow the heads of state and the government to discuss important issues without the pressure of necessarily having to make decisions or elaborate conclusions.
Work on defense – And the team apparently needs to improve his defense, to protect himself from the incursions of the opponents (or rather of the enemies of course). The first withdrawal will therefore be dedicated entirely to the issue of security, with leaders who must better define the abilities of their armies, understand how to spend more and better and how to manage existing partnerships. Europe “must become more resilient, more efficient, more autonomous and a more reliable actor in the field of security and defense”, asked Costa.
Hand to the wallet – The most thorny question will be (as always) where you can take the money for investments, especially the common ones. And as usual the ‘frugal’ countries do not want to hear about new tools such as common funds or Eurobonds. Others, like Italy, ask instead to slide investments in arms from the stability pact. Our country and another 18 have also asked for a “more incisive” role of the European investment bank and to remove weapons from the activities excluded from loans.
Ue and born, who does what – The meeting was invited to the meeting (for lunch) the secretary of NATO, Mark Rutte, who returns among the twenty -seven with which he participated in countless advice when he was the Dutch premier. The defense of Europe is actually entrusted to NATO given that only four Member States (Austria, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta) are not part of the alliance, being neutral. So you have to understand who does what and those who decide what, especially as regards common military skills.
The UK is back – Another invited will be the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (for dinner), with the United Kingdom who will return to the assembly of the twenty -seven (once twenty -eight) five years after Brexit. With him he will discuss a pact on the defense between Brussels and London. But here too the matter is complicated. “Safety is only one of the many areas concerning the new relationships between the United Kingdom and the EU, together with energy, fishing rights, migrants and so on. And they are all connected to each other in a single package”, he warned a high diplomat European.
Other hot themes
The risks of e-commerce – Many articles that enter the EU are defective or do not respect European security standards. Most come from China and arrive through online sales platforms. To counteract the phenomenon on Wednesday 5, the vice -president of the Commission, Henna Virkkunen, will present a communication from the Community executive.
Day of truth for Bayrou – In France the government of François Bayrou is facing the decisive challenge for survival. Thursday 6 there should be Parliament’s final vote on the budget that the purpose of bringing the public deficit to 5.4%. Approval is essential to restore the trust of investors and guarantee the survival of the executive. On Monday 3 Bayrou could use an article of the Constitution that allows him to approve the text without voting, but he will then have to undergo a vote of trust.
Bye bye Russia – Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania should detach themselves from the Russian and Belarusian electrical network, to which they have been linked since the times of the Soviet Union, and connect to the Network of continental Europe on Saturday 8 February. This move aims to strengthen energy safety and independence from Moscow. If on the one hand it is an important step towards energy independence, on the other it has raised concerns about potential sabotage to the electricity grid.
Mega, Make Europe Great Again! – The patriots for the Europe of Viktor Orbán, Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini will meet in Spain, in Madrid, for a summit of the radical right of the continent on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 February. To preside over the meeting, which will aim to outline the strategy for the next few months, will be the landlord: the leader of Vox Santiago Abascal. There will also be the party for the freedom of the Dutchman Geert Wilders, the Austrian freedom party and Chega’s Portuguese.
EU Parliament
The shield of democracy – Monday 3 will be held the constitutive meeting of the new Special Commission of Parliament which has the high -sounding name of the shield of democracy. The body will aim to work to strengthen the protection of European institutions and citizens against disinformation, IT attacks, malicious use of artificial intelligence and foreign influence in politics and economics. The French Liberal Nathalie Loiseau should be elected as president.
The priorities of Poland – The ministers of Poland, a country with the presidency on duty of the EU, will continue to present their priorities for the semester to the parliamentary commissions. Thursday 6 will be in the hearing in that for civil freedoms, justice and internal affairs, and in that for the environment, climate and food security.
DDL Security – Tuesday 4 February, the deputies of the Verdi and left alliance host the representatives of the “National Network No DDL Security – at full speed” for a moment of assembly of comparison on those who believe to be the dangers of the new law of the Meloni government. “There is a risk of an authoritarian turning point”, say Cristina Guardo, Mimmo Lucano, Ignazio Marino, Leoluca Orlando, Benedetta Scuderi and Ilaria Salis.
Tax the Rich! – Tuesday 4 The S&D group together with the Foundation for European progressive studies (FEPS) organizes the Capital and Wealth Taxation Seminar in the EU which aims to highlight the need to introduce taxes on heritage and minimum taxation on capital income. Here the program
Strategic dialogue on agriculture – Wednesday 5 The Liberal Renew Europe group organizes a debate to the European Parliament on strategic dialogue on agriculture launched by the Commission in January 2024. Deputies, experts, NGOs and interested parties will be attended in the meeting. Here the program.
Safeguard European culture – From Tuesday to Friday, ECR MEPs will meet in Paris for a conference in which political leaders, politics and scholars experts for a debate on how European traditions and culture will be able to be safeguarded and strengthened in the face of the growing political challenges and social.
EU Council
Competitiveness and trade – Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 in Warsaw joint informal meeting of the ministers of competitiveness and trade. The twenty -seven will evaluate the current tools in support of global EU competitiveness and the industrial ecosystem of the blockade. They will also discuss how to better connect commercial and industrial policy, increase the resilience of the single market and develop a common approach with external partners.
