Top of the agenda
Towards the vote in the Netherlands – On Wednesday 29 October, voters in the Netherlands will return to the polls after the collapse of the incumbent government led by Dick Schoof – a coalition of four parties from the centre-right to the far right – overwhelmed by internal tensions over the management of migration. It is no coincidence that stricter migration policies appear among the priorities of the electoral campaign, in addition to the lack of housing and healthcare.
Contenders and post-vote unknowns – With a proportional system fragmenting Parliament, the formation of the future government will most likely require long negotiations between at least four parties. After the first government experience of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) chaired by Geert Wilders, who took his anti-immigration positions even further to the extreme, several center parties are currently ruling out future post-vote alliances.
The polls – The PVV is leading the polls with 20% of voting intentions, down compared to the results of the 2023 elections. All the parties that supported the outgoing government seem to have lost consensus: the liberals of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) at 10%, the centre-right New Social Contract (NSC) could be excluded from Parliament and the Civic-Peasant Movement (BBB) to 2%. Both of the major political forces currently in opposition are tied at 16%, namely the centre-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the Green Left-Labour Party coalition led by the former vice-president of the European Commission Frans Timmermans.
Eyes open in Brussels – The vote in the Netherlands will be followed with particular attention in Brussels, because it could radically change the way the country will position itself at a European level. On the one hand, a strengthening of the far right – for example through a government this time led directly by Wilders – could harden the Dutch line on migration, the common budget and the green transition, strengthening the Conservative and Patriot front within the Council. On the other hand, a return to government by progressive forces – from the center right to the greens – could reverse the trend of recent years on the same issues in a key member state within the Union.
Other issues on the table
Von der Leyen among the Nordics – The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is expected in Sweden between Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 October, to participate for the first time ever in a meeting of the Nordic Council (official body of interparliamentary cooperation between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the autonomous regions of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland). Von der Leyen’s visit aims to stimulate discussion between the European Union and the region’s leaders – only Denmark, Finland and Sweden are also EU members – on topics such as competitiveness, defense preparedness and the Arctic.
Tunis to Brussels – The EU-Tunisia Association Council, the high-level summit between Brussels and Tunis which turns 30 this year, is scheduled for Tuesday 28 October. The appointment will be an opportunity for the informal presentation to the North African partner of the new Pact for the Mediterranean, presented last 16 October by the European Commission, which aims to strengthen relations with the countries of the southern shore of the Mediterranean through bilateral agreements in the economic, energy, educational and migration fields.
Word to the ECB – On Thursday 30th the European Central Bank will hold its press conference on the monetary policy of the Eurozone in Florence, at the end of the Governing Council meeting hosted by Bank of Italy. The deposit rate should be confirmed at 2%, a level which according to Bloomberg forecasts should remain unchanged at least until 2027.
Inflation – On Friday 31 October Eurostat will publish data on inflation for October in the European Union. The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) will do the same specifically for France.
Against the Italian centers in Albania – A demonstration is expected for Saturday 1 November in Shëngjin (Albania) against the detention centers for migrant people built by Italy in the framework of the protocol signed between Rome and Tirana in 2023.
The return of agriculture – The Agriculture and Fisheries Council returns to Luxembourg on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 October, which will have to begin discussing the European Commission’s proposal on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027, i.e. within the next EU budget. The discussions will also cover the market situation, in particular with the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Fish and tuna – At the same Agriculture and Fisheries Council on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 October, the 27 ministers will discuss fishing opportunities for next year in the Baltic Sea, with the aim of reaching a political agreement. Fisheries policy makers will also hold an exchange of views ahead of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
From the European Parliament
In India – The delegation of the Committee on International Trade (Inta) will travel to New Delhi between Monday 27 and Wednesday 29 October to discuss trade, economic and investment relations in the midst of negotiations between the European Union and India. The seven-member delegation will be led by the Spanish socialist Cristina Maestre, permanent rapporteur of the Inta commission for India, and by Brando Benifei (Democratic Party), S&D coordinator. Among the meetings planned, there is also one with the Federation of European Companies in India and the Confederation of Indian Industry.
In Brazil – A delegation of members of the Agriculture and Rural Development (Agri) Committee will travel to Brazil from Monday 27 to Thursday 30 October to discuss the agricultural aspects of the trade agreement with Mercosur together with ministers and representatives of the federal and state governments. Members of the delegation will also visit Brazilian farmers, meat processing companies and research centers, to learn more about local aspects of the country’s agricultural and food production.
In the United States – Seven members of the Subcommittee on Fiscal Affairs (FISC) will be in Washington and New York between Monday 27 and Wednesday 29 October to meet with representatives of the Council of Economic Advisers, the US Department of the Treasury, Congress and the United Nations, as well as private sector stakeholders, experts and civil society. The delegation will be led by the president of the subcommittee, Pasquale Tridico (5 Star Movement).
In Armenia – Between Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 October, the twelfth Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, the interparliamentary forum between members of the European Parliament and those of the national parliaments of the Eastern Neighborhood (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), will be held in Yerevan, Armenia. During the session, the impact of regional and global crises on security and democratic principles in the region will be examined in particular.
In Poland – A delegation from the Committee on Regional Development (Regi) will travel to north-eastern Poland from Monday 27 to Thursday 30 October to discuss with local and regional authorities the current needs and priorities of the EU’s eastern border regions. The deputies will visit border control posts in Sławatycze and Terespol, some infrastructure projects and the Bialystok University of Technology.
In Gorizia-Nova Gorica – A delegation of three members of the Committee for Culture and Education (Cult) will visit the cities of Nova Gorica and Gorizia from Monday 27 to Wednesday 29 October, as part of the European Capital of Culture GO!2025 Nova Gorica-Gorizia, the first ever shared between two cities and two countries.
Royal corner
There newsletter which every two weeks tells you the most important news regarding the European Union’s regional and cohesion policy
The reform of the European Union’s Cohesion Policy came under the crossfire in Brussels, with the proposal to further centralize the management of funds, and to merge them with agricultural ones, which was harshly criticized by local institutions but also by MEPs from various groups. The Commissioner for Cohesion, Raffaele Fitto, has opened up to the possibility of modifying the intervention desired by President Ursula von der Leyen in her proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 (the EU’s seven-year budget), to try to keep the dialogue open.
The deputies against the reform – In a joint meeting on 16 October, members of the Coter commission of the Committee of the Regions and the Regional Development Commission (Regi) of the European Parliament expressed their concerns about the Commission’s proposals for the future financing of cohesion. Members of the two commissions expressed their concerns regarding the nationalization of cohesion policy, arguing that regions will be excluded from the planning and management of territorial investments without clear allocations for specific categories.
No to merging – MEPs also underlined the need for a well-funded cohesion policy that does not trigger competition, for example, between mayors and farmers, as could result from the merging of regional and agricultural resources. “The proposed model of national and regional partnership plans (NRPs) would radically change the organization of cohesion policy funds. I have concerns about this model and today’s meeting confirms that they are widely shared by European citizens, regions and cities,” said Romanian socialist Dragoş Benea, president of the Regi commission after the meeting.
Fitto is open to changes – Speaking at the meeting Fitto highlighted the regional aspect of the national and regional plans model and stated that cohesion policy funding will remain under shared management and characterized by a place-based approach. The Italian Vice President has shown himself to be open to dialogue to improve current proposals in the legislative process to ensure the future prospects of cohesion policy. Pressured by deputies, the commissioner said he was “open” to discussing it to ultimately find a compromise acceptable to all.
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