Next, the Europa Today newsletter that every Sunday morning tells you what will happen in the coming European week, edited by Alfonso Bianchi (for comments, suggestions or criticisms write to [email protected]).
Top of the agenda
The day of reckoning – The day of reckoning has arrived for the new Commission. The Conference of Presidents will meet in the EU Parliament on Wednesday 20 November, which will have to decide whether or not to give the green light to the 26 members of Ursula von der Leyen’s new executive. 19 out of 26 members of the team have already received the OK, but the situation is at a standstill regarding the six vice-presidents, including the Italian Raffaele Fitto, and the Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi.
‘Deforested’ majority – The problem is that the popular, socialist and liberal majority split even before the executive took office. The situation is exacerbated by the vote on a regulation of the Green Deal, the one to combat ‘imported deforestation’, to undermine which the People’s Party have allied themselves with the radical right of the Chamber, betraying socialists and liberals, who are now crying scandal.
All against all – In Brussels it is a free-for-all, with liberals and socialists (and Greens) threatening to reject the conservative Fitto if they do not receive guarantees that such a betrayal will never happen again. The People’s Party in turn threaten to shoot the Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera if the Italian does not pass. The most likely solution to overcome the impasse is for socialists and liberals to ultimately choose to bite the bullet, postponing the showdown. If the green light is given, Strasbourg will then vote on confidence on 27 November.
Other hot topics
A thousand days of war in Ukraine – On Tuesday 19 November, exactly one thousand days will have passed since Vladimir Putin’s Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. For the occasion and to reiterate Europe’s support for Kiev, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to speak via video in an extraordinary plenary session of the European Parliament.
Supporting Kiev in the Trump era – Support for Ukraine in the Trump era will be at the center of the EU Defense Council on Tuesday 19th. The Ukrainian Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, Zelenskyy’s advisor for strategic affairs, Alexander Kamyshin, and the new Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte. If Trump were to suspend military support for the country, “the EU will double its support”, explained a European diplomatic source.
Chinese drones – The Foreign Ministers of the Twenty-Seven will also discuss the suspicion that a Chinese company is supplying war drones, or in any case materials to build them, to Russia. “At the moment we don’t have the name of the company or sufficient evidence, but we are investigating, and we have discussed the matter with the Chinese ambassador, who sometimes gave us answers and sometimes not,” explains the source.
UNRWA and human rights in Palestine – The High Representative will update ministers on a legal assessment of Israel’s respect for human rights and international law in Palestine. The Council will also discuss the EU’s support for UNRWA following the Knesset’s adoption of a law banning the activities of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees.
Arming Ukrainians with Russian money – Ukraine will also be discussed at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 18th which will be preceded by a speech by the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, via videoconference. The ministers will discuss the use of the second tranche of the so-called profits from frozen Russian assets which are aimed at being used to buy weapons for the Ukrainians or to support the country’s reconstruction.
EU Parliament
Georgia and enlargement – Monday 18th in the Foreign Affairs Committee, debate on the situation in Georgia after the disputed national elections. Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi will present the 2024 enlargement package, in which the freezing of Tbilisi’s accession process was established.
Money for floods – On Thursday 21st the Budget Committee of the House will approve the mobilization of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany and Italy in relation to this year’s floods.
Priorities of the Hungarian Presidency – The Hungarian Minister of Finance Mihály Varga and Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó will discuss on Monday 18th and Wednesday 20th respectively with the deputies of the Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industry, Research and Energy commissions, Hungary’s priorities for the presidency of turn of the Council.
Cop29 – A delegation from the Environment Committee, led by President Lídia Pereira and Vice-President Mohammed Chaim will be in Baku, Azerbaijan, between 18 and 22 November to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference Cop29. MEPs will meet ministers, parliamentarians, civil society representatives, leaders of international climate organizations and other delegates.
Aviation safety – Monday 18th in the Transport Committee, hearing with Florian Guillermet, the executive director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa)
Collected – On the same day in the Agriculture Committee, exchange with the European Commission on the market situation and the harvest.
EU Council
Farmers’ markets – Monday 18th meeting of the EU Agriculture Council. Based on information provided by the European Commission and the Member States, the ministers of the Twenty-Seven will discuss the situation of the agricultural and raw materials markets. Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitalii Koval is expected to join the discussion.
Trade with the USA – On Thursday 21 November the Foreign Affairs Council, in its “Trade” configuration, will exchange views on the future of the EU’s trade policy, followed by a discussion on the state of play of trade relations with the United States. A working lunch focused on the reform of the World Trade Organization is also planned.
Rule of law in Hungary – Tuesday 19th meeting of the EU General Affairs Council. Ministers will start preparations for the European Council in December and then deal with the annual dialogue on the rule of law and the Article 7 procedure relating to Hungary, which would, if approved, lead to the suspension of the voting rights of Budapest precisely because of the accusations of violation of the rule of law.
Other events
The alliance against hunger – G20 leaders meet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th for their annual summit. Lula’s government has made the fight against world hunger and climate change a priority. Brasilia launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty whose goal is to lift 500 million people out of poverty. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, will also be there.
