Press conference with Gianni Pittella on Tuesday at 10.10 in room LOW N-1/201.
Watch the action live : www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu
Our Priorities
▶ Wednesday 26 October
General budget of the European Union for 2017
jens.geier@ep.europa.eu
+ 33 3 88 17 5874
The Parliament will vote on its version of the EU’s budget for 2017. This comes after the proposal from the Commission and the Council. The Parliament version restores all cuts made by the Council to the Commission’s Draft Budget. We are also calling for increases in the budget, where it is necessary to tackle the different crises Europe is facing. We want to see more money spent on areas that boost European competiveness and create jobs and more money for EU agencies working on migration and asylum related tasks.
▶ Wednesday 26 october
The situation of journalists and media freedom in Turkey
kati.piri@ep.europa.eu
+ 33 3 88 17 5138
The situation of journalists and media freedom has been continuously deteriorating in Turkey. Already before the coup d’etat attempt of 15 July, media outlets and journalists were put under pressure. Following the coup attempt, the situation is even more dire: all-together 102 media organs have been closed by decree on 27 July 2016. As of 14 September 2016 there were 101 journalists detained. The debate will concentrate only on the situation of journalists and media, as other issues were discussed already in the last debate held in the September plenary.
▶ Wednesday 26 october
Situation in Northern Iraq/Mosul
victor.bostinaru@ep.europa.eu
+ 33 3 88175832
Mosul is a symbol and retaking it from the so-called Islamic state will be a major victory. As this may be a long fight our main priority is to protect civilians. We have to ensure that they will not remain trapped in Mosul, under heavy gunfire and bomb attacks and that they are not used as human shields by Isis. We have to ensure that the military on all fronts will open humanitarian corridors for the citizens and internally displaced people fleeing the fighting.
The evidence of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by ISIS should be preserved in order to ensure the perpetrators can be held to account.
After Mosul, the ISIS scourge could be largely banished from Iraq. However, ISIS is just a symptom of the wider problems in the Middles East. Until there is political accommodation between Shias and Sunnis in Iraq and in the region and until we achieve peace in Syria, terrorism will remain.
▶ Monday 24 October
EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement
richard.howitt@ep.europa.eu
+ 33 3 88 17 5477
The report drafted by the S&D rapporteur Richard Howitt is the EP's contribution to further development of EU-Iran relations one year after the landmark nuclear agreement between the international community and Iran. The report expresses strong support for the deal as an example of a successful multilateral diplomacy and specifically for the role played by the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini, as chair of the Joint Commission tasked with overseeing the implementation of the nuclear deal.
The S&D Group was at the forefront of the EU's normalisation of relations with Iran. In line with this approach, the S&D Group supports the leading role Mogherini has taken in overseeing the implementation of the deal, as well as trust-building and expanding relations in areas of mutual interest. At the same time, the S&D Group emphasises the need for Iran to live up to its international commitments on human rights and, in particular, drastically reduce the number of executions and release all political prisoners.
