Quote of the week by S&D Group vice-president Gaby Bischoff:
“As a public institution as well as an employer, the European Parliament has a duty to set the gold standard in tackling harassment in the workplace. Clear rules and strong sanctions must be in place to support a zero-tolerance approach towards inappropriate behaviour. Prevention is key as it enables us to address issues proactively, before they escalate. Mandatory training reinforces our commitment to a workplace where the dignity of all is respected and protected.
Despite a clear political mandate from the Parliament’s Bureau and a clear consensus reached within the working group, conservative and far-right political groups oppose the mandatory nature of this training. The European People’s Party, in particular, has resorted to delaying tactics, prolonging negotiations within the committee and casting doubt on the need to change the rules of procedure. Why EPP Members have consistently dragged their feet on mandatory training to prevent harassment in the European Parliament is for them to explain.”
Upcoming events
On 6 April, S&D President Iratxe García will join Social Democrat leaders in Bucharest for the event “We stand together – for our Europe”. The group leader will deliver a keynote speech alongside Romanian and European leaders. Follow the live event here, starting at 16.00 CET.
The S&D Bureau and Heads of Delegation are heading to Berlin for a high-level meeting, on 8 April 2024, to meet with the SPD Bureau and government representatives. The aim of this external meeting ahead of the European elections is to discuss common priorities – for a more social and inclusive Europe – and common challenges, especially the sustainable and digital transformation and the rise of the far right both in Germany and at European level. The S&D Bureau and Heads of Delegation will meet the SPD Presidency, among them Chancellor Olaf Scholz, SPD party leaders Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, SPD secretary general Kevin Kühnert, minister Hubertus Heil and minister Klara Geywitz.
After the meeting, at 11.30, S&D Group President Iratxe García Pérez and European Parliament vice-president Katarina Barley will be available to answer questions during a press point in the Atrium of the Willy Brandt Haus.
Note to journalists – please confirm your interest by Monday, 8 April, at the latest: pressestelle@spd.de.
Accreditation will take place on the spot with a valid ID and press card.
On Tuesday, 9 April, we will be assessing the impact of EU sanctions against Russia and their circumvention. EU Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis and a series of experts on sanctions will join our event, scheduled from 17:30 to 19:30. Our MEPs Miapetra Kumpula Natri, Marek Belka and Bernd Lange will lead the discussion.
The full programme and registration is available here. Members of the media who would like to attend, please contact inga.czerny-grimm@ep.europa.eu.
On Wednesday, 10 April, our MEPs Udo Bullmann, Nacho Sanchez Amor, Maria Manuel Leitão Marques and Lara Wolters will be joined by specialists such as Lene Wendland – Chief of the Business and Human Rights Section, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Isabelle Schömann – European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Deputy Secretary General and Helene de Rengerve – EU Senior Advisor, Anti-Slavery International for a debate on Business and Human Rights Agenda.
More details on the event can be found here. The discussion will start at 15:30 and will be webstreamed on our site.
12 April: mark your calendars for Europe-wide Amazon Action Day. Coordinated by UNI Europa, the European Services Workers Union, our MEPs will meet Amazon workers and trade union representatives in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands to discuss how the European Union can empower workers so they can stand up to Amazon’s exploitation. We must make Amazon fully respect European rules and values!
Upcoming activities
Next week’s Plenary session in Brussels will focus on a series of important issues, including the Migration and Asylum package, allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, the pharmaceutical package and more.
On Wednesday, the final plenary vote on the Migration and Asylum package will take place. Throughout the negotiations our Group has consistently supported workable reforms to the Common European Asylum System based on clear rules with more solidarity and shared responsibility among EU member states.
Following the latest allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, only two months ahead of the upcoming EU elections, the S&D Group has called for an urgent plenary debate next week. We have long been concerned about the links between Putin’s regime, its disinformation campaigns and European extreme-right parties. We are determined to protect our democracies from those who seek to spread lies and divide us. Our democracy is not for sale!
Next Wednesday, 10 April, the European Parliament will take its position on the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, with the aim of having all EU soil ecosystems healthy by 2050. European soils are under increasing pressure, as a result of a number of urban sprawl and low land recycling rates, intensification of agriculture and climate change. 60-70% of soils are currently deemed unhealthy. Beyond mere monitoring, in the ENVI (environment, public health and food safety) committee the S&Ds successfully managed to ensure that member states do take action to improve the ecological status of soil and prevent further damage. This is key to saving biodiversity, making land more resilient in the face of extreme weather events and allowing sustainable food production.
On the same day – following a vote in the ENVI committee two weeks ago – MEPs led by the S&Ds will vote on the landmark “pharmaceutical package” in the plenary session to adopt the Parliament position on the files. Its goal is to ensure better access, availability and affordability of medicines in the Union, notably through measures to tackle shortages of medicinal products. The reform encourages innovation – especially for medical needs that have not been met – including for rare diseases, while promoting more robust environmental standards linked to the production of medicines. The revision also addresses the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and aims to stimulate the development of novel antimicrobials. Learning from the Covid-19 pandemic, the update will make the pharmaceutical system stronger for the future and better prepared in the event of crises. It will make the regulatory framework more efficient by creating an accelerated process for approving medicines, which should benefit both regulators and companies involved in making medicines.
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