Quote of the week by S&D Group president, Udo Bullmann
“The death toll in the Mediterranean is going up despite the number of people heading towards EU shores going down. EU member states and the Commission bear a joint responsibility to end this humanitarian disaster. The EU must develop rules-based solutions that provide legal certainty and organise solidarity between member states. This is our moral and legal duty under international maritime law.”
Upcoming activities
After the summer break, the European Parliament is getting back to work. Our MEPs will be faced with previously pending issues and new challenges.
To start with, on 29 August 2018, the general rapporteur for the EU budget 2019, S&D MEP Daniele Viotti, will present to the budget committee a Working Document on the European Council position. The Parliament’s resolution, voted in July, called for next year’s EU budget to focus more on young people, growth, security, fighting climate change and migration.
During the same meeting, a vote is expected on the European Commission's proposal to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund for Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, and Poland for a total amount of €33.9 million following earthquakes, flooding or storms that affected those countries in 2017.
From 29-30 August, meetings in the development committee will be dedicated to discussions and amendment votes on the development and humanitarian budget lines for the 2019 EU budget.
On Wednesday 29, in the foreign affairs committee, Nikola Dimitrov, the Foreign Minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, will take stocks in light of the upcoming referendum on 30 September 2018 on the historic agreement with Greece to rename the country “Republic of North Macedonia”.
On Thursday 30, in the civil liberties committee, S&D vice-president Tanja Fajon will put to vote a report to grant Kosovo a visa-free regime with the European Union.
Stay tuned and follow us on Twitter where we will get the latest on the migration and humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea and the situation in Hungary on the radar.
We are quickly heading towards a new set of Progressive Society Conferences. The next one is planned for the 5th of September, 15-18h, room A3G-3, European Parliament. It will bea great occasion to discuss with S&D President, Udo Bullmann, and many other key speakers, on how to change the European economic model from the growth paradigm to a sustainable development paradigm.
Last but not least, our #EuropeTogether journey will bring us to Carcassonne, France on 7 September for an open debate on the challenges of social progress today. We will have the pleasure of welcoming amongst other speakers Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Parti Socialiste, as well as renowned football player Lilian Thuram.
Info and registrations: http://www.europe-together.eu/event/fight-social-progress/
