Quote of the week by S&D president Udo Bullmann, reacting to Chancellor Merkel’s speech on the Future of the EU
“Which Europe does the EPP stand for? For the Europe of Konrad Adenauer and Robert Schuman? Or for the Europe of the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who rejects the UN migration compact and plays war games at the Slovenian border? Or even for the Europe of Viktor Orbán, who is against the EU, drives a university from Budapest, and restricts the freedom of the media?”
Upcoming activities
Following a busy plenary session in Strasbourg, we’re also getting ready for a week full of news and events.
As of Monday the 19th November, our vice-president on migration, Tanja Fajon, will lead a Group mission to Niger in the framework of the our constant commitment to build a new and strategic partnership with Africa. The delegation will be also joined by DEVE coordinator Norbert Neuser, the S&D AFET coordinator, Knut Fleckenstein, and the vice-president of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Juan Fernando López Aguilar. Besides the institutional meetings with the Nigerien national and local authorities, the four-day fact-finding mission aims to assess the impact of the EU Trust Fund programmes on migration and the EUCAP Sahel mission on security. In particular, the S&D delegation will visit the IOM Migration Information Office and Transit Camp in Agadez and the UNCHR Managed Transit Centre for Refugees in Niamey.
On Tuesday 20 November, a crucial vote will take place in the employment and social affairs committee on the coordination of social security systems. The report, drafted by our MEP Guillaume Balas, aims to protect your social security rights when moving within Europe.
Also on 20 November, S&Ds led by MEP Georgi Pirinski will vote on the report on establishing a European Labour Authority (ELA) to protect workers' rights. The S&Ds have been calling for a real and effective ELA that is able to enforce labour and social rights and ensures rules on labour mobility fairly.
The committee on industry, research and energy will be voting on Wednesday on the report drafted by S&D MEP Dan Nica for the next Horizon Europe. This programme determines the framework governing Union support to research and innovation activities, and it is the programme with the biggest allocation under the EU budget.
We are calling for 120 billion Euros, because it is a drive for Europe's competitiveness and innovation, and thus for quality jobs.
On Thursday, the committee on transport and the committee on industry, research and energy will be voting to renew the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) beyond 2020. This is a crucial EU programme supporting investment in the trans-European networks (TEN) in transport, energy and telecommunications. S&D MEPs Ines Ayala and Miapetra Kumpula-Natri will push for the urgent updating of networks in these sectors and to bring them in line with the sustainability goals of the EU, facilitating cross-border cooperation with regards to renewable energy, taking into account our decarbonisation commitments.
On November 22nd we will also be taking our TOGETHER debate to Copenhagen, to discuss Democracy. 25 years have passed since the Copenhagen Criteria based on the preservation of democratic values were agreed for the eligibility for EU membership.
Among our distinguished speakers is former Danish Prime Minister, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen who was in office at that time. The two panel debates at this event will focus on guaranteeing democracy in Europe today and standing up for your democracy, both with clear calls for actions from citizens.
Registrations are open and free via this link.
Follow us on Twitter for daily reactions, proposals and comments on EU and international politics!
