Article – Coming up: German Council presidency, health strategy, road transport

Plenary session

Ahead of the EU summit on 17 July, MEPs will make their stance clear on the EU’s budget for 2021-2027 and the recovery plan in a debate with European Council president Charles Michel and Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday.

Germany took over Council presidency under the motto “Together for Europe’s recovery” on 1 July and Chancellor Merkel will be in plenary on Wednesday to debate her country’s strategy and goals over the next six months, notably Europe’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Parliament called for a stand-alone European health programme in May, which led to the creation of EU4Health. MEPs will discuss the shortcomings in public health policies revealed by the Covid-19 crisis and how to be better prepared for future challenges.

New rules to improve working conditions for lorry drivers will be on the agenda on Wednesday.

To help achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the Green Deal, MEPs are set to call for better storage solutions for renewables and an update of guidelines for funding of energy projects.

Committees

On Monday the regional development committee will vote on setting upthe Just Transition Fund, one of the main sources of financing the transition to a green economy.

The following day the legal affairs committee will vote on new rules for collective redress to allow EU consumers who have experienced the same problem to sue a company as a group, irrespective of where they live.

Ideas for a new world

On Monday, Parliament President David Sassoli will launch a series of dialogues with philosophers, cultural personalities, representatives from civil societies and others. He will welcome French philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin and Italian writer, essayist and screenwriter Roberto Saviano to discuss: Europe, changing the paradigm.