Remarks by President Charles Michel to the press after his visit of the Westerwelle Startup Haus in Kigali, Rwanda

I’m very pleased with the opportunity to visit this centre: it’s a great project. And it’s very important for the European Union to cooperate with Africa in general, and with Rwanda in particular, to develop this difficult ambition.

We think in Europe that climate change and digital ambition are the two top priorities. We would also like to develop our alliance between Africa and the European Union.

This is a very concrete project, a very interesting and useful space to make networks possible. We have decided to invest to develop the same kinds of projects in other cities, not only in Kigali, but in other cities in Rwanda.

We will cooperate closely with the Rwandan authorities to ensure that we can develop and strengthen this very strong digital ambition.

COVID-19 is a big challenge for the world. We won’t be safe until everyone is safe. That’s why it’s a top priority for the European Union to work with our partners in Africa, and in Rwanda. And I was very pleased that, on behalf of the European Union, we support these Covax facilities and this Covax programme. Through this programme, which is now effective, we are able to deliver the doses, and we are working to make sure that we can administer the vaccines. And also effective support yesterday with the visit to a health centre in Rwanda, which was very impressive, because we could observe there is a strong commitment to make sure that we are able to implement the vaccination campaign, which is a key for the future.

The next weeks and the next months will be very important, and we intend at European level to continue all our efforts with all our partners, to make sure that with the vaccines we are able to defeat COVID-19. And it is important at economic level because this crisis also has economic and social consequences. That’s why it is very important to make sure that we are able to return to a normal life as soon as possible, and a more normal economic activity, to provide goals, economic development, innovation, and to improve the social situation everywhere.




Weekly schedule of President Charles Michel

Sunday 7 March 2021
Rwanda
Visit to the Mayange Health Center, in the Bugesera District
Meeting with President Paul Kagame and with Secretary General of Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo

Monday 8 March 2021
Kigali, Rwanda
Wreath laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial
Visit of the Westerwelle Startup Haus

Tuesday 9 March 2021
Nairobi, Kenya
Meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta
Visit of the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC)

Wednesday 10 March 2021
12.30 Meeting with High Representative Josep Borrell

Thursday 11 March 2021
14.00 Meeting with Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni
16.00 Video conference with inter-institutional actors
19.30 Meeting with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković

Friday 12 March 2021
12.30 Meeting with President of the European Investment Bank Werner Hoyer




Article – Carbon leakage: prevent firms from avoiding emissions rules

Existing carbon pricing measures in the EU

Under the current emissions trading system (ETS), which provides financial incentives to cut emissions, power plants and industries need to hold a permit for each tonne of CO2 they produce. The price of those permits is driven by demand and supply. Due to the last economic crisis, demand for permits has dropped and so has their price, which is so low that it discourages companies from investing in green technologies. In order to solve this issue, the EU will reform ETS.

What the Parliament is asking for

The new mechanism should align with World Trade Organisation rules and encourage the decarbonisation of EU and non-EU industries. It will also become part of the EU’s future industrial strategy.

By 2023, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism should cover power and energy-intensive industrial sectors, which represent 94% of the EU’s industrial emissions and still receive substantial free allocations, according to MEPs.

They said that it should be designed with the sole aim of pursuing climate objectives and a global level playing field, and not be used as a tool to increase protectionism.

MEPs also support the European Commission proposal to use the revenues generated by the mechanism as new own resources for the EU’s budget, and ask the Commission to ensure full transparency about the use of those revenues.

The Commission is expected to present its proposal on the new mechanism in the second quarter of 2021.

Learn more about the EU’s responses to climate change




Position Limits

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Press release – EP TODAY

Press briefing on plenary session at 15.30

Parliament’s and political groups’ spokespersons will hold a press briefing on this week’s plenary session at 15.30. More information here. LINK

There will be live coverage of debates and votes on Parliament’s webstreaming and on EbS+.

For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter.

All information regarding plenary, including speakers’ lists, can be found here.

David Sassoli, Ursula von der Leyen, Jacinda Ardern and Kamala Harris to mark International Women’s Day Celebration

EP President Sassoli, Commission President von der Leyen, Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and US Vice-President Kamala Harris (the two latter via pre-recorded video message) will address MEPs during Parliament’s International Women’s Day celebration at 17.00.

At 11.00, Women’s Rights Committee Chair Evelyn Regner (S&D, Austria) will be live on Facebook to answer citizens’ questions about the current state of play on gender equality in the EU, and at 12.00, she will have a live Instagram exchange with Polish top model and activist Anja Rubik.

 

Nicolas DELALEU
(+32) 471 95 35 11
EP_GenderEqual

 

Opening of the session

 

EP President David Sassoli will open the plenary session at around 17.30, after the International Women’s Day Celebration.

Carbon levy to raise global climate ambition

At around 17.30, Parliament will debate with Commissioner Gentiloni how to raise global climate ambition and prevent EU production from being moved to non-EU countries that have less strict greenhouse gas emissions rules (‘carbon leakage’). A carbon levy would be placed on imports of certain goods from outside the EU, if they come from countries that are not climate ambitious enough. The vote will take place on Wednesday.

 

Thomas HAAHR
(+32) 470 88 09 87

EP_Environment

Hold companies accountable for the harm they cause to people and planet

MEPs are expected to call for binding EU rules that set the standard for responsible business conduct and hold companies accountable and liable when they harm – or contribute to harming – human rights, the environment and good governance, in a debate with Commissioner Reynders from around 18.45. The vote will take place on Wednesday.

 

Yasmina YAKIMOVA
(+32) 498 98 13 45
EP_Legal

In brief:

 

Better cooperation between national authorities on taxation of digital trading. MEPs will comment, from around 18.15, on new EU rules requiring member states to automatically exchange information on income generated by sellers on digital platforms. The vote will take place on Wednesday.

Equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Parliament will discuss a report calling for better workplace facilities and equal working conditions for persons with disabilities. The vote is scheduled for Wednesday.

.

Votes

Between 18.30 and 19.45, MEPs will vote on, among other things

 

  • the request to waive the immunity of Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó, Antoni Comín i Oliveres, Clara Ponsatí Obiols, Valter Flego and Nuno Melo.

The results will be announced on Tuesday morning at 9.00.