Press release – Opening of October I plenary session

President Sassoli expressed his condolences to the family of Jacques Chirac, calling him a great European who always worked for peace, tolerance and democracy.

Recalling those who lost their lives in a shipwreck close to Lampedusa, President Sassoli said tangible measures were needed to bring an end to the deaths in the Mediterranean sea.

The President expressed his condolences to the people of Halle, adding that his thoughts are with the families of the victims.

Changes to the agenda

Wednesday

The debate on the MFF is moved to Thursday morning, as the first item and replaced by the debate on “Greening the European Investment Bank” as the first item, moved from Thursday.

Additional debates:

• Council and Commission statements on “Preventing conflicts of interests in the EU institutions”

• A debate on “US tariffs on European goods following WTO’s decision on the Airbus dispute”

• A statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the “Situation in Northern Syria”

• A Commission statement on “Authorisation of GMOs”

• A Commission statement on the “Fight against cancer” will come as the last item, before the One-minute speeches. The debate is to be wound up with a resolution, to be put to the vote at a future part session.

As a consequence, the sitting is extended until 23:00.

Thursday

The Council and Commission statements on the “Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and own resources: time to meet citizens’ expectations” are moved to Thursday morning, as the first item;

The report on “Economic policies of the euro area 2019”, which was rejected in committee, is removed from the agenda.

Furthermore, 5 objections pursuant to Rule 112 were adopted by the ENVI committee and will be added directly to the votes:

• Active substances, including flumioxazine
• Active substances, including chlorotoluron
• Genetically modified maize MZHG0JG (SYN-ØØØJG-2)
• Genetically modified soybean A2704-12 (ACS-GMØØ5-3)
• Genetically modified maize MON 89034 × 1507 × MON 88017 × 59122 × DAS-40278-9 and genetically modified maize combining two, three or four of the single events MON 89034, 1507, MON 88017, 59122 and DAS-40278-9

Requests by committees to start negotiations with Council and Commission

Decisions by several committees to enter into inter-institutional negotiations (Rule 69c) are published on the plenary website.

If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made by midnight on Wednesday, the committees may start negotiations.