Following Tuesday’s vote on amendments, the draft interim report will be tabled for final approval at committee level on Thursday morning, by chair Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES).

The text focuses on the functioning of the legislative and electoral system, the independence of the judiciary and the rights of judges, and the protection of fundamental rights in Poland.

MEPs are deeply concerned that the situation in Poland has seriously deteriorated since Article 7(1) was triggered, despite hearings held with the Polish government in the Council following the December 2017 European Commission proposal, multiple exchanges of views with MEPs, alarming reports by the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, and four infringements procedures launched by the Commission.

The following are among key concerns reflected in the text:

• the constitutional revision powers taken on by the parliament since 2015, the use of expedited legislative procedures, as well as recent developments pertaining to changes to the electoral law and elections organised during a public emergency;
• broad changes to the country’s judiciary, enacted during the last few years, ranging from the way appointments are made, to disciplinary procedures, posing a serious risk to judicial independence;
• the situation of fundamental rights, particularly freedom of expression, media freedom and pluralism, academic freedom, freedom of assembly and association;
• the de facto criminalisation of sexual education, as well as hate speech, public discrimination, violence against women, domestic violence and intolerant behaviour against minorities and other vulnerable groups, including LGBTI persons, and the drastic limitation, coming close to de facto banning of abortion and limiting access to emergency contraceptive pills.

Consequently, it “calls on the Council and the Commission to refrain from narrowly interpreting the principle of the rule of law, and to use the procedure under Article 7(1) TEU to its full potential […] for all the principles enshrined in Article 2 TEU, including democracy and fundamental rights”. Noting that the last hearing in the Council “was held as long ago as December 2018”, the text urges the Council “to finally act […] by finding that there is a clear risk of a serious breach by the Republic of Poland of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU, in the light of overwhelming evidence thereof”.

You can watch recordings of the debates on the report here and on the vote on the amendments here.

Next steps

The amended text will be put to the vote on Thursday morning, with results expected in the afternoon. The interim report is scheduled to be debated and voted on in plenary in September 2020.

In a report on the shortage of medicines, adopted by 79 votes to 1 and 0 abstentions, the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee addresses the root causes of medicines shortages. It stresses the need for an increased EU response, as the problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis across Europe with a direct negative impact on patients’ health, safety and the continuation of their treatment.

The report asks the Commission to use the upcoming pharmaceutical strategy to address the issue of availability, accessibility and affordability of safe medicines in Europe.

Return to EU independence in the health sector

In the approved text, MEPs call on the Commission to find ways to restore pharmaceutical manufacturing in Europe, giving priority to essential and strategic medicines as currently 40% of medicines marketed in the EU originate in non-EU countries, while 60 – 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients are produced in China and India.

MEPs encourage the introduction of financial incentives, in line with state aid rules, to persuade producers to make active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines in Europe. They also welcome the new EU health programme EU4Health to make medicines and medical equipment more available and more accessible.

Better coordination with and between EU countries

The report calls for member states to share best practices in stock management and create coordinated health strategies, including further use of joint EU procurement of medicines. It also calls on the Commission to create a European contingency reserve of medicines of strategic importance, along the lines of the RescEU mechanism. It should function as “an emergency European pharmacy” in order to minimise shortages. Equal access for all member states should be ensured through a new mechanism of just distribution.

To make medicines circulate more easily between EU countries, they also want more flexible rules on packaging formats, reuse procedures, longer expiry periods and the use of veterinary medicinal products.

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After the vote, the rapporteur Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé (EPP, FR) said: “Public health has become a geostrategic weapon that can bring a continent to its knees. Our dependence on third countries has been exposed by the current pandemic. It is necessary to relocate certain types of production, to harmonise legislation and to strengthen cooperation between member states in order to achieve greater solidarity and to regain our independence. I call in my report for a genuine pharmaceutical industrial strategy.”

Next steps

The report is expected to be on the agenda of the September plenary session of the European Parliament.

The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee adopted on Tuesday an amendment to EU rules on measuring emissions from light passenger and commercial cars (Euro 5 and Euro 6) with 55 votes to 14 and 11 abstentions. MEPs want to substantially reduce NOx emissions to address the serious problems caused by air pollution.

According to the 2019 Air Quality Report by the European Environment Agency, air pollution led to more than half a million premature deaths in 2016 and is the number one environmental cause of premature death in the EU. As passenger cars produce 40% of total EU NOx emissions, they are a significant source of air pollution, especially in urban areas.

Real driving emissions tests

Previously, pollutants such as NOx emissions from cars and other vehicles were measured in a laboratory. The EU is the first region in the world to introduce real driving emissions (RDE) tests to measure such pollutants emitted by vehicles while driven on the road.

To address any uncertainties regarding technical measurement linked with the introduction of these Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS), which measure emissions from engines while they are being used, the Commission introduced a so-called ‘conformity factor’.

The Environment Committee wants the conformity factor currently in place to be annually lowered, based on assessments by the Joint Research Centre. This downward revision starts already with lowering the conformity factor from 1.43 to 1.32. It will cease to apply by 30 September 2022, after which only the raw data from RDE tests will be used to determine compliance with EU emission limits, MEPs agreed.

The report also asks that the Commission establish by June 2021 more stringent requirements for the portable measuring equipment to be used for RDE tests.

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Following the vote, Parliament’s rapporteur on the file, Esther De Lange, said: “Today’s outcome is based on a broad agreement between the political groups. We have to be realistic about the discrepancy between emissions measured in laboratories and those measured in real-driving conditions by taking into account statistical and technical uncertainties linked to these measurements. At the same time, it’s important to show ambition by gradual lowering the value for the conformity factor through annual downward revisions, based on the scientific assessments of the Joint Research Centre.”

Next steps

The report is expected to be on the agenda of the European Parliament’s September plenary session, after which negotiations can start with Council (representing EU member states).

Background

The EU General Court ruled part of the EC proposal to insert conformity factors illegal as it ‘de facto’ modifies the 80 mg/km NOx limit set by EU rules, whereas this can only be done through the ordinary legislative procedure. To avoid legal uncertainty, the General Court delayed the effects of the annulment by maximum 12 months, which will start once the appeal launched by the Commission is dismissed. To avoid undue burdens for the manufacturers that had already designed their vehicles, the Commission proposed to re-instate the previously adopted conformity factor through the ordinary legislative procedure.

Emission measurement in the automotive sector was the subject on an EP inquiry committee, set-up after the ‘diesel scandal’. You can see the key recommendations here.

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In a new survey commissioned by the European Parliament and conducted in the second half of June 2020, nearly seven out of ten respondents (68%) want a stronger role for the EU in fighting this crisis. More than half (56%) believe this requires greater financial means for the EU, which should be directed primarily at tackling the impact of the pandemic on the health sector and the economy.

More than half of respondents (53%) remain dissatisfied with the solidarity shown between EU Member States during the pandemic, although more people now have a more positive view than was the case in April (+ 5 points).

Commenting on the results of the latest survey, EP President David Sassoli said:

“The results of this survey clearly show that EU citizens expect the EU to show more solidarity and take more action to assist the recovery. They also recognise the need for a larger EU budget to tackle the unprecedented impact the pandemic has had on our economy and society. In the context of the current budget negotiations, Parliament stands by the citizens in their call for a more effective and ambitious EU.”

Widespread awareness about EU actions against COVID-19 – and satisfaction is growing

Three out of four European citizens (76%) have heard about the various EU measures proposed to fight the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. 36% of respondents, an increase of three points compared to the first survey of this kind in April, also know what these measures are. Of those who have heard about the EU measures against COVID-19, 49% are satisfied with them. A clear increase of almost 7 points on average (compared to 42% in April) confirms the growing public support for the proposed measures, many of which have still to be implemented.

Majority still not satisfied with solidarity between EU Member States

While just over half of respondents across the EU (53%) are not satisfied with the solidarity shown between EU Member States during the pandemic, 39% of EU citizens on average say that they are satisfied. This is an average increase of 5 points since April 2020, most notable in Portugal and Spain (both +9 points), Germany, Greece, Romania and Slovakia (all around +7 points).

The EU should improve common tools to face crises such as COVID-19

Around two-thirds of respondents (68%) agree ‘the EU should have more competences to deal with crises such as the Coronavirus pandemic’, backed by an absolute majority in 26 Member States. The strongest support for more EU competences comes from respondents in Portugal and Luxembourg (both 87%), Cyprus (85%), Malta (84%), Estonia (81%), Ireland (79%), Italy and Greece (both 78%), as well as Romania (77%) and Spain (75%).

An absolute majority of Europeans support a larger EU budget to fight COVID-19

56% of Europeans believe the EU should have greater financial means to be able to overcome the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic. In 15 EU Member States, an absolute majority of respondents agrees with this claim, led by Greece (79%), Cyprus (74%), Spain and Portugal (both 71%).

Asked about the policy fields where this enlarged EU budget should be spent, public health tops the priority list for European citizens. 55% of respondents find spending on public health to be the most important, coming first in 17 EU Member States. Following this top priority, economic recovery and new opportunities for businesses (45%), employment and social affairs (37%) as well as the fight against climate change (36%) follow suit. In Italy (58%), Slovenia (55%) and Lithuania (54%), funding the economic recovery comes first. Citizens in Austria (48%) and Denmark (45%) see the continued fight against climate change as the EU’s top priority, while in Slovakia (63%), Croatia (58%) and Finland (46%) the most mentioned response is employment and social affairs.

Personal financial difficulties remain significant

A clear indicator showing how important it is to make the necessary decisions for the Recovery Package as soon as possible is the worrying personal financial situation of European citizens since the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly unchanged since April, 57% of respondents say that they have experienced personal financial difficulties. Most mentioned is the ‘loss of income’ (28%), as a key issue in 21 Member States, with highest returns in Hungary and Spain (both 43%), Bulgaria and Greece (both 41%) as well as Italy (37%).

Less uncertainty and fear, hope and confidence are on the rise

A significant development can also be seen in respondents’ feelings about the crisis, with citizens from 15 EU Member States choosing ‘hope’ (41% overall) to best describe their current emotional state. This sentiment now comes a close second to ‘uncertainty’, which is mentioned by 45% of respondents, a decrease of 5 points compared to April (50%). Negative feelings are decreasing overall: ‘fear’ (17%, -5), frustration (23%, -4), helplessness (21%, -8), while feelings of ‘confidence’ increase by 3 points to 24% and ‘helpfulness’ by 2 points to 16% on EU average.

Note to Editors

The survey was conducted online (and via telephone in Malta and Cyprus) by Kantar between 11 and 29 June 2020, among 24,798 respondents in all 27 EU Member States. The survey was limited to respondents aged between 16 and 64 (16-54 in Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia). Representativeness at the national level is ensured by quotas on gender, age, and region. The total EU results are weighted according to the size of the population of each country surveyed.

The publication of the full report for this survey, including the complete data set, is planned for early September 2020.