Strasbourg Plenary | Sakharov Prize 2019 |
Election of new European Ombudsman

This week’s main highlight will be the last Strasbourg Plenary for 2019. Following hearings by candidates earlier this month, during Tuesday’s plenary session, MEPs will vote on the election of the European Ombudsman for the next five-year term. On Wednesday, AFET and DROI committees will hold a joint discussion on human rights situation of the Uyghur minority in China together with Jewher Ilham, daughter of this year Sakharov Prize laureate, Ilham Tohti. Following the debate, the award ceremony for 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will take place in the European Parliament’s hemicycle in Strasbourg.

On another note, following last week’s European Council, on Thursday Ministers will reflect on member states' positions on the priorities and initiatives in environment and climate policy from 2020 and EU's biodiversity policies after 2020.

European Commission

It will be another busy week at the Commission. On Monday, President von der Leyen will meet with David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament. This week’s College meeting will be on Tuesday in Strasbourg and on Wednesday the Commission President will address the plenary of the European Parliament on the 10th anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty and on the conclusions of the European Council. On Thursday, Commissioners Schinas and Johansson will travel to Budapest to meet with Minister of the Interior of Hungary Sándor Pintér.

Council of the EU

On Monday and Tuesday, Ministers will meet for an Agriculture and Fisheries Council, where they are due to agree on the 2020 fishing opportunities for the Atlantic and North Sea. The council will take stock of and discuss the progress made on the post 2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform package. On Thursday, Environment Council will gather to exchange views on the EU environment and climate policy in the new legislative term. Additionally, the Finnish Presidency and the Commission will inform ministers on recent international meetings including the UN climate change conference (COP25) in Madrid.

European Parliament

MEPs will meet in Strasbourg for the final plenary session of the year. The Plenary will start by commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Romanian revolution of December 1989. On Tuesday, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs will vote on the election of new European Ombudsman and debate on gender pay gap. On Wednesday, the Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Development, and the Subcommittee on Human Rights will discuss the human rights situation of the Uyghur minority in China together with Jewher Ilham, daughter of the 2019 Sakharov Prize laureate, Ilham Tohti, who is currently serving a life sentence in China on separatism-related charges. The award ceremony will take place after the debate. On the last day of this week’s plenary, Members will debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.