An informal energy ministers meeting will take place in Linz, Austria on Monday and Tuesday. The meeting will focus on the successful integration of renewable energy into the energy system, the Internal Energy Market and other remaining issues of the Clean Energy Package.
The General Affairs Council will meet on Tuesday in Brussels where they will take stock of the EU's legislative priorities for 2018-19. Ministers will hold a policy debate on the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. The Council will also discuss an annotated draft agenda to prepare for the European Council meeting on Oct. 18.
The Commission's Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, will brief the Council meeting, in an EU 27 format, on Brexit talks with U.K. Ministers to discuss the state of play of ongoing negotiations on the withdrawal and debate the framework for future relations with the U.K.
All exit issues need to be covered in the withdrawal agreement, which should be agreed and ratified in good time before the withdrawal date on March 29, 2019. The U.K. and the EU negotiators have already agreed on some parts of the draft withdrawal agreement in principle, although this will be irrelevant until everything is agreed. There are still parts of the withdrawal agreement that require further negotiation, one of which is how to avoid a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Other outstanding issues include overall governance, dispute settlements, protection of data and geographical indications in a post Brexit scenario.
The EU heads of state/government will convene in Salzburg, Austria for an informal meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. On behalf of Austria, the current presidency holder, Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, will host the meeting.
The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, will chair the meeting and will represent the EU together with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
The leaders will focus on migration, internal security, the upgrading of police and judicial cooperation, and strengthening border security. In an EU 27 format, the leaders will also discuss the state of play of Brexit talks.
A Civil Liberties Committee delegation will visit Slovakia and Malta this week to inquire into the rule of law, corruption and the safety of journalists. MEPs will meet journalists, members of the government, police and judicial authorities, as well as NGOs. In Malta, they will also meet family representatives of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Parliament’s delegation for relations with Palestine will travel to the occupied territories to meet authorities, civil society bodies, community leaders and human rights defenders. They will assess the political situation in the West Bank and Gaza, the prospects of a future Palestinian state given the U.S. decision to cut funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and the U.S.’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. They will also assess the human rights situation and look into the use of EU aid, the escalating demolition of EU-funded projects and the accelerated expansion of illegal Israeli settlements.
An International Trade Committee delegation will travel to Japan ahead of the European Parliament’s approval vote at the end of this year for the recently agreed Economic Partnership Agreement. MEPs will discuss various aspects of the trade deal, including timber trade, measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises and the prospect of Japan ratifying certain labor standards.
A Foreign Affairs Committee delegation will pay visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to meet ministers and heads of parliamentary bodies and take stock of the implementation of the EU-Kazakhstan cooperation agreement and ongoing negotiations for a new agreement with Uzbekistan. They will seek to strengthen relations on nuclear non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, regional security, the rule of law, governance and human rights.
MEPs from the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will pay for a four-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai starting Monday, Sept. 17 where they will meet top Chinese officials, regulators industry representatives.