European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a working lunch on Tuesday in Berlin.
The Eurogroup, in which ministers of the euro area member states discuss euro-related issues to ensure close coordination of economic policies among member states and to promote stronger economic growth, will meet on Friday in Vienna.
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) will also meet in Vienna on Friday and Saturday. Ecofin is responsible for EU policy in three main areas: economic policy, taxation issues and the regulation of financial services. All member state economy and finance ministers, as well as relevant European Commissioners, participate in the Ecofin meetings.
New legislation to better prevent unsafe products from being sold in the EU is up for a vote in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee on Monday. The new provisions aim to foster cooperation among national authorities to improve checks on products sold online or on those imported from non-EU countries. Some inspections have shown that 32 percent of toys, 58 percent of electronics, 47 percent of construction products and 40 percent of personal protective equipment do not meet EU safety or consumer information requirements.
The Civil Liberties Committee will vote on a new proposal on Monday that aims to fight fraud from non-cash payments (cards, direct debits, and mobile payments). The draft law proposes the introduction of a definition for cybercrime offenses, a minimum level for the highest penalties, and provisions for the rights of cybercrime victims, and improvements to criminal justice cooperation.
The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will vote Monday on a comprehensive reform of the EU VAT system to facilitate and simplify intra-EU trade to make the system more resilient to fraud. If approved, the reform will apply the principle of destination, whereby goods and services will be taxed at the VAT rates of a member state destination, and it will also include the set up of a one-stop shop to serve the declaration, payment deduction of the tax.
Political groups will prepare for the upcoming State of the Union debate with Jean-Claude Juncker on the morning of Sept. 12 in Strasbourg. The EP Conference of Presidents (EP President and political groups’ leaders) will meet with Juncker on Thursday to prepare the State of the Union debate.
Last week, the EU warned the U.S. against imposing new tariffs on EU-origin products. The EU will respond immediately if the U.S. decides to go ahead with the new tariffs, European Commission spokesman Daniel Rosario said on Tuesday at a daily briefing in Brussels.
In March, the U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25-percent tariff on imported iron and steel, and a 10-percent tariff on aluminum. Since then, heated discussions have ensued between the U.S. and its major trade partners.
Following the U.S. sanctions, the EU retaliated by placing a 25-percent tariff on American products and Trump subsequently threatened to impose more tariffs on all European cars.
Last month, Trump hosted Juncker in Washington.