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02/20100
02/20100
The Week Ahead 8-14 February 2010
Plenary Session – Strasbourg Election of the European Commission. Commission President José Manuel Barroso will formally present his team of commissioners-designate to Parliament and will debate their policy priorities, and a framework agreement on relations with Parliament, with MEPs. Parliament will then hold a vote on whether to approve or reject the Commission team as a whole. EP President Jerzy Buzek will hold a press conference after the vote (Tuesday).
EU enlargement. MEPs will debate with Commission and Council the progress made by Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards EU accession, before adopting resolutions on each country. Parliament’s approval is needed for any new Member State to join the EU (Wednesday).
SWIFT/counter-terrorism. MEPs will vote on the EU-US interim agreement on the transfer of banking data to the US authorities from the SWIFT system in the interests of the fight against terrorism (debate Wednesday, vote Thursday). Parliament now has the authority to approve or reject such agreements. MEPs will also debate the role of intelligence services and of body scanners in countering terrorism.
Housing renovations. MEPs hold a vote on a draft law on providing EU funds for renovating and expanding Member States’ social housing stock (debate Monday, vote Wednesday).
Foreign Affairs. Parliament will debate the situation in Ukraine after the elections, and following debates at the previous session, MEPs will vote on resolutions concerning Haiti, Iran and Yemen (Wednesday).
Climate change. Now that countries have presented their emissions reduction pledges, and following the debate in January, MEPs will vote on a resolution on the outcome of the Copenhagen climate summit (Wednesday).
European Council meeting. President Buzek will take part in the informal meeting of EU heads of state or government at the Bibliothèque Solvay in Brussels (Thursday).