From 8 to 11 March 2021, a plenary session of the European Parliament was held. MEPs met by videoconference to debate and vote on new legislation. Coronavirus, rule of law, tax evasion or even ecology, the major themes that marked the start of the year were on the agenda for this meeting. Le Taurillon takes stock.
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Europe of freedoms
The Parliament wished to state it in a very official way, the European Union is now an “LBTQI zone of freedom”. This declaration follows the various laws adopted in Poland and Hungary which aim to counter “anti LGBTQI propaganda” and create zones “free from this ideology” (already numbering 100 in Poland). The resolution in favor of this “LGBTQI freedom zone” was adopted on Thursday with 492 votes in favor, 141 against and 46 abstentions. Would the European Union finally decide to act and take a clear position on these subjects, at the risk of offending certain member countries?
Freedom of the press and the ban on certain media in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia have also stirred the ranks of deputies. Debates on this subject have been heated. Most MEPs agree that the existence of free and independent media is vital for democratic societies, and call for a firm position by the Commission and the Council on this subject. Some, however, denounced a “politically biased” debate, lacking information on the states concerned. Likewise, MEPs demanded that the Commission activate the rule of law mechanism “without delay”. This mechanism, which makes European aid conditional on respect for the rule of law, came into force on January 1. However, it has never yet been used, MEPs stressed. Several rapporteurs nevertheless asked for a clarification of this regulation so that no population is penalized for the deviations of their government. Some deputies denounced a politically biased mechanism. Parliament will vote on this resolution during the second plenary in March, scheduled for March 24 and 25.
Common market: current affairs at the heart of the debates
The OpenLux scandal unveiled by various dailies including Le Monde in early February, forced the doors of the plenary. MEPs have called for the implementation of existing regulations on tax avoidance, and ask for a report on the situation in different European countries. European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, present during the debates, announced the revision of the directive against tax evasion. The Council Presidency, for its part, undertook to publish on the internet the list of European countries pinned as tax havens.
OpenLux was not the only current event to invite itself to the plenary. The question of Uyghurs and their working conditions was also at the heart of the debates. MEPs have proposed legislation aimed directly at companies active in the European market. These will now have to comply with respect for human rights and will be held responsible for any violation. Goods produced under conditions detrimental to workers will also be excluded from the common market, and employees will have to be able to formulate swift and effective recourse against their employers in the event of a problem.
Economic recovery will be social. MEPs insisted: equity, social rights must be placed at the same level as macroeconomic objectives. Several proposals emerged, notably the inclusion of social indicators in the European Semester.
The European Parliament has also endorsed the 2021-2027 Customs Program. This provides for a budget of 950 million euros to put in place effective customs policies, able to “protect the single market and its citizens from illegal trade and facilitate ‘legal’ commercial activities” indicated a press release. [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210304IPR99224/parliament-adopts-2021-2027-eu-customs-programme].
Europe of health on track
This had been requested since the first confinement, the Commission had proposed it last May and a compromise had been found in December between MEPs and the Council. It is now done, the “Europe of health” program (EU4Health) was adopted on March 9 by the European Parliament. Endowed with 5.1 billion euros, it will support national health policies by promoting cooperation and data exchange between the 27 and by making drugs and other medical devices more accessible. Several concrete objectives were mentioned, in particular the creation of the European health data space and the acceleration of the fight against cancer. This new program was adopted with 631 votes in favor, 32 votes against and 34 abstentions. The Council must formally approve it, before it is published in the Official Journal and be applied retroactively from January 1, 2021.
We could not talk about this plenary without mentioning the signature of Presidents Sassoli and Von der Leyen, as well as Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, of the joint declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe. With this signature, a series of debates and discussions open to all Europeans was launched. By exchanging their visions of the European Union, citizens will help “shape the future of Europe”, insisted David Sassoli. A number of themes will be addressed such as health, equity, digital technology and even climate change. These debates will be held in different modalities, in digital format but also (as far as possible) face-to-face from May 9 until spring 2022.
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