EP this week: TTIP, biofuels, conflict minerals, health care, plenary | WPN World People News

Committees will this week discuss and vote on free-trade talks with the US, biofuels, cross border payment claims, conflict minerals and healthcare. During the plenary session on Wednesday, MEPs will discuss among others the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and the reallocation of money left over from last year's EU budget.

MEPs have another busy week ahead of them.

Committees

Nearly 900 amendments have been tabled to a draft resolution taking stock of the progress made in talks with the US on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). These will be debated by the international trade committee on Monday. The committee will vote on its report in May. On Tuesday the environment committee will vote on its opinion on TTIP and on Thursday the legal affairs committee will vote on its opinion on the investor-state dispute settlement, a mechanism to help solve disputes between investors and countries, which could be included in the treaty.

On Tuesday the environment committee is set to vote on the outcome of negotiations with the Council on legislation to cap the production of traditional biofuels and accelerate the shift to alternative sources, such as seaweed and waste.

The legal affairs committee will vote on Thursday on improving existing legislation on cross border payment claims with aims to help consumers and small and medium-sized companies to enforce cross border payment claims. According to the new proposal, the limits should be raised from €2,000 to €10,000.

On Tuesday the international trade committee will vote on a draft law aiming to make it more difficult for armed groups in conflict-affected areas to fund their activities by trading in minerals such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. (so-called conflict minerals).

On the same day the environment and public health committee will vote on a draft resolution on safer healthcare in Europe calling for better prevention of hospital infections and post-op complication as well as more measures to tackle the growing resistance to antibiotics.

Plenary

During Wednesday´s plenary in Brussels MEPs are set to debate and vote on a resolution by political groups commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

MEPs will vote on a modification of the ceiling of the EU's long-term budget, the so-called Multiannual Financial Framework, in order to allow for the transfer of €21.1 billion in commitment appropriations that remained unused in 2014 and would otherwise be lost.

EP President

On Monday EP President Schulz will visit Hungary, where he will meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and parliament speaker László Kövér. Schulz will also visit the Szeged Synagogue. Two days later he will welcome King Felipe VI of Spain during his visit to the Parliament in Brussels. The king will also meet the leaders of the Parliament's political groups that day.

Source: European Parliament