Quote of the week by César Luena, S&D MEP and European Parliament's chief negotiator on the Nature Restoration Law in the committee on environment, public health and food safety (ENVI):
"The Nature Restoration Law has garnered immense support from civil society, NGOs, young people, scientists, and even multinational corporations, as well as the majority of EU governments. While the conservative EPP chose not to listen, the rest of the Parliament moved forward with this crucial policy, aiming to secure a better future for all. Four years ago, we declared climate and environmental emergencies. The S&Ds have remained unwavering in their commitment to ensuring the Parliament delivers on these emergencies, seeking compromises that align with the objectives of a just Green Deal as our guiding light.”
Upcoming activities:
Next week will be a week dedicated to missions, as part of some committees’ work. Afterwards, the parliament will be on summer recess and work will resume at the end of August.
The end of July will be marked by the EU’s relations with Latin America. In the context of the Spanish presidency, which is strongly committed to strengthening relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, the third edition of EU-CELAC summit will take place from 17 to 18 July in Brussels. For the Socialists and Democrats, this is a unique opportunity to reinforce the progressive agenda on both sides of the Atlantic, after eight years without this summit having been held. In the margins of the EU-CELAC summit, S&D President, Iratxe García will attend the pre-summit of socialist and progressive leaders organised by the Party of European Socialists (PES), on 18 July, with the heads of state or government of Spain, Portugal, Germany, Brazil, Chile and Colombia.
Next Tuesday, the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee will vote on the important annual report on Turkey and the state of play of the accession process. S&D MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor is the rapporteur.
On Tuesday, 18 July, our S&D MEP and European Parliament rapporteur, René Repasi, will present the report on common rules promoting the repair of goods at the committee on the internal market and consumer protection (IMCO). This report aims to increase incentives for consumers to repair their products instead of replacing them. Among other suggestions, the Socialists and Democrats propose to improve the Commission’s proposal by speeding up the requirements for the repair time or to extend the legal guarantee period of repaired goods.
On the same day, the IMCO committee will be voting on the proposal for a Regulation establishing the single market emergency instrument and repealing Council Regulation aiming to secure the supply of essential goods and materials in the EU's single market, especially during emergencies like the Covid-19 pandemic. Under our shadow rapporteur, S&D MEP René Repasi, we have made sure that the European Parliament can also activate the emergency mode on an equal footing with the Council, and that even in an emergency mode, workers’ rights and the right to strike are fully protected.
Next Wednesday, 19 July, is expected to be the end of the trilogue negotiations with the Council on an important regulation to limit the use of fluorinated gases, which can be found in air conditioning systems or heat pumps for instance, and are up to 25,000 times more climate-damaging than CO2. Thanks to the S&Ds, according to the new regulation under negotiation with the EU governments, F-gases would have to be phased out by 2050 at the latest. For heat pumps, we focussed on achieving a low level of these gases. We have also made a first step in reducing the use of so-called PFAS chemicals, which cause long-lasting soil and water pollution, as well as severe health problems. We managed to include the training of workers, as well as provisions against illegal trade and exports’ limitations of harmful substances, especially very old equipment to developing countries.
Upcoming missions:
Mission to New York at the High-Level Political Forum
A joint mission of the Parliament's development and environment committees will take place next Monday to Wednesday in New York in the framework of the High Level Political Forum. The EU will present its first voluntary review on the progress and gaps of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ahead of the midterm review of the SDGs at the SDGs Summit in September in New York. S&D MEPs Udo Bullman and Cyrus Engerer will participate in the mission.
Mission to Yemen
From 23 to 26 July, our member and vice-chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula, Niels Fuglsang, is travelling to Yemen as part of the parliamentary mission to the region. Clashes among military groups in Yemen recede, but peace remains distant, and this is extremely worrying for our Group.
Mission to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Then, from 21 to 25 August, the European Parliament's committee on foreign affairs will go on a mission to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Our members Juozas Olekas and Karsten Lucke will go there to discuss the democratic standards in society with representatives of state authorities and the non-governmental sector.
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