EU Parliament: plenary session in Strasbourg as from today. The floor will discuss the response to the earthquake, Ukraine, and the “Ethics Body”

The plenary session of the European Parliament (13-16 February) will be opened in Strasbourg this afternoon by President Roberta Metsola’s statement about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The MEPs, along with the EU Commission and the current Swedish presidency of the EU Council, will discuss the European Union’s response to the humanitarian situation in the two countries. Tomorrow, the MEPs will instead discuss the request to establish an independent Ethics Body for the EU’s institutions in a debate with the EU Council and the EU Commission. “The Ethics Body – a notice from the EIU Parliament explains – would aim to guarantee that public decisions are taken “with a view to the common good and citizens' trust in the EU institutions”. It would be set up under an interinstitutional agreement between the EU Parliament and the EU Commissions and “would be open to all EU institutions, agencies and bodies, with powers to investigate or advise depending on the issue at hand”. Also tomorrow, the MEPs are expected to give the final go-ahead to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions for new cars and trucks by 2035, as part of the “Fit For 55%” package. On Wednesday, the MEPs will go over the events of last year, marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and will “illustrate how the EU should keep supporting Kiev”. Also on Wednesday, the floor will discuss how to control inflation with the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde.
Valentina Bombelli