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Military aid to Ukraine, migrant returns and reduction of bureaucracy on the table for MEPs.
Amid growing tensions between Europe and the US, and between two crucial summits of EU leaders on defence, MEPs are heading to Strasbourg for a plenary session packed with controversial debates. Here is a selection of the most interesting topics to follow.Military aid to UkraineOn Wednesday, March 12, MEPs will vote on a resolution urging the EU to maintain its support for Ukraine, even if the United States withdraws its backing. The resolution, which is non-legislative, also focuses on European contributions to the security guarantees needed to ensure peace in Ukraine after the war—an issue on which EU Member States remain deeply divided.Beyond this vote, several debates related to the Russian war in Ukraine are scheduled. On Tuesday morning, MEPs will assess the outcome of the March 6 Special European Council, while in the afternoon, discussions will centre on the upcoming white paper on the future of European defence, set to be unveiled soon by the Commission.Wednesday’s agenda includes two debates: one on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and another on the phase-out of Russian energy in EU countries.While resolutions in favour of Ukraine generally receive broad support in the chamber, debates on the topic remain nuanced. “We are completely against deploying European troops in Ukraine,” a spokesperson for the Patriots for Europe group said during a press conference.Return of migrantsOn Tuesday, March 11, the European Commission is set to present the so-called “Return Directive” in Strasbourg—a new legal framework aimed at speeding up processes for repatriating rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin.On the same day, MEPs will give a first assessment of the proposal, which seeks to increase the return rate of third-country nationals who are not entitled to stay in the EU. Currently, only about one in four foreign nationals ordered to leave an EU member state is actually deported.A source familiar with the matter told Euronews that the Commission’s proposal will not include discussion of “return hubs”- centres outside the EU where migrants would be hosted while awaiting repatriation. The idea has been circulating after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised the issue.However, the debate is expected to be tense, with radical right-wing parties calling for swifter procedures and stricter policies to combat irregular migration, while left-leaning groups emphasise the need to uphold migrants’ fundamental rights.Reducing bureaucracy at a faster paceOn Monday, March 10, Parliament will discuss the so-called “Omnibus Package”, a recent Commission proposal aimed at cutting red tape and simplifying legislation for EU businesses and citizens.Last week, the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest group in the chamber, sent a letter to the Parliament President Roberta Metsola—seen by Euronews—requesting a fast-track procedure. The EPP’s goal is to quickly approve a specific part of the package, the so-called “Stop the Clock” proposal, which seeks to postpone certain requirements on corporate sustainability and due diligence reporting.Metsola will announce the EPP’s request at the session’s opening, and the vote will take place in the next plenary session in April. However, the debate is expected to be heated, as the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe are in no hurry to approve the new rules.A possible outcome could be an alliance between the EPP and the right-wing groups European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Patriots for Europe (PfE)—a coalition sometimes referred to as the “Venezuela Majority.”Cross-border recognition of parenthoodOn Wednesday, March 12, Parliament will debate a European Commission proposal to ensure that parenthood established in one EU member state is automatically recognised in all the others.However, the issue remains contentious due to concerns about children born via surrogacy and those of same-sex couples. Since surrogacy and same-sex unions are regulated differently across member states, some governments resist being required to recognize parenthood established under the laws of another country.As a result, an estimated two million children risk having their parents’ legal status downgraded when they move to another EU country, according to Commission data.The proposal requires unanimous approval by the Council, but its not yet there. MEPs will press Council and Commission representatives in the chamber to explain why.
