Ministers are preserving a chain of conferences in parliamentary committees to offer the priorities of the Belgium Presidency of the Council.
Belgium holds the Presidency of the Council till June 2024 integrated.
Financial and Financial Affairs
Protective taxpayers and their buying energy whilst restoring electorate’ accept as true with in monetary establishments will be the overarching precedence, Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem informed MEPs on 22 January. He stated the commercial governance evaluate, deepening the capital markets union, attaining a normal way at the financial institution deposit ensure, and securing long-term monetary fortify to Ukraine will be the concrete priorities.
MEPs themselves wired the desire for growth at the capital markets union, fortify for Ukraine, and updating the commercial governance gadget. Some singled out the want to make growth on preventing tax avoidance and dealing to push the United States to comply with the most recent world tax requirements.
Civil Liberties, Justice and House Affairs
On 23 January, Justice Minister Paul van Tigchelt needs to make growth on priorities such because the battle in opposition to organised crime, small-scale detention, the rights of intercourse employees, violence in opposition to girls and trafficking in human beings. Secretary of State for Digitalisation Mathieu Michel stated the Presidency hopes to achieve a Normal Manner in Might on bettering GDPR enforcement.
MEPs highlighted Parliament’s request to cause Article 7(2) procedures at the rule of legislation and the battle in opposition to hate speech and disinformation. Replying to MEPs’ questions, the Presidency showed a vote at the Synthetic Intelligence Act within the first week of February, and that paintings continues on Kid Sexual Abuse Subject matter (CSAM). After all, MEPs requested to advance in opposition to a consent-based definition of rape within the draft legislation on violence in opposition to girls.
Delivery and Tourism
On 23 January, Georges Gilkinet, Deputy High Minister and Minister of Mobility, wired that the Presidency will try to advance a inexperienced and virtual transition, decarbonise the shipping sector and finalise as many information as imaginable sooner than the EU elections. Valérie De Bue, Minister of the Civil Carrier, IT and Administrative Simplification, accountable for Tourism and Street Protection, famous that tourism has come again to pre-pandemic ranges and introduced a casual assembly of Tourism Ministers in February to advance the tourism schedule.
Delivery Committee MEPs suggested the Presidency to conclude the paintings on Trans-Eu shipping networks, a biking declaration, and the maritime and street protection applications, in addition to get a mandate to barter on Unmarried Eu Sky laws and on shipping weights and dimensions and railway capability laws.
Regional Construction
On 23 January, Minister-President of the Executive of Wallonia Elio Di Rupo needs post-2027 brotherly love to supply centered and more effective regional support whilst making sure that no electorate and territories are left in the back of through the golf green and virtual transitions. A number of the priorities discussed have been the removing of cross-border stumbling blocks, and growing macro-regional methods for the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and for the islands.
MEPs raised the problems of accelerating the brotherly love funds for the following programming duration, responding to the housing disaster and making sure that the golf green transition is included into the brotherly love coverage. In addition they highlighted the want to get ready for EU growth and the goal to discover a deal at the mechanism for cross-border removing of stumbling blocks sooner than the elections.
Trade, Analysis and Power
On 22 January, Petra De Sutter, Deputy High Minister and Minister of Public Management, emphasized the function of the virtual decade: common get right of entry to to high quality telecommunication, together with 5G. She discussed the predicted White Paper on the way forward for telecommunications and was hoping for an settlement on Gigabit infrastructure law.
Mathieu Michel, State Secretary for Digitisation, introduced 4 priorities: the Virtual Identification framework, bridging the virtual abilities hole, AI law and blockchain. Those goal to give a boost to Europe’s virtual hub standing and place the EU as a pace-setter in virtual innovation.
MEPs raised EU cybersecurity, Gigabit infrastructure, the virtual abilities hole, virtual {qualifications} and the affect of AI law on innovation as their precedence spaces of labor.
On the way forward for analysis and innovation, Willy Borsus, Vice-President of the Walloon Executive and Minister, stated the presidency will goal to stability safety and competitiveness, fostering EU resilience in essential sectors and remodeling analysis into societal and financial worth.
Thomas Dermine, State Secretary for Financial Restoration and Strategic Investments, accountable for Science Coverage, stated that the distance sector will evolve round 3 tasks: the midterm evaluate of the EU area programme, a Eu House Legislation and a joint area council between the Eu House Company and the EU, deliberate for Might 2024.
MEPs sought clarifications on proposed cuts to the Horizon programme, Europe’s lagging place in existence sciences, the desire for complete area law and the improvement of satellite tv for pc constellations like Iris² for Europe’s autonomy.
Power Minister Tinne Van der Straeten highlighted key tasks corresponding to updating the Euratom safeguard for the non violent use of nuclear and bolstering power safety and sovereignty. They’ll additionally focal point on expanding the speed of inexperienced renovation of constructions and selling offshore renewable power manufacturing.
MEPs wired the want to get ready an EU “Blue deal” and to give a boost to the electrical energy networks to permit for the growth of renewables. MEPs additionally need the EU to concentrate on home manufacturing of hydrogen and ban the rest imports of liquefied herbal gasoline from Russia.
On 23 January, Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister for Economic system, Innovation, Paintings, Social Economic system and Agriculture, stated that EU trade is just too depending on imports and that the EU must be extra assertive. The Presidency will focal point at the closing legislative paintings, specifically at the Internet-0 Trade Act.
MEPs expressed fear over the waiver of state support laws granted through the Fee to sure member states and known as for the Strategic Applied sciences for Europe Platform, these days below dialogue between Parliament and Council, to be allotted sufficient investment.
Employment and Social Affairs
On 23 January, Deputy High Minister and Minister for Economic system and Employment Pierre Yves Dermagne stated the Presidency needs to make growth at the Platform Paintings Directive and the Eu Incapacity Card. He additionally wired the significance of psychological well being at paintings, the revision of the cancer causing agents and mutagens Directive (CMRD6), and the Eu Pillar of Social Rights.
MEPs known as at the minister to conquer the present block within the Council at the Platform Paintings Directive. Wondered at the coordination of social safety techniques, Mr Dermagne stated that there’s a will to conclude negotiations. Different problems raised through MEPs have been high quality traineeships, the mandate of the Eu Labour Authority and the price of dwelling disaster in Europe.
Inside Marketplace and Client Coverage
On 24 January, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Deputy High Minister and Minister of the Economic system and Employment, and Alexia Bertrand, State Secretary for the Funds and Client Coverage, stated they need to finalise negotiations at the proper to fix, the Unmarried Marketplace Emergency Tool and banning merchandise made with pressured labour within the EU. The Presidency additionally introduced that a casual assembly on 19 April will glance forward at what the following Fee will have to deal with, corresponding to mileage fraud for 2nd hand automobiles, accessibility to monetary products and services and AI and client coverage.
MEPs inquired about Presidency fortify for brand spanking new laws on addictive design of on-line platforms and on influencer advertising and marketing. Europe’s world function, the troubles of companies and SMEs, Enrico Letta’s document on the way forward for unmarried marketplace and disinformation have been additionally mentioned.
Criminal Affairs
Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt highlighted on 24 January the battle in opposition to organised crime, drug trafficking and reintegration of folks leaving jail a few of the priorities. He additionally expressed ambition to reach growth at the EU-wide popularity of parenthood and a few highbrow assets information, whilst finalising the company sustainability due diligence.
MEPs quizzed the minister in regards to the battle in opposition to counterfeit merchandise and highlighted the want to make growth on corporate and patent regulations together with company sustainability reporting. In addition they requested about deliberate steps on virtual law and information benefitting civil society organisations.
Construction
On 24 January, Caroline Gennez, Minister of Construction Cooperation and of the Primary Towns Coverage wired that the Presidency is dedicated to fostering a extra equivalent partnership with Africa, with focal point on imposing the Samoa Agreements. Specifically, they’ll focal point on well being in Africa, humanitarian support and a sturdy cease-fire with humanitarian help for Gaza.
MEPs requested in regards to the members of the family with Latin American international locations and different EU strategic companions and wired the significance of together with civil society and of cooperating with spouse international locations on environmental coverage. Some MEPs additionally requested how you can regain the accept as true with of the Sahel international locations.
Global Industry
Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Overseas Affairs, Eu Affairs and Industry informed MEPs on 24 January that the Presidency will focal point on open strategic autonomy, the approaching thirteenth Ministerial Convention of the Global Industry Organisation (WTO) and the implementation and enforcement of current business agreements. The Presidency additionally plans a convention on important uncooked fabrics for 26 March.
For the WTO Ministerial Convention on the finish of February, the Presidency will focal point at the dispute agreement factor, sustainable fisheries, e-commerce, and business and environmental subsidies.
Ladies’s Rights and Gender Equality
On 24 January, Marie-Colline Leroy, State Secretary for Gender Equality, Equivalent Alternatives and Variety, stated the Presidency would prioritise preventing gender-based violence and discrimination, strengthening equality coverage and making ready the equality schedule for the brand new legislature. The Presidency is made up our minds to conclude the negotiations on a directive on preventing violence in opposition to girls.
MEPs expressed their sadness that member states are refusing to incorporate rape within the directive on preventing violence in opposition to girls. In addition they highlighted the commercial prices of home violence and the weight the price of dwelling disaster is hanging on susceptible girls.
