EU Parliament’s Conference of Presidents endorsed the members and observers nominated by the political groups to be on the Conference’s Executive Board.

For a strong and effective enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) vis-à-vis large digital platforms, integrated companies and other digital services, urged MEPs of the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) in a draft resolution adopted on Tuesday.

In their debate on the OpenLux investigations with the Commission and the Council Presidency, MEPs pointed out the need for enforcement of existing rules and called for straightway introduction of country-by-country reporting. 

In their resolution on a WTO-compatible EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, adopted during this week’s plenary session, MEPs urge for introduction an EU carbon price on certain imports from less climate-ambitious countries.

Lawmakers gave the thumbs up to the new InvestEU programme, which was provisionally agreed with the Council. It will mobilise public and private investments and guarantees simplified access to financing. With its €26bn in current prices, set aside in the EU budget as a guarantee, the programme is expected to mobilise €400bn that will be invested throughout the EU from the current 7-year budget 2021- 2027.

With a wide majority, MEPs endorsed the provisional agreement reached with the Council on the new EU4Health Programme for 2021-2027. Its objective is boost quality and resilience of EU health systems, preparing them to cope with future sanitary threats and pandemics. At least 20% of its overall financial envelope of €5.1bn will be spent on disease prevention and health promotion.

In a secret vote on Monday evening, the results of which were announced on Tuesday, the European Parliament stripped three Catalan MEPs of their immunity. The move was at the request of the Spanish judiciary.

In a draft resolution, adopted this week, the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) emphasised that EU member countries should prioritise public investment in education, healthcare, housing, family support and childcare, making sure that these services reach all children.

At their meeting on Thursday Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) MEPs voted on the progress reports for North Macedonia and Albania regarding their EU integration path. The results were announced on Friday.

The CEOs of seven pharma companies received tough questions by the lawmakers during a public hearing, organised by two EP committees – ENVI and ITRE, on ‘How to increase the capacity of COVID 19 vaccine production and improve delivery’.