The Week Ahead 9 - 15 January 2012

Committee and political group meetings

The Eurozone crisis tops the agenda with an initial exchange of views by the economic and monetary affairs committee on two proposals to further strengthen budgetary surveillance in the euro area. These proposals build on the "Six Pack" of laws beefing up the Stability and Growth Pact that were adopted last year. The committee will also examine the proposal for a financial transactions tax.

Monday Ebs 3 - 17.30 CET

The Civil Liberties Committee discusses rules for the collection, storage and use within the EU of Passenger Name Record (EU PNR) data on passengers entering or leaving the EU, for the purpose of fighting terrorism and serious crime. Measures to tackle new cyber crimes and ensure that Europe can defend its key information systems from large-scale cyber attacks are also on the agenda (Thursday).

The foreign affairs committee exchanges views on Serbia's European integration process and on the 2011 progress report on Turkey. It meets jointly with Parliament's Belarus delegation to discuss the EU's approach towards Belarus since the December 2010 presidential election (Thursday).

Jerzy Buzek attends the official opening ceremony of the Danish Presidency in Copenhagen on Wednesday. Check Ebs schedule for details of the coverage.  On Friday, he gives a press conference to mark the end of his term of office as President of the European Parliament at the EP Information Office in Warsaw.

Parliament's political groups will prepare for the first plenary session of 2012 next week, in Strasbourg, marking the mid-point of the parliamentary term. MEPs will elect a new President, 14 Vice-Presidents, as well as five Quaestors, who look after MEPs' financial and administrative interests. The composition of parliamentary committees will also be decided. Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt will present the programme for the rotating EU Presidency taken over by Denmark this month. Parliamentary business will feature votes on the electrical and electronic waste directive (WEEE) and draft legislation on pest-control products.

The regular briefing by the EP Press Service and political group spokespeople will be held on Friday at 11.00 LIVE on Ebs (Anna Politkovskaya Room, PHS 0A050).

• Ebs and Ebs+ details Live or REC
• Source and details check the press agenda
• Audio and streaming of all committees: check EP LIVE Page

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