European Parliament
MEPs will meet in their political groups in Brussels next week to prepare amendments and coordinate voting positions in preparation for the plenary session in Strasbourg, from 13-16 February 2006.
Highlights will include
- Services Directive (1st reading)
- Optical radiation directive (3rd reading)
- Animal welfare - broiler chickens
- Air Traffic Controllers Licence
- Fishing in the Shetland Box
The latest agenda for the session is available from Parliament's main website at www.europarl.eu.int
European Commission
The commission will meet to consider
- Press & Communication: a White Paper establishing a European communication policy will be adopted. It is proposed that communication becomes an EU policy in its own right. Themes for discussion include improving information provision and opportunities for feedback to the general public, decentralisation, and utilising new communication tools. Interested parties are invited to work with the Commission in designing and carrying out the policy (Communication, Wallström);
- Economic and Financial Affairs: the annual evaluation of the stability programmes of Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg, and the convergence programmes of Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia will be adopted (6 Communications, Almunia).
Other items include a briefing of colleagues by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on both the recent Palestinian elections and the London Conference on Afghanistan
